back from singapore

This 7 days trip back to Singapore had prompted some random thoughts.  After almost 2 full years of staying in Suzhou, China, we are in the process of packing and reading to head home, Singapore.  Be it good or bad, it will come to an end where we have to say good bye to our colleagues, friends, neighbour, etc.  I do hope I would be coming once a while to visit the place, the great people here.

 

1. I know Singapore was a hot and humid country and I had stay in Singapore for 40 years. When I left Suzhou on the end of April, Suzhou was still cooling during the night and even day time.  The 2^nd days when I was in Singapore, I went cycling with friends and you know what, I was tanned… and perspiring even when riding on flat road.  One of the days, I was just doing nothing but watching TV shows, I was perspiring.  How hot and humid would that be, let me know please.  In contrast with Suzhou, it was like heaven and earth.  When there were no comparisons, we would mention that it was hot and humid, live with it.  Well, think I will have to tolerate the temperature when I get back to Singapore this June.
2. Staying in Suzhou for almost 2 years.  I lived in a rather remote area.  Singapore everywhere is city.  When I was out of the flat where my parents lived, immediately I can feel the congestion.  Car park packed with cars, road packed with cars, bus-stop packed with people waiting, library pack with people, shopping mall packed, pulau ubin packed with bikes and people, food court packed, basically everywhere is packed.  I could not understand why the government wanted to increase the population to 6 millions when it is already so pack.  Can’t we stay with whatever now, be it 5m or 4.5m?  Please, this is enough.  Suzhou is only packed in the city.  SIP (this year is 15 years anniversary of SIP), SND and other districts are not packed at all.
3. Housing in Singapore is still VERY expensive.  I wonder if I will be able to get a condominium.  Even a 2+1 unit.  I had checked through the price, the price range from $650psf to $750psf for a Pasir Ris or Bedok area.  While for the current HDB that I have, it is $260psf.  Will I be able to buy a unit that cost at least 2 to 3 times my current unit?  Is this expensive?  I wonder those how other are able to purchase these units at that cost?  Some can even purchase unit at well over $1000psf.
4. Time flies, my contract is coming to an end.  It was really nice to be staying here in China.  My wife insistent of staying in this villa was right.  We had good time here.  I do not foresee myself staying in a villas back in Singapore, maybe when I strike the big sweep and what… is it 2 millions Singapore dollars now?  We had experience all the 4 seasons in Suzhou with temperature as hot as 40°C but not announce since it may create panic in the country and temperature as cold as -10°C.  With trees growing very green and flowers blossom, or just tree with leaves.  With sky so grey and visibility as low as 10m or sky as clear as crystal.
5. The tree in front of the house was full of leave, dropped off during autumn, started to grow again during spring and dropped again during winter.  I have seen the cycle twice.  It bring back memories.  When we were here, we were so excited to be in China.  All places, attractions are new to us.  My driver told me that on the 3^rd in Suzhou, he mentioned to me about the CCTV studio at Wuxi and I was telling him that I still have plenty of time to visit that place since it was only an hour drive away.  Do you know what? I only visited that place after 1.5 here.
6. One of my colleagues, David was a crazy fan of bicycle.  Once, he had a total of 8 bikes for his family.  I started riding with his enthusiasm.  He would be telling us all his adventures with his bike.  First I bought an Oyama folding bike, started riding home from work.  The best part I was telling them that it was so far from work, 14km journey.  I was wondering if I can do it.  In May 2008, I bought a mountain.  On the 2^nd day of the purchase, I was rather brave (actually I would say stupid) to ride with the Suzhou Riders to Dong Shan, that trip was the longest ride I rode so far.  Although after that ride, I was still riding 100km ride once a while but mainly are mountain and leisure rides including a few races (Shanghai Philip Race, Nanjing Race) last year.  Recently, in order to be able to ride a similar bike as my wife (the Oyama now belong to my wife), I bought myself another bike. A Dahon SP16 that cost at 60% the price if I get it in Singapore.