Singapore – in all its bustling tininess, has developed quite a significant amount of content around our favourite areas like food (omg, soo much food), travel articles and local news with a quirky (and sometimes controversially-hilarious) take.
For the longest time, Singapore often read up on stuff from websites with foreign-based content… So it’s amazing how we managed to create a whole bunch of exclusively-Singaporean content that tap into our kiasu-laksa-loving hearts.
Now I’m immensely happy to have discovered Zula.sg!
It’s awesome because it really feels like a super exclusive space that not everyone will be able to relate to!
How so?
Well, for starters – Zula’s content is very much meant for Singaporeans. Which pretty much cuts out the rest of the world and leaves us with our teeny-tiny island. And the content is meant for female. Not just any female… Gen-Y females.
Which is really pretty awesome, in my honest opinion. Because it’s practically everything I want to read about; or at the very least, can relate to.
But what I really love about Zula is how clean their webpage is!
All that white space!!! 😍 😍 😍
You might notice that some of the pictures seem quite unprofessional – but I really think it’s just a teething phase with newer webpages. I’ve learned that actually getting quality images is no easy feat.
I’m alright with closing one eye to images for now – because they have some pretty good articles that I’d spend some time reading.
Speaking of women empowerment – I couldn’t not read the article on “This Singapore Girl Fixes Planes Instead of Flying In Them“. While so many girls I know flock to being flight stewardesses, this lady took the road less travelled (by others her gender) and became an aircraft technician! Although I already read this article somewhere else, I love reading it again from another writer’s POV… ☺️ Gives me this warm, fuzzy & proud feeling inside. Like, “YEA! GO, SINGAPORE GIRL!! WOOT!!!”
And of course lets not forget the beauty-related stuff!! 💄
I’m currently carefully studying “5 Amazeballs Mascaras Under $10 For Singaporean Girls Who Spend Too Much On Makeup” because lately I’ve spent a bit on mascaras – but none seem to work for me! 😭 😭 Darn these oily eyelids… I always end up looking like a racoon by lunchtime. Plus a couple of those weren’t exactly economically-priced! It’s great to find cheap alternatives!
So if they work – SUPER YAY! If they don’t – oh well. Doesn’t hurt too bad.
But honestly, the MOST IMPORTANT one right now is…
Revlon has some pretty awesome stuff like their Balm Stains! So definitely worth checking out.
Zula has some great content – and it would seem like they’re building up more! Already ‘Liked’ their Facebook page; and waiting for more updates!
Having grown up in a country as geographically well-protected as Singapore, exposure to natural disasters is often close to none.
Sure, we get updates via news channels on the devastation and severity of the storms – but to actuallyunderstand what the disaster entails?
I can safely say I’m very ignorant in this area.
Even when travelling, I had the privilege of not getting hit by natural disasters. Much reason due to the fact that when planning a trip, I’d abstain from traveling during ‘dangerous’ seasons.
Like for Taiwan – their rainy and typhoon season is around June to October. This year, 2016, it was said to be between July to August.
It’s honestly the worst time to actually plan a leisure trip there because it is the hottest time of the year for them; why would I want to escape Singapore’s diabolically hot weather to get into another one? 😒
But this time I booked my flight anyway because of my dear cousin, Kathlyn.
I knew I was making a dangerous decision (thank God for travel insurance)… but it was one I was prepared to make anyhow. This is what humans do, right? Make funny decisions out of love for another human being.
On Wednesday (6 July 2016), people were sending me messages about the warning of typhoon Nepartak moving straight for Taiwan from the Philippines.
Friend: According to calculations, the typhoon will be hitting Taiwan Friday morning (8 July 2016).
Me: Well, f**k. My plane is scheduled to land 8 July 2016 at 5:30AM.
Seriously.
When buying lottery, I was never this lucky. How come when I bought plane tickets, it was exactly at the time and date the typhoon was expected to hit.
Well, anyway… It was quite scary yet exciting for me. It was the first time a natural disaster was affecting me in a direct manner. 😅 Sorry that I sound awfully lame…
All went well on 6 July 2016! Sure, there was an influx of news and warnings… Mark’s mom was getting very worried and even told me to just forgo the trip. But I was optimistic! Didn’t receive any news from the airlines directly… My cousin was still messaging me….
Then on 7 July 2016 at work, things got a little crazy. I started receiving more and more messages about the typhoon and how it upgraded into a super typhoon. Being it’s not just your regular typhoon! No, sir. It’s a super one now!
And I saw pictures of the monster – it was HUGE. Definitely merits the upgrade.
Image Credit: Jeff Schmaltz/NASA/LANCE/EOSDIS Rapid Response via AP
The typhoon was indeed terrifying. The very size of it was proof of the disaster that will befall all in its way.
Plus the name Nepartak was actually a designation for a warrior in Micronesia. Fun fact! So quite aptly named… Definitely a clear indication of the kind of wrath you can expect.
Then in the afternoon of 7 July 2016, there were news articles that airlines were cancelling flights into Taiwan. And I just resigned to fate. I messaged Kath that my flight was cancelled and then I had another typhoon to handle – Kathlyn.
And it felt awful not being able to do anything. There I was just dying to get to my baby cousin who needs some love and support, but I couldn’t do a single thing about it. I even tried arranging an earlier flight – but apparently many other people thought of that genius idea as well, and I didn’t stand a chance.
😭😭😭😭😭
And honestly I just started praying for the best. I was grateful for the measures taken into safety, but I was being greedy – I still wanted to be in Taipei with Kath.
Felt like forever; but soon enough, I received a message that my flight was merely delayed!!! By a whopping 11 hours – but hey, I still get to be in Taipei! People still said it was dangerous, but it was happening!
I never thought I’d feel so happy to fly into possible death – but YAY!!!
Then when I was getting ready to board the plane at around 10:30AM, I received news about the devastation the typhoon left in Taiwan. And positively went mildly ballistic – sending my cousin messages and demanding her to reply me. Of which that wanker didn’t.
WHY?? SHE WAS SLEEPING IN BECAUSE SHE DIDN’T HAVE TO REPORT TO WORK!!!
So yes, she messaged me just before I had to turn my phone into flight mode. That adorable wanker.
Because of the aftermath of the typhoon, my plane ride was plenty bumpy. It actually felt like a roller coaster many times – too many times for comfort. I started getting bleak thoughts in my head, “In a roller coaster, this seat belt is to make sure that I’m safely attached to the seat to bring me down to safety. But for this plane ride, it’ll make sure I’m attached to this seat so they can identify my body.”
And honestly, I didn’t even pray much. My only prayer much, “Okay, ol’ Father… If this is the time and way You take me home, then okay. Death by Nepartak sounds pretty badass.”
Landing was quite bumpy too – but I really must credit the pilot! It mustn’t have been easy for him to fly in that sort of skies, but he did a great job in getting us there safely anyway. Don’t know his name, but I was on Scoot TZ 202, flight from Singapore to Taiwan then to Narita on 8 July 2016, left Changi Airport at 1100 hours.
The good news is – Taipei didn’t receive much of a hit. It was really the more rural parts of Taiwan that suffered quite badly. This auntie told me that this shop keeper was trying to pull his door or window shut, but then was sucked out into the storm and just died… It was scary to know such things could actually happen.
When I got to Taoyuan International Airport, the flooding had stopped and while the roads were still filled with puddles here and there – everything was fine. Just that my drive there was a little swirly… because of the strong wind. While driving down the highway, the car was swerving left and right almost uncontrollably.
But anyhow, got to my cousin safely! And we didn’t care much about the wind or rain – still had to take a happy reunion selfie!
When I got to her apartment, she was ready for a storm! She stocked up on instant noodles, water for drinking, water for flushing… Never had this in Singapore! Cannot imagine how fortunate we are, actually.
For those of you who are interested, here’s a video from CNN about the storm.
It was quite insane! Roofs were torn off, signs on the street, vehicles thrown around… And lives were taken and some scarred. 😔 I pray that God be by your side through these times to watch over you.
I never knew that Singapore had something like the blind massage in Vietnam or Thailand!
Mark and I were having dinner at Great World City and the man really wanted a massage. The stresses of work, he says. So being the dutiful fiancée that I am *shameless grin*, started Googling for massage parlours in the building.
And I found this little gem!
My Foot Reflexology @ Great World City #02-01
I was a little thrown off by the name, but they actually offer full body massages as well – which is always a huge plus for me. 😌
This was the therapist assigned to me – Angela!
Pai seh about my face… Slept face-down for over 60 minutes. Cushion + bloated face 😛
Initially I had no idea the Angela was partially blind. I just picked up signs like when she welcomed me to enter the room when I was already right in front of her. And that her watch reads out the time to her.
Apparently My Foot Reflexology hires only handicapped individuals! It was giving them a trade where they could earn some income to get by their days – which I find absolutely amazing!
Haven’t even told you the best part – I’ve been to countless places for massages. But I can tell you that Angela provides spot-on massages. My theory is that due to her lack of sight, she is therefore stronger with her other senses. So she was able to feel my tension in specific points and knead them away.
Plus her hands are crazy strong!
Mark sung praises about his massage too! He came out looking like a happy groggy baby. ❤
It was an awesome experience! The massage was great and at the same time, my purchase helped someone in need have a job.
Looking at it from a business-y point-of-view, I felt like I bought 2 things with the price I paid –
1. A really good massage
2. A small step in making the world a little happier & better
Y’see, when you go to large massage chains – the profit they earn off you will probably go into buying their big boss a new summer home. But at such places, you’re helping someone in need put food on their table and a smile on their faces.
Here’s their menu:
So the next time you’re around Great World City and need a little quick fix – be sure to pop by My Foot Reflexology! 😉
Address: 1 Kim Seng Promenade, #02-01 Great World City, 237994
Lesser than 5 years ago, Singapore’s public mode of transports were the trains, buses and taxis. Pretty much like any other developed city in the world.
Today, customers have the option to book a GrabCar or an Uber.
For the benefit of those who aren’t familiar with the concepts of GrabCar and Uber; it’s a booking platform that enables car drivers to get passengers like they would in taxi bookings. It’s basically commercialising their own private mode of transport for cash.
Which is actually a brilliant idea! And people loved the idea of being able to earn the extra buck, or some of them made it a full-time job for themselves.
However tension sparked when taxi drivers found that GrabCar and Uber drivers were threatening their rice bowls. And in full honesty, I worry for them as well. But I don’t advocate the whining and just expecting all this to stop – taxi drivers shouldn’t take for granted that they have the monopoly of commercialised car transport in Singapore.
And I’m sure many people will agree with me on this – taxi drivers have taken customers for granted in the past. Simply because if you want a comfortable air-conditioned car to yourself, or need to get somewhere in a hurry and you don’t have your own car; you need their taxi service.
Let me give you an example.
Last time I was waiting for a taxi at HarbourFront Centre, and thought it should be pretty fast. There were streams of taxis around, it was a sea of blue (ComfortDelGro) and yellow (CityCab). However to my horror, there was still a looong taxi queue! No taxis were coming forward!
Why?
The taxis didn’t want to be ‘flagged down’; they were waiting for people to book taxis so they can earn the extra booking fee.
It was quite blatant. I saw some people clearly in a huge hurry and just started calling for a taxi. Then the taxi right in front changed his sign to “On Call” and drove around to pick up the passenger. IT WAS RIDICULOUS!
And it wasn’t the only time. It became a norm that such things happen with taxis; and they were no longer a reliable mode of transport at touristy areas or during peak hours. Simply because they weren’t willing to be flagged down.
Sometimes even booking the taxi itself was an utter nightmare! Before the phone app was created, calling in was a tiring process on its own. 😫
Another experience I had was when I was in Holland Village and wanted to take a taxi ride to Commonwealth. The distance is super short and will cost me about S$5. I was lugging some heavy stuff then, and taking the bus would be a nightmare.
I was at the taxi stand in front of Cold Storage and it was my turn to board the taxi. After I got on the taxi with my shitload of barangs (baggage) and told the driver my destination, he actually told me to get out! “Too near lah! Don’t want! Don’t want!” And simply refused to drive me, so I had to alight.
The taxi drivers started choosing their customers based on if their destinations; if they found that journey to be adequately profitable.
Once again, IT WAS RIDICULOUS!!! The uncle clearly saw my bulky bags, and common sense will tell you that’s whyI needed to take a taxi. Not because I’m some lazy rich brat who cannot stand a 20 minute walk or 5 minute bus ride.
However to be fair, the taxi behind took pity on me and helped my stuff onto his taxi instead. Which was really sweet! He did tell me that he would’ve preferred not to take me because he won’t earn much, but could see that I really needed a ride.
SO!
There was clearly a market gap, yes? Consumers needed a more reliable form of car transport, that would bring them where they want to go; without the judgement on if it was worth it for them.
Then Uber came! And I absolutely fell in love with the idea.
Then GrabTaxi came up with GrabCar! It was awesome.
But not everyone loved the idea – taxi drivers and some of the public hated how taxi drivers had to fight for their rice bowl like this. They already had to fight with each other for passengers; now they had additional people to fight with too.
Sure; I’ll admit it’s tough. But I’ll also say this, “You asked for it.”
When taxi drivers started being choosy about their customers, customers started looking for alternatives. And the whole idea of having another alternative gave birth to concepts like Uber and GrabCar being so readily accepted by the public.
I’m not saying that all taxi drivers are bad, I met some really nice ones before; even before GrabCar or Uber came into the picture. However there was no denying that it always lingered at the back of people’s heads, “What if the taxi doesn’t want to take me? How will I get there in time? Is there a better way?”
Taxi drivers should rightfully feel threatened that their rice bowl is taking a beating – but instead of being angry about it and trying to shut down the businesses in Singapore, how about learning what they’re doing right.
It’s all super simple.
Taxis have lost touch of their customers; they fail to see that they’re selling an experience. An experience of convenience, via a mode of transport. Much like the brick and mortar businesses; people are readily flocking to e-commerce sites because they don’t see an experience worth buying anymore at brick and mortar shops.
Plus the fact that Uber and GrabCar are price-competitive as well.
9 out of 10 times when I’m in a GrabCar or Uber, I feel absolutely comfortable. (1 out of 10 is usually just average, like a usual taxi ride)
They greet me happily when I board the car and thanks to the app, they also know my name. So it gives a lovely personalised experience. It’s somehow heartwarming to hear a smiling person go, “Good morning, Geraldine! Going to work now?” 😌 “Good evening, Geraldine! Going home after a long day?”
This happens to me probably only 1 out of 10 times when I board the traditional taxi.
And the GrabCar and Uber drivers actually express interest in making my ride as comfortable as possible. Which is an amazing experience for me! And because of this, my automatic first choice when I need a car is always to book a GrabCar or Uber – not a taxi.
And that’s not all – there was once I made a complaint to Uber about the driver taking 20 whole minutes to get to me, even though the app said 8 minutes. I got a reply within that night; telling me they understand how frustrated it must’ve been for me, they apologise and will look into the matter.
Again, I must reiterate – not all taxi drivers are bad. And I’m sorry that they’re taking a beating because of Uber and GrabCar; and I’m also sorry that I’m contributing to it. However please understand from a customer’s point-of-view: it’s not me, it’s you.
Taxi drivers just lost touch with their customers and they ought to see how GrabCar and Uber did what they couldn’t. Otherwise the taxis could be facing dark days ahead and will have no one to blame but their lack of ability to adapt.
Couple of weeks back, my crazy friend Arati and I made our way to Vietnam! Not my typical choice of holiday destination; but it was her birthday wish and she made me choose between Philippines, Cambodia or Vietnam. 😐
And you simply cannot deny a birthday girl! Especially when she’s such a dear friend. ☺️
During our 5 day stay, we explored Hanoi and Nha Trang. Most people don’t know Nha Trang; it’s a super gorgeous beach area! Check out the Google images here.
Okay, so you’re here for tourist survival tips… Here goes!
#1 Get ready to be intimidated by the VND(Vietnamese Dong)
Especially when you’re a Math idiot, like myself. 😩
Vietnamese dongs come in plenty of zeros that majority of the world aren’t too familiar with. It can really throw you off sometimes… but don’t let it fool you. Don’t even bother with 1,000 VND – even 10,000 VND is nothing.
It was pretty challenging for the first couple of hours, but I quickly trained my mind to do a quick calculation.
Y’see, when I changed currency – got it for around SGD 1 = VND 17,000
So when you see the thousands, simply cancel the zeros behind the comma out!
So for example someone quoted me VND 50,000, I would go:
50,000 -> 50,000 -> 50/17 = 2.9-3
Therefore VND 50,000 is about SGD 3.
It becomes heaps easier once you cross out the zeros at the back. 😉
#2 When it comes to taxi companies, insist on Mai Linh or Vinasun
Basically if you take other taxi companies, you can expect to get conned quite blatantly. And it’s quite hard to do anything about it when it happens. 😞
They take super long routes; but you most probably won’t know any better.
Their meter jumps at an insane pace, it’s freaky. The one I took, the meter jumped 2,000 VND every 5 seconds!
Some of them have been known to bring you to touristy shops instead so they can earn a commission.
Or they will add random (but not so modest) amounts to your fare, and demand you pay them.
These companies are quite popular among the locals too, so sometimes it can be hard to grab one. But trust me, the wait is worth it! You can book from your hotel as well; just tell the concierge you will only accept Mai Linh or Vinasun.
#3 When you see someone trying to sell you something, gesture or say a firm no and turn away
What I learned was, don’t bother even smiling.
At the beginning I smiled and said no, they got rather crudely persistent. It was almost like they were forcing me to buy from them. So I learned to be nasty for protection sake.
When you’re waiting for a Mai Linh or Vinasun taxi, there will be loads of other taxi companies that will stop and ask you to hop on – but you just wave a ‘no’ and turn away. Don’t make eye contact!
#4 Always look for a place that has written/printed prices
Somehow when you’re a tourist, you have the word “ATM” stamped on your forehead.
It’s really quite obvious the way they try to mark up prices shamelessly. I can honestly say it’s even worse than Bangkok. 😫 So make sure there’s some sort of black & white agreement on the price.
Verbal agreements have no standing.
Basically Arati went to get her nails done and we actually agreed on 50,000 VND – but after the service was completed, they demanded a whopping 300,000 VND instead. And they refused to let us leave the premises, actually using physical actions to stop us until we gave them the money they asked for.
#5 Don’t think that anything is for free
The roads were littered with people carrying around their traditional things, which were nice to look at. And some of them would ask you if you wanted to take a picture with it.
Unless you really want a picture with it and willing to pay for it – then by all means. If not, just shake your head and turn away.
This woman actually cornered Arati, asking her to hold her pole to take a picture. Arati had problem declining, so I grabbed Arati’s wrist, glared at that money-sucking bitch and walked off.
And just as we walked by, I saw a Caucasian having to pay 200,000 dong for taking a photo. Such audacity.
#6 Cross your eyes and cross the road
This is the fun part of Vietnam! …at least for me. Arati was positively dying.
The roads at Vietnam are always busy and most of the road-users don’t respect traffic lights a great deal, especially on smaller roads. The roads are filled with motorbikes and scooters and they don’t stop for anyone/anything.
So when you’re crossing the road… Just walk. Look out for a gap and walk consistently; meaning at the same pace. Don’t hesitate, don’t slow down or hasten.
The riders there are very good at gauging your speed and knowing how to avoid you – so you need to cooperate to make your road-crossing a successful one.
#7 It’ll be useful to have some survival vocabulary handy
Judging from my experience and some hearsay from friends, about only 2 out of 10 people can speak English there. The communication barrier between us and them was super real.
The only people who were able to speak decipherable English were at the hotels.
So asking for directions to an attraction, asking what meat was in the food etc… They were pretty difficult.
#8 Convenience stores aren’t convenient to find at all; so when you find one… Stock up!
I really took this for granted. In Singapore, it’s easy to find a convenience store or at least a mama shop. So you can get your bottled water and whatever from there.
But in Vietnam… They weren’t that easily found. So I went thirsty for a while, because we couldn’t find a store.
#9 Their airports don’t have great communication, so always keep a super keen lookout
Part of me thinks that it’s because as a Singaporean, I tend to be too pampered by our world-class airport – I tend to compare with other countries.
Well, it’s not hard to see why Singapore’s airport is number 1 if this is what we’re up against… #justsaying
The dirty and gloomy interior aside – we almost missed our flight because of their communication.
Basically our flight changed gate and we had no idea whatsoever. The announcement was drowned out by screaming children; and most of it was in Vietnamese and hard-to-understand English.
It was a good thing that we decided to check up on our flight 5 minutes before time! Otherwise we had no idea that the plane was at a different gate. And unlike Changi Airport, no kind staff was going to walk over and physically inform you nicely.
There was another flight that was supposed to leave at 7AM; but got delayed till about 11AM. No one tried contacting us whatsoever. They claimed they called and emailed, but neither of us received a single thing. So we basically woke up at 4AM, paid the driver extra for driving us to the airport at odd-hours… Only to wait at the airport for 4 hours.
It was infuriatingly annoying to say the least.
For those who are interested, we took Vietnamese Airlines for all flights.
#10 If you absolutely must take a taxi at odd hours, get the hotel car instead
No personal experience regarding this… Thank God.
But the hotel staff and even some friends told me about it before; going out on the street to get a taxi at odd hours is very dangerous.
If you have a flight in the early morning or super late at night, get the hotel car to come for you.
#11 Carry a sturdy bag that can be zipped up entirely
Not even those with buttons or buckles that you can close; you need something that will shut out everything. Because they have plenty of pickpockets around that will dip their hands freely into your bag and take whatever they can grab.
#12 Some beggars will grab you; don’t be startled
Okay, easier said than done – I’m sure.
This beggar grabbed onto my forearm tightly with one hand, and with the other he rubbed his thumb and middle finger. (Gesturing: money)
Typically in other countries, I’d take pity on the poor man and give some money.
However he looked angry at me; like he was pissed that he had to ask me for money. And he grabbed onto me so tightly, it was getting invasive.
…and also due to an accumulated unhappiness about my travel experience… I wasn’t feeling too kind; I’m only human.
So I glared (again. I used this trick a lot…), turned my head and pulled my arm fiercely away.
I learned not to show the least bit of weakness or niceness; for it tends to get exploited.
#13 People there can be quite touchy
When we asked the police officers for directions, the guy actually slightly put his arm around Arati.
Another woman touched my leg.
And some other instances… It wasn’t something we were expecting in Vietnam for sure!
#14 You can change your money at the gold shop!
This is a neat trick I picked up from Mark’s dad!
And apparently they (usually) offer better rates too. 🙂 So why not?
Problem is – they’re not easily found… So just change about 20-30% of your money at the money changer, then save the rest for the gold shop.
#15 For first-timers, I fully recommend staying in hotels versus home stays
I’m a fan of Airbnb and HomeAway; but when it came to Vietnam… I was entirely grateful that we chose to go with hotels.
For one, it’s actually safer.
For another, it was nice to have people ever-ready to help you out with questions and get you taxis.
#16 The locals there are fairly patriotic, so don’t insult their country in any manner
You will see flags flying proudly around the streets, it’s not a rare sight. And it’s quite lovely actually! I wish Singaporeans were that in love with Singapore.
And it’s usually common sense not to insult a foreign country when you’re in that foreign country… but just adding it into the list because you need to be extra careful.
#17 Not everyone is a cheat; it’s still a beautiful country
To be honest, I didn’t have a spanking great experience in Vietnam and there’s a high chance that I won’t head back. But everyone has different experiences and maybe some of you will be way luckier than me!
It’s not that hard… I’m not a very lucky person. 😔
The country is indeed beautiful and I find the women’s traditional costume very pretty! 😍 The bustling culture of the city area and all was a real learning experience.
Sure, it wasn’t my exact idea of a leisurely holiday – but I surely didn’t regret the experience. And if anyone were to ask me if they should go to Vietnam, I’d say, “Why not?”
Just be careful of your money and aware of your surroundings, and you should do just fine!
Every country has an experience to offer; and Vietnam has one you shouldn’t miss.
Just last week, my friend Arati and I flew to Vietnam for a little girlfriends’ getaway.
We were super excited! Prior to the trip, I didn’t really bother looking for attractions; I was more interested in learning how to survive there.
And an important one that I read was: Only use Mai Linh or Vinasun taxis!
We got to the airport at about 8PM there and didn’t see any Mai Linh or Vinasun taxis, so we asked the airport staff for assistance. And she told us to use any of the airport taxis, they’re okay.
She seemed quite nice 😇, so we decided to trust her.
BIGGEST F**KING MISTAKE OF THE TRIP!!! 😡 😡 😡
First, the taxi driver gave a quote instead of turning on the meter. That was already a huge red flag and I was ready to walk.
Taxi Driver: US$30!
Us: No. Meter.
Taxi Driver: US$30!!!
Us: No. (Was pulling my luggage away)
Taxi Driver: Okay! Okay! US$25!!
Me: No, I said METER.
Then he very reluctantly agreed. And till now I regretted getting onto the taxi. It was such a horrifying experience!
We should’ve just turned away, but we were tired after the flight and wanted to get to our hotel.
We got onto the taxi and the meter was turned on, but after driving about 3 minutes out, there was a toll booth. And he stopped, telling us we needed to pay 100,000 dong. I read that it was supposed to be absorbed by the taxi company, but thought I could be wrong. I didn’t want to think badly about someone who is trying to earn a living.
So we gave him 100,000 dong.
Then he drove up to the toll booth. Showed his taxi ID and drove off!!!! He didn’t even have to pay the toll! What the royal f**k! Within 10 minutes of seeing the country I was already abhorring it.
And I kept on eyes on the movement of the meter – just as I read; the ‘non-legit’ taxi companies’ meters move at the speed of light. The meter was jumping at 2,000 dong every 5-8 seconds!!!
Then throughout the journey, he pointed at random buildings lesser than 5 times – telling us their names. Which honestly I didn’t give a flying rat’s ass about, I was already cursing him, his family and entire ancestral line. Hearing him blabber just pissed me off, but I tried to be light-hearted with Arati about it anyway.
We were nearing the hotel area at Old Quarters, and then there was a couple with their luggages standing by the road. This f**ker just stopped the taxi, lowered his window and shouted, “Go airport??”
Arati and I looked at each other, “Wtf?!”
Like, hello royal wanker. WE ARE STILL IN YOUR TAXI AND YOU HAVEN’T EVEN FULFILLED YOUR JOURNEY ON THIS ONE, YOU WANT TO TAKE ANOTHER ONE??
I CURSE YOUR BOWLS OF PHO TOO!!!
Roar.
Then he drove couple of meters down and told us to get off.
Me: This isn’t our hotel!
Taxi Driver: Inside! Inside! 2 minute! 2 minute!
I don’t know what is it about these people who cannot speak proper English; they somehow simply love to repeat and shout what they’re saying twice. Like that’s supposed to ease the communication. Him repeating his words just made me repeatedly angry at him.
Me: No, I don’t see it!
Taxi Driver: Inside!!!
I knew he wasn’t going to cooperate. So just decided to pay him off. Meter said 367,000 dong, so I took out a 500,000 dong note. It was the smallest I had at that time.
He took it and asked Arati for 70,000 dong more.
Me: Why?!
Taxi Driver: Tourist!
Me: So you want to cheat my money?? GIVE ME MY CHANGE BACK!
Taxi Driver: Tourist tour! I give you tour! Tour 200,000 dong!
Me: That wasn’t a bloody tour! I didn’t even ask for a tour!
Taxi Driver: No, no! 70,000 dong more!
Me: No! You want more money? Take 3,000 dong! So give me back 130,000 dong!!
Usually my mathematical skills aren’t so quick, but somehow at that moment I was so filled with fury and literally wanted to tie a rope with dongs and throttle the guy… I already calculated 3,000 dong to be like S$0.20 anyway.
Taxi Driver: *takes out a 200,000 dong note* This! Tour! I give you!
Me: You didn’t give me a tour! I didn’t want any bloody tour. Give me back 130,000 dong NOWWWW!!!
Taxi Driver: *makes angry sounds and gives me back 130,000 dong*
Arati alighted first, and just when I was about to – something told me not to… because he didn’t even open the boot for our luggage and was ready to drive off!!!
What the hell man! How disgustingly low can these people get??
So I opened the door super wide, refused to alight and asked Arati to get the luggages out first. If he wants to drive off with the luggages, I was ready to whack the guy.
We pulled our luggages along and looked for the hotel, but simply couldn’t! We were in a foreign country where almost no one speaks any English – the only ones who did were tourists as well! We asked uniformed officers who gave us all different directions…
From the “2 minute!”, we walked about Old Quarters lugging our luggages for about 60 minutes!
And it started to get dangerous – we spotted some men following us around. One guy even touched my suitcase, till I yanked it away and glared at him. And somehow he scurried off.
Usually I’d be quite scared in such situations, but at that moment I simply didn’t have the luxury to be scared. It was running late, we were hungry and tired, Arati was freaking out like crazy, no one was able to help us properly – I couldn’t freak out too.
Then I remembered that I kept a record of the hotel’s contact! Why didn’t I think of that earlier. So stood in front of this rather crowded tourist spot, and made the phone call. The staff came over to walk us over – thank God!
It was an absolute nightmare!
The stupid taxi driver actually stole 100,000 dong from us, citing that it was for toll. He didn’t even drop us off at our hotel, just so he could take another passenger. He had the audacity to demand for 200,000 dong extra for a ‘tour’ for naming a few random buildings on the way over. And he almost drove off with our luggages!
And when I had WiFi to do some research, I found that the wanker took a longer route too.
It was awful, awful, awful.
Within the first hour of visiting Vietnam, I was already missing Singapore. Hardly felt like it was a proper holiday if I had to be so on guard all the time!
But from then on we all entirely Mai Linh taxis, which were all amazing. They were professional, rates were very reasonable (by Vietnamese standards) and we felt super safe with them. And when we took the taxi to the airport, we didn’t pay for the toll!
Only down side was Mai Linh is popular with the locals as well (which actually is a good thing!), so most Mai Linhs are taken up.
Vinasuns tend to be bigger, so better for larger groups.
Now, be VERY careful about the spelling of the names as well. I spotted a ‘pirated’ brand that are similar to Mai Linh; spelling was something like ‘Mai Lin’ and it had the exact same green. But they’re not Mai Linh! Read up that other tourists were conned in those imposter-brands as well. 😰
On the left is Vinasun and on the right is Mai Linh.
As usual, I jumped out of bed pretty early! Found it quite an annoying oxymoron… Especially since I’m on holiday. Why can’t I be this perky going to work? 😩
Well, today Mark and I had quite an exciting day planned out. We were driving out of Sapporo and into Otaru! So we made sure to fuel up nicely on breakfast.
And had a tray of choco-powdered mochi to munch on during the ride! 🍡
And lets not forget the beer.
It was a very enjoyable ride! Traffic wasn’t as congested (maybe because it isn’t as densely populated) and such gorgeously scenic views too!
See the snowy mountains in the distance? That was our stop!
First time Mark looked so happy and fresh after a long drive.
Otaru is a hidden gem that Mark discovered. Absolutely not touristy at all and is famous for its utterly fresh seafood!
Being a small town, their buildings are mostly quite short. The roads were very clear, the people were neighbourly and it’s all next to the big blue ocean.
Our first meal simply had to be seafood. Anything else would be a carinal sin. We went to the centre of town and headed straight to the market like we were on a mission! 😎
Down this road, we were bombarded with an endless stream of unbelievably fresh seafood that will have you going, “Oii-shi! (Delicious!)” even before you put it in your mouth.
Most of those shops actually had their own restaurant as well! So you could pick out your food and they will cook it nicely for you.
At the end of it, we chose this place!
It was already about 2-3PM, so people already had their lunch… Rather quiet. But we liked it that way!
And it was nice to listen to the television that was broadcasting a baseball match.
Of course, we picked our lunch.
Mark pointed out this one right here… And the shop lady insisted that I carry it! *gasp!* Was a tad petrified because the crabs in Singapore would’ve snipped my fingers right off! But these were completely docile.
The reason seems to be that they have no real natural predators in the wild, so therefore haven’t developed any form of aggressiveness since it’s unnecessary. Probably in a few more generations they’ll realise, “HUMANS WANT OUR MEAT!!!” And then they get crazy fierce.
But for now, we can enjoy them.
Okay, readers. Get ready to drool.
It was a glorious meal. Ahh~
Even just thinking about it now makes me feel like booking the next flight back.
The seafood is crazy there! Look at this picture of the shop owner and a catch he made! 😱!!!
With stuffed tummies, we drove up the mountainous areas and to our inn!
This inn was located high up along the snowy ski areas.
And it’s so cute how they actually printed out the names of the guests on the board at the lobby!
Mark’s name, right there! 👇🏻
The room was like a pretty movie set. ❤
And at night we had a guy who introduced himself as “Japanese bed-maker” come in. He opened the storage cupboards and expertly laid out our futons.
He did it so nicely, I almost didn’t bear to lie on the bed and spoil it…
Anyway, the main reason why we went to this inn was for the onsen (hot springs). The last time we went to Arima Onsen, it was summer. I still enjoyed the soaking… but winter would definitely be a better time!
Through our stay there, we soaked every chance we had. I loved it!
It felt amazing to soak in the hot water in the cold season… And what I love about onsens is that, it’s somehow liberating to just go naked in a private yet public area.
No one looks at you, really. Everyone has what you have; at least in those gender-separated ones. Albeit during my visit to Arima previously, a fellow guest from China commented she loved my butt… I just assumed that it’s because of the saying about certain types of butts being good for child-bearing. And maybe she wanted her son to have a wife with good child-bearing features…? Well, anyway. Yes. And I don’t know anyone there… I most probably won’t ever see them again.
So there. It’s liberating and relaxing. I felt so amazing after soaking! ❤
After our night soak, we drove down the hills a little to the town area again where we had some supper!
I had a head of messy locks, makeup-less, hungry and super blissful! 😌
Here’s a shot Mark took of me while I was trying to teach him how to take photographs. Honestly he’s horrible at it.
“Rotate it, then it’ll become portrait.”
The night passed by super quickly and after a morning soak, we had to get ready to catch our flight back to Tokyo!
Shuttle bus to the airport after returning the rented car!
P.S. I simply loved the Toyota we rented! But Mark said they don’t sell it in Singapore, because well… Singapore has a small market and only a few models are brought it every round. 😔
I’m going to end this post with this picture of the restaurant owner with this HUGE tuna that he caught.
Absolutely in awe at how large that fish is! 😱 😱 😱
And then suddenly the Bible story about Jonah being in a fish’s belly doesn’t seem all that unfeasible anymore…
