My sister's experience

Ok, this post had nothing much about her experience actually. Just what she saw on the way to Clark Quay Liang Court in SBS bus 54. Its a Nokia Music Mobile bus. In case some of you are still living under an e-rock, here are some pictures of it.

Honestly, I myself have never gotten the chance to take one of these. If I manage to catch one someday, and it isn't pack like a sardine can, maybe my perception of Singapore's public transport might change a little bit.

Anyway, this isn't the main highlight of this post. The main character of the show is this:

Saw it on the bus so only managed to snap one from behind

Yes. Looks like my little sister can recognize my dream car from behind. The new Nissan GT-R R35 costing around 300k with COE here on this little red dot. Drools...

Otanjoubi Omedetou

Happy Birthday to me! Celebrated my birthday together with my Dear and Family at KBox Buffet last Friday. Dad paid the bills, thanks Dad! Today, me and my Dear went dinner at Long Beach along East Coast to celebrate it again separately. Strangely, I am the one paying... :P

I met up with my Dear at her void deck and we proceeded to the restaurant together. We got a table near the window and started ordering the food. The pricing on the menu wasn't exactly cheap at first glance. We ordered the popular Chili Crab, Fried Baby Squid, Buns and Special Fried Rice. The waiter was unable to tell us how much the crab will cost when we ask for the pricing. Since I did not want to dampen the mood, I told him that its alright and we will just go along with it.

Before the food came, I called for a waitress. I knew that quite a few restaurants in Singapore do not accept NETS. But I figured it wouldn't harm asking. So I asked her whether they accept NETS or not. The waitress nodded her head and said YES.

After waiting for some time, the food arrived. It wasn't too bad, but I can't say that its spectacular either.

The crab itself is very big and fresh. But the gravy is too starchy and doesn't taste too impressive. My Mom can do a much better job than this and I am not being bias!



The Fried Baby Squid is hard to chew on. And it tasted too sweet.

The Special Fried rice isn't as special as it sounds. I am also relating all these with their respective prices. If I am paying for something, I do not mind paying more; but the quality needs to be there.

After finishing our dinner, we asked the staff to bring out the cakes my Dear bought before hand. The staff did put in a little extra effort in preparations. Kudos to them on this part.

Dry ice was used below the platform to give the smoky effect.

My dear sang a song for me and I was given a card. All seems so well and I really enjoyed the night until something came up. This incident made a small dent in what would be a perfect day for me and my dear. But nonetheless, I enjoyed myself very much. Thank you Dear!

This is what happened. When I went to the counter to pay for the bills, the cashier told me that they do no accept NETS! I do not own a Singapore Credit Card, and I am the sort of person who will not bring more than 50 dollars cash with me when I go out. I did not challenge the cashier about what the waitress told me since I know being bitchy and a PITA will not make a NETS machine magically appear.

Hence, I told my Dear to wait at the restaurant while I walk all the way to the one and only ATM along East Coast: near the Mac Donald's. As I was walking there, I was thinking to myself... Today is the 13th, I better don't be so unlucky as to get a faulty or cashless ATM. POSB ATMs are quite well known to be just that!

When I reach there, a queue was formed in front of the machine. Another POSB ATM trait. Soon, it was about to be my turn, I saw the couple in front turning 360 and mumbling about something not working. BAD NEWS! Indeed, the damned machine is faulty and would not spit out my 200 dollars which I needed so badly.

I tried to ask around the shops to ask if they offer CASH-OUT services, knowing fully well that I will be turned down. But I was desperate! I am in a case whereby I have money but can't get access to it. Having the money but can't find a way to pay for the bill. In Australia, cashing out is a very common thing, I seriously wonder why this is not so in Singapore. And I can safely say all the restaurants I patronized in Perth accepts "NETS". Who on earth would bring 200 dollars cash out and walk about anyway?

In the end, my poor Dear volunteered to walk all the way to the nearest market to get access to the ATM to draw money as I am not familiar with the area. The market is very far away and my Dear had to walk back to her house to get her ATM card first. I was sooo tempted to just hail a taxi, get to the nearest ATM and get back to pay the bill.

I waited in the restaurant while my Dear carried out her quest. I was standing near the cashier and naturally I was fuming. The restaurant Captain came to me and ask if she could help me with anything. I recited the whole incident to her. I regretted sounding like a bitch as I know it wasn't her fault. But I guess I am only human and I can't keep my poker face all the time. She offered me to take a seat and pour me some Chinese tea while I wait.

This picture here had nothing to do with this post. I just insert it as there seems to be too much words here. Rest your eyes on dear Haruhi!

Thank Haruhi, my dear was able to borrow the money from her landlord first. And we were very lucky that her landlord actually had that much money kept at home. We made our payment and the Captain apologized for the inconvenience caused. After that, I walked with my Dear to the market to withdrew the money to return her landlord.

What seemed like a one and half hour dinner, ended becoming a close to 3 hours dinner. We couldn't go anywhere else after that as we have to work the next day. I even had to catch a taxi home as my family will be having a small party for me as well.

This incident had reinforced Singapore's failure in attempting to make herself a cashless society. All the initiatives so far had failed miserably. Pay-by-touch, pay by mobile, pay by EZ-Link, pay by Cash Card. The only initiative that worked well so far is NETS. But yet, with the recent increment in service charge from NETS, a lot of merchants are beginning to either, impose a minimum sum for NETS service (minimum of $20 purchases for example), or not accept the use of NETS at all! They have the machine but will cook up excuses to make you pay cash. It would seem that cash is the way into the future.

Anyhow, my lesson learned today is... Firstly, never to go back to LONG BEACH again. Secondly, always ask someone more competent looking for information. The waitress from China could hardly understand my English. I had to speak really slowly. And lastly, subscribe a credit card as soon as humanly possible.