Shelter For Shoppers Needed On Rainy Days In Singapore

Problem
Shelter from rain and sun is not a new idea. Raffles introduced the five foot way. Five foot wide, wide enough for two people to pass without forcing somebody out into the rain, the sun, the gutter.

I walk along the pavement and a pram, bicycle or scooter forces me against the wall which ladders my clothes, or out into the road and passing cars. I bump people with my bag or get bumbped by their when i walk along. A husband and wife with two children block the entire pavement. I am passing in the corridor. I reach the ladies toilet and there is a queue at the ladies toilet, no room to enter and exit and get to the wash basins. The idea of the five foot way was great.\

Waiting for a bus or a taxi, where are the benches with backs, and the shelter. Even the long shelters for bus passengers fill up fast.

Covered ways are being built between the stations of the MRT (mass transit railway) and the nearby housing estates and schools. That is excellent.

 But what about Orchard Road. Between the Paragon shopping mall (with Metro department store  and lots of upmarket shops), local people and foreign visitors are stranded or drenched.

I came out of Paragon and along with many tourists was stranded. Waited twenty minutes. Yes, if you can afford it you can get a taxi - but then you would be leaving the Orchard Road shops and denying them purchases of clothes, souvenirs, food and drinks. I eventually got drenched going back towards Orchard MRT via Tangs department store. Yes, Tangs is linked to the MRT. But the shoppers here at the Paragon are cut off from Tangs.

I thought: How about crossing the road from the Paragon to Ngee Ann City opposite? On second thoughts: I am not dashing across a busy road in the wet. Yes, there's an underpass from the next mall to Ngee Ann City. But how do I get from the Paragon to the next mall?

 Am I going to cross to Ngee Ann City to visit the Kinokunia boostore? No. My bags and clothes are soaking wet. I am not buying books to get soaking wet.

To attract shoppers from one end of Orchard Road to the other, and from one side to the other, the street needs covered ways all the way along.

The same applies to other cities. Pedestrian ways in London's Oxford Street,or Windsor, are no use in the rain. Shopkeepers know that on rainy days shoppers don't come out. Do they realize that shoppers who are already out won't stay out?

Come on, business associations,city planners, councils and governments. Do a favour to the shops, shoppers, tourists, economy, and the ordinary citizens. You only have to look at a rainfall calendar to see that cities worldwide need shelter for shoppers.

In England we say, if you want different weather, wait five minutes. If you want to visit England or Singapore, here are some useful websites:

Useful Websites
singaporeair.com (Singapore airlines)

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Planning a trip in Singapore using the train and bus?

My favourite way to get around Singapore is using the MRT. Around the city centre most of it is underground. You are away from the haze which you would have to endure whilst waiting up to 15 minutes at a bus stop. Therefore, first thing to do in Singapore is buy yourself a laminated MRT card at one of the central or larger stations and get an MRT map.

MRT Card
You have to invest about S$5 for the card itself, plus the amount you put on the card. Having the card means you can race through the barrier, just as you do in London and many other major cities.

In theory you can pay for a single trip paper ticket if you are short of cash. You can buy these from machines at railway stations.

Bus Fares
You can also tell a bus driver your destination and ask the fare. Then feed cash into the cash ticket machine on the bus. On a bus you tap the card against the reader as you get on, again tap it as you get off.

Card Top-up
When you tap your card onto the reader the machine tells you how much money is left on the card.
I try to top up the card when I'm not in a hurry, especially on my outward journey. Some of the ticket offices close early evening. I don't want to run short late at night. Also if I leave a meeting with friends who race for a train I don't have to delay myself or them.

Route Planning
I often compare the bus only route, the bus and train route, and the MRT only route. The websites give you lots of options. I photograph the bus timetable at the bus stop. Some buses have bus maps just for that route at the Interchange or in a box inside the bus.

If you need to arrive somewhere at a specific time, you can use a website. When I am travelling to a meeting at Toastmasters where meetings start on time and time is critical, I check the destination with the organisers as well as the building. The larger stations have several exits.

Seats
Off-peak you have more chance of getting a seat. End seats near the door have signs saying that you should give up the seat for passengers who are pregnant, have walking sticks etc.

Stopping
If you are unsure where to alight, use the website before leaving home to check the number of stops. The MRT train map shows you where lines connect. The map has all sorts of useful information, such as walking times between the city centre stops.

A sign overhead on both buses and trains tells you the next station. On buses you will see the sign Bus Stopping if somebody has pressed the stop buzzer. The stop buzzer is on one of the vertical poles.

On the train you can watch the lights on the map showing how far you are along the line. A pleasant lady's voice announces the next stop.

Sometimes you will be told which side of the train to exit. There's even a station (Jurong) with a platform with exits on both sides; so you need to work out what the name of the end of the line is.

You can see the name and number of the station on the sign top left. In the middle is the train with exit doors both sides. To the right are the lines showing you how to stand both sides of the doors so people can exit unimpeded from the middle to speed up your travel.

If you are wondering how to pronounce the station names, listen to the recorded announcement and repeat the station name to yourself.

Clark Quay station

Clarke Quay station is by Speakers' Corner

If you have lots of time, or little time, you can plan a route around the city taking in famous or everyday sites which are near each other or on the same line. Central points could include Orchard, for Orchard Road shopping and the bustling centre. If it's raining, walk underground from Orchard station along Orchard towards Ngee Ann City towers housing Takashima department store and other shops and cafes.

For more ethnic shopping, you can take the MRT to Chinatown and/or Little India.

If it's sunny, or at least not raining, Clarke Quay station exits onto a green square with Speakers' Corner, a heritage history plaque and a building alongside covered in greenery.

I make notes on my map. I outline a regular journey. I write home or hotel next to my starting point. Then I outline the route in pencil. I circle the end of line station name so when I'm travelling up or down an escalator and hear that a train is about to arrive in two minutes I know what to do. I know whether to start running, or keep to the left (as instructed, stand on the left) as others race past.

Take the train and bus to Gardens By The Bay. You can walk around the outside looking at the trees which have labels and the plaques. (See next post on free things to do.)

Travel Websites
gothere.sg - fill in your nearest road and your destination and choose train or bus or car/taxi. You will get directions of times and train stations or bus stop numbers or roads.

transitlink.com.sg - this site tells you the cost of your journey and time taken. Just fill in the starting stations and destination station.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author speaker.

(Photos will be added shortly. Come back.)

When to visit Singapore and Asia: bargains, decorations, no haze and no rain

Good Time
Time to visit: any major event or festival (unless you hate crowds). My favourite time in Singapore is Christmas because every shopping mall is dramatically decorated with giant plays, sometimes animated. So are the major shopping streets such as Orchard Road. Sale time - Singapore sale. If you can't make the sale, go to Mohammed Mustafa department store. Part of it is open 24 hours.

Bad Time
Monsoon or rainy season. Roads are awash. Floods in major areas and highways. Rain not just an hour in the afternoon but for three days solid. Sandals shipping water. Photographs a waste of time. Boat trips cancelled. On the other hand, two major Singapore activities are still available. Food and shopping.

Tips For Shopping In The Rain
Any advantages to rainy season? This is when your hotels offer bargains. Great time if you are visiting family, indoor museums, restaurants and indoor shopping malls.  Think of what you have saved on hotels. More money to spend on shopping.

Trick to shopping indoors? Find basement malls which link one area to another. For example, half of Orchard Road is linked between Orchard MRT and ION along the south side of Orchard Road to Ngee Ann City towers. Two levels of shopping streets at Basement one and Basement two.

Hot or Not
If you are too hot, stay indoors. Indoor shopping malls. Indoor restaurants. Drink lots of iced water.

The locals drink warm water. Women are told that cold water gives you stomach cramps when you have your period and warm water helps relax your tummy. So Singaporean girls and women often ask for warm water. Your waiter will ask if you want warm water or iced water.

In India I was told that Indians like hot drinks such as tea because hot food and drink makes you perspire which cools you down.

Hay Fever, Pollution and Haze
If you suffer from hay fever, allergic reaction to pollen, in England or elsewhere, in spring, get away from it all in Singapore.

Singapore's haze is worst June to September. Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong suffer from polluted skies. Check weather reports. If the locals are wearing masks, either it's a flu or medical epidemic, or haze.

Haze - cause and effect
What causes the haze? Read the local papers and see what they say. Indonesia is blamed for forest fires started deliberately to clear forests to plant crops, eg for oil. At one point the Indonesians were claiming the cause was Singapore. At first it sounded a bizarre case of the pot calling the kettle black.

But I kept reading. One of the companies involved had its HQ in Singapore within sight of where I was then on holiday.

I wish the problem could be solved. Regardless of who is to blame, what can you do as a tourist?

Where can you buy a mask? At a pharmacy. But masks come in two qualities. The cheaper masks are only good for a few hours. You can buy a pack of three.

Will the haze affect you if you are only on holiday a short time? From a photographer's point of view, the sky is white instead of blue. Distant views of mountains are faded and blurred.

When the haze is at its worst, the schools and colleges shut. The staff at outdoor events have to be sent home. The elderly are told not to do strenuous exercise outdoors. Even indoor events are cancelled because the building cannot operate without staff working outside (cleaners, parking attendants, gate security etc).

Children cannot use outdoor playgrounds at school and outdoor walkways linking buildings nor outdoor food courts. Staff who don't have a maid, nanny or granny to take care of children have to go home to mind the children.

Hospitals are extra busy because of those who are ill. Also those who are old or sick must be checked as a precaution if they suddenly have breathing or other problems.

You might come down with a sore throat. No fun if you are speaking at an event.

When your Singaporean friends who are affluent or have family in Australia decide to leave Singapore for Australia, maybe it's time to shorten you outbound stopover at Singapore and plan to stay longer on the way back instead. Or maybe time to plan that Xmas trip. Flights are busy and often fully booked for major holidays such as Xmas and Chinese New Year. So check your calendar and plan the best time for your trip, taking into account budget, seasonal weather and festivities.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer, author, speaker.

Train Travel underground - London, Munich and Stockholm stations recommended

I love railway stations and long train journeys - so long as you aren't carrying luggage or trying to get somewhere in a hurry.

LONDON, UK
Many central London stations have shopping malls, statues, or tiles describing the history of the local area. But even the posters and brochures are interesting.

You might also like the London transport museum.

In London as an overseas visitor the best, cheapest way to travel is buying a travel card. Then you can try out the major stations.

A few of my favourite highlights:
Baker Street station with Sherlock Holmes statue outside exit to greet you on your way to Madame Tussauds.
Euston station statue with cat.
Paddington station statue.
Waterloo.
The Bakerloo line, as its name explains, links Baker Street and Waterloo stations.

USA
The USA has some great stations, such as the famous one in New York, as well as lots of railway museums and restaurants on old converted railway carriages.

SINGAPORE
The easiest and most modern stations and safest stations in the Far East include those in Singapore. You can buy a travel card and get a map, travel to orchard, their equivalent of Piccadilly Circus, or on to Little India or Chinatown.

If it's raining walk along the underground shopping street at basement level from Orchard station as far as Ngee Ann City mall. If the sun comes out again, and you then want a view, go up to the coffee shop by the huge Japanese bookshop (yes, you can buy books in English), I think the bookshop and caffee are on second level f one of the towers. The info ration desk at ground floor level can give you a mall map and direct you. In the cafe sit by the table for two at the windows looking at Orchard Road shopping mall skyscrapers, the city centre traffic and tiny people in the plaza below. (You may have to queue for window tables or any table at busy hours).

SWEDEN - Stockholm
A lovely video on the BBC about a photographer visiting Stockholm stations which look like caves.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27824848?post_id=698460596_10154841459540597#_=_

If you like my posts, please follow me. Check out my other posts and blogs. I am also on Youtube talking about restaurant table etiquette in London, France, and the Far East; you can concoct with me and read about me on FaceBook and LinkedIn, or look at my books on Lulu.com  Also find me on Facebook and LinkedIn websites for Toastmasters groups HOD, Harrovians, clubs in UK and speakers clubs Singapore.