How To Attend A Club Event - Paid For Or Free

The Christmas Tree in the Tavern Restaurant, Tanglin Club, Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

How could you get to attend if you are not a member? You might be invited to an event because>

1 Guests - Family and Friends

The organizers are selling tickets guest and member tickets which are reduced price for members (who are already paying the organization and annual fee or a montly fee, as well as the joining fee) but often only slightly more for guests. If you have lots of friends through one club, they are likely to know members of another club or to be a member of two clubs. Some clubs allow members to take in friends or family as guests. 

2 Keep asking all your Singapore friends, are you a member of a club? In my early days as an ex-pat, I met lots of Americans through the American Women's Association. You could join this if you were waiting to be a member of the American Club, or in Singapore insufficient time to make it worthwhile paying the joining fee. Members of the association could meet at each other's homes for events such as bridge games and end of year parties, attend festive meals such as Thanksgiving, and attend moderately priced events in hired rooms such as the bridge game with sandwich lunch or tea. Full members had full use of the club including the swimming and could book tables in the restaurant. On a couple of occasions, one of the 'bossy' or busy or proactive ladies would suggest we all went for coffee or lunch in the restaurant. She had to book the table and the payment would be invoiced to her at the end of the month. We could either secretly slip her cash afterwards to compensate her, invite her back to our club or out to lunch if she was a friend. Or if only one person out of five was not a member, one of the other women who was a member might airily say, "don't worry, this is on me".

Free

Another system. When I first arrived, I knew nobody and was very lonely when my husband was away travelling. I would invite people to lunch at the club, but most of them were too busy with their own families and friends or work. I was desperately hoping somebody would accept and was happy to pay the cost of their lunch. My husband was having meals out with business associates all day every day. I was not even getting a Saturday evening meal out with him. He could hardly begrudge me one meal with a friend or acquaintance. 

On one occasion I invited a VIP lady organizer of a group, a bridge group, or a book group, or one of the national associations (American Club, Japanese Club, Australian club). She arrived with a gift for me, a silver picture frame. She explained, "I cannot reciprocate by inviting you back to my club because I am fully booked all week and we are going back to America." I then  realized that some people just accept that life is swings and roundabouts, sometimes you pay for a stranger, sometimes they pay for you. Other people like every transaction and relationship to balance, so if you invite them to a meal, whether at their home or a restaurant, you don't wait for an opportunity to reciprocate, because that might never come if one of you travels elsewhere or falls sick. You take a gift for the host. 

How do you do this at short notice? It's like planning for Xmas. If you do it on a regular basis, you can plan in advance. You and buy in the sales. You have a box or basket labelled gifts. 

All ready wrapped with fancy paper and ribbons. (The Japanese always expect gifts to be fancily wrapped. In China and Singapore even money must be presented in a lucky red packet.)

Then, if you are on the phone and are invited out and have to leave now, no time for shopping, you simply grab a gift from the box. If you like you can add the name of the person on the gift tag, and a nice message such as to my new friend, to my good friend, or thank you for the lovely lunch.

Reciprocal Clubs

If you are a member of a club, or the company you belong to has membership for all staff, you can get reciprocal arrangements overseas. For example, members of the UK civil service can join the Civil Service Club. I met him through a local Writer's club in London. He introduced me to a Toastmasters International Club. He is a member of several clubs, including some connected with Indian language groups. He arranges a Christmas dinner at the Civil Service Club for his friends.

You can visit many clubs just to be shown around with a view to becoming a member. Whilst there, look at the lists of activities. Some will be cultural. Book clubs, film clubs, national clubs. If you are sporty, you are sure to see a group such as football, cricket, squash, and cabinets of trophies or lists of events. If you are not nearby, you can check them out online. Find our what arrangements they have with clubs in your country.

If you are into sales, you might hire a table at a Christmas fare, to sell wine, jewellery, clothes, candles, food, books. You might have a customer who is a member of the club.

The Tanglin Club's Reciprocal Clubs

In Australia alone there are many reciprocal clubs, for example, several branches of the RAC club in different cities. In India, the Cricket Club in Mumbai is one of several.

Guests can book rooms in the club. See the club website for details.

Useful Websites

https://www.tanglinclub.org.sg/reciprocal-clubs/reciprocal-clubs.html

THE AA to the Rescue - what do you need to do and say?

Problem
Who do you call when you are in trouble on the motorway.

Answer
The AA. You might have homestart or only the rescue service.

Before going on a trip, either have your AA card handy, or write the AA phone number in your phone, or put it in the glove box, or stick it on a clipboard. I am thinking of writing it on a sticker to put in any car in which I am travelling.

I think you can also call the AA if you are not a member and pay them to rescue you, and/or join for the year.

I had to call them to help me. I had the number to hand.

They asked me where I was. I was at a petrol station on the MI. Going north bound or south bound. Which petrol station? The AA man had it on his visual map.

I had to sign a hand-held machine he was carrying, like signing for the delivery of a letter.

I didn't have my AA number. However, they were able to trace me from my name and address and car number. As I don't have a good memory for my car number, I had to leap out of the car and find it. After that I typed my car number into the AA contact details so that if I ever had to call them again I had the number handy. You never know, next time I might be in a snowstorm or unable to get out of the car, so it's handy to have it.


AA van side view. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

When I got home I found an account of exactly what the problem was and what they had done to help solve it, at least temporarily. The mail contained the name of all the local garages - local to the area where I needed help. The AA also have an app.

You can also join other organizations such as the RAC (Royal Automobile Club?). I believe there\s Green Flag, too.

When we lived in the USA we joined the American Automobile Association, which was AAA.
When I clicked onto a serach engine for car rescue, up popped a sign saying Green Flag was currently offering 50% off the AA and RAC membership prices.

Useful websites and information for travellers:
AA
theAA.com
Emergency helpline:
0800887766
0800 181 00

COMPARISON OF COMPANIES
https://www.knowyourmoney.co.uk/breakdown-cover/?adgroup

RAC
www.rac.co.uk

GREEN FLAG
www.greenflag.com

OTHER INFORMATION
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/apr/03/rac-facing-millions-in-refund-costs-over-breakdown-cover-renewal-letters

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.

PS You'll never guess what was on the side of the van which drew up alongside! See next post.

Driving in the UK, Europe, Romania - each country's costs and quirky rules

Problem
In the UK and some former British rule of the road countries such as Singapore we drive on the left. Other countries in Europe drive on the right.

France and Accidents
I remember reading that a high proportion of accidents in Europe are near the ferry terminals. People drive off the ferry from the UK to France. They are not yet attuned to which side of the road they should drive on.

Of course, there are now signs.

France and Fines
Another concern of Brits going to France was that drivers had to buy breathalyser kits for their cards in case they were stopped by the police. Later this law was dropped because they could not produce enough breathalysers. Better check with the AA or RAC or the country concerned before you travel  to France or any country what the latest laws are.

If you own or hire a car in the UK and drive across to France through the tunnel or take a ferry, you are in a car with the steering wheel on the wrong side. When you fly drive, it is easy to know which side of the road to drive.

Driving with the driving wheel on the correct side makes it easier to overtake. The driver is in the middle of the road and can see the road ahead and any traffic in the overtaking lane or, in a two way road, in the approaching lane.

If the driver is on the kerbside, the passenger my be responsible for saying if there is any vehicle coming.

Romania
When we drive in Romania, what are the rules of the road? What does a driver need to carry?

The websites telling you about driving in Romania point out that you need a warning triangle. You might think that if you hire a car that would automatically be provided. It is in your interests to check. As where it is. You might need it in a hurry and you don't want to cover it with a suitcase. Does it fold out?

The high visibility jacket is not something I expected to have to provide and wear on a motorway even in daytime. Very sensible. But In an accident that means I can't jump out and run back to fix up the warning triangle without it. So where do I get one?

I recently narrowly avoided hitting a pedestrian who ran across the street wearing dark clothing. It gave me quite a turn. You can buy armbands to go over clothing or be sewn on, specifically for safety. Another option is decorative patches which glow in the dark. Or wearing white at night.

Is there anything I hadn't thought of?

Answer
The RAC (UK's Royal Automobile Club) has a handy website about Romania. It covers what you want to know and things you didn't know you need to know.

I wanted to know about parking and fines. It told me which side of the road to drive on, that if you stop for more than five minutes you must be in the same direction as the traffic. (I believe that's so vehicles approaching from behind can see your reflectors.

You need to carry your driving license, insurance, and ID (passport).

Seatbelts are required in the back as well as the front.
(Incidentally, I am often told by taxi drivers and private car drivers worldwide that the seatbelt is stuck under the back folding seat but 'it doesn't matter'.

It does matter. I insist that they stop and sort out the seat belt. Why?
1 A friend of mine in the middle seat was thrown forward in a road traffic accident and several injured.
2 I read that the front seat passenger can be injured by the force of a body thrown forward from behind.
3 If you are not wearing a seatbelt the insurance can refuse to pay up or reduce damages on the grounds that your injuries were not caused by the driver but by your failure to wear a seatbelt.
4 You or the driver could be fined.

In Romania, according to the website, you also have to keep your lights on even in day time and you are not allowed to hoot your car horn day or night in some places such as a central city.  Whether you are seeking safety or to avoid being fined, better safe than sorry.

In the UK we have the AA, the Automobile Association. In the USA we have the American Automobile Association, AAA.

The first thing the AA website told me about driving in Romania was that drivers should be asare that NO alcohol is allowed. So you can't have just one drink.

The money supermarket site has handy information on the USA. It reminded me that you should not have alcohol in the car, even unopened. Keep it out of reach, in the boot of the car (which in the USA is called the trunk).

DIRTY CARS BANNED!
The most surprising thing is that Romania forbids driving with a dirty car. (That's the sort of rule I would expect in Singapore.)

Russia is another place which bans dirty cars. Why? Your numberplate or registration number must be visible.

Stopping When School Buses Are Stopped
Another important note in the USA is about not overtaking a stopped (and flashing light) school bus, whether you are behind it or approaching from the other direction. You have probably guessed that this measure was introduced for the safety of children who alight and run into the road without looking, or even do look.

Some countries require you to carry a first aid kit. Always a good idea. Others require a sign of a regulation size and colour and design, not just a red balloon, or white fabric handkerchief, on a bicycle or projecting object on the back or top or anywhere on your car.
Anything which promotes safety is good.

It's also a good idea to carry the number of the emergency services and have it handy in your phone.

How much will a high visibility jacket cost? I was amazed to see how widely they are available, from Sports Direct or Alibaba. The price for a sleeved jacket was about £20, and a sleeveless vest was reduced from about £6 to £2.50.

For more details see:
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/travel/country/romania/
http://www.theaa.ie/aa/summer-driving/romania.aspx
http://www.theaa.ie/travelhub/hiring-and-driving-a-car-in-europe/
http://www.moneysupermarket.com/c/news/driving-abroad-the-rules-and-regulations/0014407/

Tips
http://romaniatourism.com
https://www.duolingo.com/
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to my posts.