BETTER DEALS AND BARGAINING: In Shops, Taxis, Restaurants, Cafés

Problem
Can I bargain?

Singapore and China
The Chinese like to bargain. If you don't like bargaining, or being ripped off, in China, and Singapore, most Department stores and large supermarkets have fixed prices.

When it comes to electrical shops and other places you may find staff on commission. If in doubt, get pally and ask. They might say, as I have been told:

Credit Cards
In Singapore and the UK some small shops won't take credit cards for small items.

In some countries you set the fee before you get in. If the meter is not running, that would be wise.

Even if the meter is running, sometimes you think that it's set to the double time. This could be legitimate.

But watch out for the 'stealth tax'. It is raining. You phone at 11.30 for a ten minute ride, which is only five minutes if they take the short cut. Taxis are not available. A taxi sets off at 11.45 and reaches you at 11.50. The driver avoids the short cut and takes you the long way round. You reach your designation at 12.05 and get charged the after midnight official surcharge.

Taxis
You might need change for a taxi. The taxi can't give you change because he has just started work.

The taxi has a machine but they claim it's not working or you decide it's quicker to pay cash. Then they have added the dollar or so for the call out fee, the central business district charge, the charge for a second passenger, the charge for transporting a suitcase. Suddenly you are out of cash.

But most of the big taxi companies and uber now take credit cards. Some airport, you pre-pay by credit card and no tip expected - but they don't get out of the taxi to help with the luggage, or it's a woman who is pregnant or an older man with a bad back.

Pharmacies
The same minimum spend for using credit cards applies to a few of the Singapore chain pharmacies. Buy another item for a dollar and suddenly you can spend all on a credit card, no need to worry about prices, buy three for the price of two and you are stocked with bargains.

Souvenir Shops and Mobile Phone Accessories
I asked staff if they were on commission.
"No, unfortunately I'm not on commission. If I were I'd have made a fortune by now!"

"Next door, staff are on commission. I won't say the prices are higher - I have friends and family who work there. But you can check for yourself. I worked there last year. Everybody is so stressed out! I came back to work here. Cheap prices. Low wages. Happy customers and happy staff."

"No, because I'm only a temporary worker. I go back to college next week."

"I get a set commission for every sale, so it doesn't make any difference to me which model you buy."

"I like practise English with customer. Boss call me, say more five minute each customer. I must go now. So ok you go away lunch. You come back - I give five minute more."

Looking at large white goods, washing machines, and table top goods, rice cookers:
"Frankly, I get ten per cent per sale so I'd make more now if I sold you that model. But we get so many complaints, taking time, and have to give commission money back, because so many times we have faults, in the end I make nothing. So I prefer you to buy the cheaper one, better for me, better for you, more reliable."

In family-run stores dealing with Chinese customers, they bargain. Take a Chinese friend to speak in Chinese and bargain on your behalf.

Remember to check the prices and sales and loss leaders in local newspapers. If it's your paper, take it with you. I've seen ads in newspapers and the staff know nothing about it. But show the waiter an ad in today's paper and they call the boss. I remember:

The boss frowns, "Head office didn't tell me!" He reflects.

I reflect. Maybe he is a franchise. If so, there's another branch down the road, which might be company owned.

He realises that the ad has brought him a customer, and a customer already on the seat is worth two potentials in the street. He says, with a smile, "But if it's in today's paper, we have to honour it! What would you like to order, Madam?"

Free papers will be on the floor outside flats. Don't take the paper. Just photograph the ads. Look for more free papers at underground railway (MRT) stations or in hotels and restaurants and cafes.

Now you know. Knowledge is power.

You can't win them all, but you can win some. Life has ups and downs. Maybe today will be your lucky day.

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

Singapore's Storm Drain and Shelter From Rain

Singapore is a tropical country. It rains in rainy season. It rains every season. We are glad of the rain when it drives away the haze. Rain also waters the unattended aloe vera plant on the balcony.
Water prices are going up. Will this drive up prices of other goods, such as coffee in a cafe?

Problem
How do you avoid or divert unwanted rain in Singapore?
What could go wrong?
1 Swimming: You leave swimming until the afternoon and then it rains.

2 Taxis: You postpone calling a taxi until it rains, then taxis are unobtainable.

3 Rain Through Your Windows. All over your computer screen, laptop, mobile phone, office chair, newspapers, right the way from under the window to the far side of the room!

4 Storms trips the electricity. Food such as fish in the freezer, fresh milk in the fridge ...

5 Wet pavements when walking

Answers
1 Swimming Time
Swim in the morning.

2 Taxi Demand
That should change soon with variable pricing which increases costs when demand is high, so only those prepared to pay more take a taxi.

3 Rain: Leave a notice on the back of the front door: Take umbrella; shut windows.

4 Tell everybody how to turn the circuit breaker back on again.

5 Raffles built the five foot ways along the fronts of shops, covering the pavement (Americans say sidewalk).

Finally, some good news: All over Singapore shelters are built along streets between station.
Photo of storm drain Cashew Road, Singapore by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Books on Lulu.com and Amazon. Please share my posts.

Night train service at weekends in London from September 12th 2015

To misquote somebody (Disraeli or Mark Twain): you can run some of the train lines all of the time, and all of the train lines some of the time, but you can't run all of the train lines all of the time. The new night services start in London from September 12th 2015.

So the plan is that the entire Victoria and Jubilee lines will run for 24 hours, covering Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. other lines the busiest parts of the lines may operate, but not necessarily further stations and branches of the line.

If you previously used late night buses, you now have an alternative route, and also in some places and times the train route can cut your journey time by up to twenty minutes.

If you still need to take a taxi part of the way, your taxi fare could be cheaper.

That's good news if you are at a conference such as the World Travel Market and want to attend a weekend dinner or stay in London for a late meeting the weekend before or the weekend after the midweek conference and still have time to get home to the suburbs.

If you plan to come to London over Christmas and New Year, the late night buses and trains could also be useful to you. The bus map is already online. You could print out your own copy. Nearer the time I expect they will print out the maps and distribute them at the relevant stations, or at all stations so that you can plan your travel and also restaurant and hotel bookings which will be near the lat night lines, to be sure your meeting venues and sleeping venues are either your starting point or ending point.

If you are arranging a conference, restaurant meal, or accommodation for staff, guests, friends or family, you might wish to pick a venue on the line or to give your guests the information.

If you are looking for a job such as in a hotel or restaurant and willing to work late you might find opportunities. If you a hotel or restaurant owner, or are in marketing, advertising or web design you might need to update your existing ads and websites, or to use the new line as a selling point or excuse for a seasonal offer or celebration.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/first-look-at-the-official-map-for-londons-night-tube--due-to-launch-in-september-10335452.html

You might also like to note the new uniforms:
I shall have to see them to form an opinion. I like blue. I also like the jolly red and orange ties, and the more discreet and elegant blue ties.
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/tfl-uniform-redesign-unveiled-in-first-update-for-decade-10283336.html