Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Lombok - Indonesia
Changi Airport
Sneha and I wanted to climb Mt Rinjani located in Lombok, Indonesia. We found that Lombok Trekking is one of the best organizers in that region. We reached Changi Airport before time and spent the morning stuffing at Wang’s Cafe which we call B T Wang because the Chinese characters seem like alphabets B and T.
Jakarta to Mataram, Lombok
In Jakarta our adventure stared. After standing in the immigration queue for a good twenty minutes we were told that it was the wrong queue. After getting visa we headed to the domestic terminal located a couple of kilometers from the international terminal. It took us twenty five minutes to reach the domestic terminal and we got a glimpse of the infamous Jakarta traffic. At the Lion Air counter we were told that our flight had left and the authorities blamed us for arriving late even though we were there an hour and a half before departure. Lion Air is like a bus service and the seats are available on a first come first serve basis minutes before the flight and your e-ticket or early booking is irrelevant. The next available flight was after seven hours and we couldn’t risk going to the city because of traffic fears. So we spent the next five hours at a lounge in the international terminal drinking fruit juice because on Fridays the lounge doesn't server beer.
Our flight to Mataram aka Ampenan was noisy as a miserably behaved kid kept crying and shouting throughout the journey. It was not a good start to our holiday but things changed the moment we landed in Lombok.
The resort, Jeevaklui, had arranged for our pick up from the airport and as we drove along we noticed activity on the roads with corn vendors, bikers and restaurants full of people. The resort is on the coast with bamboo cottages providing modern amenities and an open bathroom with a garden. Nature's call in Nature.
Sembalun to the Rim
Next morning we left towards our base camp which was a three hour drive through the interiors of Indonesia. We got a chance to see the villages, coast and even the taste of fried bananas while we conversed with our guide who explained us the history, politics and culture of the country.
Lombok is an island where a mixture of Hinduism and Islam has given rise to a new religion and there are Hindu temples with a lot of Islamic rituals. The people of the island are very friendly and hospitable.
At the base camp we saw more than 300 trekkers set to climb the hill and after completing some formalities we started our trek. Our guide, Sar, was a little man but was strong enough to carry our bags and equipment.
The trek was the toughest we have ever encountered as the entire trek was a climb and at no point did we walk on flat land. Initially, we felt it was the two of us who lacked the physical stamina to climb the hill but there were a lot of seasoned trekkers who came from different parts of the world and they too struggled during the climb. There was a cloud cover and the temperature kept dropping as we kept climbing up but it was the humidity that took a toll on us and despite being as high as 4000 feet above sea level the humidity didn't come down. The way one can judge the mood is by the number of snaps taken during an event. We skipped taking a few good snaps during the trek and focused on getting to the camp for the night as we had reached exhaustion.
One thing that kept us alive was the fruit tea, Maggi and isotonic water that Sar kept giving us. He helped us a lot during our climb whether it was cooking our food, providing us with water or refreshments and even motivated us by singing Hindi film songs. He kept asking us about Bollywood and forced us to translate some Hindi songs into English. The climb though strenuous was scenic. It reminded me of the Himalayan treks back in India. There was just one small village en-route and only a few forest check posts in the middle.
The Rim
Mt Rinjani is an active volcano with a lake partially covering the crater. The point where the crater lake can be viewed is known as The Rim. There were moments during our climb where we wanted to give up but we didn’t and finally we reached The Rim after seven hours of trekking. The camp site was filled with students who had trekked alongside us in the morning. There were easily around 50 tents and the place was slightly littered. Despite all the hardships there was a sense of achievement. The view of the lake and the mountain from our tent was worth the effort.
Sipping tea sitting in our tent is a moment I will never forget. It was getting cold outside and we were getting hot tea and delicious food at 7500 feet above sea level. The next morning we decided against going any further as our body and bones were in a bad state and decided to return to the base camp. To add insult to injury or rather injury to injury I hurt my leg while trying to scale up a peak to get a better view of the crater lake. Poor Sneha got rashes.
The trek down was harder than the climb up and our spirits were waning until we saw our pick up vehicle a few kilometers away. It is amazing how a positive news or image can improve your spirits and all of a sudden we started clicking a few snaps. The motivation to go back to Jeevaklui made us walk faster and on reaching the resort we felt elated.
Back to the comforts
We spent the entire evening at the Resort sitting by the pool side and doing nothing. For a change I enjoyed doing nothing as my muscles were stiff after the trek and even a walk of ten meteres was difficult. Ordering wine and sitting by the pool sipping it while you look at the sea is a very well sold television idea but that day it felt special. After the hard work the comforts were well deserved. The next day I spent time relaxing my stiff muscles in the swimming pool while Sneha got herself a massage.
Later, we moved to a new resort called Quinci Villas. After a late lunch where I tried the local satay chicken with a lovely coconut gravy we headed to the town. There are lots of small items to purchase in the town and as always we bought show pieces for the house. You can purchase goods from the proper shops or take a chance with the local touts and street vendors who also have good stuff. A local vendor convinced us to buy his painting and that triggered a swarm of vendors who wanted to sell everything from small artifacts to island rides.
In the evening we were invited to a song, dance and martial arts performance by the local tribesman. The martial arts performance was the best item of the evening and the viewers could go and try their luck at fighting too. We preferred sitting by the sea while our dinner was getting ready. After a long evening we retired to our bed.
Back to Singapore
The next day we had a flight back to Jakarta. We decided not to take a chance with Lion Air and reached the airport 3 hours ahead of time. We shared a taxi with an Australian couple who were frequent visitors to Indonesia because fewer people from their country visited this region. I always wonder why we look for a place where our fellow citizens are fewer but we get our home food. How can that be possible ? On reaching the airport we were asked to board a Wings Air aircraft that flew us to Jakarta before our official scheduled departure. It seemed like a record and replay event in our life just that this time we weren't surprised.
The trip came to an end the moment we boarded a flight to Singapore from Jakarta. Indonesia was a lovely get away. Our Lombok experience was memorable because of the lovely and hospitable people of Indonesia.
Sneha and I wanted to climb Mt Rinjani located in Lombok, Indonesia. We found that Lombok Trekking is one of the best organizers in that region. We reached Changi Airport before time and spent the morning stuffing at Wang’s Cafe which we call B T Wang because the Chinese characters seem like alphabets B and T.
Jakarta to Mataram, Lombok
In Jakarta our adventure stared. After standing in the immigration queue for a good twenty minutes we were told that it was the wrong queue. After getting visa we headed to the domestic terminal located a couple of kilometers from the international terminal. It took us twenty five minutes to reach the domestic terminal and we got a glimpse of the infamous Jakarta traffic. At the Lion Air counter we were told that our flight had left and the authorities blamed us for arriving late even though we were there an hour and a half before departure. Lion Air is like a bus service and the seats are available on a first come first serve basis minutes before the flight and your e-ticket or early booking is irrelevant. The next available flight was after seven hours and we couldn’t risk going to the city because of traffic fears. So we spent the next five hours at a lounge in the international terminal drinking fruit juice because on Fridays the lounge doesn't server beer.
Our flight to Mataram aka Ampenan was noisy as a miserably behaved kid kept crying and shouting throughout the journey. It was not a good start to our holiday but things changed the moment we landed in Lombok.
The resort, Jeevaklui, had arranged for our pick up from the airport and as we drove along we noticed activity on the roads with corn vendors, bikers and restaurants full of people. The resort is on the coast with bamboo cottages providing modern amenities and an open bathroom with a garden. Nature's call in Nature.
Sembalun to the Rim
Next morning we left towards our base camp which was a three hour drive through the interiors of Indonesia. We got a chance to see the villages, coast and even the taste of fried bananas while we conversed with our guide who explained us the history, politics and culture of the country.
Lombok is an island where a mixture of Hinduism and Islam has given rise to a new religion and there are Hindu temples with a lot of Islamic rituals. The people of the island are very friendly and hospitable.
At the base camp we saw more than 300 trekkers set to climb the hill and after completing some formalities we started our trek. Our guide, Sar, was a little man but was strong enough to carry our bags and equipment.
The trek was the toughest we have ever encountered as the entire trek was a climb and at no point did we walk on flat land. Initially, we felt it was the two of us who lacked the physical stamina to climb the hill but there were a lot of seasoned trekkers who came from different parts of the world and they too struggled during the climb. There was a cloud cover and the temperature kept dropping as we kept climbing up but it was the humidity that took a toll on us and despite being as high as 4000 feet above sea level the humidity didn't come down. The way one can judge the mood is by the number of snaps taken during an event. We skipped taking a few good snaps during the trek and focused on getting to the camp for the night as we had reached exhaustion.
One thing that kept us alive was the fruit tea, Maggi and isotonic water that Sar kept giving us. He helped us a lot during our climb whether it was cooking our food, providing us with water or refreshments and even motivated us by singing Hindi film songs. He kept asking us about Bollywood and forced us to translate some Hindi songs into English. The climb though strenuous was scenic. It reminded me of the Himalayan treks back in India. There was just one small village en-route and only a few forest check posts in the middle.
The Rim
Mt Rinjani is an active volcano with a lake partially covering the crater. The point where the crater lake can be viewed is known as The Rim. There were moments during our climb where we wanted to give up but we didn’t and finally we reached The Rim after seven hours of trekking. The camp site was filled with students who had trekked alongside us in the morning. There were easily around 50 tents and the place was slightly littered. Despite all the hardships there was a sense of achievement. The view of the lake and the mountain from our tent was worth the effort.
Sipping tea sitting in our tent is a moment I will never forget. It was getting cold outside and we were getting hot tea and delicious food at 7500 feet above sea level. The next morning we decided against going any further as our body and bones were in a bad state and decided to return to the base camp. To add insult to injury or rather injury to injury I hurt my leg while trying to scale up a peak to get a better view of the crater lake. Poor Sneha got rashes.
The trek down was harder than the climb up and our spirits were waning until we saw our pick up vehicle a few kilometers away. It is amazing how a positive news or image can improve your spirits and all of a sudden we started clicking a few snaps. The motivation to go back to Jeevaklui made us walk faster and on reaching the resort we felt elated.
Back to the comforts
We spent the entire evening at the Resort sitting by the pool side and doing nothing. For a change I enjoyed doing nothing as my muscles were stiff after the trek and even a walk of ten meteres was difficult. Ordering wine and sitting by the pool sipping it while you look at the sea is a very well sold television idea but that day it felt special. After the hard work the comforts were well deserved. The next day I spent time relaxing my stiff muscles in the swimming pool while Sneha got herself a massage.
Later, we moved to a new resort called Quinci Villas. After a late lunch where I tried the local satay chicken with a lovely coconut gravy we headed to the town. There are lots of small items to purchase in the town and as always we bought show pieces for the house. You can purchase goods from the proper shops or take a chance with the local touts and street vendors who also have good stuff. A local vendor convinced us to buy his painting and that triggered a swarm of vendors who wanted to sell everything from small artifacts to island rides.
In the evening we were invited to a song, dance and martial arts performance by the local tribesman. The martial arts performance was the best item of the evening and the viewers could go and try their luck at fighting too. We preferred sitting by the sea while our dinner was getting ready. After a long evening we retired to our bed.
Back to Singapore
The next day we had a flight back to Jakarta. We decided not to take a chance with Lion Air and reached the airport 3 hours ahead of time. We shared a taxi with an Australian couple who were frequent visitors to Indonesia because fewer people from their country visited this region. I always wonder why we look for a place where our fellow citizens are fewer but we get our home food. How can that be possible ? On reaching the airport we were asked to board a Wings Air aircraft that flew us to Jakarta before our official scheduled departure. It seemed like a record and replay event in our life just that this time we weren't surprised.
The trip came to an end the moment we boarded a flight to Singapore from Jakarta. Indonesia was a lovely get away. Our Lombok experience was memorable because of the lovely and hospitable people of Indonesia.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
New Zealand - Creator's Masterpiece
27th Jan 2011 - Brunei
After planning for almost six months our trip to NZ was just hours away. We were ready to leave for the airport much before the official check-in time. But thanks to peak hours in Singapore we found taxis after a little struggle and reached airport at the right time instead of being early at the check in counter.
On hearing that Royal Brunei Airways did not serve spirits our spirits were dampened as we wanted to get high in the sky. Add to this, at the Brunei airport we heard that there are no bars, pubs, discos, karaoke clubs or liquor stores in the country. The only form of entertainment was a tour to the city. The tour guides helped us with the visa formalities and explained the hyped up itinerary. We hopped onto the bus and entered into a different world altogether.
Brunei is a rich Islamic nation with great benefits for citizens. The country has beautiful mosques and the tour is a must do in case you have time. The architecture, lighting and gold decorations make the mosques look majestic. Every mosque has a story behind it and the tour guide keeps you interested in the proceedings. The country gives citizenship to people willing to embrace Islam, speak Malay and remember the name of the sultan which takes almost 30 seconds to recite. Citizens get free land, hospital benefits and cheap petrol. The last thing I remember was eating street food. Delicious food is available on the streets. We had sticky rice with chicken, pita bread with vegetable and chicken filling, noodles, fried rice, etc. The local pancake called Kher Malai is famous. We were back in the plane and off to Auckland.
28th Jan - Auckland
After landing in Auckland Airport our urge to meet Uncle Jack took us to the duty free store and make our first contribution to the NZ economy. Outside the airport the cool breeze greeted us and this was a refreshing change from the Singapore weather. The Auckland airport is considered one of the top 10 airports in the world but falls short in comparison to the super efficient Changi Airport.
Our pick up van, an old rickety vehicle, took us to Rent-a-Dent. A weird name for a car rental firm. We wanted to rent a Toyota Corolla and doing so would have meant that the luggage had to be placed on our heads as we had 3 big and 5 medium sized bags plus the usual hand bags, carry bags, etc. Better sense prevailed and we hired SUVs for all our journeys in NZ. In the excitement we forgot one of Suhas's bags in the car rental office which we realized only after we checked into our rooms at Bianco Off Queen.
Suhas showed no panic and took his own time to chit chat with some acquaintance, rang up his cousin who stays in NZ, had a couple of drinks and then revealed that in addition to his bag he had also lost his SIM card.
In the evening we met Jyothsana, Suhas's cousin, who took us to Little India restaurant for dinner. Post dinner we retired to our beds except Siri who experimented with the washing machine. The experiment failed and we had to carry our washed but wet clothes to Pahia the next day in a plastic bag.
29th Jan - Pahia
Auckland is considered a big city but this big city was pretty quiet. The roads were empty and except for liquor nothing is available after six in the evening. We drove through the city and saw lovely Churches, independent houses, gardens and small eating places. There was a relaxed feeling to the entire place and we were enjoying it. People played cricket, the summer sport, in fields and some boys even practiced bowling actions while standing in queues near the airport.
We collected the lost bag and set off on a long drive to the Bay of Islands. Bay of Islands is located at the northern most part of NZ and the drive is scenic. On the way we saw beautiful landscape of hills, farmlands, small villages with windmills, small towns with European style architecture, restaurants that serve you over sized Pizzas with a ton of cheese and to top it all we had great weather.
Siri and Suhas have always enjoyed 29th Jan for it was their wedding anniversary and a day where something crazy always happened. It was no different. After driving for about an hour bad weather greeted us that threatened our journey. The next few hours were spent in traffic jams but we took advantage of that and walked along the road to meet people and enjoy the place. People are extremely friendly in NZ and would go out of their way to help you. The traffic eased out and we picked up speed but there was a new problem. Near Kaukapakapa (Maori name meaning "to swim with much splashing") a bridge was flooded. A few adventurous drivers crossed the flood in their powerful SUVs but we weren't game for it. A few of us tried to walk across the flood but chickened out halfway.
Someone suggested an alternate route via Russel which we thought was around 10 kms away. On our way the road suddenly ended and we were driving in the hills with no road, no map, no sign boards and almost an empty fuel tank. The distance was much more than 10 kms and I remember driving at high speeds to catch up with a driver who knew the route.
At Russel, a big barge helped us shuttle our vehicle to Pahia. The barge accommodates at least twenty cars. The bay was surrounded by hills and there were yachts, boats, ferries all around us. The detour was worth the risk and later on we found a petrol pump to fill up our thirsty Subaru Legacy.
We should have spent at least two nights in Pahia at Beachcomber. Just outside our room was a picnic table which overlooked the beach. The town gave you a feeling of staying in a hill station surrounded by an ocean. The boys had a good night with uncle Jack and Sneha with some wine.
Jan 30th - Auckland and Wellington
We drove back listening to Kannada songs and the cheesiest ones were my favorite. These songs were played again and again on my request. Back in Auckland, we were so desperate to eat Indian Food that we jumped signals and even stopped in the middle of road exits to take U turns. After stuffing ourselves with Dosas, Idlis and Vadas at Dosa Plaza we headed to the airport to catch a flight to Wellington.
Wellington is a windy city with a lot more crowd and buzz on the streets. The shuttle from the airport to Mercure hotel went past the downtown area, the local rugby stadium and Basin Reserve cricket stadium. I was thrilled to see the turf and the outfield of this small cricket stadium. Walking on the streets we saw walls filled with graffiti, sex shops and even an IBM office. We retired early as we had a ferry to catch the next morning.
Jan 31st - Wellington, Picton, Christchurch
We took the Interislander ferry from Wellington to Picton and then took the TranzCoastal train from Picton to Christchurch. The authorities help you check-in your luggage all the way from Wellington to Christchurch and the ferry ride and train ride timings are always synced.
The ferry looked more like a mall with food court and lounges. There was a slight drizzle outside which meant spending time inside the ferry playing cards and battling sea sickness. The ride to Picton is around three hours and once the weather improved we spent time on the deck looking at the scenery. At some places the water was green in color and in some places it was blue while the ferry splashed water and created a white trail. The hills surrounding us were green, barren brown and even gray in some places. There were birds flying down and catching fish.
Picton railway station is walking distance from the ferry terminal. The railway station has a single platform and despite having an e-ticket we got our seat numbers scribbled on a piece of paper. I am fascinated by train journeys and this six hour ride was my favorite part of the entire NZ trip. The train journey starts amidst hills, then enters vineyards, grasslands and near Kaikoura you see the pacific ocean. The pacific ocean beach has black sand and blue waters. The train track runs a few meters away from the ocean and you can see sea eagles, seals and other wildlife. There are bridges and tunnels throughout the ride and you can spend most of the time in the open bogie in case you love the cold wind hitting your face and fancy taking some great snaps. The train has a bar and we ordered champagne to make the ride memorable. I wish we had stopped at Kaikoura for whale watching in the continental shelf near this region. The train reached Addington railway station,Christchurch, in the evening. By the time we picked up our luggage it was late and the last shuttle to the city was about to leave. It was time to loose things and Suhas lost his camera’s tripod stand and suitcase keys. Once again, he showed no signs of panic or interest in finding these lost items much to Siri’s annoyance.
We headed to IStay At Cachel which was our home for the next three days and in some sense Christchurch was our base camp in the south island. Later in the evening we hired a Toyota Highlander from Hertz for the next ten days.
Feb 1 - Balloon Adventure at Christchurch
We woke up at 3 AM for our Balloon adventure ride from the Canterbury plains. The ride depends upon the weather conditions and luckily for us everything went smoothly. At every stage of the ride you are involved in helping the pilot whether it is unpacking the balloon, inflating it or later deflating it. The pilot briefs you on the flight, the weather conditions and once you are up in the sky he takes a snap of the entire balloon by suspending a camera off the balloon with a string.
Up from the sky you can see the city at a far distance, Canterbury plains - the bread basket of NZ, farms with livestock, the great rivers, southern alps and the pacific ocean. The ride starts early in the morning before sunrise.
The landing is often bumpy with no fixed landing location as everything depends on the winds and very little on the balloon's capability. The landing location is generally a farm and the owner is convinced by the balloon owners with a bottle of champagne. After landing we had champagne at around 8 in the morning listening to an old Irish balloon ride song.
We returned to Christchurch and later in the evening took the Gondola (Cable Car) and Tram ride. Though these sound very touristy it is a must do. Christchurch, considered the most English of the cities, is the most picturesque of the cities in NZ despite being affected by earthquake. There are old buildings, gardens, cafe shops by the street, historical monuments, a beautiful cathedral in the central square, small rivulets with boat rides, etc. Oh, there was an IBM office too.
Feb 2 - Rafting on Rangitata
Our first real adventure activity was rafting on the Rangitata river. The rafting business was started by a goon years ago but is now owned by a respectable family. We reached the rafting base camp, a house converted into a lodge, after driving for a couple of hours from Christchurch via Peel forest. The river on which we rafted can be seen in the famous movie - Lord of the Rings. With a HD TV you can actually see the rafts in one of the scenes.
After a lovely lunch we were given rafting gear which looked like space suit. It protected us from cold weather, rain, water and injuries. This gear gives you confidence to tackle grade 3 rapids. Sneha and Suhas decided to skip the grade 5 rapids and instead took a walk around the river. Siri and I braved the grade 5 rapids without falling and even jumped into the water from a 4 meter high rock. I took the extra challenge and jumped into the water from a 9 meter high rock. Swimming was not easy in this river and thanks to the life jacket I made it to the shore.
Post rafting we had a barbecue at the base camp and then we went back to Christchurch. It was my turn to forget a bag which contained woolens and some change of clothes. The bag went from Rangitata to Geraldine to Queenstown where I finally got it back.
Feb 3 - Lake Tekapo
We left for Lake Tekapo and stopped at Geraldine for brunch and wine. The tiny town had lovely food joints. Every place in NZ has rest rooms for public but the restrooms can get uncomfortable for Asian men due to highly placed urinals. Our lack of height can cause toilet accidents.
We reached lake Tekapo, a small town known for its lake with suspended rock crystals, night sky lit with stars and hot springs. The suspended crystals in the lake give it the distinct turquoise blue color and is considered a world heritage site.
Driving around we saw a house facing the lake and wished we had accommodation in a similar place. On driving past this house we realized that the place was called Three Rivers Lodge and we had made a booking for the exact same place. In the evening we went to the grocery store to buy provisions and to our surprise we found Indian food items even in such a remote place. The lodge is owned by a friendly family whom we met in the evening and spoke about life, work, wine, holidays and Tekapo. I wish we had stayed there for more than a night.
Feb 4 - Drive to Lake Wanaka and Queenstown
We stopped at Lake Wanaka on our way to Queenstown. Lake Wanaka is another town situated on the banks of a lake. The town is more commercial compared to Lake Tekapo and we saw a lot of crowd. Teenagers with paint on their body were making merry in the cold water. We also visited Puzzling World which has attractions ranging from illusion rooms to anti gravity rooms.
During lunch we tried the local beer and wine. NZ has varieties of wine and beer to choose from and we made the best of it. Post lunch, direction dolly, our beloved GPS showed us a shorter route to Queenstown via hills that had fields which glittered like gold .As you enter Queenstown you can see jet boats & wind surfers in the lake and helicopters, gliders, & parachutes in the sky. We had arrived in the adventure capital of the world.
Feb 5 - Bungy Jump, Vineyards at Gibbston Valley
Except for Sneha the rest of us were dejected on realizing that our sky diving trip had been canceled for the day. We re-scheduled our sky dive and headed to Gibbston valley which is famous for its Pinot Noir wine. On the way we decided to stop at the Kawarau Bridge Bungy - home to the original 43 meter Bungy Jump. Although a little apprehensive I decided to go for the jump. The toughest part of the jump is standing at the edge and looking down at the river below. The jump is the exciting part and easy. After the leap you dive down towards the river and your head goes into the river. The adrenaline rush gives you a high and is a must do activity in NZ.
In Gibbston valley, the weather and rock formations allow the vineyards to flourish. Some of the rocks are almost as old as 4 million years and provide the warmth needed for the grape vine. The customary vineyard trip was followed by wine tasting along with Cheese. I found the entire experience too sophisticated and wanted Vada or Idly instead of Cheese.
Feb 6 and Feb 7- Milford Sound, Feb 8 - Queenstown
The rains greeted us again during our drive from Queenstown to Te Anau and then to Milford Sound. We were cursing our luck and felt a little down but that was the best thing that happened to us. The place looked more beautiful with snow capped mountains, countless number of waterfalls and rivers under this misty rain cover. The drive through a tunnel full of water and leaking walls gave it a mystic feeling altogether.
Milford Sound is considered sometimes as the eight wonder of the world. The early explorers thought that the place was a Sound. But the place is actually a Fjord (formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock) and not a Sound ( produced by a glacier carving out a valley on the coast then receding).
We took a night cruise to Tasman Sea from Milford Sound. The cruise ship was a two tired boat with basic amenities with quad share rooms. In the evening, we went out Kayaking in the sea. The weather worsened and Sneha started rowing her kayak in the wrong direction. I feared the worst and hoped Sneha would remember some survival skills from the program Man vs Wild that we watch on Discovery channel. Luckily, the storm calmed down and we were back safely.
We hoped for a calm night and it started off well with a guitar session by a crew member, some board games that we played (Fact or Crap with self written answers in some cards) and lovely dinner in which we were served channa masala with rice. After eating food we were ready for a nice long sleeping session but in the middle of the night Sneha started suffering due to sea sickness. After this cruise experience she doesn't want any more cruise rides.
In the morning, the weather improved and so did Sneha. We saw Seals on the rocks soaking up the sun but weren't lucky enough to see penguins and dolphins. Later in the afternoon we went for a walk and explored some new places. Our evening was spent in the Milford Lodge which is a backpackers den. Cooking our own food in the common kitchen, using the common lounge, etc was a refreshing change from our stay in hotels.
We drove back to Queenstown and once again realized that our sky dive was canceled. We had given up all our hopes and decided to see what the town had to offer. Jet boating in the canyon, famous for its historic gold trail, was a thrilling experience.
The night life in Queenstown is better than other cities because of the tourists. There are night clubs, casinos and live bands performing at pubs late into the night. People tend to have a lot of fun in the evenings and at a restaurant while having dinner a lady, playing truth and dare, was pinching butts of all the men in the room.
Feb 9 - Sky Diving and drive to Lake Matheson
Finally, our last attempt at Sky diving was successful. At 8 in the morning we were at 9000 feet above sea level. When the glider door opens the photographer walks on the wing to take snaps and you have to jump whether you like it or not. The tandem master will pretend not to hear you and will scoop you out. Despite being nervous I knew I would jump. The banana position in which you jump gently rolls you over the glider into the sky and from then on the terminal velocity of almost 200kmph rips your skin apart. You feel like a bird and your brain registers things slowly. In fact, sky diving is easier compared to roller coaster rides or bungy jumping. There is no churn in the stomach and you are at ease.
Post sky diving, we headed towards Lake Matheson via a beautiful place with a rocking name called Haast. We were expecting to see a hill station with biting cold weather as it is located next to a glacier called Fox glacier. Many surprises awaited us. The glacier, considered a geographical marvel, is located just 300 m above sea level and is situated next to the sea with rain forests towering over it.
Later in the evening we went to Lake Matheson. We enjoyed our walk along the lake and at the reflection point you can see the reflection of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman if the cloud cover is not present.
Feb 10 - Heli Hike and Greymouth
Our heli hike adventure was not confirmed till the last minute. The weather changes in the hills within minutes and is considered a breeding ground for future mountaineers. The great Sir Edmund Hillary had trained in these hills before scaling mount Everest. Once again, we prayed for good weather and our prayers were answered.
The 8 minute helicopter ride from the base camp sounds very short but during the ride you see the weather and the landscape change drastically. Suddenly, there was snow everywhere and it was blinding us. Minutes after landing we were tanned due to the sunlight and snow reflecting the light despite putting on layers of sun screen.
On the fox glacier, we spent time walking on the snow avoiding crevices and loose snow. The leather boots with crampons are a life savior on such terrain. You can drink water from the numerous ponds on the glacier and even eat ice.
Post lunch, we drove from Lake Matheson to Greymouth. In Greymouth, we stayed at the youth hostel and finished all the food items that we were carrying. It was the our last evening at NZ. The hostel had a lounge with a library and had numerous board games to choose from. Sneha and I spent the evening playing scrabble and for a change I won despite making words like pig, boy and bin.
Feb 11 - Greymouth to Christchurch and then to Auckland
We drove back from Greymouth to Christchurch via Arthur's pass. The drive took us a little longer because of a cycle race in the hills. After returning our Toyota Highlander we took a flight to Auckland. At Auckland, we had 6 hours before our flight took off to Brunei so we dumped our luggage in the cloak room, hired a taxi to the city and went to Dosa Plaza. This was the costliest Dosa we ever ate in our lives. This was our last adventure in NZ. After 15 hours we were back in Singapore.
We drove more than 3000kms in two weeks, took all modes of transport possible, jumped from planes, cliffs and bridges, tried chocolates with ginger, saw natural wonders, met people who cared less about clothing and more about sports......The rains, floods and winds forced us to change our plans sometimes but we did everything that we had planned. It was a trip of a lifetime.
PS: Planning a trip to NZ
You will need roughly 5000 NZ dollars in case you plan a trip for ten days or more. A rough estimate of costs (In NZD per person) :
A low budget stay would cost around 40 dollars per person on a twin sharing basis. A medium budget stay would cost around 70 dollars per person and of course you can spend 100 or more to stay in a very good place.
Adventure activities are expensive but worth it. Sky diving costs around 500 per person (including photographs), Bungy jumping is around 180, Jet boating is around 180, Hot air balloon ride is around 350 and Heli Hike is around 400.
Car rentals depend on the car. An SUV costs around 100 dollars per day including GPS and insurance. Train and Ferry rides are around 150 dollars. Night cruise should be the same.
Food is cheap if you cook on your own. If you eat out and tend to fancy a drink or two be prepared for 60 dollars or so per day.
Plan in advance unless you are an adventurous kind. Go to NZ...you will not regret it!!
After planning for almost six months our trip to NZ was just hours away. We were ready to leave for the airport much before the official check-in time. But thanks to peak hours in Singapore we found taxis after a little struggle and reached airport at the right time instead of being early at the check in counter.
On hearing that Royal Brunei Airways did not serve spirits our spirits were dampened as we wanted to get high in the sky. Add to this, at the Brunei airport we heard that there are no bars, pubs, discos, karaoke clubs or liquor stores in the country. The only form of entertainment was a tour to the city. The tour guides helped us with the visa formalities and explained the hyped up itinerary. We hopped onto the bus and entered into a different world altogether.
Brunei is a rich Islamic nation with great benefits for citizens. The country has beautiful mosques and the tour is a must do in case you have time. The architecture, lighting and gold decorations make the mosques look majestic. Every mosque has a story behind it and the tour guide keeps you interested in the proceedings. The country gives citizenship to people willing to embrace Islam, speak Malay and remember the name of the sultan which takes almost 30 seconds to recite. Citizens get free land, hospital benefits and cheap petrol. The last thing I remember was eating street food. Delicious food is available on the streets. We had sticky rice with chicken, pita bread with vegetable and chicken filling, noodles, fried rice, etc. The local pancake called Kher Malai is famous. We were back in the plane and off to Auckland.
28th Jan - Auckland
After landing in Auckland Airport our urge to meet Uncle Jack took us to the duty free store and make our first contribution to the NZ economy. Outside the airport the cool breeze greeted us and this was a refreshing change from the Singapore weather. The Auckland airport is considered one of the top 10 airports in the world but falls short in comparison to the super efficient Changi Airport.
Our pick up van, an old rickety vehicle, took us to Rent-a-Dent. A weird name for a car rental firm. We wanted to rent a Toyota Corolla and doing so would have meant that the luggage had to be placed on our heads as we had 3 big and 5 medium sized bags plus the usual hand bags, carry bags, etc. Better sense prevailed and we hired SUVs for all our journeys in NZ. In the excitement we forgot one of Suhas's bags in the car rental office which we realized only after we checked into our rooms at Bianco Off Queen.
Suhas showed no panic and took his own time to chit chat with some acquaintance, rang up his cousin who stays in NZ, had a couple of drinks and then revealed that in addition to his bag he had also lost his SIM card.
In the evening we met Jyothsana, Suhas's cousin, who took us to Little India restaurant for dinner. Post dinner we retired to our beds except Siri who experimented with the washing machine. The experiment failed and we had to carry our washed but wet clothes to Pahia the next day in a plastic bag.
29th Jan - Pahia
Auckland is considered a big city but this big city was pretty quiet. The roads were empty and except for liquor nothing is available after six in the evening. We drove through the city and saw lovely Churches, independent houses, gardens and small eating places. There was a relaxed feeling to the entire place and we were enjoying it. People played cricket, the summer sport, in fields and some boys even practiced bowling actions while standing in queues near the airport.
We collected the lost bag and set off on a long drive to the Bay of Islands. Bay of Islands is located at the northern most part of NZ and the drive is scenic. On the way we saw beautiful landscape of hills, farmlands, small villages with windmills, small towns with European style architecture, restaurants that serve you over sized Pizzas with a ton of cheese and to top it all we had great weather.
Siri and Suhas have always enjoyed 29th Jan for it was their wedding anniversary and a day where something crazy always happened. It was no different. After driving for about an hour bad weather greeted us that threatened our journey. The next few hours were spent in traffic jams but we took advantage of that and walked along the road to meet people and enjoy the place. People are extremely friendly in NZ and would go out of their way to help you. The traffic eased out and we picked up speed but there was a new problem. Near Kaukapakapa (Maori name meaning "to swim with much splashing") a bridge was flooded. A few adventurous drivers crossed the flood in their powerful SUVs but we weren't game for it. A few of us tried to walk across the flood but chickened out halfway.
Someone suggested an alternate route via Russel which we thought was around 10 kms away. On our way the road suddenly ended and we were driving in the hills with no road, no map, no sign boards and almost an empty fuel tank. The distance was much more than 10 kms and I remember driving at high speeds to catch up with a driver who knew the route.
At Russel, a big barge helped us shuttle our vehicle to Pahia. The barge accommodates at least twenty cars. The bay was surrounded by hills and there were yachts, boats, ferries all around us. The detour was worth the risk and later on we found a petrol pump to fill up our thirsty Subaru Legacy.
We should have spent at least two nights in Pahia at Beachcomber. Just outside our room was a picnic table which overlooked the beach. The town gave you a feeling of staying in a hill station surrounded by an ocean. The boys had a good night with uncle Jack and Sneha with some wine.
Jan 30th - Auckland and Wellington
We drove back listening to Kannada songs and the cheesiest ones were my favorite. These songs were played again and again on my request. Back in Auckland, we were so desperate to eat Indian Food that we jumped signals and even stopped in the middle of road exits to take U turns. After stuffing ourselves with Dosas, Idlis and Vadas at Dosa Plaza we headed to the airport to catch a flight to Wellington.
Wellington is a windy city with a lot more crowd and buzz on the streets. The shuttle from the airport to Mercure hotel went past the downtown area, the local rugby stadium and Basin Reserve cricket stadium. I was thrilled to see the turf and the outfield of this small cricket stadium. Walking on the streets we saw walls filled with graffiti, sex shops and even an IBM office. We retired early as we had a ferry to catch the next morning.
Jan 31st - Wellington, Picton, Christchurch
We took the Interislander ferry from Wellington to Picton and then took the TranzCoastal train from Picton to Christchurch. The authorities help you check-in your luggage all the way from Wellington to Christchurch and the ferry ride and train ride timings are always synced.The ferry looked more like a mall with food court and lounges. There was a slight drizzle outside which meant spending time inside the ferry playing cards and battling sea sickness. The ride to Picton is around three hours and once the weather improved we spent time on the deck looking at the scenery. At some places the water was green in color and in some places it was blue while the ferry splashed water and created a white trail. The hills surrounding us were green, barren brown and even gray in some places. There were birds flying down and catching fish.
Picton railway station is walking distance from the ferry terminal. The railway station has a single platform and despite having an e-ticket we got our seat numbers scribbled on a piece of paper. I am fascinated by train journeys and this six hour ride was my favorite part of the entire NZ trip. The train journey starts amidst hills, then enters vineyards, grasslands and near Kaikoura you see the pacific ocean. The pacific ocean beach has black sand and blue waters. The train track runs a few meters away from the ocean and you can see sea eagles, seals and other wildlife. There are bridges and tunnels throughout the ride and you can spend most of the time in the open bogie in case you love the cold wind hitting your face and fancy taking some great snaps. The train has a bar and we ordered champagne to make the ride memorable. I wish we had stopped at Kaikoura for whale watching in the continental shelf near this region. The train reached Addington railway station,Christchurch, in the evening. By the time we picked up our luggage it was late and the last shuttle to the city was about to leave. It was time to loose things and Suhas lost his camera’s tripod stand and suitcase keys. Once again, he showed no signs of panic or interest in finding these lost items much to Siri’s annoyance.
We headed to IStay At Cachel which was our home for the next three days and in some sense Christchurch was our base camp in the south island. Later in the evening we hired a Toyota Highlander from Hertz for the next ten days.
Feb 1 - Balloon Adventure at Christchurch
We woke up at 3 AM for our Balloon adventure ride from the Canterbury plains. The ride depends upon the weather conditions and luckily for us everything went smoothly. At every stage of the ride you are involved in helping the pilot whether it is unpacking the balloon, inflating it or later deflating it. The pilot briefs you on the flight, the weather conditions and once you are up in the sky he takes a snap of the entire balloon by suspending a camera off the balloon with a string.Up from the sky you can see the city at a far distance, Canterbury plains - the bread basket of NZ, farms with livestock, the great rivers, southern alps and the pacific ocean. The ride starts early in the morning before sunrise.
The landing is often bumpy with no fixed landing location as everything depends on the winds and very little on the balloon's capability. The landing location is generally a farm and the owner is convinced by the balloon owners with a bottle of champagne. After landing we had champagne at around 8 in the morning listening to an old Irish balloon ride song.
We returned to Christchurch and later in the evening took the Gondola (Cable Car) and Tram ride. Though these sound very touristy it is a must do. Christchurch, considered the most English of the cities, is the most picturesque of the cities in NZ despite being affected by earthquake. There are old buildings, gardens, cafe shops by the street, historical monuments, a beautiful cathedral in the central square, small rivulets with boat rides, etc. Oh, there was an IBM office too.
Feb 2 - Rafting on Rangitata
Our first real adventure activity was rafting on the Rangitata river. The rafting business was started by a goon years ago but is now owned by a respectable family. We reached the rafting base camp, a house converted into a lodge, after driving for a couple of hours from Christchurch via Peel forest. The river on which we rafted can be seen in the famous movie - Lord of the Rings. With a HD TV you can actually see the rafts in one of the scenes.After a lovely lunch we were given rafting gear which looked like space suit. It protected us from cold weather, rain, water and injuries. This gear gives you confidence to tackle grade 3 rapids. Sneha and Suhas decided to skip the grade 5 rapids and instead took a walk around the river. Siri and I braved the grade 5 rapids without falling and even jumped into the water from a 4 meter high rock. I took the extra challenge and jumped into the water from a 9 meter high rock. Swimming was not easy in this river and thanks to the life jacket I made it to the shore.
Post rafting we had a barbecue at the base camp and then we went back to Christchurch. It was my turn to forget a bag which contained woolens and some change of clothes. The bag went from Rangitata to Geraldine to Queenstown where I finally got it back.
Feb 3 - Lake Tekapo
We left for Lake Tekapo and stopped at Geraldine for brunch and wine. The tiny town had lovely food joints. Every place in NZ has rest rooms for public but the restrooms can get uncomfortable for Asian men due to highly placed urinals. Our lack of height can cause toilet accidents.We reached lake Tekapo, a small town known for its lake with suspended rock crystals, night sky lit with stars and hot springs. The suspended crystals in the lake give it the distinct turquoise blue color and is considered a world heritage site.
Driving around we saw a house facing the lake and wished we had accommodation in a similar place. On driving past this house we realized that the place was called Three Rivers Lodge and we had made a booking for the exact same place. In the evening we went to the grocery store to buy provisions and to our surprise we found Indian food items even in such a remote place. The lodge is owned by a friendly family whom we met in the evening and spoke about life, work, wine, holidays and Tekapo. I wish we had stayed there for more than a night.
Feb 4 - Drive to Lake Wanaka and Queenstown
We stopped at Lake Wanaka on our way to Queenstown. Lake Wanaka is another town situated on the banks of a lake. The town is more commercial compared to Lake Tekapo and we saw a lot of crowd. Teenagers with paint on their body were making merry in the cold water. We also visited Puzzling World which has attractions ranging from illusion rooms to anti gravity rooms.During lunch we tried the local beer and wine. NZ has varieties of wine and beer to choose from and we made the best of it. Post lunch, direction dolly, our beloved GPS showed us a shorter route to Queenstown via hills that had fields which glittered like gold .As you enter Queenstown you can see jet boats & wind surfers in the lake and helicopters, gliders, & parachutes in the sky. We had arrived in the adventure capital of the world.
Feb 5 - Bungy Jump, Vineyards at Gibbston Valley
Except for Sneha the rest of us were dejected on realizing that our sky diving trip had been canceled for the day. We re-scheduled our sky dive and headed to Gibbston valley which is famous for its Pinot Noir wine. On the way we decided to stop at the Kawarau Bridge Bungy - home to the original 43 meter Bungy Jump. Although a little apprehensive I decided to go for the jump. The toughest part of the jump is standing at the edge and looking down at the river below. The jump is the exciting part and easy. After the leap you dive down towards the river and your head goes into the river. The adrenaline rush gives you a high and is a must do activity in NZ.In Gibbston valley, the weather and rock formations allow the vineyards to flourish. Some of the rocks are almost as old as 4 million years and provide the warmth needed for the grape vine. The customary vineyard trip was followed by wine tasting along with Cheese. I found the entire experience too sophisticated and wanted Vada or Idly instead of Cheese.
Feb 6 and Feb 7- Milford Sound, Feb 8 - Queenstown
The rains greeted us again during our drive from Queenstown to Te Anau and then to Milford Sound. We were cursing our luck and felt a little down but that was the best thing that happened to us. The place looked more beautiful with snow capped mountains, countless number of waterfalls and rivers under this misty rain cover. The drive through a tunnel full of water and leaking walls gave it a mystic feeling altogether.Milford Sound is considered sometimes as the eight wonder of the world. The early explorers thought that the place was a Sound. But the place is actually a Fjord (formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock) and not a Sound ( produced by a glacier carving out a valley on the coast then receding).
We took a night cruise to Tasman Sea from Milford Sound. The cruise ship was a two tired boat with basic amenities with quad share rooms. In the evening, we went out Kayaking in the sea. The weather worsened and Sneha started rowing her kayak in the wrong direction. I feared the worst and hoped Sneha would remember some survival skills from the program Man vs Wild that we watch on Discovery channel. Luckily, the storm calmed down and we were back safely.
We hoped for a calm night and it started off well with a guitar session by a crew member, some board games that we played (Fact or Crap with self written answers in some cards) and lovely dinner in which we were served channa masala with rice. After eating food we were ready for a nice long sleeping session but in the middle of the night Sneha started suffering due to sea sickness. After this cruise experience she doesn't want any more cruise rides.
In the morning, the weather improved and so did Sneha. We saw Seals on the rocks soaking up the sun but weren't lucky enough to see penguins and dolphins. Later in the afternoon we went for a walk and explored some new places. Our evening was spent in the Milford Lodge which is a backpackers den. Cooking our own food in the common kitchen, using the common lounge, etc was a refreshing change from our stay in hotels.
We drove back to Queenstown and once again realized that our sky dive was canceled. We had given up all our hopes and decided to see what the town had to offer. Jet boating in the canyon, famous for its historic gold trail, was a thrilling experience.
The night life in Queenstown is better than other cities because of the tourists. There are night clubs, casinos and live bands performing at pubs late into the night. People tend to have a lot of fun in the evenings and at a restaurant while having dinner a lady, playing truth and dare, was pinching butts of all the men in the room.
Feb 9 - Sky Diving and drive to Lake Matheson
Finally, our last attempt at Sky diving was successful. At 8 in the morning we were at 9000 feet above sea level. When the glider door opens the photographer walks on the wing to take snaps and you have to jump whether you like it or not. The tandem master will pretend not to hear you and will scoop you out. Despite being nervous I knew I would jump. The banana position in which you jump gently rolls you over the glider into the sky and from then on the terminal velocity of almost 200kmph rips your skin apart. You feel like a bird and your brain registers things slowly. In fact, sky diving is easier compared to roller coaster rides or bungy jumping. There is no churn in the stomach and you are at ease.Post sky diving, we headed towards Lake Matheson via a beautiful place with a rocking name called Haast. We were expecting to see a hill station with biting cold weather as it is located next to a glacier called Fox glacier. Many surprises awaited us. The glacier, considered a geographical marvel, is located just 300 m above sea level and is situated next to the sea with rain forests towering over it.
Later in the evening we went to Lake Matheson. We enjoyed our walk along the lake and at the reflection point you can see the reflection of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman if the cloud cover is not present.
Feb 10 - Heli Hike and Greymouth
Our heli hike adventure was not confirmed till the last minute. The weather changes in the hills within minutes and is considered a breeding ground for future mountaineers. The great Sir Edmund Hillary had trained in these hills before scaling mount Everest. Once again, we prayed for good weather and our prayers were answered.The 8 minute helicopter ride from the base camp sounds very short but during the ride you see the weather and the landscape change drastically. Suddenly, there was snow everywhere and it was blinding us. Minutes after landing we were tanned due to the sunlight and snow reflecting the light despite putting on layers of sun screen.
On the fox glacier, we spent time walking on the snow avoiding crevices and loose snow. The leather boots with crampons are a life savior on such terrain. You can drink water from the numerous ponds on the glacier and even eat ice.
Post lunch, we drove from Lake Matheson to Greymouth. In Greymouth, we stayed at the youth hostel and finished all the food items that we were carrying. It was the our last evening at NZ. The hostel had a lounge with a library and had numerous board games to choose from. Sneha and I spent the evening playing scrabble and for a change I won despite making words like pig, boy and bin.
Feb 11 - Greymouth to Christchurch and then to Auckland
We drove back from Greymouth to Christchurch via Arthur's pass. The drive took us a little longer because of a cycle race in the hills. After returning our Toyota Highlander we took a flight to Auckland. At Auckland, we had 6 hours before our flight took off to Brunei so we dumped our luggage in the cloak room, hired a taxi to the city and went to Dosa Plaza. This was the costliest Dosa we ever ate in our lives. This was our last adventure in NZ. After 15 hours we were back in Singapore.We drove more than 3000kms in two weeks, took all modes of transport possible, jumped from planes, cliffs and bridges, tried chocolates with ginger, saw natural wonders, met people who cared less about clothing and more about sports......The rains, floods and winds forced us to change our plans sometimes but we did everything that we had planned. It was a trip of a lifetime.
PS: Planning a trip to NZ
You will need roughly 5000 NZ dollars in case you plan a trip for ten days or more. A rough estimate of costs (In NZD per person) :
A low budget stay would cost around 40 dollars per person on a twin sharing basis. A medium budget stay would cost around 70 dollars per person and of course you can spend 100 or more to stay in a very good place.
Adventure activities are expensive but worth it. Sky diving costs around 500 per person (including photographs), Bungy jumping is around 180, Jet boating is around 180, Hot air balloon ride is around 350 and Heli Hike is around 400.
Car rentals depend on the car. An SUV costs around 100 dollars per day including GPS and insurance. Train and Ferry rides are around 150 dollars. Night cruise should be the same.
Food is cheap if you cook on your own. If you eat out and tend to fancy a drink or two be prepared for 60 dollars or so per day.
Plan in advance unless you are an adventurous kind. Go to NZ...you will not regret it!!
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Assam and Arunachal
Jaideep's wedding was in Dibrugarh and we decided to plan a trip around that region. Eastern India is probably the most beautiful place in the country and is the least explored. People have too many wrong notions about the region and for the four of us ( Sid, Shruti, Sneha and me) this trip changed our perception about the region.
Guwahati:
We landed at Guwahati airport after a long flight but we headed to the Brahamaputra after a quick lunch at hotel Nisha, a small but decent place to eat. By the time we reached the river it was almost dark. It was just five in the evening. The sun sets very early in this part of the world and it took us a couple of days to get used to the routine. By six thirty the dinner is ready at the hotel and by seven everything is closed.
We took a ferry to the island located in the middle of the river which boasts of a rare species of the monkey, the golden monkey, which we did not spot because of the darkness. The island also had a temple where the greedy priests cheated people by telling stories about some deity and chanting verses in god knows which language. The only way to stop this fleecing was to be rude and walk out of the temple. The river did not look so mighty unlike what I had heard and read. It is only later in the trip did I realize the might of this great river.
After a lovely dinner at hotel Paradise which serves Assamese food our day ended in front of the TV watching cricket highlights
Nameri:
Nameri Eco-camp is located right on the border between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and is a nature lovers heaven. There are more than four hundred species of birds but as usual we were curious about the existence of the Tiger and as usual the forest guards told us some stories about the Tiger. It is a pity that our knowledge of wild life ends there. The guards took us inside the jungle and we enjoyed walking through the elephant grass listening to the evening buzz. As it got darker we could hear the villagers shooing away the elephants at a distance by making loud noises and our guard loaded his weapon. For a while we were excited and scared of encountering an animal.
Later in the evening we met the funniest and the most modern seventy year old man in India. The USP of Nameri - Mr Ronish Roy. Mr Roy is a genius. He entertained us with his witty and raunchy jokes all evening. He spoke about the origin of the Tiger, the foolishness of Assam Wildlife agency to show the double horned African Rhinoceros in their advertisements, the techniques of measuring the height of an elephant, why the lazy elephants eat crops instead of gathering food inside the jungle, the tiger that used to stay near his cottage, designing shit pots, ramp modeling, acting in plays, Indus valley civilization and the importance of drinking alcohol in Eastern India. We did realize the importance of the last point very early in the trip.
The next morning we went for rafting which turned out to be a pleasant boating ride. Thinking that my camera will get wet in the rapids I did not bring it along and missed capturing one of the most beautiful sights in my life. The blue water, the green trees around, the birds, the sun rays through the clouds making the river shine like silver, etc made it seem like a movie depicting heaven. Our wildlife skills improved slightly thanks to the oarsmen and we were able to identify a few birds.
After breakfast we headed for Dirang - our first destination in Arunachal. We saw a lot of surprised faces when we mentioned that we planned to trek the next few days. It was November and the temperatures were falling everyday and it was snowing in the hills but we were not worried about the weather. We learned a bitter cold lesson in the next few days.
Dirang:
After Nameri, the Indian Army's presence suddenly increased and in some places we could see anti-insurgency units ready with weapons and mine detectors for any emergency. At the border our documents were verified and we were allowed to drive into Arunachal. In the next six hours the weather changed drastically and we stopped in Bomdila to buy extra woolens. No wonder people gave us surprised looks when we mentioned trekking. We stayed in Dirang Resort which was not a resort but a pigeon hole where the pigeons on the roof kept us awake all night. Dirang is probably the sleepiest of the sleepy towns we encountered. By six the shops are closed and by seven there is not a soul on the street.
Lubrang:
Next morning we started trekking from Rama Camp, a tiny little village on a river bank, with four men ( Tsering - the drunken guide, Gumbo - the bird hunter who was our cook, Lan Tsering - the mobile phone addict and another quiet guy whose name I don't recollect) and three ponies. The initial part of the trek was the hardest as the climbs were steep and the limbs rusty. We took breaks initially and increased our pace slowly. Sneha and I got used to the rigor and moved briskly while Shruti and Sid climbed slowly. It took us five hours to reach Lubrang which is located at around 10000 feet above sea level. Lubrang is a small village with around ten houses who survive on small farming and livestock trading. The view from Lubrang is beautiful and one can see Sela Pass, Naga Ji Ji and other snow capped peaks while lazing around in grass next to a gonpa. The yaks and the huts give it a very picturesque look.
There was a Army unit camping out there and we had to report to the officer in charge. Meeting Major Rohit was a pleasure and the chivalrous army soldiers treated us with hot tea and biscuits the moment we arrived. I had interesting discussions with Rohit about Kashmir, Army, the hills and war. He asked us not to hesitate in case we needed help and provided us with some medicines for altitude sickness and fever which our guides had not carried.
A little while later Shruti and Sid made it to the top and in freezing temperatures we had our Maggi moment. Dinner was served to us in a short while and during the long dinner we had conversations with our drunken guides about their lives, families and even software development. The guides were more than eager to dance with the girls. The night was young or rather late for a change as we kept talking, dancing and singing till around eleven in the night in a place which gets shut down by I suppose four in the evening.
We entered our freezing tent at around eleven thirty and that is when everything changed. It was a few degrees below zero and we had insufficient woolens. The night was the hardest night of our lives as we struggled to keep ourselves warm. The sleeping bags were sub-standard and we did not have woolen socks and no matter how many layers of synthetic socks you put on there is no replacement for a woolen pair. The next morning when we woke up and came outside the tent we saw frost everywhere. We were completely under prepared and our travel agent Mr Nath, who so called organized our trek in Arunachal, did not do his homework. The villagers advised us against climbing further as the snow fall had increased up the mountains. We realized that the ponies were eating less food due to the cold and that made us change our plan of trekking further up. With a heavy heart we decided to trek down and take an alternate trek route to a different place.
Thing went from bad to worse as we trekked down. The trek down was steep and the melted frost made the route slippery. The guides were drunk and not in a position to make decisions. We came down till Rama Camp and wanted to pitch a tent for the night but the guides spent time drinking instead. With the trek nowhere we decided to abort the trek and go back to the sleepy town - Dirang. The organizers admitted that things had gone wrong and re-planed our itinerary. Bruised, battered and demotivated we spent the night at Mahalakshmi lodge which despite its bad interiors and dirty bathrooms had a very enterprising and helpful owner.
Mr Pasang visited us in the morning and encouraged us to visit Sangti valley. The valley is around ten kilometers from Dirang and the walk up and down is a little tiresome but worth the effort. During the walk we spoke about various things, we took snaps near the bridges, the river, the farms, etc. The place had yellow grass and gave a Scottish country side feel to it. Later in the evening we were moved to the lovely Awoo resort. A real resort this time.
Sela pass and Jaswanthgarh:
The next morning we drove to Tawang via Sela pass. Sela pass is located at around 13500 feet above sea level. We halted there and clicked as many snaps as we could and as fast as we could because the cold was piercing our skins. Our driver on the other hand washed his face with cold water from the almost frozen lake. In the lake if you see a shadow of a golden pig then your luck changes. I am sure I saw one. Our next halt was at Jaswanthgarh, named after an Indian Soldier who fought the Chinese in 1962 war. There is a memorial maintained by the Army and it makes you feel proud and sad at the same time for all the soldiers posted in such places under such tough situations.
Tawang:
We drove from Jaswanthgarh to Tawang listening to the latest Hindi songs. The people in the east definitely know their music and have a good taste for it. The driver told us that Tawang has a monastery which is built over a lake full of gold and the Chinese want Tawang for that reason.
In Tawang, we literally spent our days in the two restaurants. One which served Chinese food and the other had a multi-cuisine menu. Next morning we saw the famous monastery, Army museum and the birth place of the sixth Dalai Lama. By afternoon it was time to hit the restaurants again.
Kaziranga:
We flew from Tawang to Guwahati in a helicopter from the civil airport which is just a small helipad. There is one man who is dons the cap of ground staff, on-boarding assistant and all the other roles that hundreds of people play in a big airport. The funniest part is that you need to call the person a day before to confirm the ride. The ride in itself was a great experience as we flew over Himalayas via Bhutan and Assam which according to me is covered by the Brahamaputra. The river is massive and it looks like a sea from the sky. It looked as though four massive rivers flowing side by side. After landing, we headed for Kaziranga where Mr Joon had organized our stay. Kaziranga has the highest density of Tigers and almost everyone talks about spotting a tiger. Unfortunately, we didn't see much of the Tiger apart from its shit. But the ride into the jungle where a Rhino almost attacked us, spotting wild elephants and waiting for the tiger for hours got us tired and we headed straight for dinner. It was Bunty's birthday and we celebrated it with some folk dancers and customary walks.
Trip ends:
After Kaziranga we headed for a tea estate in Korangini. We witnessed tea making process in the factory and a folk dance perfomance by the local villagers who made us feel like those foreigners who visit India and watch some random dance. The next moring we drove through the estate and headed towards Dibrugarh where my friend's reception was to be held. Bunty and Shruti headed for the airport.
After the lovely reception we headed back to Bangalore via Kolkata. The stop in Kolkata meant we dumped our luggage in the dirty cloak room and headed for chello kebabs at Peter Cat. Reaching Bangalore at late night meant dealing with crazy taxi drivers but thanks to Meru cabs we avoided that and headed home comfortably.
Somewhere it struck us that this was our last trip in India before Sneha and I moved to Singapore. The lovely east India never ceases to amaze us and especially me as I have my childhood memories from that region. I hope to visit that region sometime again.
Guwahati:
We landed at Guwahati airport after a long flight but we headed to the Brahamaputra after a quick lunch at hotel Nisha, a small but decent place to eat. By the time we reached the river it was almost dark. It was just five in the evening. The sun sets very early in this part of the world and it took us a couple of days to get used to the routine. By six thirty the dinner is ready at the hotel and by seven everything is closed.
We took a ferry to the island located in the middle of the river which boasts of a rare species of the monkey, the golden monkey, which we did not spot because of the darkness. The island also had a temple where the greedy priests cheated people by telling stories about some deity and chanting verses in god knows which language. The only way to stop this fleecing was to be rude and walk out of the temple. The river did not look so mighty unlike what I had heard and read. It is only later in the trip did I realize the might of this great river.
After a lovely dinner at hotel Paradise which serves Assamese food our day ended in front of the TV watching cricket highlights
Nameri:
Nameri Eco-camp is located right on the border between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and is a nature lovers heaven. There are more than four hundred species of birds but as usual we were curious about the existence of the Tiger and as usual the forest guards told us some stories about the Tiger. It is a pity that our knowledge of wild life ends there. The guards took us inside the jungle and we enjoyed walking through the elephant grass listening to the evening buzz. As it got darker we could hear the villagers shooing away the elephants at a distance by making loud noises and our guard loaded his weapon. For a while we were excited and scared of encountering an animal.
Later in the evening we met the funniest and the most modern seventy year old man in India. The USP of Nameri - Mr Ronish Roy. Mr Roy is a genius. He entertained us with his witty and raunchy jokes all evening. He spoke about the origin of the Tiger, the foolishness of Assam Wildlife agency to show the double horned African Rhinoceros in their advertisements, the techniques of measuring the height of an elephant, why the lazy elephants eat crops instead of gathering food inside the jungle, the tiger that used to stay near his cottage, designing shit pots, ramp modeling, acting in plays, Indus valley civilization and the importance of drinking alcohol in Eastern India. We did realize the importance of the last point very early in the trip.
The next morning we went for rafting which turned out to be a pleasant boating ride. Thinking that my camera will get wet in the rapids I did not bring it along and missed capturing one of the most beautiful sights in my life. The blue water, the green trees around, the birds, the sun rays through the clouds making the river shine like silver, etc made it seem like a movie depicting heaven. Our wildlife skills improved slightly thanks to the oarsmen and we were able to identify a few birds.
After breakfast we headed for Dirang - our first destination in Arunachal. We saw a lot of surprised faces when we mentioned that we planned to trek the next few days. It was November and the temperatures were falling everyday and it was snowing in the hills but we were not worried about the weather. We learned a bitter cold lesson in the next few days.
Dirang:
After Nameri, the Indian Army's presence suddenly increased and in some places we could see anti-insurgency units ready with weapons and mine detectors for any emergency. At the border our documents were verified and we were allowed to drive into Arunachal. In the next six hours the weather changed drastically and we stopped in Bomdila to buy extra woolens. No wonder people gave us surprised looks when we mentioned trekking. We stayed in Dirang Resort which was not a resort but a pigeon hole where the pigeons on the roof kept us awake all night. Dirang is probably the sleepiest of the sleepy towns we encountered. By six the shops are closed and by seven there is not a soul on the street.
Lubrang:
Next morning we started trekking from Rama Camp, a tiny little village on a river bank, with four men ( Tsering - the drunken guide, Gumbo - the bird hunter who was our cook, Lan Tsering - the mobile phone addict and another quiet guy whose name I don't recollect) and three ponies. The initial part of the trek was the hardest as the climbs were steep and the limbs rusty. We took breaks initially and increased our pace slowly. Sneha and I got used to the rigor and moved briskly while Shruti and Sid climbed slowly. It took us five hours to reach Lubrang which is located at around 10000 feet above sea level. Lubrang is a small village with around ten houses who survive on small farming and livestock trading. The view from Lubrang is beautiful and one can see Sela Pass, Naga Ji Ji and other snow capped peaks while lazing around in grass next to a gonpa. The yaks and the huts give it a very picturesque look.
There was a Army unit camping out there and we had to report to the officer in charge. Meeting Major Rohit was a pleasure and the chivalrous army soldiers treated us with hot tea and biscuits the moment we arrived. I had interesting discussions with Rohit about Kashmir, Army, the hills and war. He asked us not to hesitate in case we needed help and provided us with some medicines for altitude sickness and fever which our guides had not carried.
A little while later Shruti and Sid made it to the top and in freezing temperatures we had our Maggi moment. Dinner was served to us in a short while and during the long dinner we had conversations with our drunken guides about their lives, families and even software development. The guides were more than eager to dance with the girls. The night was young or rather late for a change as we kept talking, dancing and singing till around eleven in the night in a place which gets shut down by I suppose four in the evening.
We entered our freezing tent at around eleven thirty and that is when everything changed. It was a few degrees below zero and we had insufficient woolens. The night was the hardest night of our lives as we struggled to keep ourselves warm. The sleeping bags were sub-standard and we did not have woolen socks and no matter how many layers of synthetic socks you put on there is no replacement for a woolen pair. The next morning when we woke up and came outside the tent we saw frost everywhere. We were completely under prepared and our travel agent Mr Nath, who so called organized our trek in Arunachal, did not do his homework. The villagers advised us against climbing further as the snow fall had increased up the mountains. We realized that the ponies were eating less food due to the cold and that made us change our plan of trekking further up. With a heavy heart we decided to trek down and take an alternate trek route to a different place.
Thing went from bad to worse as we trekked down. The trek down was steep and the melted frost made the route slippery. The guides were drunk and not in a position to make decisions. We came down till Rama Camp and wanted to pitch a tent for the night but the guides spent time drinking instead. With the trek nowhere we decided to abort the trek and go back to the sleepy town - Dirang. The organizers admitted that things had gone wrong and re-planed our itinerary. Bruised, battered and demotivated we spent the night at Mahalakshmi lodge which despite its bad interiors and dirty bathrooms had a very enterprising and helpful owner.
Mr Pasang visited us in the morning and encouraged us to visit Sangti valley. The valley is around ten kilometers from Dirang and the walk up and down is a little tiresome but worth the effort. During the walk we spoke about various things, we took snaps near the bridges, the river, the farms, etc. The place had yellow grass and gave a Scottish country side feel to it. Later in the evening we were moved to the lovely Awoo resort. A real resort this time.
Sela pass and Jaswanthgarh:
The next morning we drove to Tawang via Sela pass. Sela pass is located at around 13500 feet above sea level. We halted there and clicked as many snaps as we could and as fast as we could because the cold was piercing our skins. Our driver on the other hand washed his face with cold water from the almost frozen lake. In the lake if you see a shadow of a golden pig then your luck changes. I am sure I saw one. Our next halt was at Jaswanthgarh, named after an Indian Soldier who fought the Chinese in 1962 war. There is a memorial maintained by the Army and it makes you feel proud and sad at the same time for all the soldiers posted in such places under such tough situations.
Tawang:
We drove from Jaswanthgarh to Tawang listening to the latest Hindi songs. The people in the east definitely know their music and have a good taste for it. The driver told us that Tawang has a monastery which is built over a lake full of gold and the Chinese want Tawang for that reason.
In Tawang, we literally spent our days in the two restaurants. One which served Chinese food and the other had a multi-cuisine menu. Next morning we saw the famous monastery, Army museum and the birth place of the sixth Dalai Lama. By afternoon it was time to hit the restaurants again.
Kaziranga:
We flew from Tawang to Guwahati in a helicopter from the civil airport which is just a small helipad. There is one man who is dons the cap of ground staff, on-boarding assistant and all the other roles that hundreds of people play in a big airport. The funniest part is that you need to call the person a day before to confirm the ride. The ride in itself was a great experience as we flew over Himalayas via Bhutan and Assam which according to me is covered by the Brahamaputra. The river is massive and it looks like a sea from the sky. It looked as though four massive rivers flowing side by side. After landing, we headed for Kaziranga where Mr Joon had organized our stay. Kaziranga has the highest density of Tigers and almost everyone talks about spotting a tiger. Unfortunately, we didn't see much of the Tiger apart from its shit. But the ride into the jungle where a Rhino almost attacked us, spotting wild elephants and waiting for the tiger for hours got us tired and we headed straight for dinner. It was Bunty's birthday and we celebrated it with some folk dancers and customary walks.
Trip ends:
After Kaziranga we headed for a tea estate in Korangini. We witnessed tea making process in the factory and a folk dance perfomance by the local villagers who made us feel like those foreigners who visit India and watch some random dance. The next moring we drove through the estate and headed towards Dibrugarh where my friend's reception was to be held. Bunty and Shruti headed for the airport.
After the lovely reception we headed back to Bangalore via Kolkata. The stop in Kolkata meant we dumped our luggage in the dirty cloak room and headed for chello kebabs at Peter Cat. Reaching Bangalore at late night meant dealing with crazy taxi drivers but thanks to Meru cabs we avoided that and headed home comfortably.
Somewhere it struck us that this was our last trip in India before Sneha and I moved to Singapore. The lovely east India never ceases to amaze us and especially me as I have my childhood memories from that region. I hope to visit that region sometime again.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Moving to Singapore
Singapore is one of the most organized countries in the world.
Job Market
Singapore market is growing post recession and it is a good time to find jobs in Singapore. However, give yourself a good two to five months to get a job as things are slower here. In emerging markets like India you may find five jobs in a week with different salaries and bargain for the sixth job. Such instances are unheard off in Singapore. Jobs in Banking, Finance, HR, Consulting sector are hard to get unless you have solid domain expertise.
Software and shipping are two industries where jobs are easier to find. I know a little more about the software market.
Software firms here can be classified into two kinds:
1) Traditional/Mainstream software firms like IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, HP, etc
2) Banking firms like Citibank, HSBC, Standard Chartered, etc.
The traditional software firms are less in number and their salaries are lesser compared to banking firms. People also say that work culture is better in the traditional software firms compared to banking firms.
If you are desperate to move here then you need to find agents and keep in constant touch with them. This is not easy because unless you meet them face to face they do not trust the candidate.
The interviewing process is different for banks as compared to other software firms. The banks apparently ask you theoretical questions like name the parameters of a function, name of a certain class to be used for a particular requirement, etc. Most of the mainstream or traditional software firms focus on problem solving and practical aspects of work. Once you get a job here things will get easier.
First Steps
Your employer will issue an in-principle with a single visit Visa, which is valid for the first two weeks. You will need to obtain an Employment Pass (EP) for the longer term.
In order to do that, book an appointment online at the Ministry of Manpower(MoM), visit the MoM on the day of the appointment, and complete the formalities. Typically, it takes less than an hour. The MoM authorities will ask you to collect the EP card in the next few days.
While you can use your in-principle for setting up basics such as, a phone connection, bank account, etc., it is mandatory to obtain an EP.
Visit www.mom.gov.sg for more details.
Housing
Overview
There are primarily three varieties of houses available –
1. Housing Development Board (HDB)
HDB housing units are government-built apartments and constitute about 70% of Singapore's housing. These can be considered the standard in Singapore.
These units can have two bedrooms (known as “3Room”) or three bedrooms (known as “4Room” or “5Room”.) Most of the units have a kitchen, two bathrooms, a hall and bedrooms. Some houses have a store room and very few houses have balconies. A few things that one might want to get familiar with:
A lot of units are furnished. Therefore, getting your own goods might not be necessary. Some owners provide a variety of items ranging from television to crockery. But this is not a mandate and depends on the owner's generosity.
Of the two bathrooms, one is generally inside the kitchen.
A lot of units do not have ceiling fans and instead have table fans.
Wet clothes are typically dried on poles, supported between two sockets or that protrude outside the kitchen window.
HDB apartment blocks usually have play areas for children, work-out areas for adults, tennis courts, etc.
Every neighborhood has a community center with facilities such as Swimming pool, gymnasium, etc. These are open for public use, at a nominal fee.
Reference: http://www.hdb.gov.sg/
2. Condo
Condo Units are apartments built by private builders and are usually 20-30% more expensive than HDB units.
These apartment blocks have amenities such as swimming pool, gymnasium, tennis courts, squash courts, etc., inside the premises.
3. JTC Units
JTC units are owned and rented out by the Government. These are unfurnished apartments. You will not be able to inspect the place before you agree to rent it. The pros are that you save on Agent fees and are not tied down by a contract.
Visit http://www.jtc.gov.sg for more details.
Rent and Location
The rent of an apartment depends on various factors like proximity to the bus stop, train station, shopping area, size of the unit, interiors of the house, amenities near the house, the owners expectation, and so on. The trend indicates that the closer the house is to a bus stop or a train station, the costlier it gets. Also, some neighborhoods are more mature, with good malls and other amenities, and are therefore more expensive.
Agent
A lot of people prefer to rent out a unit with the help of an agent. Finding a good agent is the key. A good agent generally takes half of a month's rent as a commission but helps you negotiate with the owner, shows you multiple units/houses, does the paper work, suggests you alternatives etc.
Standards
1)The owner takes one to two month's rent as deposit. It is a security deposit and the owner generally returns the money after the lease period. In case the unit is damaged, the owner might not return some part or all of the deposit.
2)The lease contract can be for up to two years. The advantage of a two year lease is that the rent is generally constant for two years. Breaking a contract before it expires can mean paying the balance of rent as a penalty to the owner. Please read the contract carefully.
Useful links:
http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/
http://singapore.roomsdb.net/display_offers.php
http://www.easyroommate.com.sg
http://www.sg-house.com
Banking
Singapore has many banking options to choose from. To name a few, POSB/DBS, OCBC, CitiBank, etc. It is best to set yourself up with a Savings Account and a Debit card. A debit card in Singapore is usually NETS enabled. That means you can use it everywhere around the city from shopping malls to barber shops.
In terms of specific choices, opting for a local bank has it advantages. For example, DBS/POSB is has good acceptance across the island.
In addition, you might consider applying for a credit card. Credit card holders enjoy discounts on a lot of goods purchased using credit cards.
Internet/Mobile Phone/Cable TV connections
There are multiple options for taking a mobile connection. It is better to take your mobile connection, internet connection and cable television connection from the same provider as it might get you discounts. Most of the providers offer corporate discounts. Carry your Office badge for verification.
You can walk into any office of the service provider and their representative will guide you. You can find these offices in every neighborhood mall. Also there are certain government approved agents who can come down to your house and get the work done. This may help you avoid long queues. You will need to have an employment letter, employment pass or the in-principle of the pass, and a housing address proof to get a connection.
Useful links:
Singtel - http://info.singtel.com/personal/communication
Starhub - http://www.starhub.com/promotions.html
Mobile1 - www.m1.com.sg
Transport
Singapore has one of the best transport systems in the world. The day you land just go to a train/bus station passenger information booth and get a card known as the EZ-Link card. This rechargeable smart card will help you travel in trains, buses, and light rail across Singapore. Taking the card is an advantage as it is cheaper than paying cash. Just flash the card and get going. The card can be recharged in any automated kiosk by using your ATM card or by feeding cash.
Taxis are available all around the city. The prices of taxis might vary based on the time. Peak hour charges are slightly more than non-peak hour charges. Also, luxury taxis like Mercedes and Chrysler charge you a little more.
Useful links:
http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/
http://www.smrt.com.sg/main/index.asp
Note: Private vehicle ownership is discouraged by levying high vehicle taxes and by imposing quotas on vehicle purchase.
Maps and Directions
Some useful resources:
http://www.streetdirectory.com/
http://www.google.com.sg
http://www.map.gov.sg/StreetMap/
Basic Culture
Singapore enjoys a diverse mix of races and cultures. People are friendly, helpful, and punctual. While interacting with taxi drivers, attendants, plumbers, electricians, etc., use small sentences. Make sure you always remember your Employment Pass number, which is also known as FIN number. There is always someone to help you out in case you have any problem.
Note: People in Singapore use their thumb with the other four fingers closed to point at objects. As a courtesy gesture, use this method especially while interacting with locals. It is preferred that you avoid using your forefinger, etc., to point at things.
Cost of Living:
Monthly Rent (nice 3 BR)
Independent homes are not available for rent and in case they are then I don't know the pricing. 90% of people stay in apartments. There are two kinds of apartments -HDB and Condos.
We stay in a good HDB. I can send you pics later. We pay 1950 SGD.
The condos would cost you 3500 SGD at least depending upon the area. The condos have common swimming pool, gym, etc. It is like your typical colony in US.
Groceries
For a family of two we spend around 400 SGD per month. We experiment with things so we spend more but there are people who stick to basic food and their costs are only around 200 SGD. But Food is the most important thing for me so we spend :-)
With kids you might have to spend a good 800 SGD.
Utilities
Gas + Water + Electricity == Max 200 SGD. ie if you have your A/C on all the time.
Mobile Phones
60 SGD per month per phone.
Internet, Landline and TV
70 SGD including two Hindi channels :-)
Medical Expenses
IBM covers my medical expenditure and 80% of my wife's expenditure. Say you go to a doctor for a flu checkup. The cost will be around 40 SGD including medicines. I don't think it is bad.
Welcome to Singapore!
Job Market
Singapore market is growing post recession and it is a good time to find jobs in Singapore. However, give yourself a good two to five months to get a job as things are slower here. In emerging markets like India you may find five jobs in a week with different salaries and bargain for the sixth job. Such instances are unheard off in Singapore. Jobs in Banking, Finance, HR, Consulting sector are hard to get unless you have solid domain expertise.
Software and shipping are two industries where jobs are easier to find. I know a little more about the software market.
Software firms here can be classified into two kinds:
1) Traditional/Mainstream software firms like IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, HP, etc
2) Banking firms like Citibank, HSBC, Standard Chartered, etc.
The traditional software firms are less in number and their salaries are lesser compared to banking firms. People also say that work culture is better in the traditional software firms compared to banking firms.
If you are desperate to move here then you need to find agents and keep in constant touch with them. This is not easy because unless you meet them face to face they do not trust the candidate.
The interviewing process is different for banks as compared to other software firms. The banks apparently ask you theoretical questions like name the parameters of a function, name of a certain class to be used for a particular requirement, etc. Most of the mainstream or traditional software firms focus on problem solving and practical aspects of work. Once you get a job here things will get easier.
First Steps
Your employer will issue an in-principle with a single visit Visa, which is valid for the first two weeks. You will need to obtain an Employment Pass (EP) for the longer term.
In order to do that, book an appointment online at the Ministry of Manpower(MoM), visit the MoM on the day of the appointment, and complete the formalities. Typically, it takes less than an hour. The MoM authorities will ask you to collect the EP card in the next few days.
While you can use your in-principle for setting up basics such as, a phone connection, bank account, etc., it is mandatory to obtain an EP.
Visit www.mom.gov.sg for more details.
Housing
Overview
There are primarily three varieties of houses available –
1. Housing Development Board (HDB)
HDB housing units are government-built apartments and constitute about 70% of Singapore's housing. These can be considered the standard in Singapore.
These units can have two bedrooms (known as “3Room”) or three bedrooms (known as “4Room” or “5Room”.) Most of the units have a kitchen, two bathrooms, a hall and bedrooms. Some houses have a store room and very few houses have balconies. A few things that one might want to get familiar with:
A lot of units are furnished. Therefore, getting your own goods might not be necessary. Some owners provide a variety of items ranging from television to crockery. But this is not a mandate and depends on the owner's generosity.
Of the two bathrooms, one is generally inside the kitchen.
A lot of units do not have ceiling fans and instead have table fans.
Wet clothes are typically dried on poles, supported between two sockets or that protrude outside the kitchen window.
HDB apartment blocks usually have play areas for children, work-out areas for adults, tennis courts, etc.
Every neighborhood has a community center with facilities such as Swimming pool, gymnasium, etc. These are open for public use, at a nominal fee.
Reference: http://www.hdb.gov.sg/
2. Condo
Condo Units are apartments built by private builders and are usually 20-30% more expensive than HDB units.
These apartment blocks have amenities such as swimming pool, gymnasium, tennis courts, squash courts, etc., inside the premises.
3. JTC Units
JTC units are owned and rented out by the Government. These are unfurnished apartments. You will not be able to inspect the place before you agree to rent it. The pros are that you save on Agent fees and are not tied down by a contract.
Visit http://www.jtc.gov.sg for more details.
Rent and Location
The rent of an apartment depends on various factors like proximity to the bus stop, train station, shopping area, size of the unit, interiors of the house, amenities near the house, the owners expectation, and so on. The trend indicates that the closer the house is to a bus stop or a train station, the costlier it gets. Also, some neighborhoods are more mature, with good malls and other amenities, and are therefore more expensive.
Agent
A lot of people prefer to rent out a unit with the help of an agent. Finding a good agent is the key. A good agent generally takes half of a month's rent as a commission but helps you negotiate with the owner, shows you multiple units/houses, does the paper work, suggests you alternatives etc.
Standards
1)The owner takes one to two month's rent as deposit. It is a security deposit and the owner generally returns the money after the lease period. In case the unit is damaged, the owner might not return some part or all of the deposit.
2)The lease contract can be for up to two years. The advantage of a two year lease is that the rent is generally constant for two years. Breaking a contract before it expires can mean paying the balance of rent as a penalty to the owner. Please read the contract carefully.
Useful links:
http://www.propertyguru.com.sg/
http://singapore.roomsdb.net/display_offers.php
http://www.easyroommate.com.sg
http://www.sg-house.com
Banking
Singapore has many banking options to choose from. To name a few, POSB/DBS, OCBC, CitiBank, etc. It is best to set yourself up with a Savings Account and a Debit card. A debit card in Singapore is usually NETS enabled. That means you can use it everywhere around the city from shopping malls to barber shops.
In terms of specific choices, opting for a local bank has it advantages. For example, DBS/POSB is has good acceptance across the island.
In addition, you might consider applying for a credit card. Credit card holders enjoy discounts on a lot of goods purchased using credit cards.
Internet/Mobile Phone/Cable TV connections
There are multiple options for taking a mobile connection. It is better to take your mobile connection, internet connection and cable television connection from the same provider as it might get you discounts. Most of the providers offer corporate discounts. Carry your Office badge for verification.
You can walk into any office of the service provider and their representative will guide you. You can find these offices in every neighborhood mall. Also there are certain government approved agents who can come down to your house and get the work done. This may help you avoid long queues. You will need to have an employment letter, employment pass or the in-principle of the pass, and a housing address proof to get a connection.
Useful links:
Singtel - http://info.singtel.com/personal/communication
Starhub - http://www.starhub.com/promotions.html
Mobile1 - www.m1.com.sg
Transport
Singapore has one of the best transport systems in the world. The day you land just go to a train/bus station passenger information booth and get a card known as the EZ-Link card. This rechargeable smart card will help you travel in trains, buses, and light rail across Singapore. Taking the card is an advantage as it is cheaper than paying cash. Just flash the card and get going. The card can be recharged in any automated kiosk by using your ATM card or by feeding cash.
Taxis are available all around the city. The prices of taxis might vary based on the time. Peak hour charges are slightly more than non-peak hour charges. Also, luxury taxis like Mercedes and Chrysler charge you a little more.
Useful links:
http://www.sbstransit.com.sg/
http://www.smrt.com.sg/main/index.asp
Note: Private vehicle ownership is discouraged by levying high vehicle taxes and by imposing quotas on vehicle purchase.
Maps and Directions
Some useful resources:
http://www.streetdirectory.com/
http://www.google.com.sg
http://www.map.gov.sg/StreetMap/
Basic Culture
Singapore enjoys a diverse mix of races and cultures. People are friendly, helpful, and punctual. While interacting with taxi drivers, attendants, plumbers, electricians, etc., use small sentences. Make sure you always remember your Employment Pass number, which is also known as FIN number. There is always someone to help you out in case you have any problem.
Note: People in Singapore use their thumb with the other four fingers closed to point at objects. As a courtesy gesture, use this method especially while interacting with locals. It is preferred that you avoid using your forefinger, etc., to point at things.
Cost of Living:
Monthly Rent (nice 3 BR)
Independent homes are not available for rent and in case they are then I don't know the pricing. 90% of people stay in apartments. There are two kinds of apartments -HDB and Condos.
We stay in a good HDB. I can send you pics later. We pay 1950 SGD.
The condos would cost you 3500 SGD at least depending upon the area. The condos have common swimming pool, gym, etc. It is like your typical colony in US.
Groceries
For a family of two we spend around 400 SGD per month. We experiment with things so we spend more but there are people who stick to basic food and their costs are only around 200 SGD. But Food is the most important thing for me so we spend :-)
With kids you might have to spend a good 800 SGD.
Utilities
Gas + Water + Electricity == Max 200 SGD. ie if you have your A/C on all the time.
Mobile Phones
60 SGD per month per phone.
Internet, Landline and TV
70 SGD including two Hindi channels :-)
Medical Expenses
IBM covers my medical expenditure and 80% of my wife's expenditure. Say you go to a doctor for a flu checkup. The cost will be around 40 SGD including medicines. I don't think it is bad.
Welcome to Singapore!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Jog - Yana - Murudeshwar - Marvanthe
Sharath, Siri, Sneha, Bhargavi and I went for this trip in October 2008.
Day 1:
We left early in the morning to Tumkur to avoid the heavy traffic. It was a Dussera weekend and the buses plying between towns was packed with people both inside and on top of them. The road to Tumkur was bad with pot holes and fly over construction material everywhere. Siri drove touching speeds upto 150 kms once the road got better. The car's technology was tested to its edge and it did not dissapoint us.
After eating tatte idli we moved towards Shimoga. Siri's relatives in Shimoga served us delicious food and took great care of us. After the heavy meal none of us wanted to drive to our next destination - Jog falls.
Jog Falls would have been a sight had it been rainy season. The lack of water takes away the beauty of the height from which the water falls. The place was extremely crowded as it has become a major attraction thanks to the Kannada movie Mungaru Malle.We left Jog falls quickly ignoring the touts who promised to show some wonderful sights which I am sure never existed. We stopped on our way and played in the river under a bridge where there was no crowd.
After tea we left towards Sirsi playing word games, 20 questions game to identify the celebrity, etc. On our way conversations ranged from Gucci to GNU and Open source. Whenever we discussed technology Bhargavi dozed off. If it was about shoe or clothing brands it was my turn to sleep. Sneha slept irrespective of the topic under discussion.
We reached Sirsi in the evening. In the night we discussed philosophical things over dinner and drinks. We slept well as most of us were tired and had to wake up early.
Day 2:
We decided to drive towards Yana where the majestic rock formations is a place worth visiting. We climbed the sharp rocks without shoes. Siri and Sneha had enough of it and Bhargavi had to get shoes for them while they both sat like queens. A person called Raj Anna took our snaps and we could barely control our laughter.
The girls were trying to pose for a snap on the car bonnet and the local crowd looked at them as if they had seen super models on a Ferrari. Fearing the mob we drove away and stopped again to take snaps near the field with the girls posing again like super models.
After checking out we left towards Murudeshwar. On our way we visited the temple in Sirsi.
Battling bad roads and ghat sections we reached our destination in the evening. The temple town suprisingly had bar restaurants. After worrying about the hotel cost and food cost we ate and left towards an unexplored beach. The entire beach was for us and the sea bed being soft allowed us to enter deeper into the sea.
We were put up on the 6th floor of RNS Residency which itself is built a little into the sea. One can see hills, the coast and the sea from the balcony of the room. After a good meal and bath we all decided to sleep and wake up early next morning and go to the beach.
Day 3:
None of us woke up early. We decided to go to the swimming pool and wave pool which were located adjacent to the sea and Sneha was dressed up in her swimsuit for the pool. The former was crowded and the latter was closed so we had only one choice - Beach.
We got inspired by a few people and tried to drive the car right onto the shore. The car got stuck in the sand and we had to battle for 45 minutes by using jack, stones, wood pieces and help from two guys to take the car out of the sand and Siri's mind.
After lunch we left towards Marvanthe - Turtle Bay Resort. On our way we got the car washed in a small service station. The weather was extremely humid and the place just had a shed where the girls sat as Sharath and I played carrom with some boys.
The resort is a small place with hammocks, a place to play table tennis, snorkelling equipment, etc. We almost spent the entire evening and night on the beach sitting on a rock. It was either the beach or the hammock inside the resort. Sharath tried his luck with some girls and helped them click snaps. But the girls vanished suddenly. Later in the night Sharath, me and Bhargavi went for a walk near the fishing boats. Sharath was at his emotional best while me and Bhargavi laughed at him.
Day 4:
We had to drive a long way back o Bangalore. On our way we visited Kollur temple. It was one of those ancient temples and famous one too. There was a huge crowd and wading our way in and out of the temple was tough. Waiting in the queue the girls got compliment from some elderly people about their looks which made them feel good.
The journey back was basically driving, driving and more driving.
Generally when I return from a trip I do not have trip hang over but the last week trip to Northern and Coastal Karnataka has left a hang over in my head. I want to reverse time and get back there. It has been a memorable trip not just because of the places but mainly because of the company.
We were three girls and two guys in a Hynudai Verna driving 1200 kms across hills and coast trying to see every single place. The company was great because the girls adjusted very nicely. They ate anywhere, sleep anywhere, traveled despite the hot weather. The only condition they had - good toilets. We were lucky to have good toilets.
Day 1:
We left early in the morning to Tumkur to avoid the heavy traffic. It was a Dussera weekend and the buses plying between towns was packed with people both inside and on top of them. The road to Tumkur was bad with pot holes and fly over construction material everywhere. Siri drove touching speeds upto 150 kms once the road got better. The car's technology was tested to its edge and it did not dissapoint us.
After eating tatte idli we moved towards Shimoga. Siri's relatives in Shimoga served us delicious food and took great care of us. After the heavy meal none of us wanted to drive to our next destination - Jog falls.
Jog Falls would have been a sight had it been rainy season. The lack of water takes away the beauty of the height from which the water falls. The place was extremely crowded as it has become a major attraction thanks to the Kannada movie Mungaru Malle.We left Jog falls quickly ignoring the touts who promised to show some wonderful sights which I am sure never existed. We stopped on our way and played in the river under a bridge where there was no crowd.
After tea we left towards Sirsi playing word games, 20 questions game to identify the celebrity, etc. On our way conversations ranged from Gucci to GNU and Open source. Whenever we discussed technology Bhargavi dozed off. If it was about shoe or clothing brands it was my turn to sleep. Sneha slept irrespective of the topic under discussion.
We reached Sirsi in the evening. In the night we discussed philosophical things over dinner and drinks. We slept well as most of us were tired and had to wake up early.
Day 2:
We decided to drive towards Yana where the majestic rock formations is a place worth visiting. We climbed the sharp rocks without shoes. Siri and Sneha had enough of it and Bhargavi had to get shoes for them while they both sat like queens. A person called Raj Anna took our snaps and we could barely control our laughter.
The girls were trying to pose for a snap on the car bonnet and the local crowd looked at them as if they had seen super models on a Ferrari. Fearing the mob we drove away and stopped again to take snaps near the field with the girls posing again like super models.
After checking out we left towards Murudeshwar. On our way we visited the temple in Sirsi.
Battling bad roads and ghat sections we reached our destination in the evening. The temple town suprisingly had bar restaurants. After worrying about the hotel cost and food cost we ate and left towards an unexplored beach. The entire beach was for us and the sea bed being soft allowed us to enter deeper into the sea.
We were put up on the 6th floor of RNS Residency which itself is built a little into the sea. One can see hills, the coast and the sea from the balcony of the room. After a good meal and bath we all decided to sleep and wake up early next morning and go to the beach.
Day 3:
None of us woke up early. We decided to go to the swimming pool and wave pool which were located adjacent to the sea and Sneha was dressed up in her swimsuit for the pool. The former was crowded and the latter was closed so we had only one choice - Beach.
We got inspired by a few people and tried to drive the car right onto the shore. The car got stuck in the sand and we had to battle for 45 minutes by using jack, stones, wood pieces and help from two guys to take the car out of the sand and Siri's mind.
After lunch we left towards Marvanthe - Turtle Bay Resort. On our way we got the car washed in a small service station. The weather was extremely humid and the place just had a shed where the girls sat as Sharath and I played carrom with some boys.
The resort is a small place with hammocks, a place to play table tennis, snorkelling equipment, etc. We almost spent the entire evening and night on the beach sitting on a rock. It was either the beach or the hammock inside the resort. Sharath tried his luck with some girls and helped them click snaps. But the girls vanished suddenly. Later in the night Sharath, me and Bhargavi went for a walk near the fishing boats. Sharath was at his emotional best while me and Bhargavi laughed at him.
Day 4:
We had to drive a long way back o Bangalore. On our way we visited Kollur temple. It was one of those ancient temples and famous one too. There was a huge crowd and wading our way in and out of the temple was tough. Waiting in the queue the girls got compliment from some elderly people about their looks which made them feel good.
The journey back was basically driving, driving and more driving.
Generally when I return from a trip I do not have trip hang over but the last week trip to Northern and Coastal Karnataka has left a hang over in my head. I want to reverse time and get back there. It has been a memorable trip not just because of the places but mainly because of the company.
We were three girls and two guys in a Hynudai Verna driving 1200 kms across hills and coast trying to see every single place. The company was great because the girls adjusted very nicely. They ate anywhere, sleep anywhere, traveled despite the hot weather. The only condition they had - good toilets. We were lucky to have good toilets.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
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