When Singaporeans aren’t travelling, they are always looking for ways to escape from their everyday life.
Sadly, unlike neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia, Singapore isn’t big enough to take road trips.
So the closest experience to taking a vacation is checking ourselves into a hotel to tune out the world for some self-care during the short weekend staycation.
The year is coming to an end, and if you’re feeling generous and have a little more money to splurge on yourself, here are some of the most expensive hotels in Singapore, according to a survey done by Luxury Hotels.
The survey compares the most affordable double room across Singapore during September 2019, known to be a peak period where hotels tend to be the priciest.
The price tag may be hefty, but at least you can truly say you’ve experienced the life of a Crazy Rich Asian; even if it’s only for a night.
It was sometime in late September that RC (not his real name) was suddenly pulled into a private Telegram chat group titled “SharingIsCaring”.
Prior to the invite, he had been in a Telegram chat group with Singaporean members discussing the random topics of the day, from upcoming events to recent movies and the latest food hotspots. One of its members with the Telegram handle Lust Wander went on to create SharingIsCaring and kicked off a recruitment drive of sorts, inviting others — including RC — into his new secret channel.
But RC’s curiosity soon turned into disgust, dismay and disbelief when he realised what he had got himself into after joining the group. With over 100 members in SharingIsCaring, what they were sharing were images and videos taken of unsuspecting adult women and uniformed schoolgirls in MRT trains, pornographic content, and tips on how to be “snipers”, the term used to refer to individuals who capture those content to be shared online.
SINGAPORE – A taxi driver who collided into a cyclist, causing her to suffer serious injuries including a fractured skull and bleeding in her brain, was sentenced to a week’s jail on Thursday (Oct 17).
Lim Hoon Chiang, 56, who pleaded guilty to causing grievous hurt by driving negligently, will also be disqualified from driving for two years after her release.
The court heard that on March 10, Lim was driving her taxi along Braddell Road towards Lornie Road around 6am. The cyclist, Dr Lynette Ngo, 46, and her husband Hing Siong Chen, also 46, were cycling along the same road in a single file on the extreme left lane.
Before the couple moved to the next lane on their right, Mr Hing raised his hand to signal their intention, and after checking that there were no approaching vehicles, they moved into the second lane from the left.
But about four seconds later, Lim, failing to notice the couple cycling in front of her in the same lane, hit Dr Ngo’s bicycle.
“(Lim) failed to horn or brake in time, and tried to swerve at the very last second to no avail,” said Deputy Public Prosecutor Kevin Ho.
Suffice to say, we’re a nation that’s obsessed with BBT.
And for a city that never sleeps, what does one do in the middle of the night if hit by major cravings for boba, especially when stores are closed and all your food delivery drivers are asleep?
Desperate times call for desperate measures and convenience stores like 7-Eleven stock emergency BBT at a fraction of the price of actual handmade ones.
SINGAPORE: Jewel Changi Airport has become one of Singapore’s “instantly recognisable icons” since it opened a few months ago, helping to bolster the reputation and competitiveness of the airport, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Friday (Oct 18).
It has also enhanced the appeal of Changi Airport as a tourist destination in itself, he said, noting that foreign leaders he has spoken have “gushed” over the S$1.7 billion complex.
“Last year 65 million travellers used the airport, including those on transit,” he noted.
“I am confident that with Jewel, this year Changi will break that record,” Mr Lee said at the official opening of Jewel on Friday.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the official opening of Jewel Changi Airport. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Noting that Jewel had seen more than 50 million visitors since April – when the 135,700 sqm entertainment and retail complex first opened its doors to the public – Mr Lee said that Singaporeans are “rightly” proud of Jewel.
“It resonates with Singaporeans, because it reminds us that when we dream big and apply ourselves, nothing is impossible.”
Changi Airport is special to Singaporeans, he said, describing its development as a reflection of the country’s journey from third world to first world status.
“Who would have imagined that when we decided to shift our airport from Paya Lebar to Changi, that one day we would make it the best airport in the world,” he said.
Mr Lee shared that in 2013, he was deciding whether or not to include plans for Jewel and other upcoming plans for Changi Airport in his National Day Rally speech that year.
Focus groups were not enthusiastic about it, he recalled, adding that some people felt that ending the speech with such infrastructure plans were too cold and impersonal.
The official opening of Jewel Changi Airport on Oct 18, 2019. (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Mr Lee eventually decided to carry on with the announcement, he said, adding he wanted people here to understand that Jewel and Changi Airport were not just about infrastructure.
“Instead they represented an idea; they were a symbol. They epitomised how in Singapore, we must dream boldly to create new possibilities for ourselves,” he said.
“It was an act of faith to believe that Changi could do this, and that Singaporeans, working together, could make amazing things happen,” he added, noting that in the end, Jewel was the only thing people remembered from his speech that year.
SINGAPORE: How does 19 hours on a flight from New York to Sydney sound? That’s the amount of time it will take to watch Titanic almost six times.
Qantas is set to launch the world’s longest nonstop flight this weekend. It will be the first of three “ultra long-haul” test flights from the Big Apple to Down Under.
If you’re planning to travel across the globe for your next vacation, here are some tips to keep you sane.
1. AISLE, MIDDLE OR WINDOW SEAT?
There are (unspoken) rules midair. The passenger on the aisle seat gets the legroom, the passenger in the middle gets most of the armrests, and the one by the window seats gets the luxury of leaning against the wall for a comfortable nap.
So decide what would make you most at ease throughout the flight – more leg room, support for your arms or a surface to lean on for some sleep. Bear in mind, the first two seats would also require you to move in case someone needs the toilet.
On an ultra long-haul flight, the window seat might be your best option if you want to catch a few winks. Check in ahead of time to guarantee the seat of your choice.
A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from Qantas Airways is seen on the tarmac of LAX Los Angeles airport on May 11, 2019. (Photo: AFP/Daniel Slim)
Now that you have the best seat in the house, you need a good night’s sleep. Sleep accessories could help you get a decent rest, ward off an aching neck and make wailing toddlers more bearable.
Pack ear plugs or noise-cancelling headphones to ensure you get some peace and quiet. Qantas found in a study of almost 500 passengers travelling longer than nine hours that more than half of long-haul flight passengers use these to aid them in their sleep.
An eye-mask may help as well if you need the dark to get some shuteye. And finally, your neck muscles will thank you for that extra support with a travel neck pillow. With that, sleep tight.
3. HYDRATE, BUT AVOID ALCOHOL
Taking a flight can dehydrate your body so you will need to hydrate – but not with the alcohol variety even if they are free flow inflight. Qantas found that 38 per cent of passengers on long-haul flights drink alcohol to aid them in their sleep.
Specialist sleep researcher Dr Yu Sun Bin, who was part of the Qantas study, said alcohol makes jet lag worse.
“Drinking more than a few glasses of alcohol will make jet lag worse. It might make us fall asleep faster but beyond a certain point, it also disrupts the quality of sleep and causes dehydration,” he said.
So instead of alcohol, hydrate your body with more water than you might normally drink, even if you feel like you don’t need it.
Imagine sitting in an upright (or slightly inclined position at best) with tight jeans digging into your waist and a thin top that’s hardly a match for the glacial cabin settings.
Be comfortable with several loose layers, Skyscanner suggested. This could mean leggings, sweatpants, T-shirts, jumpers, sweaters and perhaps a shawl in case it gets really cold.
There will be a change of time zones with ultra long-haul flights, so your meal timings might become haywire. While you eagerly anticipate the smell of bread rolls wafting through the cabin during meal times, packing a few of your own snacks might be useful as well, Skyscanner said.
The travel website suggests slow-energy release snacks like cereal bars, nuts or dried fruit.
6. GET UP AND MOVE
Premium Economy passengers on board the inaugural SQ22 flight to New York. (Photo: Hidayah Salamat)
The last thing you want when you reach your destination is deep vein thrombosis – a condition associated with long-haul flights.
Qantas recommends moving your legs and feet for three to four minutes per hour while seated, and moving about the cabin occasionally.
Other simple exercises that can be done while seated include drawing circles with your ankles for a few seconds, flexing your heels, lifting your knees to your chest and rolling your neck forward and back.
7. KEEP YOURSELF ENTERTAINED
(Photo: Hidayah Salamat)
This is the one time you have a reason not check your work emails because you have no mobile data.
Exhaust all the movie options in the inflight entertainment system, pack books you’ve been meaning to read but never got around to, curate special Spotify playlists to carry you through the flight or, as Skyscanner suggested, read the inflight magazines on your destination to hype you up.
8. GET SOME SUNSHINE
Here’s a bonus tip to ensure you’re fresh for your holiday even after you’ve stepped off the flight.
Assuming you’ve not landed in the dead of the night, catch some rays to combat the jet lag, Dr Yu said.
Fewer than half the passengers in the Qantas study did it, but it is “one of the most important strategies for syncing the body clock”.
Why I Do What I Do is an original AsiaOne series where we showcase people with uncommon professions and what it takes to get there.
Looking for love? Take a number and join the queue.
With much of our time spent working and stuck in the same social circles, finding The One can seem like a daunting task. Not to mention all the picture-perfect couples on social media giving us #couplegoals and FOMO all at once.
But don’t despair just yet — Dolly Chua is here to help.
The 32-year-old is a matchmaker at GaiGai with four years of experience under her belt and is an expert on all things romance.
MATCHMAKING — IT’S BOTH AN ART AND A SCIENCE
For those who are unfamiliar, the term “matchmaker” may conjure up images of aunties who whip prospective brides into shape and act as mediators for the bride and groom’s families.
It’s that time of the year again when dozens of Singaporeans attempt to keep their palms on Subaru cars for as long as possible — rain or shine — to be the last person standing to win one for free.
While the Mediacorp Subaru Car Challenge has its fair share of repeat contestants every year, the 18th edition set to take place next month will see the return of one cult-favourite underdog: Kurt Tay.
The local internet celebrity, known for his penchant to carry around World Wrestling Entertainment championship belts (replicas, of course) everywhere he goes, is officially back for another round of the endurance challenge, baby. The man posted on one of his many Facebook pages yesterday (Oct 18) an image of a document that certified him medically fit to participate.
SINGAPORE – Three Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers allegedly worked together to obstruct the course of justice in a case involving a tampered urine sample.
One of them is said to have used his own urine sample to replace the one belonging to a man being tested for drug consumption.
The three officers, who have been suspended since July this year, were each charged on Friday (Oct 18) with one count of intentionally obstructing the course of justice.
They are accused of committing the offences at the third storey of Woodlands Checkpoint Block B on Aug 16 last year.
Court statements stated that Mohamed Hafiz Lan, 41, a staff sergeant, allegedly used his own urine sample to replace the one from a man identified as Maung Moe Min.
As a result, Maung passed a urine test for drugs. Court documents did not reveal his details and the outcome of his case.
Abdul Rahman Kadir, a 43-year-old staff sergeant, and Muhammad Zuhairi Zainuri, a 31-year-old sergeant, are accused of engaging in a conspiracy with Hafiz to commit the offence.
It was not stated what the trio purportedly received in return.
An 11-year-old girl was allegedly (and figuratively) kicked to the curb by her Gojek driver after he discovered she had a pet bird with her. When her mother, Cai, called him afterwards, he hurled insults and expletives at her.
She was so upset over the experience that she lodged a police report afterwards.
The 40-year-old explained in an interview with Lianhe Zaobao that she had booked a ride through Gojek on Sunday night (Oct 13), intending to send her daughter to her grandmother’s house.
As her daughter attends school at Ang Mo Kio, she would normally stay with her grandmother on weekdays, only returning back to her Sengkang home on weekends. As Cai doesn’t have a driver’s license, her daughter would normally travel by cab.
She had made sure to inform the driver that her daughter would be travelling alone before seeing her off.
“When I get home, I would track the car’s location through the app until she arrives safely. That day was no exception. The trip seemed normal until the doorbell rang about 10 minutes later.”
