Super Long Bus Ride!

I am no stranger to long-distance bus rides. In fact, I took the coach to Kuala Lumpur and back, with each journey being five hours. I also took the coach to Malacca and back, and each journey is about three hours. Hence, I do not mind taking coaches, especially at night when it saves time and accommodation.

 

This trip to Redang I decided to take a coach because it is just more troublesome flying in. Since there is a direct coach I thought why not? Some people think I am crazy, because the trip direct to Kuala Terangganu will take nine hours per way. Some say with this kind of timing, I may as well fly, but if I fly, it will not be a direct flight, which is why I prefer to take a direct bus.

 

I took the coach at nine at night. The journey there is uneventful. Except stopping twice every two to three hours for a bathroom break, the coach went on its way smoothly, reaching Kuala Terangganu early in the morning.

 

Initially I was uncomfortable, as when I boarded the coach, I was the only female passenger, the rest were males and there were six of them. Luckily I was sitting right in front behind the driver and they were sitting behind, so there was no trouble. However, the bus went to Kotaraya terminus in Johor Bahru and picked up the rest of the passengers, so the bus was full before it went on its way to Terangganu.

 

Even though it is an express bus, the driver would stop at little towns along the way and dropped passengers off. I have no idea where we passed by though since it was late at night. What I am surprised is that at our second pit stop, it was in front of a big hawker centre. It was around three in the morning, yet the toilet was really clean, and there were still stalls operating at that hour. I wonder if these hawkers cater to tourists like us, or to the local population as well? Do people stay out at that hour?

 

The journey back is another story. I took the bus from Kuala Terangganu at half past eight at night. It was a relatively full bus as most of the passengers were going to Singapore. However, the bus driver made several stops along the way, either at petrol stations and pit stops selling food. He would then stop there for an hour or so and took the opportunity to sleep.

 

Again, I am surprised that at one of the pit stops, it was a store selling local produce and titbits, At four in the morning, they were operating. People could still buy the stuff. Do people really buy titbits at that hour?

 

By the time the bus made it to Johor Bahru, it was already half past six in the morning. Hence the journey back across the Causeway took much longer as it was jam-packed. By the time we reached across the Causeway, it was crowded with people who come across the causeway everyday to work. So by the time I actually reached home, it was almost nine in the morning.

 

Which means the journey back took twelve hours or thereabouts. No wonder my back was aching when I reached home! Luckily I booked myself for massage today, so hopefully the aches and pain would be gone after that!

 

The only nice thing is that I managed to catch the sun rising over the Johor Straits. Although it was not as spectacular a sight as I thought, it was still a good sunrise to see.

 

Sun rising over the Johor straits

Going Back To The Olde Days?

In order to get to Redang, one must first get to Kuala Terangganu, then take a two-hour ferry ride from the jetty there, plus another short bumboat ride. Kuala Terangganu is the gateway to Redang, and it is a small sleepy town. In fact, if not for Redang, I do not think anyone would ever want to go there, because the place is really laid-back. For a Singaporean, it is as if one is going back in time fifty years, although I think the older generation may like it.

 

The resort we are staying in, Redang Reef Resort, has its office in Kuala Terangganu. The resort is owned by a Chinese, so the office is situated in Kuala Terangganu's Chinatown. The office is in a shophouse, the old-fashioned kind of shophouses where the house is very long, so the front of the place is the office, and at the back is a resting area with washbasins and bathrooms. Plus it has free wifi!

The guy at the office is very nice. Even though I reached Kuala Terangganu very early in the morning, around half past six, he picked us up and brought us back to the office first for us to wash up. After that, we went for breakfast. Since not many places are opened at that hour, we went to the shop next door which is an eatery selling different kinds of noodles.

 My breakfast of fried noodles and tea

 

The different kinds of noodles the eatery has

 

The day I returned from Redang, I also went back to this place and ate curry noodles for lunch. On the day I returned, the guy from the office picked us up at the jetty and dropped me off at the office again. I was starving so went for lunch at the same place again.

 

 The ferry terminal at Kuala Terangganu

 

My lunch of curry noodles

 

I must say, that is the most delicious curry noodles I have ever eaten! I guess partly I was hungry, but it was really the best curry noodles I have eaten! The sauce is real curry, not the instant kind that people use nowadays.

 

After lunch, since I had several hours to kill, I started wandering around the place. However, because the place is so laidback there is hardly anywhere to go. No tourist spots, no shopping malls, no movie theatres. Just lots and lots of old shophouses with old shops, which reminds me of the historical city of Malacca, except I think Malacca is more happening. In the end, I just went back to the office and read my book and even took a little nap before the guy drove me to the bus terminus at six.

 

 Does this kind of reminds you of Malacca?

 

 Chinese temple in Kuala Terangganu

 

 

 Interesting. The motif on the street lamp looks to me as Malay, but flanked by the Chinese lanterns.

 

 The various shophouses

 

 

This shophouse really reminds me of one in Malacca

 

The town closes at five I think. When I was being driven to the bus terminus, everywhere has closed. Even the noodle house next door has closed for the day. There are some shops around the bus terminus, but those too have also closed. The only thing open is McDonald's, but they look like they were closing for the day too, since there were only three more customers inside when I bought my dinner there.

 

Now can you see why I say Kuala Terangganu is like going back to the "good olde days"? Senior citizens can attest that this is probably the kind of life they used to lead, before all these modernisation and globalisation make us so busy and stressed.

 

However, much as I like the leisure life, I do not think I will ever want to stay here, simply because I will be bored to death with nothing to do everyday!







Fridge Magnets From Redang

I bought a few fridge magnets during my Redang trip. Redang is known for its beautiful beaches, marine life and turtles, so the magnets I bought reflect these.

The pink turtle is actually protruding out. A pity I did not get to see a real life Nemo though, it was hidden amongst the corals and anemones under the sea. 

 A big turtle with a small turtle on its back. I saw a turtle swimming in the sea on our way out to the sea.

 

 I love this magnet as it is so cute! Can you recognise what this is?

 

Yes, it is a little cute red turtle!

 



 A starfish magnet with the map of the island

 

And also one that Julie gave me, which she bought at a post-Christmas sale :

 



A cute reindeer, but not Rudolph though!

Summer Holiday ...

I just came back from a short stint in Redang. The place is as beautiful as I thought. I first knew of this island after watching the show "Summer Holiday" starring Sammi Cheng and Richie Ren. The MTV of the theme song sung by Richie Ren, together with Malaysian singers Ah Niu and Guang Liang were also filmed on the island.

 

Besides the white pristine beach and clear blue waters, together with the blue sky and a night sky so clear you can see the bright stars and the crescent moon, there is nothing much to do on the island. It is really a great place to just relax and enjoy the watersports.

 

What I am actually amazed about is that despite the popularty of the island even though it is rather troublesome to get to (a two-hour ferry ride, plus another short bum boat ride), with the number of tourists coming in everyday, the place is so well-maintained. The sands are so smooth that there is hardly any trace of litter on the beach. The water is still so clear that one can see the fish and coral from the surface alone! I do not think I ever saw a nicer beach and sea!

 The bumboat we took to reach the island

 

Upon alighting from the bumboat, getting my pants and slippers wet in the process, the staff from the various resorts held up their respective signs, telling us where to go. Our resort, the Redang Reef Resort which I have reviewed here, is situated slightly on a hill, and we had to walk a long plank to get to the place. We followed the guy with the sign and started making our way to the resort. Along the way we walked the stretch of white beach and saw the clear water and waves crashing on the rocks.

 



 The beach where we landed. See how smooth the sand is?

 

 Our resort - Redang Reef Resort (see the plank we had to walk to link to the resort?)

 

 View of Laguna Redang Resort from the beach

 

 Close-up of Redang Reef Resort

 

 Water crashing onto the rocks

 

 Entrance to the resort from the stairs and plank

 

Next to our resort is the Laguna Redang Resort, which owns the More More Tea Inn, a replica of Sammi Cheng's house in the movie. It is now a gift shop.



 More More Tea House

 

 Recognise these 3 guys? Ah Niu, Richie Ren and Guang Liang (in that order)

 

The highlight of the trip was the Marine Park, where we could swim face to face with the fish. There are also turtle eggs hatching on the Marine Park, which is an offshore island off Redang. The water and beach there is also very clear and clean!

 

I got to see many different varieties of fish, as well as coral, although the coral is not as nice as I thought. I always thought corals are multi-coloured, but the coral I have seen in this trip looks duller. Still the marine life is fascinating!

 Turtle eggs hatching on the beach at the Marine Park

 

 People swimming in the clear water

 

 Can you see how clear the water is?

 

 More examples of the clear water

 

 Someone feeding the fish in the water

 

 The water is so clear that you can see someone swimming in there!

 

Some fish in the water

 

I had a really nice time in this trip. Would I go back to the island again? Definitely. It is a good place to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, and a great place to just chill out and enjoy. If only our local beaches can be this nice!



Early Week Getaway

I am leaving for Redang tonight. I will be taking the bus direct to Kuala Terangganu first, reaching there early tomorrow morning, then take a ferry to Redang. I will be back at Kuala Terangganu on Tuesday, taking the night bus back and reaching home probably early on Wednesday morning. More updates later!

Underarm Hair Removal

I went for the first session of underarm hair removal treatment earlier, courtesy of Groupon. I was supposed to go long time ago but because I shaved during the Lunar New Years, so I needed to wait for some time for the hair to grow, hence could only make the appointment this week. Just as well so I can be clean before a beach holiday!

 

My appointment was actually on Wednesday (two days back), but when I went there after work, I was told the first session was just a consultation and signing of the contract. I had to make another appointment to kickstart my treatments.

 

Since the place is just opposite my office, and I was told the treatment would take only twenty minutes, I made an appointment today during lunch hour. When I went there, I had to undress and put on a tank top they gave me. After that one of the therapists would come in and cover my eyes. Then she would trim my hair, put gel, and "pinch" my armpits with a machine, making the laser protrude in.

 

Just a few jabs were all that was needed. After that she put cooling pads between my armpits, where I had to hold for a few minutes. Then she removed the pads, and put cool gel, and the whole treatment was done. Yes, that is all! I was in and out of the place in just tem minutes!

 

Imagine if I had not bought the Groupon voucher that gives me unlimited sessions at less than S$50.00, this whole treatment package would have cost more than one thousand. Considering that it is around ten minutes per session, the original price is really expensive, although I believe the results are permanent, or pretty long-lasting at least.

 

At least I can finally get rid of unsightly hair and need not shave anymore! Furthermore since the place is so near my office, I can go for the treatment, plus have time for lunch at the same time! What a good deal indeed!

T.G.I. Friday's!

When I was a teenager, T.G.I Friday's was the restaurant to go for a date, or a gathering, or just a cool place to hang out. My classmates were all raving over the place. However, I did not have a chance to go there until I was seventeen.

The first time I went there it was with my then puppy love to celebrate my seventeenth birthday. I remember he ordered a mudpie for me, and dedicated a birthday song to me on the jukebox. T.G.I Friday's was at this chic placed called The Glass House then, and the ambience was really cosy and romantic especially at night with dim lighting.

 

The second time I went there was a few years later, ironically also to celebrate my birthday, this time with the big love of my life, or shall I say, the big love of my past. It was another mudpie and song dedication on the jukebox. Because we were still studying then, so places like these were considered a luxury. Hence we only went to T.G.I Friday's two more times before it closed down and exited the country for a long time.

 

Incidentally, when the restaurant closed down, it also closed a big chapter of my life. To me, T.G.I Friday's is synonymous with the ups and downs of my life, the happier times I had, and the sadness when it closed down and my most serious relationship ended.

 

A few years back, T.G.I Friday's returned to our shores. Somehow I did not feel that excited about it coming back, as compared to the uproar I felt when I found the restaurant closed down. When it came back, it opened a small outlet at a corner of a shopping mall, where unless one looks really carefully, one could hardly see the restaurant.

 

Recently, the restaurant moved to this newly revamped shopping mall near where I stay. Last Friday, I went there for dinner. After so many years, for some reason, the restaurant is no longer that appealing to me. It used to be a real treat if we could even go to T.G.I. Friday's, but now that I can actually afford it, I find that the place is not that cool anymore.

 

Perhaps because the structure is now somewhat like Hard Rock Cafe, like a classic American diner style, so I do not find it that unique. And the menu has changed a lot. The food served is more Western / Country style, with big pieces of steak (American cut) and barbecued ribs. And the mudpie I love so much is gone. I ordered a Jack Daniel's sirloin steak, American cut, which you can read about in my food blog here.

 

Still, it was a pretty cosy place. Although now that it is situated in a shopping mall, the ambience is not as good as when it was first situated in The Glass House. Years later, it is still a favourite haunt for kids, as I see so many teenagers having dinner there. What can I say? Kids nowadays are much richer than during my time!

 

It was not too bad an experience overall. I think I would like to go back there again, because the food is good, and for the price, the servings are pretty good! Hopefully I will have a chance to go there for dinner again!

Great Adventure Deals!

I am getting so obsessed with Groupon that I have to stop looking at the fantastic deals! What to do, since the prices there are so low that your eyes literally pop out when you see them! Nevertheless, I bought some more great deals which will make my life more "colourful".

 

After many months of literally doing nothing during the weekends (save for the movies I watched), I thought I wanted to be more adventurous this year and do some exploring. Just as well that Groupon has recently come up with lots of deals for day trips and getaways, so I bought all those that are going at very good prices!

 

After the bird trip, there will be visits to the newly renovated Underwater World as well as the new oceanarium. Why there are two aquariums in close proximity on the same island, I really cannot fathom, but I just hope with two competitors, the massive aquariums will only be better.

 

The voucher for the Underwater World also entitles a trip to Gardens By The Bay, since the voucher was put up by the same vendor. Ever since this massive garden opened, I have not been there, so I hope to go and see what the hype that is all about!

 

After that there is also a visit to Universal Studios. Okay, this is not from Groupon, but a friend managed to get it from her company and we will be going soon before the vouchers expire in April. I have been to Universal Studios twice, once at night where there is nothing much to see, and another time during a Family Day with my previous company, but it was crowded so we did not manage to take a lot of rides. Hopefully this time I can take more rides and explore the place more thoroughly.

 

I also bought a package for a stay in a resort in Johor Bahru, together with a day trip to Legoland, as well as a day trip to Hello Kitty Town with return transfers, together with a dinner thrown in. These deals are going for a steal, if the Groupon voucher is still available.

 

The one thing that I feel is most adventurous and most worth it, will be a diving package I bought. The amount of S$299.00 covers a theory class, an open water class, plus a weekend diving trip to Tioman with accommodation, land transfers, return ferries, and diving packages thrown in. At the end of it all, we will be able to get our Open Water certification. That is why I think this amount is very good because a similar course will cost S$600.00 to S$700.00 at least.

 

Hopefully with all these adventures, this year will be much more fulfilling than last year!

Black Smoke, Black Smoke, White Smoke

This new millennium has certainly been a century of changes. We have the first African-American President, who is currently serving his second term. We have the first Pope to step down in six hundred years. And now, we have the first Latin American Pope, and a Jesuit at that.

 

The new Pope is probably sparking off controversy. For me, I just embraced the news. It does not really matter who the new Pope is going to be, because personally I do not find myself that affected by whatever changes the church is going to have. I just feel this news is so timely because Emeritus Pope can finally retire back to his own hometown, and the new Pope will start off with the Good Friday and Easter festivities.

 

Sometimes I think God really knows. This year, the World Youth Day is going to be in Brazil. And now our new Pope is an Argentinian. Is that not just so timely? World Youth Day in Latin America with a Latin American Pope. How appropriate.

 

Here's wishing Pope Francis I all the best in his tenure! Hopefully I get to go Vatican and see him one day!

The Papal Conclave

The papal conclave started yesterday, and after one day of closed door "discussion", there is only black smoke, which means the new Pope has still not been elected or decided. For the first time, the retired Pope is able to watch on the television the conclave process and who his successor will be. That calls for interesting news indeed, because previous Popes never had a chance to know who their successor was.

 

The most likely candidate so far is this Cardinal from Italy, but anything can happen during the procedure, is it not? I wonder who the final choice will be, and will Pope Emeritus be happy with the choice? Let us stay tuned to find out.

The "Longest" Mascara

I have been a fan of Maybelline cosmetics ever since they came up with the ultra moisturising glossy lipstick range Watershine, which has since been retired. I was in my late teens or early twenties then, and still an undergraduate. That was the time when I first discovered cosmetics and started being more vain and tried out different cosmetic brands. But Maybelline Watershine lipsticks won hands down because the colour not only looked nice, my lips were so moisturised and glossy after application. Since then, I have mostly preferred Maybelline lipsticks. My favourite colour then was the Watershine lipstick in Ginger Iced Tea.

 

Later on I realised that Maybelline started out with mascaras first. Mascara is another beauty product that is considered staple for me. Besides lipsticks and glosses, the other thing I like is mascara, because mascara simply makes a difference to one's eyes and how one looks. The very first modern mascara that Maybelline came out with, and is still one of the most popular ones around, is the Great Lash Mascara that comes in that little cute pink tube with the green cover.

Unfortunately, by the time I started buying mascaras, for some reason, this brand stopped selling here. Before I started taking an interest in makeup, I could still see this mascara in stores, but after that, it stopped selling. I wonder why, but then because there have been other mascaras by Maybelline, hence I thought perhaps it was just being phased out.

 

Later on, I realise that this mascara is still very popular around the world, but for some reason, it has stopped selling here. When I go overseas, like Malaysia and Australia, I still see this mascara around being sold in stores. Unfortunately, I did not get to buy when I saw them for whatever reason.

 

Hence I thought I have to wait for another overseas trip before I can start sourcing for this mascara. Recently I realise that I can buy this online. So I bought a total of four tubes so they can last longer. And it arrived yesterday! The tube looks just as cute as I thought!

 

I have not tried out yet though, but I believe the mascara is just as good as everyone has been saying. Afterall, this is probably the longest lasting (in the market) mascara in the world! It has been around for around forty years! It cannot be that popular even now if it is not good right? I cannot wait to try it out now! Luscious lashes, here I come!

Looking Forward To Redang

After falling in love with the pristine beach and beautiful scenery of the show "Summer Holiday" starring Sammi Cheng and Richie Ren, I have always wanted to have a chance to go to Redang. Finally I have this chance, so I will be in Redang this Sunday to Tuesday.

 

Going to Redang is not as easy as I thought. First, it is an island off Kuala Terangganu, a place where there is hardly any tourist. For those who are flying, they will have to fly to Kuala Lumpur, then fly to Kuala Terangganu, then fly to Redang. Otherwise if you are lucky, you can catch a direct flight from Kuala Lumpur to Redang, but that only occurs on certain days.

 

I believe there used to be a direct flight from here to Redang, but for some reason the flight has stopped. So now for those going to Redang, we have to go via Kuala Terangganu. To save money and cut the hassle, I decided to take a bus.

 

Even so, it is hard to find a bus that goes direct, as in direct to Kuala Terangganu. I sourced high and low before finally finding this bus that goes direct from here to Kuala Terangganu, but it only travels twice a day, once in the morning and the other at night.

 

Booking the bus is another hassle. We have to take into account the ferry timing. Ferries come mostly in the morning, at seven, nine or ten. If we miss the ferry, we would have to wait until three in the afternoon, which is a waste of a day since by the time we reached Redang, it would already be evening.

 

So the best option is to take the ferry at nine in the morning, at the jetty at Kuala Terangganu. Luckily the resort is able to give us a shuttle from the bus terminus to the ferry terminal. I am presuming there is only one bus terminus, otherwise I will have no idea how to make my way around.

 

I booked the night bus, so I can save time and accommodation and arrive in Kuala Terangganu early in the morning to catch the ferry. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the bus will not break down like my previous bus trip to Kuala Lumpur, where the tyre punctured and the bus was stuck in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night for four hours.

 

The whole bus journey will take around nine hours. Since that part of the peninsula is not as cosmopolitan as Kuala Lumpur hence technology may not be as advanced, I was not able to book the bus on my end. The website only allows Malaysian bank accounts and credit cards issued by Malaysian banks. Even my colleague who has a Maybank credit card issued locally cannot help me out. In the end, Julie had to help me book the bus using her card.

 

Since there are only two bus timings a day, I also have to take into account the time the ferry drops us back at Kuala Terangganu. So I had to book the night bus coming back too. Hence, I would have to leave on Saturday night, and come back on Tuesday night, reaching back here only on Wednesday morning.

 

At least I have several hours to wander around before catching the bus back! It is a good opportunity to see a place that I have never seen before, and one that is not that well-known. Hopefully this trip will be enriching and fulfilling!

How To Determine Mental Illness?

Last night I went for another counselling session, and the counsellor recommended me some links to check up on mental illnesses as well as psychiatrists that he knows. In case any of you are wondering, no, I am not suffering from any form of mental illness, but I just thought these information would be useful because there are many people suffering from some form of mental illness around. Somehow mental illnesses seem more prevalent in modern society. Is it due to our highly stressed up and busy lives?

 

Essentially we talked about things like bipolar disorder, addiction of any form, and depression. Sometimes we come across someone who does things that are out of the ordinary. I am not talking about weird quirks which I believe everyone has, but things that normal people will not otherwise do, like excessive addiction of some form. Or someone who is suicidal, who is always being difficult to get along with, who has some form of extreme mood swings and tantrums. All these could be signs of mental illnesses.

 

The hard thing is to determine whether this person is suffering from mental illness, or he / she is just being a jerk in general. Personally I have come across at least three people in my course of life who may border on having mental illness. The thing about people is that, when someone behaves in an unorthodox way, the first conclusion is that people will think the person is just being difficult. Unfortunately, many people in general are not very kind or receptive towards people who are really sick in the mind.

 

It is all very good to avoid people who are psychotic in some form, but until you actually get to know someone who is like that, that is when the dilemma starts. Will you then ostracise a person because of the illness he or she is suffering, an illness which otherwise may have a possible cure through medication? Or will you just totally cut off contact with the person and leave him or her to their just deserts?

 

It is hard to answer that, is it not? I guess public opinion is that a mentally unsound person is dangerous. No doubt a mentally unsound person can be physically violent, but then again, many do not understand that the violence they have is probably due to their illness which makes them unable to control their behaviours or emotions. With medication and treatment, this can be helped.

 

However, how many people are willing to seek treatment? I do not think the victim himself is willing to admit he or she is sick in some form. More often than not, the person will always feel that he / she is alright, and this is how he / she is, and if people do not accept, so be it. Hence, many cases get unresolved because the person is not willing to go for treatment, and when this happens, their illness may get worse and dire consequences may arise.

 

In any case, it was a pretty informative session. At least it makes me realise and understand things from another point of view why certain things happen. It also makes me feel so priviledged that no matter what life throws at me, I am still pretty grounded. Anyone with weaker resilience may probably have crumbled. This makes me resolve to be more tolerant and understanding towards people who behave in a different way, and not just write them off or ostracise them without giving them a chance.

The Mother Of All Sheet Masks

It is here! The SK II Facial Treatment Mask, the mother of all sheet masks! After my good experience with sheet masks, I decided to take the plunge and order the ultimate sheet mask of all. And it arrived yesterday!

I have heard rave reviews about this mask for ages, but have always been reluctant to get because this set is very expensive. There are only six sheets per set, yet it can cost more than a hundred. Which is why this mask is so precious and need to be used carefully and sparingly.

 

However, I managed to get a very good discount at this website, which gives me the set for a good price, so I decided to just buy it and try. Hence I bought this, together with a set of eye masks too, which also arrived at the same time.

 

I will really treasure each and every single sheet and use it to the fullest! Hopefully my face does have some changes after that!

"Milking" Dry ...

This year is a year of new rulings, especially in terms of heavy ticket items like car and housing. For a country who charges exorbitant prices for cars and housing, the news is definitely not welcomed by the general population.

 

Just imagine this. The salaries we make is barely sufficient to make ends meet. I am not even talking about luxurious lifestyle like fine dining, going first class, staying in a mansion and driving fancy cars. I am talking about a mere small two-bedroom apartment, small hatchback car, and grocery shopping or eating at hawker centres. Yet most people still struggle with dual incomes.

 

For instance, the cheapest car around, a Suzuki Swift, cost around S$68,000.00 or thereabouts. I am quoting the estimated price because I have no idea how much the cars cost nowadays. This is for a new car. But in order to own this car, one needs to have the certificate of entitlement of say S$10,000.00. So in total, a small car like this can cost S$78,000.00 or thereabouts. I believe with this price, one can own a fancy car or even two cars overseas already!

 

It was still bearable in the past because you just need to purchase the car with a loan and then pay off as much as possible after that. However, with the new ruling, those who intend to buy a car needs to have a forty percent downpayment first before the bank loans can start. Which means one now needs to pay S$27,200.00 plus S$10,000 of the entitlement to even own a car, making it a flat payment of S$37,200.00 before the loans can start taking into effect.

 

S$37,200.00 to own a car! And this is only the downpayment! This amount probably equates to a full car ownership in some other countries! How many people can come up with this amount first hand? Unless you are the rich and famous, otherwise this amount equates to many people's yearly income.

 

This also includes buying second hand cars, which means even if the car is older, one also needs to pay the full flat fee of forty percent downpayment before being able to own a car. Looks like the government's efforts of restricting cars on the roads are finally going to succeed, to the uproar of the public.

 

It may still not be that bad if one does not have a house to pay off. However, if one needs to pay off housing loans as well, then it is really practically impossible to own a car now. Living expenses are really getting more and more difficult to sustain in the near future. Housing prices will only increase, despite the flats getting smaller and smaller, and location getting more and more inconvenient. No longer do we have the luxury of owning a big flat in a good location, because the newer estates are all in the undeveloped areas that is so far off from everywhere, with hardly any transport and amenities, and yet the flats are being built with smaller spaces.

 

Now comes the new ruling for flat ownership. It used to be that singles who have reached the age of thirty-five, are not able to buy new flats on their own. They can only buy resale or old flats, and only limited to three-room flats, which means two-bedrooms and one living room. Why? Because new flats are exclusively reserved for those with families. Why are we being punished just because we happen to marry late, or do not get married for whatever reason? It is as if it is a sin being single and unmarried.

 

With the new ruling, singles who have reached thirty-five and earning a maximum of S$5,000.00 a month can apply for new flats. However, the catch is that the new flats must be in non-mature estates, which means developing estates, which means somewhere out of the way from everywhere else. And they are only restricted to two-room flats. Which means the bigger flats are reserved for those with families.

 

Does it mean just because one is a single, one is not entitled to a bigger flat? What if someone likes to live in a bigger place with more rooms? What can one do with just one room? What if they have guests coming to stay? Afterall, if we are going to pay so much for a flat, are we not entitled to choose where we want to stay? A flat, like marriage, is supposedly a once-in-a-lifetime affair, and if we buy a good place and build our dream home, would it not be much better than to shift again if there is any change in status or family?

 

Sometimes I really wonder if our government is milking us dry. Where else is there such restrictions on things like housing and cars? I have never heard of anywhere else that singles cannot buy their own place until thirty-five. Does it mean once you reach thirty-five, you are certified left on the shelf and no hope for a family anymore? Then I should start panicking, is it not, since I am close reaching that age and still will not be married by then.