Saturday 21 August 2010

Saturday shopping

Hmmm, my blog entry for yesterday seems to have turned up on the blog today. Nevermind!
Went out last night to buy a laptop so that we might actually get to Skype some people. Jollied down to City Hall on the MRT to check out the electronics scene down there. Must've got there at around 1930 and had a little look around but decided that, if I was going to do business, then some food was in order. Aside from the fact that whatever I ordered in the food hall had the guys behind the kiosk killing themselves with laughter (I think they thought it was going to blow my head off. They ended up more amused that I left the cucumber (I just can't stand it!)), the food was actually very nice (and yes, little spicy).
So, by 2015 I was ready to do business. Shame no one else was. All the outlets closed up while I was being laughed at! I did find one open however and realising that one of T's colleagues had satisfactorily bought one there a few days ago I dived in. 45 minutes later I had successfully purchased a laptop, leads, printer, more leads and some software to redeem at Sim City. Well, to be honest most of the stuff was thrown in or done at cost. Not a lot of haggling, just a lot of asking how cheap they could  do it. Not the most intense experience but quite a friendly one, ending with one of the salesman asking my advice on mobile phones (I just bought an HTC Desire, leave the maps at home and look like you know where you're going!). Now all we have to do is get the flippin router online!
Off to the zoo tomorrow.

2 comments:

  1. For future ref .... most people would go to FUNAN CENTRE .... better deals for all camera's and electronics. Which is where you may have gone if you went via City Hall !!

    It is rare for locals / expats / etc to go to Sim Lim Square as they cater mostly to tourists as does Lucky Plaza on Orchard Rd .... and so the prices are higher and the service is lower.

    Funan Centre:

    http://www.funan.com.sg/

    To call a cab .... is simple once you are 'registered' ... call Comfort Cab (or other) just once and then they 'recognise' you from then on ... and also the regular pick points that you use. If you have an IPHone, there is an app you can download where you are also 'recognised' and click on the one pick up point .... believe me, it is so quick!! We can both be at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal (as we are every Sunday) I can do the usual 'call' and John does it via the IPhone app ..... he gets the cab before I even finish linking thru. Others I notice at the terminal are 'calling' and need to wait (sometimes) up to 30 mins as the time we all come thru it is usually "change of shift" .. :-(

    Another site that will be extremely helpful is GOTHERE.SG .... gives you distance / time / cost etc for all travel (cab, train, bus etc)

    Hope you enjoyed the zoo. :-)

    and as for the rain ... it won't take you long to find all the underground walkways / malls etc .... it is the tourist that walks along Orchard Rd in the rain or heat of the day!!!

    good luck with the unpacking on Tuesday .... LoL.... it will be like Christmas all over again.

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  2. Hi Leone. Thanks for all your fantastic comments. A lot of them have been extremely useful or have at least confirmed that we're on the right track (or not!). We're settling in bit by bit and still filling out the paperwork! It's never ending! You were correct that I had been to Funan the other night. Just a shame they closed so early! Thanks again, keep up the comments, they keep me flogging. Cheers, Paul.

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