Public Property

All this time we were renting out our HDB flat, I always thought that we were the "landlords" and our tenants were the "leasees".

When I applied online for HDB's approval to rent out my flat, I had a big realisation. In legally correct terminologies, we, the people who "purchased" the flat for several hundred thousand dollars, are referred to as the "leasees". We don't even qualify to be called "owners" or "landlords". We are in fact the "tenants" in the property and our tenants "sub-tenants" in what is called, in technical terms, "sub-letting" our flat.

All this while I was under the illusion that I owned a property in Singapore and who can blame me, with terms like "home ownerships schemes" being used frequently by the media and ministers. I felt misled, even slightly cheated, but really I mustn't forget that all HDB flats are built on land on a 99 year lease from the Singapore government. The land will always belong to the state and instead of owning it permanently, what we are really buying and paying for is the permission to reside in the dwelling for a maximum of 99 years.

Well, 99 years is a long time and you can always sell the flat to someone else along the way, hopefully at a little profit. Still, this doesn't make me feel any better. The knowledge that many people worked so hard to finance something that they cannot call their own and at the end of the day is still "public property" is unsettling. Something as fundamental as the roof over your head. So what happens when the 99 years is up? If your future generation inherits this flat from you, what will they get at the end? Compensation? Resettlement?

Before that, the only thing you really OWN is the mortgage you took to purchase this leasehold property.

Life in Singapore

I've been back in Singapore for more than 2 weeks already. Besides attending to the matters regarding my property and spending time with my family, I have been up to nothing much. Compared to the last trip back some 4 months ago, I didn't set up as many social engagements nor made any lists about what local food to eat. The reasons I have largely kept a low profile is to reserve more time for my family, whom I felt I didn't have much time for the last time. Also somehow for this time, my craving for Singapore food is very weak, to the point of indifference. Maybe it's because I've just returned not too long ago.

Anyway, this trip, XiXi has been extremely 'sticky' to me. He tags along wherever I go and refuses to follow even PoPo and YiYi if I'm not around. He wasn't like this the last time. I wonder why? Maybe he's grown older and wiser? Or maybe the child care experience has given him some kind of separation phobia? Thankfully, he's very well-behaved as long as I have some toys or his DS Lite to keep him entertained. Recently, he got acquainted with the iphone and the games inside are really useful to keep him occupied.


Besides XX, I also felt a bit different this trip. I'm not as excited when I see the array of delicious food available at the foodcourts. The humid weather is a lot more felt this time and I hate to see the ends of my sons' hair dripping with sweat from the moment they wake up and leave the air-con room. Their skin is always clammy and they stink by midday! I myself am sniffing and blowing my nose every morning due to the humidity and the change in temperature. Without a car, I take the public transport a lot more and though I compliment SMRT and the town councils for doing a good job paving a smooth way for parents with strollers and prams, I especially dread taking the buses with a stroller.

What I cannot stand most is the crowds. One night we went to the Giant hypermart at Tampines to grab some bread and milk. The place was swarmped with people - at 11pm! There was a queue just to get up the escalator! Despite its size, every aisle was packed and shopping there gives me a headache. I constantly have to make sure my kids don't get in the way of others and that they don't get hurt by the carts. All the cashiers were open but the queues were more than 10 shoppers long in each aisle. It was extremely difficult to navigate through the shoppers and find the end of the queues as they stretched into the product aisles of the supermarket. I know this is a situation that can't be helped with the 4.5 going to 6 million population in Singapore and I believe most Singaporeans don't like it any better than me. That's why I really appreciate and like the spaciousness in Australia.

I'm not an ungratful brat who forgets her roots but I'm more and more convinced that I'm happy visiting Singapore but the lifestyle in Singapore is no longer suitable for me. For my personality, I don't need big shopping centers, good food and tons of money to be happy. I have no issues with seclusion and a slow paced, laid back lifestyle. If only my family and close friends are with me in Australia, then my world will be complete.

Flight to Singapore

One morning, 5 days into the new year, Hubby sat at the computer checking airline prices. I had no idea then that 5 days later, my family and I will be back in Singapore. This unexpected trip surprised many of our friends and family, myself included. We had just been back to Singapore in Sept and I hadn't expect to be eating Char Kway Teow again so soon. It took me several days before the reality of the trip sunk in and I started packing. Luckily, the packing was really easy as there wasn't much difference between the weather in Melbourne and Singapore then.





The airline that attracted our patronage and confirmed our trip was Emirates. It was the first time I had taken another airline other than SIA. My verdict? I was pretty impressed with their cabin, inflight meals and entertainment system. However, their cabin crew, though appearing friendly and professional on the surface, lacks sincerity and are not as customer oriented as those from SQ.





Approaching the aircraft, there was a wide array of Australian and Singapore newspapers at the aerobridge for our selection. A Singaporean sounding cabin crew welcomed us at the door. Good start, I thought. Flight EK405 took off on time, however, there were NO drinks served until an hour after take-off. At the customs, the water in my little bottle was poured away, so my children and I were extremely thirsty. I pressed the call attendant button but no one came for a long time. I walked to the galley to get it myself and found the cabin crew having a briefing. No one paid any attention to my presence for a while and when I finally got someone's attention, they gave me the impression that I was interrupting them.





The children were so thirsty that they drank every drop of their apple juice. By the time, the drink service started, they ordered a 2nd glass and gulped down all of it as well. It was way past 8.30pm and I could see they were very hungry when they finished up all their biscuits given as a snack with the drinks and started eyeing mine.

When dinner was finally served, they were pretty substantial and the drinks were generous. I loved the mini bottle of wines and their ciabatta bread rolls. I only wished the bread was warmed. I was most impressed with their ICE entertainment system. The variety of movies and channels were comparable to SQ but the touch screens are so cool and the navigation of the system is more user-friendly.

Overall, the flight was smooth and I enjoyed the flight. I actually managed to watch 3 movies - Julie & Julia, Case 39 and a little of My Sister's Keeper. Enjoyed Case 39 especially. But that's really because the children were angels. They fed themselves, watch movies and went to sleep, waking up only just before arrival.

A Happy Return

We are finally back to Melbourne after 3-weeks away. My 2nd week in S'pore has been just as hectic as the first. After Hubby left for KL, I was alone with the kids but there was no lack of company nor activities. The boys spent most of their time in the company of their grandparents, auntie and uncle, who had specially taken leave from work to spend time with them, while I shuttered between running errands, meeting up with some friends and spending time with the family.

KK and XX were spoilt rotten on this trip. Not only were there no restrictions on their bedtimes and no homework (for KK), they were showered with treats and gifts by their grandparents, grand-aunts, aunties and uncles. They were also treated like some mini-celebrities, countless digital pictures were taken of them, with frequent requests for kisses as poses. There were always some candies and chewing gums on offer during the initial meeting. Later, there will be shopping trips to Toys R Us where they shamelessly charmed their way to LEGOs, Bakugans and Hot Wheels amongst others. I am terribly embarrassed at the expense but I know making the children happy makes these doting adults happy as well. I am sincerely thankful for the treats, gifts of toys and clothings and also feel abundantly blessed by the warm reception we received during this trip back.

I would also like to thank my family members for their support during this trip, in terms of providing childcare, lodging and transportation, without which we will incur lots more expenses and inconvenience. There were always willing babysitters available when I needed to go run some errands or meet up with friends. On shopping trips, they carried the kids, carried the strollers up and down flights of stairs etc. When we needed to move our luggages to and from the airport, we couldn't have done it alone without their help to carry the boxes and bags. Many of my friends have also been very kind to pick me up and send me back after our dinner dates.

It was very nice to see familiar faces again and see the kids enjoy the company of their 'Yiyi' and 'Kaufu' and friends. I'm very sure I will miss all of you! All in, it was a very fun and fruitful trip for us. I managed to fulfill most of my errands and enjoyed the food I missed. We came back with more things than we brought there, and most importantly, we brought back a whole load of fun memories.

Selamat Singapore

This is my first trip back to S'pore in more than a year and I feel totally at ease coming back, as if I've never left. Even the inconvenience of taking public transport and the much dreaded warmer weather didn't seem so bad. The buses and trains are air-conditioned, new and comfortable, even the bus drivers seemed friendlier. Except the initial sweating those first few hours after getting out of Changi Airport, I'm able to stay calm and cool most of the time but my active boys, their hair is often wet from perspiration.

You Tiao and Soya Milk Breakfast

Everything feels familiar, though initially, I do feel like I have developed 'new' eyes. I am noticing things that I've always taken for granted in the past. Like how people here dress and behave and the landscape of tall concrete buildings. Of course, after a few days, my eyes got accustomed but they're still very busy taking in all the changes in Singapore's shopping landscape and the ever so delicious looking, never ending selection of food, glorious food. Honestly, I am kidding myself if I think I can savour all those food that I like within the 2 weeks of my stay. But I'll still try.

My favourite - Sweet & Sour Pork

Another good one - Chilli Crab

Our social life this last week has been very active and hectic. We go out everyday and most days, we return home only after 10pm. The boys have been going to bed around mid-night, that would be 2am Melbourne time, unimaginable back home. Gosh, I refuse to think now how I'll adjust them back to 9pm bedtime when we go back.

Old Young Friends

And they're having so much fun. As we meet up with our old friends, they also get to catch up with the kiddies of our friends. The adults don't change much but children, after one year, they grow taller, leaner and behave differently. Like at yesterday's Hari Raya gathering with a group of old university friends, there were 8 other kids in addition to my 2 boys, age ranging 2 to 10, I spent a considerable amount of time staring at each child and noticing their developments. There was a time when they were all toddlers who had all their milk teeth, didn't wear spectacles and didn't know how to play together, but yesterday, some were missing one or 2 front teeth, many bespectacled but who cares. The boys especially, were soon huddled around playing "Bakugans" and watching "Star Wars", like old friends.

The Bakugan Club

Are We There Yet? (Images Added)

It has been more than a year since I travelled internationally. Although the 8-hour flight from MEL to SIN is only considered medium haul, alone with the 2 active kids in Economy Class, I'm mentally preparing myself for a long long time in the fuslage.

The children were really well-behaved at the airport and on the plane. It was a day flight and we had reached the airport at 1330hrs. I expected the kids to be active during the flight but surprisingly, XX fell asleep during take-off and only woke up 3 hours later. That left me with only 5 hours of nannying and a lot of personal time to browse the newspapers, watch a movie and enjoy my meal while he napped. KK took care of himself most of the time with the in-flight entertainment system. Although Hubby came down once or twice during the flight from Business Class to check on us, there was nothing much that he needed to help.

After XX woke up, I fed him his pasta and introduced him to the entertainment system to keep him occupied. The only challenge came when XX wanted to go to the toilet. The queue was very long at the lavertories as it was just after the meal service. Nobody volunteered to let me go first on account of the toddler I was carrying so I decided to go visit Hubby in Business Class and ask him to take XX to the Business Class toilets. Unfortunately, Hubby was sleeping like a child when I got there. Regardless, I asked the crew if I could use their toilet and of course, SIA's crew seldom say no.

Even though my children were extremely well-behaved and I was having a relatively comfortable flight compared to the mummy on the other aisle, I was still relieved for the flight to end. After 8 hours, I was running out of toys to keep XX occupied and am utilising my lifeline of candies. Even KK is getting bored. There's only so much you can watch do on the AVOD. I cannot imagine if I have to continue another leg of journey to Europe after this!