For anyone who has been to or knows Singapore, it's located just off the AYE on the northside of Kent Ridge Park. We are in the block furthest from the road, by the back gate right into the park, overlooking the trees and a small lake. All very peaceful and picturesque - except that we're beside some office buildings whose roof top aircon units are amazingly noisy during the week. - I thought we'd found ourselves next to the M25 when we first arrived, but either they've got quieter or we've got used to them.
We are rather out on a limb here though, very little in walking distance, but we have a small on-site supermarket and a cafe. Well, the cafe is great - we've had fantastic food and the people are so nice, helpful and friendly, giving us local tips. When we leave here, I'll be sad to leave the food behind - it's all "house cooked" apparently. No need for us to cook.
So why are we out here away from the amenities? Well, this place is a quarter the price of a more central serviced apartment - they cost HEAPS. The downside is that we only get a twice weekly cleaner, no concierge and no welcome pack of coffee, tea, sugar and a pot noodle or two. Don't know how I'll cope.
See these links for pics of the block and actual apartment
http://picasaweb.google.com/lmbhousing/Condo_NormantonPark
and
http://picasaweb.google.com/lmbhousing/NP_1_14157_3
Our actual apartment is quite spacious, albeit with a slightly odd layout in places and a few "quirks". Today, I found the mop - it's sticking out of a socket on the wall outside the kitchen window where the laundry poles go. Laundry poles are what the residents of all the high rise blocks use to hang out their washing. There are 5 or 6 sockets in the wall outside the kitchen window into which one sticks these poles. All the kitchens are in the same position in each apartment so every building has columns of multi-coloured (and multi-shaped) flags flying. No doubt the mop had been put out to dry, therefore dripping on other peoples' laundry below - we're on the 14th floor.
The kitchen is an interesting layout with patio doors half way across it. These turned out to be useful when we discovered what a racket the washing machine makes which, by the way, takes 3 hours (I kid you not) to complete a normal cycle.
Finally, the only taps that have hot water are those in the showers, which means boiling a kettle to wash up - no dishwasher as they're just not the norm here at all - well not the mechanical variety, anyway.
We went for a walk yesterday (Sunday) in the park. It's not quite the same as at home, with signs telling us not to feed the monkeys etc. We saw some glorious coloured birds and followed a raised canopy walk through the tree tops.
However, in the pond, just in front of us, there are not ducks but turtles - the red eared variety, according to the sign.
We also saw several monitor lizzards - they're suprisingly big - at least a meter long!
Details of our school visit and apartment hunting later.
Also, whilst we're on line our local IT people have had some difficulties setting up the computer and we don't have our contacts list, but will email when my address book re-appears!
Last comment to round off today - David has just found an ad in the paper - "Mobile pet crematorium service". What do they do? bring a BBQ round?
1 comment:
Other people have fairies at the bottom of their garden, you have roof-top air-con units . . .
That hand-basin / shower combo looks just GORGEOUS. It all looks quite sizeable, and so tidy! Mind you, I suppose you don't have much in the way of toys and stuff just yet.
The drying arrangements sound nerve-wracking - how do you not drop your washing? And you must be relieved to know that your days won't be spent twiddling your thumbs - not when you have all that washing up to do. Argh! And I'm still reeling from a cleaner who only comes twice a week.
Blimey - monkeys, turtles and monitor lizards, all in one walk. And probably every walk too. Do you suppose Singaporeans visiting here get all excited about magpies and hedgehogs?
And finally, a fabulously understated piece of casual racial stereotyping? Surely not! Though I would like to know what they keep as pets.
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