Shopping

While talking to Nat before I started packing for the trip, he told me that if I don’t have the clothes that satisfy the dressing code at the school, then no point of going shopping in Melbourne, as Singapore is world famous for it.

The last weekend, 9th and 10th of Sep, I went and seen it for myself.

I had to wait until I got my FIN card (some kind of ID that proves my working visa) to get a discount on the mobile plan. So after I got it some time last week, the first Saturday I went to the big city in search of the phone for me.
Like I’ve been told, the city is like one big shopping mall - I spend half a day just to walk though the Orchard Rd, that was plenty for one day.

The next day, as was talked about for a while w/ David and Shan, my neighbours and fellow Internationals at the Poly, we went to JB a town on the other side of the border with Malaysia. David needed just a hair cut (yep, going across the border for the haircut) and Shan wanted to go and do some shopping. When it takes half an hour on the local buss to get there, then why not. In terms of the distance and ride experience, it’s just like going to another area of the city, pardon the fact that you need to show your passport at two customs checking points. But when you get off the buss you can tell straight away that you didn’t just get to the other side of the city, it seems like you travelled very far, if not in terms of the distance then in terms of time – as in back in time. It’s a very different world, everything looks, smells, sounds and feels different.

All that beings said, it is not surprising that the prices of everything are much cheaper for the people who are coming form a more developed country (i.e. anything that I’ve seen so far, IMO). After two meals and the amusing browse through two big shopping malls, I had my uniform assembled: two pairs of none jeans pants, couple of polo T-shirts, and couple of shits. Had to trow in couple of plain t-shirts as well - for the soul as SteveG would say. All good quality stuff for 170 Ringgits (60 AUD).

From JB, Malaysia ...