Bright Lights, Big City

It’s hard to believe that the last time I was in Hong Kong was in 2002 during an internship in college.  I was only there for a week but I remember that it was very dynamic and fast moving - much quicker paced then Oklahoma or South Bend.  I needed to be in Hong Kong for customer meetings so I was happy to see this vibrant city after 13 years as well have Amy join me for the weekend as she had never been there. 

What I love about Hong Kong is that there is so much history and culture.  Hong Kong was a British Colony for years (as was Singapore) but control was eventually given back to China in 1997.  

This makes it a very interesting city since there are Confucian and Chinese values. It is a financial hub much like London or New York, but with much less communist influence then mainland China.  And unlike China, Americans do not need a visa to travel to Hong Kong. (On the other hand a one-time Chinese tourist visa is approximately $250 and takes a week to process from Singapore, but we believe this has recently changed.)

Besides exploring an amazing city, the motivation for the trip was to be fitted for my tuxedo for the upcoming wedding.  We visited the Samtani’s in Kowloon. Ash (founder) and his son Luke have made suits for four generations of my family. Luke’s son, Amar is now working in the business as well. As a matter of tradition, and since we live in the ‘neighborhood,’ I couldn’t think of a better place to have my wedding tuxedo made.

Between fittings at Ash Samanti Clothing we had time to explore Hong Kong. You can’t talk about Hong Kong without talking about food. We had a list about a mile long of dining recommendations from our friends and colleagues. (If you do visit Hong Kong, Yelp! Is very active there and is a great tool. Our fellow Yelpers didn’t steer us wrong!)

We had some of the best poké we’ve had outside of da Poké Shack in Kailua, Hawaii at a new place called Pololi, dinner atop Victoria Peak at the Peak Lookout, and an amazing burger at the Butcher’s Club.

One of our favorite spots was the lounge at our hotel. It’s not your average hotel bar. I can certify that between the view, the comfy couches, the french fries and one of the best lounge singers I’ve ever seen – this is in fact the truth.

I forgot just how awesome of a city Hong Kong is and I hope to see you there sometime soon.

Happy Trails,

Raegen & Amy 

PS- Click here to see a really cool timelapse I did of the city coming alive. (And follow us on instagram while you're at it!)

Left is Right. Right is Wrong.

Left is right. Right is wrong. Those are two statements that frequently run through my mind in regard to what side of the road I should be on when driving in Singapore.

Singapore is a former British colony therefore they have a considerable British influence including which side of the road they drive on. (That would be the ‘wrong side’ to Americans and a significant portion of the world.) Mastering the skill of the other side of the road, along with how to honk your horn frequently and drive in two lanes are realistic requirements for driving in Singapore.

If you want to drive in Singapore you can convert your foreign drivers license by taking a theory exam within a year of moving to the country. As Raegen and I approached the anniversary of one year in Singapore we realised that we needed to go full speed ahead and take the theory test. We heard studying was required it was quite challenging as its worded much like an SAT test with double negatives, etc. Awesome!

Most things in Singapore have a process which is usually complex and undefined. One can only be told “no-can-la” (that is not a spelling error) so many times before you get a little frustrated. Raegen and I have an all new respect for the DMV/MVD and its efficiencies!

After we finally registered for the test, which has a 2-3 month waiting list, we downloaded one of the many apps to take practice tests. Thank goodness we did because minus a few ‘gimmies’ like the ones below it was not an intuitive test even for those of us who have been driving for awhile.

Below are a few of the test questions. Let’s see how you do!

 

                                            

Lastly one that we still can’t figure out is that drivers are not required to move out of the way for emergency vehicles. Emergency vehicles are required to follow all traffic laws including the speed limit, traffic lights and everything in between. Hopefully the people inside are not in a hurry!

  

We went to take the 50 question test after cramming like it was our senior year in college. You can only miss five questions if you want to pass. As I entered the room I realised I was the only woman in the room full of 40 or so men.  (Women in cars….gasp!) I knew I had to pass, not to defend my gender, but because I really didn’t want to have to take the driver’s ed classes with a driving instructor in order to obtain my drivers license.

Luckily Raegen and I both passed our tests- 48/50 for him and a 47/50 for me. The process to actually receive our physical drivers licenses was yet again long and complicated but we are now officially legal drivers in Singapore!

See you on the road!

Happy Trails,

Amy & Raegen 

Going, Going, Galle

We’ve shared with you the traditions and excitement around the Chinese New Year celebrations in Singapore and the region. What you may not know is the Chinese New Year Holiday is the longest break on the Singapore public holiday schedule. I think we all can agree when you get four consecutive days off of work you take it and go on vacation (or ‘holiday’ as they say around here. So British! ;))  

We had heard from a well-traveled fellow expat that Sri Lanka had some of the prettiest beaches around so we rounded up our friends Christopher Blaine* and Anne Antioch* for a trip of a lifetime. 

You might ask yourself where is Sri Lanka? It’s off of the southeast tip of India. - Google Maps

Seeing that it was the Chinese New Year holiday and we didn’t book until after Christmas, it was a challenge finding a place to stay. (Note to the Singapore Expats out there…book all holidays early!) Anne and I finally nailed down a great villa though Olanda Villas (who were great!) inside the Fort. We of course had no idea what to expect minus the fact that we had a place to stay, it came with a chef and that Sri Lankan food is yummy. 

After a 3.5 hour flight and almost an equally long drive, we still weren’t sure what to expect as we drove through the Fort’s gates at 3 am onto deserted streets. It wasn’t until a morning stroll the next day I realised that yes we were actually staying inside Fort Galle, just a few minute walk from the water. 

The next few days were spent enjoying breakfast on the patio and wondering around the Fort and enjoying leisurely, amazing dinners at the house. We all particularly enjoyed watching the sunset from the walls of the Fort and another night from the Lighthouse Restaurant. 

We spent a day at Wijaya Beach Restaurant in Unawatuna Beach which is a 20 minute tuk tuk ride from the Fort. Driving in Galle is chaotic but somehow everyone manages and the time on a gorgeous beach makes it all worth it. 

The people of Sri Lanka were so friendly, the food was great and everything was affordable which was a nice break from the prices in Singapore. If you ever make it to Galle, I would highly recommend you shop at Paradise Road in Columbo, have a drink on the patio of the Jetwing Lighthouse, visit Fort Galle, Wijaya Beach Restaurant and Unawatuna Beach and go for a crazy ride in a tuk tuk. On top of that, make sure you bring two of your favourite expat friends to enjoy the experience with.

Happy Trails, 

Amy & Raegen 

*Yes it's true- while their names sound like movie star names....they're not real. Protecting the innocent. That's how we roll. 

Singapore's George Washington

On Monday morning we woke up to word that the first Prime Minister of Singapore, the Founding Father, Lee Kuan Yew had passed away at age 91. This remarkable man made Singapore the thriving, bustling metropolis that it is today.

I spent the week listening to the stories about Mr. Lee and I began to write this blog several different times but how do you put 91 years into a blog post? This man is so revered that people have been queuing for up to 8 hours to pay their respects as he lies in state at the Parliament building. While in many countries a week of mourning might be declared for a monumental passing of someone such as this where flags are flown at half mast and there are tributes on TV. Here when they say a week of mourning, they mean it. I had numerous events cancelled this week, people have been wearing black (and harassing those who aren't) and all of the radio stations have been playing slow or acoustic version of songs out of respect for Mr. Lee.

The eight hour queue in 90+ degree heat and serious humidity to pay their respects Photo credit: Joanna Ng 

I debated and thought about the angle of how to help you the reader truly understand the impact of this man and then an email landed in my work inbox from an advertising partner, HoneyKids Asia. The writer, Skye Wellington, somehow summed up 91 years of accomplishments into five points.

5 THINGS TO PASS ON TO YOUR KIDS ABOUT LEE KUAN YEW

Here are just a few of his contributions that affect our daily lives. Because Lee Kwan Yew’s legacy should live on…

1. A harmonious nation.

In this day and age we’re all pretty lucky to live in a country where so many cultures, languages and religions can comfortably live side by side. Of course there are things we disagree on but Lee Kwan Yew kept a steady hand on dissension so that no one voice could overrule others.We love: that our kids eat laksa, speak more than one language, and play with kids from India, Canada, Turkey and everywhere in between.

2. A world-class education system.

Every child in Singapore has the opportunity to access top quality schooling. Mr Lee never stopped learning and was a voracious reader, using the knowledge he acquired to constantly inform his direction and decisions.

We love: that learning is a priority and all our kids can get ahead no matter whether they’re a girl or a boy.

3. A safe place to call home.

Everyone in Singapore should have access to housing that is not beyond their reach, thanks to a successful public housing programme. Not only that, but Lee Kwan Yew’s low tolerance for crime and corruption has produced a very civil society.

We love: that our kids can walk to the shops without us worrying (and they can’t buy chewing gum when they get there!)

4. An attractive city state that works.

Singapore has got to be one of the prettiest Asian nations. It’s well ordered streets are never far from green spaces but a long way from pollution. Not only does it look good, it’s an easy place to get around and get stuff done.

We love: the taxi’s, the MRT, the buses, the parks, going through immigration at the airport…the list goes on. It’s all just so efficient!

5. The availability of opportunity. 

Mr Lee devoted his life to improving Singapore for the masses and demonstrated that with commitment, hard work and vision, great things can be achieved.

We love: that kids can dream big in Singapore. You’ve just got to put in some hard work and play by the rules (mostly).

As it has been said, Mr. Lee was a leader of the now but was a teacher of the future. Thank you Mr. Lee for your sacrifices and contributions. May you rest in peace. With that we’ll leave you with a quote from the late Mr. Lee.

"If you can't think because you can't chew, try a banana."

- On the Singapore chewing gum ban in June 2000 to a BBC Reporter

Happy Trails,

Amy and Raegen 

*5 Things to Pass on to Your Kids about Lee Kuan Yew was written by Skye Wellington of HoneyKids Asia. You can read the entire post here.