Exhausted
Posted at 05:52 PM in Jalan Jalan

Perhaps exhausted is the right word to reflect what I feel on my first day in Singapore. Yeah tired coz I carried a non-wheeled baggage from airport to apartment and it was really heavy to lift and hold four days clothes, books and other things during walking.

Ok here’s the story…

We arrived at terminal 1 of changi Airport and then we went to terminal 2 using skytrain. Skytrain is a free airport transfer from terminal 2 to terminal 1, vice versa. Changi MRT (Mass Rapid Transfer) train station resides in terminal 2, so you have to use skytrain or walking to terminal 2 if your position is still in terminal 1.

Waiting for skytrain

MRT network is a convenient, quick way of getting around much of the island. If this is your first time using MRT and you don’t have any ezlink card with you, don’t worry, just go to the ticket office and withdraw SGD 15 from your pocket for standard ticket. You’ll have one ezlink card consisting of SGD 3 refundable travel deposit, a SGD 5 refundable card cost and a minimum travel SGD 7.

ezlink card

This card is also valid on bus service operated by the SBS transit and the TIBS. If your ezlink stored value is low (because of your frequent travel), you can add the value (minimum SGD 10) through General Ticketing Machine (GTM) in every MRT station


General Ticketing Machine

How to use the card? Just tap the card to the tapping machine before enter the inner side of station (what is this tapping machine called?).

Tapping machine

There are two types of train station, subway and non subway station. For subway, the platform gap is shielded by firm glass and iron skeleton while for non subway station the gap only ‘shielded’ by strict rules.

Glass shield

What kind of the rules? Just see the picture below

'Rules' board

You’ll be fined SGD 500 for trespassing the yellow line and SGD 5000 for stepping on the track. Not only that, you’re also forbidden smoking and eating at the station. Quite ‘nice’ isn’t? If Indonesia also has such rules, I don’t know how many people, especially singing beggar and peddler, will be caught.

MRT is a handy transportation to visit interesting sites in Singapore. Approximately every 5-6 minutes MRT arrives to take the passenger. During waiting for MRT, you can see a time counter near the signboard which counting down MRT’s arrival in minutes/seconds. Moreover, there is also automatic voice informing you about MRT and others. Ok stop comparing it with KRL Indonesian train… Last days (Saturday, 16:09:2006 15:30) I got to wait KRL for one hour and a half at Bogor station. It’s quite a culture shock…hehehe welcome back to Indonesia’s daily hard life.

It’s truly easy to go around Singapore. Many maps are placed near underpass and MRT station which will give you a hint if you are going astray. Perhaps only little sweats would moisten your shirt from walking around because inside the MRT and all underway passages which connect station to the mall are equipped with air conditioner. There are also fast escalators for passenger transfers from station to other location. From what I saw, MRT doesn’t use energy from electrical cable above its roof cover. No need pillars and complex series cable above the air. I think this kind of way is more secured than using electrical cable through pillars just like KRL Indonesia’s do.

Ok, back to my story…

That time, we didn’t know where to stay. It’s not because we didn’t know the location, but it’s mostly because too many place options to stay in Singapore… yup, we were confused, blurred … etc. After thinking and arguing, we decided to go to lucky plaza apartment which recommended by our mate. Fortunately I brought the apartment owner name card and Rizal brought his PDA installed with Singapore map software. This software is really fascinating. You can search by nearest path to your destination location along with its recommended transportation.

Several times we went astray and then stop to see the PDA again. We walked back and forth, while holding baggage, to find Lucky Plaza. Exhausted, fatigue, starved… etc were all we got until we finally discover the Lucky Plaza building. Thanks god… we found the building and then what… and then accidentally we saw Indonesian brand Ayam Bakar Ojolali signboard from sidewalk …

Insya Allah to be continued