Singapore. I knew this country by the name only. A small county with universe popularity name. Singapore is the country as big as a Batam Island in Indonesia, has proved its existence. Singapore will always ready to welcome their tourists. A lucky moment, I went to Singapore. So, I got many authentic proofs. In that day, I and two my best friend look around Singapore a whole day. What’s happen with this country? Why this country is so famous in international tourist circle? With this article, I will try to give the answers. It was time to go home. As good Indonesian, we had to go home to our beloved Indonesia. After hassle in one year as student exchange in Thailand, we could go home with safety. There was sadness when we had to leave Thailand with unforgettable moment. However, life must go on. Come back to Indonesia to chase dream in place where I belong is a necessity. But, there was another necessity before reach Indonesia. Program with very important category was the closing travel program. We were ready to defeat Singapore in a day. In that time, I still travel accompanied by my best partner in Crime, Windy. There was one best friend, I called her yohana. She was the most beautiful survivor among us. Haha. Three of us arranged this traveling program since six month before leave Thailand. Singapore was our transit country before reach beloved Indonesia. So, we prepared seriously for one day traveling before our flight. We had to reach Singapore one day before our flight to go home. We were Transit traveler in that day. Four big luggage, four big backpack, three medium bag, we just ignored it for holly mission. Defeat Singapore in a day. We arrived in Singapore by bus from Thailand. We were stop in a place that called Golden Mountain that is bordered with Malaysia. Our first goal was reach Changi airport. We had to put our luggage (by imagine it will make me scare to go home) in luggage locker service. By look at the map, we knew our place to stand was a tip of Singapore and Changi airport is another tip of Singapore with symmetrical position. That means, we had to “cleave” Singapore in early morning. We arrived at 05.00 o’clock in Singapore time. First things that impress in my mind was Singaporean transportation system. When arrived in MRT station, we look at MRT route. It was spread in around Singapore. Oh my god, I thought in every Singapore area there is MRT station. When I was in Bangkok, there is only tho route of MRT. But here, there are more than six route of MRT with different color that shows different route. It is like a rainbow. Hahaha. Our mission to take luggage’s started with buy MRT card that is able to top up. This card was being our weapon to look around Singapore in a day. I love MRT. We spend 17 dollar for that with 5 dollar for a debt value. As far as eye at sight, I could not see a trash. This is the real metropolis country. There are many trash buckets in every corner. I was advised by Windy and Yohana that I could not throw any trash in everywhere, I could not bring any bubble gum and I could not also split in everywhere. It was not funny if I had to pay fine when I am in traveling fire. I could not eat if I had to pay it. Entrance to Singapore must fulfill tourist requirement. It is same or more than hospital visit time requirements. Singapore has success to determine its position in tourist mind. People who didn’t follow the requirement will not chose Singapore as tourism destination. So, Bad influence from foreigner habit can protect by our regulation. Singapore is best choice for shopping tourism. Oh my god, there are many places that made as shopping area. That’s why; Singapore was not suitable enough for us. Our money was fit for MRT, lunch and little souvenir budget. In order that, we decided to do photo tourism only. We had already a list of place for our background pic. With digital camera, MRT card and Singappore map, we started our tour as Transit Traveler. Surely, We already put our load in Luggage locker. Our first destination was Kampung (Vilagge) Bugis. There is Kampung Bugis in Singapore aslo not only in Indonesia. Hahaha. I don’t know exactly the history of this name. Meanwhile, this is so cool souvenir center. Old buildings was recreated become cool souvenir center that is many stalls. So many people shopping here, it is low price place also. I felt was lie by Yohana and Windy include myself. Before came to this place, all of us promised for use our money wisely. There was no budget for buy things. But, like you predict, After look at the price tag every one forgot the promise. It was because t-shirt only 4 dollar, many kinds of little souvenir only 2 dollar. So we agreed to cancel our promise. Hahaha. She bought her hand bag, she also bought her friend hand bag, she bought her souvenir then she bought also her friend souvenir. The emptiness of our wallet was our alert to go away from this place. Even we was not spent long time, I totally impressed with kampong Bugis atmosphere. I will make one like this in my hometown someday. We continued our tour to other places that is labeled “must visit” in Singapore. It is such as Merlion statue, Orchard Road, Sentosa Island and many others. Singapore prepared seriously its country that is really suitable for take a pic. Maybe when we look at our friend pose in Merlion we will see Merlion so extravagant and we feel fire and want to visit it also. But, actually that is nothing special when we come. It is only Statue that able to split out water. This is very perfect marketing trick. Merlion is an icon of Singapore. Its image was created since long time ago. So, everyone who visited Singapore felt must take a picwith merlion as background then post it in Social media. Anyway, Create an icon is important thing in tourism marketing strategy. Look at our pose; we were proof of that icon trick. Singapore has clearly positioning in every its tourism destination. So, every tourist can easily get the information. When tourist wants to holiday and get play, they will choose sentosa Island as an option. When tourist wants to shopping, they will come to china town or kampong bugis. When get set tourists want to shopping they will come to orchard road because there are many super malls along the road with branded product. Yohana look so happy when look at all glamor and luxury product that displayed in front of store. Hahaha. I believe Yohana will come again to here and buy many things that she wants to. We learned many things from traveling in Singapore. Undoubted, Singapore is looks like small city that under control in every single things. Singapore prepared everything clearly. Singapore will always ready to welcome its tourist target. Singapore will treat its tourist who “thirsty” of shopping and modernity. We are one of its targets.
There are tips from to look around Singapore as transit traveler. Especially, it is for you who doesn’t has much money like us. Firstly, you have to realize different value of currency. If you are Indonesian you have to more mind your money before you spend it. Like in our case, We have to spend 2 dollar only for a small bottle of mineral water. In Indonesia, if we spend that two dollars in Indonesia you can get 3 litters of mineral water. You can use it for take a bath. Hahaha. But, in Singapore we have to spend 10 dollars to get shower. With ten dollars, you can get 3 t-shirt in Bugis village. So, It is really recommended to take a bath in the style of “Cowboy”. You have to go to toilet clean your face, clean your teeth, clean your body by wet tissue, then use your roll on. No one will know if you don’t take a bath yet. You are not need be worry to get lost in Singapore. There are so many MRT in every places. It is so easy to go back to your first position. In Singapore, you have to mind your ears also. You will find English in the style of Indian, Chinese, and Malay. I hope your ears can be work normally. To get food, You can go to China town, Bugis Village or Little India. There are so many food sells in 3 or 4 dollars with a cup of tea. Haha. We found “Lontong” and “Nasi padang” in Little India. We were cheap food seeker in that time. Above all, go to Singapore you must bring your camera. Lucky us, Yohana has a digital camera so we can capture our handsome face in her camera also. Share the happiness. There is no one care if you didn’t come in to Sentosa Island. We just need to pose in Universal Logo. People is also don’t care we get shopping or not in Orchard Rood. We just need to pose in front of mall who display branded product. The most important is you get so many thumbs in your photos that you post in Facebook, is it right?. Hahaha. But, I really recommend you to try one dollars ice cream in Orchard rood. It is so good opportunity to take your “little heaven” in really hot of Singapore day. This ice cream is known as Uncle ice cream. It is so amazing because uncle icecream can sell ice cream by his wagon in front of modern malls. You can check how popular uncle ice cream is in internet. So many blogger tell about uncle ice cream. This article is presented for my best partner, brother and sister, and friend Yohana Tambunan and Windy Noriega, When will we travel again?
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I am Indonesian. My name is Diogi. So interest with business and entrepreneurship. I am creating Social Business to find the best method to teach entrepreneurship and help people to meet their potential for facing future. Like traveling and writing. Archives
July 2021
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