Date: 05 Dec 2008
Time: 1931 hrs
Place: Tanjong Pagar MRT
I'm just walking into the Tanjong Pagar MRT entrance when an old couple, nicely dressed, walked towards me and asked where M Hotel was. They were carrying what probably was a wedding dinner invitation card. I directed them down the road in roughly the right direction.
Friday, December 05, 2008
The Office
Date: 05 Dec 2008
Time: 0928 hrs
Place: Sunshine Plaza
(sorf) Just turned the corner in the Sunshine Plaza Mall and was heading towards the door to the bus stop when I saw this Indian dude in his 40s coming towards the door. He was in a full suit with laptop slung over one shoulder. I opened the door and he asked me where the Sunshine Plaza Office building entrance was. I directed him to the corner where the office lobby was.
Time: 0928 hrs
Place: Sunshine Plaza
(sorf) Just turned the corner in the Sunshine Plaza Mall and was heading towards the door to the bus stop when I saw this Indian dude in his 40s coming towards the door. He was in a full suit with laptop slung over one shoulder. I opened the door and he asked me where the Sunshine Plaza Office building entrance was. I directed him to the corner where the office lobby was.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Why did the rude man cross the road?
Date: 21 Nov 2008
Time: 1651 hrs
Place: Bus stop in front of Lucky Plaza
(sorf) I'm waiting at the bus stop in front of Lucky Plaza and some middle aged Chinese man asks me how to get to other side of the road. I told him to go to traffic lights at Paragon. He was with 2 other Chinese men. They must be Singaporean. Didn't even thank me.
Time: 1651 hrs
Place: Bus stop in front of Lucky Plaza
(sorf) I'm waiting at the bus stop in front of Lucky Plaza and some middle aged Chinese man asks me how to get to other side of the road. I told him to go to traffic lights at Paragon. He was with 2 other Chinese men. They must be Singaporean. Didn't even thank me.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Long distance shopping
Date: 19 Nov 2008
Time: 1630 hrs
Place: In front of Fortune Centre
(sorf) It was raining and a Japanese lady asked how to walk to Plaza Singapura. It would have been too difficult to explain the directions so taking a taxi or the bus was suggested, and she was directed to the nearest taxi stand, which is at Bayview Hotel.
Time: 1630 hrs
Place: In front of Fortune Centre
(sorf) It was raining and a Japanese lady asked how to walk to Plaza Singapura. It would have been too difficult to explain the directions so taking a taxi or the bus was suggested, and she was directed to the nearest taxi stand, which is at Bayview Hotel.
Monday, November 17, 2008
The Raffles family quest
Date: 17 Nov 2008
Time: 1050 hrs
Place: North Bridge Road near Bugis
(sorf) I just got stopped again! Youngish 20-something European (Italian?) girl with corkscrew curls, t-shirt, skirt and slippers and elderly parents approached me on the North Bridge Road side of Bugis Junction to ask where Raffles Hotel is. Told her on left side of road 2 traffic stops down.
Time: 1050 hrs
Place: North Bridge Road near Bugis
(sorf) I just got stopped again! Youngish 20-something European (Italian?) girl with corkscrew curls, t-shirt, skirt and slippers and elderly parents approached me on the North Bridge Road side of Bugis Junction to ask where Raffles Hotel is. Told her on left side of road 2 traffic stops down.
The quest for Bugis
Date: 17 Nov 2008
Time: 1016 hrs
Place: Traffic junction outside Bugis Junction
(sorf) I am waiting at the traffic junction and a stylish 30-something woman with dry brown blonde hair, wearing a black shirt and capris, and holding the hand of a little boy, asked me in Chinese, "xiao jie ching wen ni bugis zai na li?" I pointed diagonally across
Time: 1016 hrs
Place: Traffic junction outside Bugis Junction
(sorf) I am waiting at the traffic junction and a stylish 30-something woman with dry brown blonde hair, wearing a black shirt and capris, and holding the hand of a little boy, asked me in Chinese, "xiao jie ching wen ni bugis zai na li?" I pointed diagonally across
Thursday, November 06, 2008
We don't live here
Date: 06 Nov 2008
Time: 1946 hrs
Place: Zhongshan MRT station, Taipei
(both) We were walking through the station, just ambling along with the crowd, when we were singled out by a woman in black t-shirt, hair in ponytail, asking in a slight mainland accent where the "Zhanqian" was. We said we don't live here. She went on to ask other strangers.
Time: 1946 hrs
Place: Zhongshan MRT station, Taipei
(both) We were walking through the station, just ambling along with the crowd, when we were singled out by a woman in black t-shirt, hair in ponytail, asking in a slight mainland accent where the "Zhanqian" was. We said we don't live here. She went on to ask other strangers.
Misdirected Passengers
Date: 06 Nov 2008
Time: 0700 hrs
Place: Changi Airport
(both) First, we were hanging out at the duty free cosmetics shop looking at SK-II. Beng had just walked a little out of the shop when this skinny long haired Chinese girl asked where the "yan3" was. I didn't understand what she meant. She then had to gesture with her hand smoking. We directed her back towards where the alcohol shops were. (Later, she was spotted reaching for a carton of Marlboro Menthol lights)
Then, as we were just outside the gate, Sorf was waiting and a young Chinese lady came up to her and said, "Nihao, ni shi tai wan ren ma?" And she said "no, bu shi." Later she was spotted cornering two other guys. Then, as she was at the water cooler, digging for her vitamins, a middle aged lady came up to her in a striped shirt and asked "Nu ren de zai na li?" and she pointed her in the direction of the ladies. Finally, as Beng came out to the water cooler, he had to gesture to the button to teach a Chinese girl how to get the water running.
Time: 0700 hrs
Place: Changi Airport
(both) First, we were hanging out at the duty free cosmetics shop looking at SK-II. Beng had just walked a little out of the shop when this skinny long haired Chinese girl asked where the "yan3" was. I didn't understand what she meant. She then had to gesture with her hand smoking. We directed her back towards where the alcohol shops were. (Later, she was spotted reaching for a carton of Marlboro Menthol lights)
Then, as we were just outside the gate, Sorf was waiting and a young Chinese lady came up to her and said, "Nihao, ni shi tai wan ren ma?" And she said "no, bu shi." Later she was spotted cornering two other guys. Then, as she was at the water cooler, digging for her vitamins, a middle aged lady came up to her in a striped shirt and asked "Nu ren de zai na li?" and she pointed her in the direction of the ladies. Finally, as Beng came out to the water cooler, he had to gesture to the button to teach a Chinese girl how to get the water running.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Melanin halloween
Date: 31 Oct 2008
Time: 2230 hrs
Place: The Bencoolen / Outside Sim Lim Square
I had finished my job up to Little India and was walking back, plugged in to a podcast on my ipod shuffle, when an old man with a large face and grey hair came up to me and asked if I were local. I said yes, and he asked me where the South East Asia hotel was. It sounded really familiar and it took me a while to remember exactly where it was as it is quite a hole in the wall hotel. But I pointed in the general direction across the road towards OG and he said that that's where they came from and that the taxi driver had dropped him and his friends off there. So we waited for the light to change so we could cross the road, me and four old men with trolley suitcases with a Johore-type accent. Of course, they ignored the light once the traffic thinned out a bit, so we ended up dashing across the rather wide road. As I was walking them over to the hotel the man asked me why I was exercising so late (it's cooler) and he told me that actually sunlight was good for Asians as it broke down bad cholesterol and that skin cancer only affected fair skinned people. He then told me that he was here to do some selling for his Cellfood MLM business and he passed me his name card with some Brunei address. We reached the hotel with its large cheesy neon sign and I wished him good luck.
Time: 2230 hrs
Place: The Bencoolen / Outside Sim Lim Square
I had finished my job up to Little India and was walking back, plugged in to a podcast on my ipod shuffle, when an old man with a large face and grey hair came up to me and asked if I were local. I said yes, and he asked me where the South East Asia hotel was. It sounded really familiar and it took me a while to remember exactly where it was as it is quite a hole in the wall hotel. But I pointed in the general direction across the road towards OG and he said that that's where they came from and that the taxi driver had dropped him and his friends off there. So we waited for the light to change so we could cross the road, me and four old men with trolley suitcases with a Johore-type accent. Of course, they ignored the light once the traffic thinned out a bit, so we ended up dashing across the rather wide road. As I was walking them over to the hotel the man asked me why I was exercising so late (it's cooler) and he told me that actually sunlight was good for Asians as it broke down bad cholesterol and that skin cancer only affected fair skinned people. He then told me that he was here to do some selling for his Cellfood MLM business and he passed me his name card with some Brunei address. We reached the hotel with its large cheesy neon sign and I wished him good luck.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Lady in Black
Date: 25 Sep 2008
Time: 1930 hrs
Place: Outside SRT, Mohd Sultan
Still standing outside the SRT when a small Mercedes SUV pulls up and an old lady in an elegant black dress alights and asked me where the Gallery Hotel was so I walked with her down to the corner to try to point out the hotel to her but we couldn't see it from there so I told her which direction to go generally (the Mohd Sultan Road stretch) and she got back into her car and drove off with the driver.
Time: 1930 hrs
Place: Outside SRT, Mohd Sultan
Still standing outside the SRT when a small Mercedes SUV pulls up and an old lady in an elegant black dress alights and asked me where the Gallery Hotel was so I walked with her down to the corner to try to point out the hotel to her but we couldn't see it from there so I told her which direction to go generally (the Mohd Sultan Road stretch) and she got back into her car and drove off with the driver.
'opelessly lost
Date: 25 Sep 2008
Time: 1926 hrs
Place: Outside SRT, Mohd Sultan
I'm waiting outside SRT and just basically looking across the road when an Indian guy in a red short sleeved shirt and jeans, quite tall, and asks me "Excuse me where is Arrys? Arry?" and I realise after a while that he was talking about "Harry's" and I didn't know where exactly it was so I pointed him down towards the canal where most of the restaurants were and send him on his way.
Time: 1926 hrs
Place: Outside SRT, Mohd Sultan
I'm waiting outside SRT and just basically looking across the road when an Indian guy in a red short sleeved shirt and jeans, quite tall, and asks me "Excuse me where is Arrys? Arry?" and I realise after a while that he was talking about "Harry's" and I didn't know where exactly it was so I pointed him down towards the canal where most of the restaurants were and send him on his way.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
A family that walks together...
Date: 21 Sep 2008
Time: 1520 hrs
Place: Across the road from Paradiz Shopping Centre, Selegie Road
I'm trying to cross the road at the Mr Bean when to my left this Indian lady comes up to me and asks me "Which way to Little India?" and it turns out she was with her husband and her son (I can just imagine both the men refusing to ask for directions) and they were all in jeans and t-shirt (she was with her cap backwards). So I told her to walk all the way down Selegie Road, and that they should reach the start of Little India. She asked where there were restaurants with Indian food and I asked her if she preferred North Indian or South Indian food and I told her for South Indian she could go to the Apollo Banana Leaf restaurant.
Time: 1520 hrs
Place: Across the road from Paradiz Shopping Centre, Selegie Road
I'm trying to cross the road at the Mr Bean when to my left this Indian lady comes up to me and asks me "Which way to Little India?" and it turns out she was with her husband and her son (I can just imagine both the men refusing to ask for directions) and they were all in jeans and t-shirt (she was with her cap backwards). So I told her to walk all the way down Selegie Road, and that they should reach the start of Little India. She asked where there were restaurants with Indian food and I asked her if she preferred North Indian or South Indian food and I told her for South Indian she could go to the Apollo Banana Leaf restaurant.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
It's a MUJI!
Date: 18 Sep 2008
Time: 2105 hrs
Place: Plaza Singapura Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe
(both) We're sitting having dinner after having watched a screening of "My Magic", when we start to notice these two girls at the nearby table gesticulating at us and talking quite excitedly, when we realise that they were discussing the portable bag hook that helps you hang your handbag over the table's edge that we were using. Finally one of them comes over to ask, in Mandarin, where we got it from and we told her we got it from Muji.
Time: 2105 hrs
Place: Plaza Singapura Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe
(both) We're sitting having dinner after having watched a screening of "My Magic", when we start to notice these two girls at the nearby table gesticulating at us and talking quite excitedly, when we realise that they were discussing the portable bag hook that helps you hang your handbag over the table's edge that we were using. Finally one of them comes over to ask, in Mandarin, where we got it from and we told her we got it from Muji.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
It's their money what
Date: 31 Aug 2008
Time: 1211 hrs
Place: Rochor NTUC
(both) This typical old uncle wearing white singlet and pants, white haired and bespectacled, was queueing up behind us at the NTUC. In front of us were these two Indian men. Out of the blue he mumbled something to us, something about it being very dangerous for those two Indian men to be carrying a thousand dollar note in cash. And then I said, in Hokkien, "it's their money what."
Time: 1211 hrs
Place: Rochor NTUC
(both) This typical old uncle wearing white singlet and pants, white haired and bespectacled, was queueing up behind us at the NTUC. In front of us were these two Indian men. Out of the blue he mumbled something to us, something about it being very dangerous for those two Indian men to be carrying a thousand dollar note in cash. And then I said, in Hokkien, "it's their money what."
Sunday, August 24, 2008
For a rainy day
Date: 24 Aug 2008
Time: 1405 hrs
Place: Middle Road
It's a rainy day and I'm just outside Prime Centre near the recycling bins when this 40ish guy in t-shirt and jeans walks up to me and says "Hello sir hello sir" and I didn't know what he meant, then he pointed at my paper bag which I was about to throw into the recycling and I gave it to him and he said thanks and walked off into the rain.
Time: 1405 hrs
Place: Middle Road
It's a rainy day and I'm just outside Prime Centre near the recycling bins when this 40ish guy in t-shirt and jeans walks up to me and says "Hello sir hello sir" and I didn't know what he meant, then he pointed at my paper bag which I was about to throw into the recycling and I gave it to him and he said thanks and walked off into the rain.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
the dude of kent
Date: 02 Aug 2008
Time: 1323 hrs
Place: NUS
I was walking outside the Kent Ridge Guild Hall when a man in a blue car drove up to me to ask where the "Kent Ridge Hall" was. I told him I wasn't sure and he drove off.
Time: 1323 hrs
Place: NUS
I was walking outside the Kent Ridge Guild Hall when a man in a blue car drove up to me to ask where the "Kent Ridge Hall" was. I told him I wasn't sure and he drove off.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Battery Auntie
Date: 12 Jul 2008
Time: 1105 hrs
Place: Just outside Carrefour Plaza Singapura
(both) We're outside Carrefour walking quite rapidly towards the taxi-stand and this hip auntie with loose spaghetti curls and make-up dashes up to us to intercept us and ask "Excuse me did you spend $25?" and apparently there is some offer for batteries if you spend above a certain amount. "Do you want to keep your receipt?" and we said yes.
Time: 1105 hrs
Place: Just outside Carrefour Plaza Singapura
(both) We're outside Carrefour walking quite rapidly towards the taxi-stand and this hip auntie with loose spaghetti curls and make-up dashes up to us to intercept us and ask "Excuse me did you spend $25?" and apparently there is some offer for batteries if you spend above a certain amount. "Do you want to keep your receipt?" and we said yes.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Every mornin' shuttlin'
Date: 23 Jun 2008
Time: 1836 hrs
Place: Harbourfront
The Indian man who took the shuttle bus with me then asked me, "Can I take the same shuttle in the morning?" I told him, "Yes".
Time: 1836 hrs
Place: Harbourfront
The Indian man who took the shuttle bus with me then asked me, "Can I take the same shuttle in the morning?" I told him, "Yes".
every day I'm shuttlin'
Date: 23 Jun 2008
Time: 1815 hrs
Place: Science Park II
I was plugged into my iPod minding my own business when an Indian guy with curly hair wearing a white shirt came up to me and asked "Where does the shuttle go? Can I take the bus?" I told him it went to Harbourfront.
Time: 1815 hrs
Place: Science Park II
I was plugged into my iPod minding my own business when an Indian guy with curly hair wearing a white shirt came up to me and asked "Where does the shuttle go? Can I take the bus?" I told him it went to Harbourfront.
Monday, June 02, 2008
The quay to the puzzle
Date: 02 Jun 2008
Time: 1504 hrs
Place: Near AIA building, Shenton Way
I was walking quite briskly with some friends towards Lau Pa Sat when along comes this rag-tag family, middle-aged mom and dad and teenage boy, quite dressed down and looking out of place downtown. The father was clutching a small piece of paper with the address "One Raffles Quay" and he asked me where it was. (I suspect that the wife probably got tired of walking around randomly and nudged him to ask for directions.) I told him that he should go down the nearest MRT entrance and walk around there as there were pretty obvious signs showing the way, and for good measure I waved in the general direction and set them on their way.
Time: 1504 hrs
Place: Near AIA building, Shenton Way
I was walking quite briskly with some friends towards Lau Pa Sat when along comes this rag-tag family, middle-aged mom and dad and teenage boy, quite dressed down and looking out of place downtown. The father was clutching a small piece of paper with the address "One Raffles Quay" and he asked me where it was. (I suspect that the wife probably got tired of walking around randomly and nudged him to ask for directions.) I told him that he should go down the nearest MRT entrance and walk around there as there were pretty obvious signs showing the way, and for good measure I waved in the general direction and set them on their way.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
No. I've seen you before.
Date: 28 May 2008
Time: 0936 hrs
Place: Bayview Hotel
I had just crossed the street when this white-haired lady, in singlet and shorts, approaches me from behind and shouts at me, saying "Hello! Can give me one dollar!" I said no, I've seen you before, and she just walked away.
Time: 0936 hrs
Place: Bayview Hotel
I had just crossed the street when this white-haired lady, in singlet and shorts, approaches me from behind and shouts at me, saying "Hello! Can give me one dollar!" I said no, I've seen you before, and she just walked away.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Shuttle bus vamoose
Date: 18 May 2008
Time: 1900 hrs
Place: Grand Copthorne
I was asked by an Indian lady in a blue sari. I was walking quite far from her, about 5 meters away, and she called me over, and she had a piece of paper with the hotel shuttle time table which she couldn't quite read (perhaps she was long-sighted?) I told her the next shuttle would be twenty minutes later at 1915.
Time: 1900 hrs
Place: Grand Copthorne
I was asked by an Indian lady in a blue sari. I was walking quite far from her, about 5 meters away, and she called me over, and she had a piece of paper with the hotel shuttle time table which she couldn't quite read (perhaps she was long-sighted?) I told her the next shuttle would be twenty minutes later at 1915.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
I'm still not Rachel!
Date: 15 May 2008
Time: 1528 hrs
Place: The Factory
(sorf) And another skinny Chinese dude in glasses asking for directions to Kam Hoe's desk in Chinese. Argh
Time: 1528 hrs
Place: The Factory
(sorf) And another skinny Chinese dude in glasses asking for directions to Kam Hoe's desk in Chinese. Argh
I'm not Rachel!
Date: 15 May 2008
Time: 1111 hrs
Place: The Factory
(sorf) And again some bearded guy leaned on the counter to interrupt me typing madly and said "I'm looking for Rachel." I'm so tempted to say "I'm not Rachel and what the heck do I care?!"
Time: 1111 hrs
Place: The Factory
(sorf) And again some bearded guy leaned on the counter to interrupt me typing madly and said "I'm looking for Rachel." I'm so tempted to say "I'm not Rachel and what the heck do I care?!"
Monday, May 12, 2008
Human signboard
Date: 12 May 2008
Time: 1210 hrs
Place: The Factory
(sorf) Ok i'm typing, looking madly busy, and some middle aged woman comes up to me and asks, "hi can you help me I'm looking for Sumiko". !
Time: 1210 hrs
Place: The Factory
(sorf) Ok i'm typing, looking madly busy, and some middle aged woman comes up to me and asks, "hi can you help me I'm looking for Sumiko". !
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Delivery in progress...
Date: 6 May 2008
Time: 1712 hrs
Place: The Factory
(sorf) Some middle aged delivery man with gap tooth just swanned up and went "'scuse where's Asiah?" I said over there waving a hand and he never even say thank you!
Time: 1712 hrs
Place: The Factory
(sorf) Some middle aged delivery man with gap tooth just swanned up and went "'scuse where's Asiah?" I said over there waving a hand and he never even say thank you!
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Walking into a trap
Date: 04 May 2008
Time: 1243 hrs
Place: Bugis Junction junction
(both) We're standing at the traffic light, debating the architectural merits of the old Nafa building / church, waiting for the light to change, when from behind (it's always from behind!) this Caucasian woman, from a pack of 7 or 8 fat middle-aged tourists, all looking very sunburnt, asking "Excuse me where's Bugis Street?" So we pointed her in the direction and we then asked them why they wanted to go there. She said she wanted to get lunch. We then counter-suggested eating at the Bugis Junction basement where it's cooler and there are more choices for food. We might have helped them avert a tourist trap. Unfortunately, as we left, we saw them walking in the direction towards the Bugis Street traffic light.
Time: 1243 hrs
Place: Bugis Junction junction
(both) We're standing at the traffic light, debating the architectural merits of the old Nafa building / church, waiting for the light to change, when from behind (it's always from behind!) this Caucasian woman, from a pack of 7 or 8 fat middle-aged tourists, all looking very sunburnt, asking "Excuse me where's Bugis Street?" So we pointed her in the direction and we then asked them why they wanted to go there. She said she wanted to get lunch. We then counter-suggested eating at the Bugis Junction basement where it's cooler and there are more choices for food. We might have helped them avert a tourist trap. Unfortunately, as we left, we saw them walking in the direction towards the Bugis Street traffic light.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Time to get a watch!
Date: 03 May 2008
Time: 1450 hrs
Place: Cathay
I was walking outside Cathay from Carrefour carrying rice and a bottle of Ribena, obviously plugged in to my iPod. She was walking on my right, probably a tourist. wearing a black t-shirt and jeans, grey sweater around her waist, and camouflage slippers, carrying some books in an "IXIZ" shopping bag and a big black handbag, probably Indonesian, thirty something. She asked me what time it was. I told her it's 2.50 and she said thank you and we went on to walk in the same direction for a while.
Time: 1450 hrs
Place: Cathay
I was walking outside Cathay from Carrefour carrying rice and a bottle of Ribena, obviously plugged in to my iPod. She was walking on my right, probably a tourist. wearing a black t-shirt and jeans, grey sweater around her waist, and camouflage slippers, carrying some books in an "IXIZ" shopping bag and a big black handbag, probably Indonesian, thirty something. She asked me what time it was. I told her it's 2.50 and she said thank you and we went on to walk in the same direction for a while.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Resultant confusion
Date: 01 May 2008
Time: 1420 hrs
Place: The Factory
I was on my way out of the building at the lobby when this forty-something year old auntie asked me where the Straits Times was and started going on about how she had a meeting about the PSLE results. I told her to head for the lift but also confessed that I did not work there and so she walked off to bother some other person.
Time: 1420 hrs
Place: The Factory
I was on my way out of the building at the lobby when this forty-something year old auntie asked me where the Straits Times was and started going on about how she had a meeting about the PSLE results. I told her to head for the lift but also confessed that I did not work there and so she walked off to bother some other person.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Lifted
Date: 22 Apr 2008
Time: 2037 hrs
Place: Across the road from St. Regis
I'm standing at the bus stop when an Indian man in blue overalls approaches me from behind and asks where the Hilton is. I told him to go down the road and turn left. I then noticed that his overalls had the word "Otis" on them. I suppose he was repairing the elevators at the Hilton and got lost? He walked off to his white scooter that was parked just a few meters behind me at the side of the road and rode off.
Time: 2037 hrs
Place: Across the road from St. Regis
I'm standing at the bus stop when an Indian man in blue overalls approaches me from behind and asks where the Hilton is. I told him to go down the road and turn left. I then noticed that his overalls had the word "Otis" on them. I suppose he was repairing the elevators at the Hilton and got lost? He walked off to his white scooter that was parked just a few meters behind me at the side of the road and rode off.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Lost in sakura mania
Date: 30 Mar 08
Time: 1128 hrs (Tokyo time)
Place: Ueno Park, Tokyo
(both) We are standing in front of a map in Ueno Park and it's the first Sunday since the cherry blossoms have opened and so the park is packed with locals and tourists. We're trying to figure out how to get to a restaurant specialising in eel for lunch. From behind us, an Indian man asks us, "How do you get to the water?" and pointed to the map where the small lake was. So we told him to follow the main path where the cherry blossoms were and at the end of the road would be the lake.
Time: 1128 hrs (Tokyo time)
Place: Ueno Park, Tokyo
(both) We are standing in front of a map in Ueno Park and it's the first Sunday since the cherry blossoms have opened and so the park is packed with locals and tourists. We're trying to figure out how to get to a restaurant specialising in eel for lunch. From behind us, an Indian man asks us, "How do you get to the water?" and pointed to the map where the small lake was. So we told him to follow the main path where the cherry blossoms were and at the end of the road would be the lake.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Singapore Slinging
Date: 03 Mar 2008
Time: 1508 hrs
Place: Raffles Place MRT
(sorf) Stuck in the rain at Raffles Place and a chubby, short, blonde American woman tourist asked me where Raffles Hotel was. I told her she should have gone to the City Hall stop instead.
Time: 1508 hrs
Place: Raffles Place MRT
(sorf) Stuck in the rain at Raffles Place and a chubby, short, blonde American woman tourist asked me where Raffles Hotel was. I told her she should have gone to the City Hall stop instead.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
Cookie cutter answer
Date: 01 Mar 2008
Time: 1502 hrs
Place: Isetan Scotts
(both) We'd just purchased Le Creuset pots and were wandering about looking at kitchen gadgets when we saw a little flower shaped vegetable cutter when an Indian lady behind us in a pink sari asks "oh you use this to cut cookies right?" and we said, no, you use this to cut vegetables and make canapes.
Time: 1502 hrs
Place: Isetan Scotts
(both) We'd just purchased Le Creuset pots and were wandering about looking at kitchen gadgets when we saw a little flower shaped vegetable cutter when an Indian lady behind us in a pink sari asks "oh you use this to cut cookies right?" and we said, no, you use this to cut vegetables and make canapes.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Prepositioned
Date: 20 Feb 2008
Time: 2135 hrs
Place: National Library (corner of Victoria Street and Middle Road)
(both) It took him a while to get the sentence right because he was rearranging the prepositions. "Excusemesir, excusemesir, which is the way we are getting to... which is the way to get to... to walk... how do we get to Mustafa?" So we told him walk down three junctions, turn right at Selegie and walk up Serangoon Road, at which point he recognised "oh! Serangoon Road" and went on his way.
He was an Indian dude, quite young, quite chubby, approaching us from behind. He was with a friend in a white t-shirt and jeans.
Time: 2135 hrs
Place: National Library (corner of Victoria Street and Middle Road)
(both) It took him a while to get the sentence right because he was rearranging the prepositions. "Excusemesir, excusemesir, which is the way we are getting to... which is the way to get to... to walk... how do we get to Mustafa?" So we told him walk down three junctions, turn right at Selegie and walk up Serangoon Road, at which point he recognised "oh! Serangoon Road" and went on his way.
He was an Indian dude, quite young, quite chubby, approaching us from behind. He was with a friend in a white t-shirt and jeans.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Just a hunch...
Date: 30 Jan 2008
Time: 1533 hrs
Place: The Factory
(sorf) A slender woman with a ponytail accosted me in front of my cubicle to ask where Hun Ching was sitting. I turned around and pointed behind me and said "She's right here!"
Time: 1533 hrs
Place: The Factory
(sorf) A slender woman with a ponytail accosted me in front of my cubicle to ask where Hun Ching was sitting. I turned around and pointed behind me and said "She's right here!"
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
The elusive Dhoby
Date: 29 Jan 2008
Time: 2251 hrs
Place: Outside National Museum Singapore
(sorf) A 20-something year old guy in a black t-shirt and pants interrupted me as I was sms-ing and crossing the road in front of the museum. He asked me in Chinese, "Excuse me, where's Dhoby Ghaut station?"
Time: 2251 hrs
Place: Outside National Museum Singapore
(sorf) A 20-something year old guy in a black t-shirt and pants interrupted me as I was sms-ing and crossing the road in front of the museum. He asked me in Chinese, "Excuse me, where's Dhoby Ghaut station?"
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Top up
Date: 20 Jan 2008
Time: 1724 hrs
Place: Shop'n'Save (Boon Keng)
(sorf) A little old lady in a red shirt came up to me in Shop'n'Save to ask me how much groceries I'm buying because she wants to top up to $15 and get the sticker.
Time: 1724 hrs
Place: Shop'n'Save (Boon Keng)
(sorf) A little old lady in a red shirt came up to me in Shop'n'Save to ask me how much groceries I'm buying because she wants to top up to $15 and get the sticker.
Post haste
Date: 20 Jan 2008
Time: 1415 hrs
Place: Junction of Victoria Street and Bras Basah Road
(sorf) Middle aged chinese guy in blue bermudas and checked blue shirt stopped me at the junction to ask where the Bras Basah Post Office is.
Time: 1415 hrs
Place: Junction of Victoria Street and Bras Basah Road
(sorf) Middle aged chinese guy in blue bermudas and checked blue shirt stopped me at the junction to ask where the Bras Basah Post Office is.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Stereoscopic spectacular
Date: 19 Jan 2008
Time: 1313 hrs
Place: Funan Center
(both) We are sitting at the Funan Center taxi stand opposite the fire station, waiting to pass a newly-bought laser printer to our friend who was going to drive over. A nice slender lady wearing a tudung, colourful blouse and jeans, who had been sitting there with us for a while, asked us whether Sim Lim Square was bigger than Funan. I think she's from Dubai - she's got an interesting accent. We told her yes, there are more shops there, but that to be careful because they tend to try to rip tourists off there. Then she shared that she had been asking at the Funan shops one by one, looking for stereoscopic 3d glasses, that her friend said he bought 6 months ago while he was working a stint here. She asked us what time the shops at Sim Lim close and we told her they close about 7 or 8.
Time: 1313 hrs
Place: Funan Center
(both) We are sitting at the Funan Center taxi stand opposite the fire station, waiting to pass a newly-bought laser printer to our friend who was going to drive over. A nice slender lady wearing a tudung, colourful blouse and jeans, who had been sitting there with us for a while, asked us whether Sim Lim Square was bigger than Funan. I think she's from Dubai - she's got an interesting accent. We told her yes, there are more shops there, but that to be careful because they tend to try to rip tourists off there. Then she shared that she had been asking at the Funan shops one by one, looking for stereoscopic 3d glasses, that her friend said he bought 6 months ago while he was working a stint here. She asked us what time the shops at Sim Lim close and we told her they close about 7 or 8.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
North and South
Date: 10 Jan 2008
Time: 1833 hrs
Place: Braddell MRT Station
(sorf) Some middle aged guy with a bowl hair cut wearing a lime green t-shirt and grey shorts accosted me at the MRT door at Braddell saying "Excuse me this go to Toa Payoh?"
Time: 1833 hrs
Place: Braddell MRT Station
(sorf) Some middle aged guy with a bowl hair cut wearing a lime green t-shirt and grey shorts accosted me at the MRT door at Braddell saying "Excuse me this go to Toa Payoh?"
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