Arrival

I traveled from Hungary via Berlin and Abu Dhabi to Singapore. I left at 19.05 from Budapest and arrived at 22.15 in Singapore (the following day). Given the 7 hours time difference, this means 20 hours travel time.

I have read that the hand luggage has to be below 8kgs on Air Berlin!? They didn't bother in Hungary, but they did measure it in Berlin :) Air Berlin to Abu Dhabi was ok. The only airline so far (in my vast experience of intercontinental travel) that believes to minimize your jetlag is more important than keeping you constantly occupied and trying to sell you duty free items is United. Although the flight left at 10pm and took 5 hours, Air Berlin certainly was not like that - a pity. Even so, the seat was comfortable, and I could have slept except that I happened to sit next to a girl for whom her own seat was not big enough :(

Abu Dhabi airport was disorganized and slow. I follow the transfer desk sign, and follow it and follow it. And it disappears. I take a U turn after a while, and I still can't find it. I ask for directions, and I still can't find it :) When I finally do, I have to wait in line for about 45 minutes with only 5 people in front of me! With a 3 hour layover I didn't mind, I had the time and also, I only had to submit my luggage transfer slip, but there were people waiting with tighter connections without boarding passes! Then the free wifi didn't work on my laptop. And when I tried to log into my gmail account on the local computers, I was asked questions to verify my identity that I couldn't answer. And those questions had to have been my own. Way to go! :) At the gate there was only one call to board, and boarding went on for more than an hour. I have waited to the very end (don't ask me why) when the system broke :) so the last few people had to wait at least an extra half an hour. And the plane eventually took off an hour late.

What was surprising is that it wasn't hot. We arrived at 7am, at sunrise, and boarded at around 10am, and I had to wear my sweater!

Etihad Airlines (the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, capital city Abu Dhabi) was much different! Passengers are guests. Everybody is excessively and honestly polite and wants to help you and serve you. Everybody wears uniform. The food choices are disclosed on a menu card they distribute even on economy class (or coach) (although it later turned out that the choices were not all available). There is wifi (although not free) on the plane. In-flight entertainment has a wide selection of Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Indian, and Thai movies :) in addition to the usual diet. Other signs that I am not in Europe anymore: unknown orange juice brands, arabic writing on coke bottles, level of service, people in white pjs. The flight was 7 hours long and it was freezing on the plane, so my nice new Northface sweater came in handy!!! Btw the flight went to Brisbane via Singapore, so it was full of Australians. Australians are nice people! (And no, I am not grossly overgeneralizing based on a very limited sample!) I could sleep!

Singapore airport is supposed to be wonderful. It looked very spacious while being organized. I haven't seen much of it - it was late, I was tired, and had chores to do (damaged suitcase, local currency, sim card). Maybe some other time. I could also have taken a shuttle, but it was late, I was tired... so I took a taxi. When I finally got out to the taxi stand and spent about 30 seconds in the night air, it felt like a wall of hot and humid air. And I mean HOT, even though it was only 26 degrees C... When I got into the taxi, it was of course very COLD :) and when I commented on the hot weather, the driver offered to turn on the aircon :) It took us about 30 minutes to get from one end of the island (airport) to (almost) the other end where the universities and my accommodation are. I don't think it cost too much, considering! And when I asked the taxi driver about tips, he said NO, they are not tipped, so I shouldn't worry! Nice! I feel right at home, I mean the Netherlands, my second home :)

When the taxi turned into the street of my new address, I thought somebody made a mistake. It is a nice suburban looking area with palm trees and 3-storeyed, that is ground floor with 2 more floors :), detached and semi-detached houses with expensive cars.

I have expected to live in one of the government built high rises. But no, it is no mistake. When the taxi stopped at my new address (114), Mrs Tan, my landlord, and her husband have come out to greet me before I could even pay the driver.

I was introduced to Mrs Tan's mother and the two dogs, Kola (didn't seem to like me) and Hepi (seemed to like me). I was shown into my room on the second floor and also around the house: the bathroom on the 3rd floor and the kitchen. I was told to leave the shoes outside - everybody is barefoot in the house. My room faces the street, on the picture my windows are the large one on the left, partly covered by the tree, and the smaller one next to it.

I took a shower, skyped with my mom, talked to Eta, and went to sleep.