| A whirlwind trip to Singapore on a business trip opened my eyes to what is undoubtedly one of the most user friendly cities in the world. Right from the moment you step off the flight and into the famous Changi airport, its evident how the country works. Service, courtesy, discipline and cleanliness seem foremost in each resident�s mind. | ||
| If I had to rate taxi drivers of the world on a scale of 1 to 10, I�d put the German taxi drivers at 5, Hong Kong cabbies at 0, Manhattan cabbies at �5 and the Singapore cab drivers at 10. Each taxi ride was accompanied by excellent manners, politeness that was more than the basic minimum expected and absolutely zero level of cheating or expecting tips contrary to what you see in most other cities. | ||
| For those inclined towards sightseeing, the Night Safari, Jurong Birdpark, Cable car, Sentosa and the Raffles Hotel are all must visits. There is even a crocodile park and a very nice zoo. Don�t forget Clark Quay and Boat Quay for the evenings out in town and of course Orchard Street is a must for shopping. | ||
| So that�s where I went. When I finally got a break of a couple of hours from my hectic schedule, I took a cab straight into the heart of Orchard Street and decided to just walk around and take in the place, while I picked up some stuff for all the important people back home. | ||
| So it turns out that its Valentine�s Day, and I am the only person on Orchard Street walking around in a formal suit. Everywhere I looked, there were couples, young and old, arm in arm engrossed in a romantic afternoon stroll. There were florists stocked with red roses, several live bands and Sales going on in almost all the department stores. Gift your loved one something special, this Valentine�s Day, was the mantra. | ||
| The only other place I got to see during my three day trip was the airport, so that certainly deserves a mention. The runway is actually very close to a golf course and when you land you can see the pristine surroundings, some water holes, beautifully landscaped lawns and yes, a number of golfers driving around in their golf carts or practicing their putts. It�s really a glorious landing. | ||
| The airport itself is huge. You could spend hours there browsing through the designer labels, or just having a coffee at the Atlantis Caf�. The number of flights coming in and going out is so huge that I actually spotted some children playing a game on whether they could recognize the airline from aircraft tail and predict which one would come in next. | ||
| All in all, Singapore is a fine city. Pun intended. They are extremely strict about carrying food on the MTR, disposing junk etc. and fine you instantly. And well they should be, for that is truly the sign of a developed economy. | ||
| And it has evolved itself in such a way that it is preferred not only for shooting Bollywood movie songs but also preferred as a place to work, raise children and in general lead a good quality life. |
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