Back to Bartering

Prior to moving to Singapore I think that I bartered for things exactly twice. Or at least twice that I can remember. When buying Ruth's engagement ring I was encouraged to put forward an offer - it saved me 10% which was worth it.

Perhaps the reason why I only bartered once in the UK was becuase of my previous experience, on a rugby tour to South Africa 10 years earlier. On that tour I offered a street vendor 5 rand for 3 wooden elephants. The seller's target price had been 6, and he immediately accepted my 5. Success! Or not - the guy obviously didn't earn much, and when I got back on the tour bus, I realised that I had bartered down his price by about 10 pence - enough for, well 10 penny sweets, but not much else. For him the 1 rand would have been half a meal... so suddenly I felt a bit guilty about it.

Here, however, bartering is pretty normal. I mean there are many places (probably an increasing number) where the price is just the price. However there are plenty others where the price is sort of a guide for opening negotiation. Consequently I bartered a storage yard down for the boxes we sent.


I have also bartered successfully for a squash racquet and shoes - I even got a toblerone thrown in with the squash (well - if I'm going to run around I need to energy). And I have also had some successful bartering on my half by the Dodgess' Mother - for a tailored suit - I didn't understand a word. Nonetheless she was saying things, and he was waving his arms clearly saying that the amount of material in my suit was perhaps rather more than most of their suits. (because I'm 6'2" btw - my BMI is about 22 - so it's not cause I'm a complete porker).


I quite enjoy bartering - but I'm not very good at it. I need to learn how to do it well. Perhaps I should just offer what I think is a silly price, walk away, and then come back after 10 mins and re-state my price. Being conspicuous will presumably help with this... I mean, how many westerners will come along and make ridiculous offers, and then come back 10 mins later to try again??

New flat

As some of you reading will know I've recently moved into a place of my own having intially stayed with the Dodgess' mother.

So - it's a two room condo. Effectively this is a posh version of a flat. It comes with two ensuite bedrooms, and an joined up dining room and lounge. The kitchen is adjoined by the maid's room, aboviously - as all good kitchens are. I think I left my maid in Cambridge about 8.5 years ago - she used to talk alot about maths or something...


Having just got the flat our boxes made it off the ship and into the flat. Most things in the ship made it safe and sound, though quite spectacularly our glass chopping board didn't, together with a couple of photo frames. I've still got about 4 boxes to unpack, but it's getting there. Slowly.


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I arrived in Singapore 9 weeks ago today, so that is 63 days. As I'm writing after dinner I guess that I have had 189 meals here. Of which I have cooked precisely 4.


This is partly unfair. I have prepared about 63 breakfasts for myself; toast is particularly challenging to get right. Even harder in our flat as I have yet to get a toaster. 


The primary reason of course is having the Dodgess' Mother prepare so many for me. But also, I am doing a lot of cello playing in orchestras, recording backing tracks for friends, that sort of thing, for which I lose the ability to eat at home. Such extravagance in the UK just couldn't happen. For a start I'd end up weighing, well, about what I did when rugby was an appealing sport to play. For a second my wallet just wouldn't cope with it! To put this into perspective, I can get a tasty dinner for under £1. Always under £2. If I want, I can get it cooked pretty much to order too - it's not just some cafe slop chucked on a plate. It certainly makes a nice change from the UK, where the £1 wouldn't even get me an out of date croissant!


Still, from time to time I do like to indulge in a bit of decadent cheffery, now that it is purely optional.

A golf course on Orchard Road

Those of you who read The Dodgess will know that over the Lunar New Year Holiday we went to visit the Istana, Singapore's White House. Needless to say it is somewhat lavish, as you would expect for the highest paid president in the world.

Even so, the grounds do put the efforts of other governments to shame, for, the grounds are no less than a golf course!!!

Now lets put this into perspective. The Istana is right at the heart of Singapore, set just off the equivalent of Oxford Street, or perhaps 5th Ave. And they have a GOLF COURSE taking up who knows how much space.

Lucky them. Here are a few photos:

 

 

We also got to have a look around inside a couple of the guest rooms. I have to say the greatest attraction of this was the super cold air con units... despite the murky skies, the temp was still somewhat over the 30C mark.

Inside were displays of the various gifts the government had received. Britain had sent but 1 recently, a pair of silver goblets engrave with Elizabeth II Regina and the Singapore Crest. Reasonably nice. Some countries had sent things that were distinctly unimpressive. New Zealand sent a plate. I think they got it from IKEA - well perhaps if Sweden had sent it I could understand!

Incidently, in case you think I'm kidding, I would have taken photos inside, but a very polite chap tells you not to. I often don't obey such polite chaps, but this one was holding a machine gun, so I did obey him. (Now you all know what to do if you want me to pay attention to you)