Another trip to Japan with my loved ones :)

This trip was impromptu. He just asked me a question and I agreed to it immediately. Although I had been there twice before this, it would not stop me from going there again, because I wanted to spend my special day with my special ones :) So, with not much preparation (as someone planned and arranged everything for the trip), I finally went to Japan!!!

Day 1 - 19 September 2018

The flight took off from Jakarta by Garuda Indonesia at midnight. Therefore, I had to fly from Singapore to Jakarta in the afternoon at the same day.

We departed from Terminal 3 - special airport designated for Garuda Indonesia flight. It was my first time going through the Terminal 3 as usually I took other airlines from and to Jakarta. So before boarding, I roamed around the area like a tourist :D The airport was big and beautiful, but less crowded, perhaps it was too late at night. The shops were definitely better than the ones in other terminals.

Haneda VS Narita Airport in Tokyo, Japan

We reached Haneda International Airport around 7.45 am Tokyo time. Again, it was my first time flying through this airport. Before that I always flew from Narita International Airport. Haneda was much nearer to Tokyo city compared from Narita (see the Google map above - Haneda in heart sign and Narita in location sign).

Twelve-stories high Uniqlo store at Ginza - Tokyo, Japan

From Haneda we took taxi to our hotel in Ginza area and it cost us 6,490 yen or approx. S$80 with currency of S$1 = 80 yen. We put our luggage to the hotel and started shopping. Hahaha.... I know it was too early to shop, but yes we did. Our first stop was the twelve-stories high Uniqlo store!!! With 5,000 sqm floor space, it was the second largest Uniqlo outlets in the world!!! In Japan, tourist could shop tax-free when they spent over 5,400 yen (otherwise you had to pay 8% tax for everything!)

As you could see from the photo above, the sky was bright blue and the weather was so hot despite the autumn season. The sun shone so bright and I did not expect it to be like that! Most of the clothes I brought from home was thicker ones, therefore it was a good excuse for me to purchase some summer clothes there in Japan hahaha... :P

Tenichi Ginza Honten 

We shopped there until we proceeded next for tempura lunch at Tenichi Ginza Honten - known as the best tempura place in Tokyo, visited by many world leaders such as: Bill Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachev, Jacques Chirac, Henry Kissinger, Kofi Annan, and so on. Their set lunch comprised of rice bowl with prawn, fish, asparagus, mushroom with shrimp tempura, miso soup, assorted pickles, and tea, which cost around 5,000 yen.

Sleek design of Ginza Six from top floor - Ginza, Tokyo

After lunch, we went back to our hotel and checked-in. It was free time so I decided not to waste it and went for shopping again (mostly window shopping) in the area hahaha.... :P

Laduree Tokyo Ginza - Japan

At 4 pm plus we met for afternoon high tea at Laduree Tokyo Ginza at Mitsukoshi department store. It was a luxury French style cafe famous mainly for its Macaron - a Meringue based round shape pastry-like-burger filled with different flavor of sugar paste. But it was also famous for its sweet and beautiful shapes pastries to be accompanied with tea and/ or coffee.

I did not usually go to such a high class place in my daily life so I was grateful for finally experiencing it there and thank you to you know who you were for the wonderful treat! :) I tried their famous Marie Antoinette tea - a mixture of rose and citrus flavor light black tea (1,231 yen incl. tax) together with the lovely Marie Antoinette Rose Framboise seasonal cake selection (1,566 yen incl. tax) - which I called "the wedding-cake-shape tart." :D It tasted sweet, sour, and full of fragrant inside the mouth.

When leaving the place, then I realized, something was missing. My shopping bag was not there! Tried recalling where I went - reversed all the things I did before the afternoon tea - I finally remembered that I hung it inside the toilet. I went into the cubicle again but it was not there anymore.

I remembered watching video from Facebook about how honest Japanese people could be, like whenever someone dropped their shopping bag on the street, people just left that shopping bag in the original position (without taking it home with them). Therefore, I was trying my luck by asking it to the Mitsukoshi department store's staff who stood up nearby the toilet area. Luckily she knew English and understood what my question was. She tried calling to few people asking about my missing bag.

She asked me what thing was inside, which brand or shop I bought it from, etc. I could not remember the shop name as I did not take any attention when purchasing it but luckily I kept the receipt inside my wallet. I showed it to her and she was again giving the required information towards the person she was talking with. After few phone calls, she finally told me that the bag was found by someone and I could collect it back at Information counter at level 1. Wow!!!! It was mind blowing!!! I was amazed with Japanese people, for their honesty and integrity!!! I never expected to get my shopping bag back but it did return back to me! Thank you to the staff who helped me and the person who passed the missing item back to the shopping center staff. Although I did not know your name, but your kindness would remain in my heart. Thank you, thank you, and thank you!!!

Shake Shack at Tokyo International Forum building - Tokyo, Japan

For dinner, we walked all the way to Tokyo International Forum building near the Yurakucho station and proceeded to Shake Shack - the burger joint from NYC. I had not had it before this so I was quite exciting to try!!! I read the review before going there and many would complain about the price. They felt it was not balance with the thing they received, in other words, expensive.

Well, it was pretty expensive though (a single ShackBurger - 710 yen, double - 1,010 yen, SmokeShack single - 910 yen (added with bacon and cherry pepper), Shack-cago Dog (pork) - 610 yen, regular Hot Dog (pork) - 490 yen, regular Fries - 440 yen, and one pitch of ShackMeister Ale beer - 2,800 yen (all prices were excluded 8% tax)), and it all looked pretty regular. However, the meat or beef, made of 100% ground Angus beef, was really thick and tasty. I enjoyed it thoroughly :)

Ginza view at night - Tokyo, Japan

After dinner we walked back. On the way, we stopped at Bic Camera Yurakucho - a big electronic retail store - to see their electronic appliances, before going back to hotel for rest. It was such a long day and my body needed rest. That was how my first day was rolling. Will continue soon... :)

Bangkok D3 - Take the boat to Chinatown, Wat Pho, and Kao Shan Rd

Breakfast for the day :)

Since I liked taking the breakfast away and having it in hotel, we had the above for the day :) This time we had ham omelette breakfast set, ham and cheese sandwich, mix of fried chicken and pork, plus guava and pineapple. Oh, not forgetting the fresh orange juice!!! You could get the fresh pressed orange juice in Bangkok easily!!! Sometimes it tasted so sweet until I doubted if they did not add any sugar in it :D

The map for the boat ride - from Sathorn Pier in Bangkok, Thailand

For today we are going to explore Bangkok city through the water, which means we are taking boat as our transport to various places. From Saphan Taksin BTS the Sathorn Pier (Central) is within five minutes walking distance. Once comes out, just follow the signage towards the pier. The "Hop On Hop Off Boat" map above is posted for your info only so that you know at which pier you should stop for the places that you intend to go. But I don't take that tourist boat and pay as mentioned there. Instead, I took the boat that local usually took in their everyday's life. Each ride cost your around THB 15-20 per pax depending on your destination.

Boat ride through Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand

Here let me bring you to Chinatown. It cost THB 20 per ride from Sathorn Pier and stop at Ratchawongse (no. 5). When purchasing your ticket, tell them you want to ride the local boat, not the one for tourist. The ticket should be sold just next to it by different seller.

Our first stop - Ratchawongse - No. 5

When you want to take the boat, just show your ticket to the staff and they will let you know if the upcoming boat is for you to take or not because there are few different boats available. And hold into your ticket (it is small so easy to fly away accidentally) until the staff who works on the boat checking for it.

Chinatown map - Bangkok, Thailand (Pic source: Google.com)

The hustle and bustle Chinatown in Bangkok, Thailand

From the pier, just walk straight along Ratchawong Rd. towards the Chinatown area. You will see lots of wholesale shops there. Usually you have to buy at least 3 pcs to get the better price, and also you can find lots of stuffs sold in your country coming from this place :D Upon reaching towards Yaowarat Rd. you will find many gold shops and it is usually crowded with buyers. So if you want to buy some gold, you can find it here :)

Chinatown in Bangkok - Lots of food and snacks :)

There are many local snack and food seller there. Chinese almanac or calendar, Qi Bao (Chinese traditional dress) for both men and women can also be found there. As for Singaporean, many travel to this area to have Chinese delicacies like shark fin and fish maw soup, abalone soup, etc.

Tried Chinese food at Tang Jai Yoo - Chinatown in Bangkok, Thailand

Before going there, I read reviews from internet on which Chinese restaurant I should visit and try. And I decided to go to Tang Jai Yoo where they sell a nice oyster omelette, prawn roll (with big chunk of prawn in it), and prawn tang hoon (vermicelli). We did not order shark fin and all as we felt that this was good enough and we really found that the food was fresh and delicious, worth the money. We spent THB 920 for the dishes we ordered above. Not forgetting the delicious appetizer - sweet and sour veg pickles - given before our order came :)

The Grand Palace and Wat Pho map from Tha Chang Pier stop no 9 (Pic source: Google.com)

After lunch we continued our journey. We went back to the Ratchawongse pier and took the boat again, this time was to visit Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha).

Visited the Grand Palace 10 years ago :D

Ten years ago I visited the Grand Palace in Bangkok. So this time I did not visit the place anymore. The entry cost THB 500 per pax. If this is your first time to Bangkok, it is a must visit place for you!!! To reach there you can take the boat and stop at Tha Chang Pier (no. 9).

The Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho - Bangkok, Thailand

To reach Wat Pho, you also drop at the same pier. But you need to walk to your right for about 1 km to reach the temple. The ticket cost THB 100 including free a bottle of water. Wat Pho is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Bangkok.

The majestic reclining Buddha statue - Wat Pho - Bangkok, Thailand

The reclining Buddha is 46 m length. Surrounding this, there are many chedis (stupas), including 4 great ones (see the photo below - right bottom).

Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha) - Bangkok, Thailand

"Inside the Ubosot is a gold and crystal three-tiered pedestal topped with a gilded Buddha made of a gold-copper alloy, and over the statue is a nine-tiered umbrella representing the authority of Thailand. The Buddha image, known as Phra Buddha Theva Patimakorn and thought to be from the Ayutthaya period, was moved here by Rama I from Wat Sala Si Na (now called Wat Khuhasawan) in Thonburi. Rama IV later placed some ashes of Rama I under the pedestal of the Buddha image so that the public may pay homage to both Rama I and the Buddha at the same time."  - Source: Wikipedia.org

Phra Ubosot is the main ordination hall used for performing Buddhist rituals and the most sacred building in the complex (the above photo on top left is the Buddha statue inside this hall). Overall, it was such a beautiful place to visit and I was glad that I made it. I wanted to visit this place too ten years ago, but we were cheated by the Tuk Tuk driver after coming out from the Grand Palace and we ended up not having chance to visit. Thank you SB for the good karma :) Thank you, thank you, and thank you!!! :)

Khao San Rd map (Pic source: Google map)

Next I take you to Khao San Rd. It is the center of backpacking in Bangkok, so you can find lots of budget hotel or hostel to stay, western food restaurant to cater the angmoh or farang, roadside sellers selling food, beverage or stuffs, massage place, and so on. To reach the place, take the boat and stop at Phra Arthit (no. 13). You have to walk towards the Rambuttri Alley to find the center area of Khao San Rd.

Khao San Rd - Bangkok, Thailand

I remembered visiting this place 10 years ago just to have a good and cheap Thai massage and facial there. Although the price was not that cheap anymore, they did have quality and experienced masseuse though. If you have enough time, after having such a long day, you can take another massage in this Shewa Spa (again, I read the review before going in and found the massage was good).

Varieties of food from Kao Shan Rd night market - Bangkok, Thailand

By the time massage has over, the sky would have turned dark and the roadside food sellers would have started operating. It's time to eat!!! :) Just the street outside Swensen's you can find lots of food stalls with table and chairs for you to sit. We had Pad Thai, papaya salad, spicy Mama, and tried the glutinous rice sausage. After that I bought my favorite Banana Roti as a dessert plus Thai milk tea to quench our thirst.

Ram Buttri alley at night - Bangkok, Thailand

After having your stomach full, walk along the Ram Buttri alley. There are many stalls selling things and restaurants on both sides of the road. You can have a good walk there before going back to hotel. Fyi, the Phra Arthit pier only opened until 7 pm. It is good to visit this area at night. So you can take taxi back to your hotel or get Grab or Uber instead.

Selfie with Tuk Tuk or three wheel taxi in Bangkok, Thailand :)

So, that will be the itinerary for day 3 of your visit. This way, you can taste another type of Bangkok main transport and visited few places in one day. In next post I will suggest you what other places you can visit during your stay there. Stay tune!!! :)

What to do in Penang??

I booked the flight tickets to Penang just a week ago after my mom bought theirs. Four of us met up at the rented residential home that provide a clean fully air-conditioned room with outdoor bathroom in a very convenient area within walking distance to Penang Times Square, New Lane hawker center, Komtar bus station, and so on. With RM50 per night, it was really great place to stay!

We reached quite late in the evening and we were welcomed with heavy rain on our arrival. According to the taxi driver - the Chinese uncle in his 60s who called his son to ask about our location instead of punching on GPS like what Singaporean taxi driver's doing - it'd been long time since it rained. Obviously, the rain season fell  right on the day we reached.

Four of us started our beautiful Sunday with hearty breakfast at De Happy Dim Sum. It's big and crowded. Round tables filled up the places. People walked towards a corner where the food were steamed and fried, while the other corner was a place to fill your tea pot with boiling hot water.

Breakfast at De Happy Dim Sum Restaurant - Penang, Malaysia 

My hubby was very exciting with varieties of food they offered. The taste was delicious too. Most importantly, the price was definitely much cheaper compared with what we paid back here in Singapore.

Penang Adventist Hospital 

After that we took a cab to Penang Adventist Hospital. My parents had their usual check up at this place. I often heard about it but this was my first time stepping into it.

Fyi, there were few things that made Penang a famous place to visit. This was purely based on my observation though. First, they had a good range of hospitals with many experienced doctors in house. The nurses and hospital staffs were helpful and friendly. They were able to speak many languages, such as: English, Malay, Chinese, dialects like Hokkian, some Thai, etc.

I tried their wellness screening package gold there. Check here for detailed information. It was quite complete and made you knowing your health and inner organs better. You should book in advance though as they limited the number of people screening the health each day. And when they knew my stay time was limited, they produced my check up result within the same day. Excellent service!!! :)

Delicious food in Penang

Famous Asam Laksa from Air Itam Market

Second, it's a food paradise!!! You could find any kind of food here from hawker center to restaurant. There were famous local dish like Asam Laksa, curry mee, char Kway Teow, fried oyster, prawn noodles, lo mie, etc. Among the famous hawker to go were New Lane, Gurney Drive, Chulia St night market, and so on.

Pastry from Ming Xiang Tai Confectionery- 26 Lebuh Victoria

There were many local pastry too that you could buy for friends and families back home. Many different brands were available. Instant coffee and teh tarik could be great gifts too.

Mao Shan Wang durian RM75 per kg (including shell)

They had many varieties of durian too! My father had eaten Mao Shan Wang almost everyday there. The seller was even providing vacuum packed bag if you wanted to take it away as the smell was so strong and many places had banned it, including public transport.

Wat Chaiya Mangkalaram (recliningBuddha statue) - Penang, Malaysia 

Dhammikarama (Burmese Buddhist Temple) - Penang, Malaysia 

Third, if you were Buddhist, you'd love to visit their varieties of temples available. From Wat Chaiya Mangkalaram (reclining Buddha statue), Dhammikarama - the Burmese Buddhist temple, the oldest temple in Penang - Kwan Yin temple - built in 1728, to the largest temple in Malaysia - Kek Lok Si Temple. 

Kwan Yin temple - the oldest temple in Penang, Malaysia 

Kek Lok Si Temple - the largest temple in Malaysia 

I first visited Penang back in October 2009 and managed to visit these 4 temples. And this time, I was very grateful for being able to visit four of them again. Thank Buddha for the good karma!

Hubby and I with its iconic street art murals - Little children on a bicycle

Fourth, it's famous for the street art murals. For complete information, click here.

Street art murals - George Town - Penang, Malaysia 

Apart from these four, there were other things too for Penang worth to visit. Just get yourself free maps before you exited from airport door where you could find valuable information there. The city was clean and arranged well. If you were not Buddhist, worry not, they also had variety of churches (one of the eldest Anglican church in southeast Asia - St George's Church), Hindus temples, and mosques. 

Nasi Kandar at Tajuddin Hussain- Penang, Malaysia 

Like Singapore, they also had Little India. We ate the famous Nasi Kandar  (rice with curry) at one of the restaurants there. As a fans of Mark Weins, my hubby went through one of his videos, which you could find in YouTube  (migrationology.com), and both of us tried the famous Nasi Kandar located at 51 Lebuh Queen, called Tajuddin Hussain. We ordered Ayam Ros (red chicken), fish curry, sotong or cuttlefish curry, Ayam Gulai (curry chicken), tomato rice, cabbage, roti canai (prata), complete with two cups of teh tarik. All that for only RM29.25 (after adding 6% GST) - if converted, less than SGD10 for two!!!

Free hop-on bus in Penang

Penang offered a good and affordable public transport, in this case, public bus. They even provided free hop-on bus for tourists (those Rapid Transit bus labelled CAT), which stopped at many places, mostly touristic areas. 

Taxi were everywhere too. They went by meter although many were not. Fare from Hotel Sunway area to Penang Adventist hotel was around RM18, while from the hospital to Kek Lok Si was RM30. From airport to Hotel Sunway was about RM46 - got the ticket fare at the counter and paid it in advance while returning back to airport was slightly cheaper at RM40.

Public bus fares were around RM1.40 to 2 per pax (you just had to tell your destination to the driver and he would tell you the fare. But prepare coins as they wouldn't provide change). You could just ask local who were waiting for the bus for which bus number you should take as there weren't clear bus numbers or routes available from each bus number. Anyway the people there were friendly and helpful so don't worry, you won't get lost!

Padang Kota Lama and Fort Cornwallis - Penang, Malaysia 

At our last day, it was again a heavy rain morning. After fulfilling dim sum breakfast both of us took the bus to pray at Kwan Yin temple and had a morning walk to St George's Church, sightseeing along Padang Kota Lama area to see the Penang city hall, Fort Cornwallis, walked along the seaside and inhaled the sea breeze. We took the free CAT bus back to Komtar and got ready to the PIA - Penang International Airport. 

Penang International Airport 

We reached there 3 hours earlier than departure timing as friend warned us about flooding at the airport the day earlier. Luckily no traffic jam and no sign of flooding or flight delay and cancellation due to the incident. The airport had changed since the last time I went and it had become much better now as there were lots of restaurants and cafés available. So three hours waiting were no sweat anymore! You could enjoy the last sip of good Penang coffee, enjoyed their noodles or western deli or junk food like McDonalds and KFC, opened and read your book, sat down on the massage chairs, and waited for your flight.

Overall it has been a wonderful short trip - 4 days 3 nights in Penang. We got our tickets at less than SGD160 per pax from Singapore using Airasia and you could move your butt in about one and half an hour time!!! If you never visit this place before, then there was no reason on why you shouldn't! With SGD1 equivalent to almost RM3, what else are you waiting for??

Story of Singapore Taxi Driver

As promised, I'll share some of the stories based on my hubby's experience as a Taxi driver. Hope you enjoy reading it! :)

Source: Google.com

Angmoh gave compliments

“Just now got one angmoh – foreigner - gave me compliment,” told my hubby while we were having lunch in the Airport.

“Oh ya? What kind of compliment?” asked me curiously.

“Ya, before leaving the Taxi, he said to me, ‘I would like to give you compliments. Your Taxi is very clean, very nice. You drive in a right speed and carefully. You make me feeling very comfortable, very good.”

“So, what did you say?” asked me again.

“I told him, ‘Thank you, thank you…’ and smiled at him lo,” and smile appeared on his face.

“Did he give you tips?” – Don’t know why suddenly I was curious about this :P

“No la… He paid using NETS. So, no tips left.”

“Ooo…,” I nodded my head.

I think that’s quite a waste. But for him, the effort that angmoh made to leave compliments to him was much worth it rather than just the additional money received. But personally I think that it would be nicer if the angmoh would leave some tips to him to spread more happiness on my hubby’s face :)

Lecturing ‘young’ passenger about life

“Today I fetched a Secondary 2 student from near the Vivo City there. She stood up at the roadside and waved her hand. But I didn’t stop right next to her as there were two yellow lines so I had to turn left first before she got in. She thought I didn’t want to stop for her but then I explained the reason why. From then on we started to chit chat.

I asked her where she studied and which class. She studied in one of the best schools located near where my ex-boss lived and she was in Sec 2. I told her that I too had a son studying Sec 1. Then she complained to me that her parents giving her so much pressure. Although she gained good results, it was never enough for them. And they always expected more.

I told her, her school was one of the best schools in Singapore. Therefore, it’s just right that your parents expected more from you as you had to compete against the rest of the students, which as clever and as diligent as you. If you didn’t score well enough, you wouldn’t be able to enter a good University once you finished Sec 4. Bla bla bla… Wah, so funny ah Laopo (it’s how he called me – means wife)! I macam lecturer sia… telling her and advising her as if my own children. I think I can become one of those motivator sia…”

“Yayaya… if you’re good at it, I hope you can lecture and teach your son too more about life...,” answered me.

He just smiled here and there and recalled back that sweet moments.

Joo Chiat encounter

“Huaa… Laopo…  吓死我了 (xia si wo le)!!! (Scared me ya!!!) Just now I fetched one girl from Sengkang. It was raining mah… She said she wanted to go to Joo Chiat Rd to drink.”

Fyi, Joo Chiat is a residential area in the eastern part of Singapore where you can find the preserved Peranakan cultures and houses. However, for the past few years, many pubs and KTVs have been built and it has invited the other kind of business around the area, which displeases the local residents.

“Then?” asked me.

“Ya lah, once reached the place, she told me she didn’t have enough cash money. Her fare was $14.90. Xiao liao!! I thought I would be one of those victims who fetched passenger without paying money with that kind of excuse. But then she gave me $12. After that she told me she would try to draw some cash at the ATM nearby. In a while, she came back and told me that the machine was spoilt and she needed me to fetch her to the other ATM machine. No choice, I dropped her there lor. And once she’d done, she asked me again to fetch her to her initial dropping area. By that time she reached, I also didn’t know how much I should charge her liao as I had already stopped my meter when she paid me $12. Wah! You know what she said?”

“What?”

“Ya lah, the girl told me, “你是好人 (ni shi hao ren),” means ‘You are a good people.’ Sekali, she took out $10 note and asked me to keep the change. Wahahaha… In total she gave me $22 lor… Heng ahh…!!! – means Lucky ah!!! You know ah Laopo! All the way I kept chanting ‘Amituofo Amituofo Amituofo’ as I scared that she would be like other girl that other Taxi driver ever experienced.”

He was referring to the story where instead the girl paying the Taxi fare, she would touch the driver’s private part and tried to seduce to sleep with her.

“Hahaha… you were thinking too much la, Dut!!! 好人有好报 (hao ren you hao bao – which means good people will have good things in return),” said me.

“Yaya.. fortunately….”

Avoid the 'angmoh' as a passenger

This afternoon I fetched a couple of husband and wife. They were old already. And the guy said he used to drive Taxi for over 30 years, since the starting meter was only 80 cents.

We talk talk and chit chat lo.. He also gave me lots of advises. One of the advises oh, he told me not to pick up angmoh as passenger. He said, they often give funny funny address.

(Usually they stay at the Condominium or landed property where the location or names were seldom be heard. Or the vast development of new Condominium made it hard for him to find).

He then continued, angmoh don't know the road, I also don't know the road! Jialat liao la!!! - means terrible!! Confirm zhong (kena or receive) complain!!! So every time I saw angmoh flagging the Taxi, I siam - runaway - liao!!!

(Again, during his time, perhaps GPS was not out yet. So that's why those things were common to happen).

I just xiao xiao - laugh - lor....

Story of Singapore Taxi Driver

Last weekend I managed to borrow two books from Bishan Library. First, it is called “Diary of a Taxi Driver”, written by Cai Ming Jie, a Singapore most educated Taxi driver, who holds a PhD in molecular biology from Stanford University in 1990. After working for 16 years as a researcher, he was laid off from the company and decided to become a Taxi driver. Read more about him here.

Diary of a Taxi Driver by Cai Ming Jie

He started writing his personal story as Taxi driver on his blog, then decided to publish it in a paper form in April 2010. However I couldn’t find his blog anymore. Perhaps it had been deleted.

Another book that I borrowed is “Cabbies: The Inside Story – Reflections of a Singapore driver”, written by Sam Hwang. It’s also published in 2013. It gave you a deeper insight about life of a taxi driver, based on his own and other cabbies experiences, such as: fare cheats, robbers, drunks, etc.

Cabbies: The Inside Story by Sam Hwang

You know, Taxi driver is the only job that reserved to Singaporean, which means, foreigners need not apply. This job is seen not as a fancy job. It even gives a conception that only lowly-educated society or dropout will take this job as a last resort. Well, not anymore. As you read the first paragraph above, even a PhD graduate could also become a taxi driver. So, don’t be surprised if the taxi driver who is sitting beside you is actually a Professor, Master degree holder, etc. And this book will change your misconception that society has.

The reasons I borrowed these books were because my hubby is going to become a Taxi driver. He has already attained his Taxi Driver’s Vocational License or TDVL and will join this industry very soon. He has a long time driving experience around Singapore, but zero experience as a Taxi driver and he will have to go through this, alone.

Therefore, other than me reading these books, I also encouraged him to read it as well, so he wouldn’t get shocked if he had to face many surprising experiences from various types of passengers along his journey. At the same time it could give him a clearer picture and broaden mind of what to expect to happen and what kind of responds that he could give towards different situations.

If you can’t have an access to read their books, you can also find other blog, such as this one: Diary of a Singaporean Cabby and Gintai. There, you can read many interesting stories too! :)

Actually, while reading those books, I wish I was one of the Taxi drivers. Hahaha… Not that I wanted to earn money through driving Taxi, but I was wondering on what kind of passengers that I would meet in a day and how uncertain the Taxi would bring me around from one place to another. 

Just like in a day, you can experience many things, meet different kind of people, face good and bad luck, etc. Isn’t it interesting? Then, just like Mr Cai, I would be very interested to write my experience into my blog hehehe… ^^

Well, at the mean time I am happy with my job and what I do. Plus, I don’t drive well. So, I’ll let my hubby experience it and tell me the story. Hopefully I can convert his story into one or two blog posts here and share with all of you, one day…. :)