Thanks to everyone for their input.

It's nice to know that if, for whatever reason, I can't make it to the Conrad in time for the taxi exodus to No Signboard, I can hop on the MRT and find my way there.

I should have no problems making the Sheraton rally points as it appears it is only one MRT stop from the Orchard MRT, which is adjacent to the Marriott where I am staying.

There are at least four of us on the UA flight into SIN from HKG on 13 Jan, so I was hoping we could ride into downtown together. :)

Hi mjm, please put myself and mrs serfty down for both the Sunday activities.

Thanks, Spiff, CAWhite , and all for the info. I'm glad to know we'll need cash for the dinner, too. About the Night Safari, at first, all I could find on the website were the Cocktail Safari & the Gourmet Safari, and both talked about reservations. I finally found we can just go and get a tram.
This will all be so new to us, I'm gathering all the info I can find. It sounds like the most practical uniform of the day would be a swim suit and a raincoat, but probably too tacky. :rolleyes:
P.S. I wrote a note somewhere about a Terrorist Alert Day planned for Singapore for one day during the first 2 weeks of Jan., where they'll be testing their security , but I don't know where it went...Singapore?

belle, you be good now. This is not France dear. ;)

Note to Everyone re: payment for dinner on Saturday night:

You will need cash. Cards are not accepted by me and I am the one paying the bill. I will accept cash in S$, or US$, or Japanese Yen. These and these only.

If you will conceiveably pay in either yen or US$ please let me know by January 12 at the latest and I will ensure I bring extra S$ to cover that portion of the bill. For budgeting purposes, Last year everybody ended up coughing about S$40 or so.

We will use large multi-person taxis from the Conrad for those originating there and these work out to about S$10 per person if my brain cells are still intact. Please organize your cash accordingly.

Again, if you are hesitant to change to much into S$ for fear of having some left over, please feel free to bring US$ but do advise me in advance.

At today's rate you are looking at about US$25 for dinner.

Hope that helps and as other questions spring to mind I would suggest posting them here as many others will likely benefit from the answers as well.

See you soon,

Mike

mjm - Thank you for organizing this. sf4dfish and I are on UA837 SFO-NRT Jan.12/13 and are looking forward to meeting you at the NRT RCC. We both will have RCC access. (As you may know, you are the first FTer I ever met at a DO, at the one you arranged in France 2001. :) )

You can count on my paying you in S$ for dinner Saturday. In addition I will take you up on your offer of a shared cab from the Conrad. I will also be attending the "Sunday Afternoon Food Court Lunch Run".

Is it a good idea to carry US one dollar bills to use as tips in Singapore, as it is
in some other countries?

tipping? in Singapore? :confused:

.

If it doesn't happen this coming weekend, I guess we'll get first hand experience next weekend :) Hopefully it won't put a dent into the logistics for our event.

For those who didn't manage to get any local currency changed and are staying in the Suntec area, there is a couple of foreign exchange bureau nearby, one notably next to Carrefour, the other closer to the convention area.

And keep an umbrella handy....:D

If anyone is on SQ1 Jan 11th, drop me a PM :)

Jaybee,

Tipping is not the norm in SIN. No need to carry little notes/coins for this.

Sidebar: Anyone transitting Japan (landside), this is also the case here.

Mike

You posted in the Singapore forum. :)

There's more info about what will happen during the drill in this article.

have fun everyone, enjoy the chili crab !

I am on SQ1 Jan 12th. Anyone else?

(Could I bring guests to F Lounge (SFO, SIN, HKG)? How many?)

Yes. I'll be on SQ1 departing SFO on the 12th arriving HKG on the 13th. I'll then take a later flight HKG-SIN.

Punki and I will be on the same flight, restlessinRNO , and will hook up with you in the RCC.

Unfortunately, we are still waitlisted for business on all of our flights and the NRT/SIN leg isn't looking too good right now. First is wide open so there is a chance that maybe some business seats will open up when folks start getting upgraded into first or, we may have our first experience at international coach. :(

We are all booked for KUL on SQ SIN/KUL and on MH KUL/SIN and look forward to enjoying those respective first class lounges. Thanks to all of you who gave us advice on setting up that adventure.

Mike--I will probably be heavy on the US$ and light on the S$ as I am there so briefly.....
Also, possibility I won't be coming to the Sunday lunch but will let you know by next weekend....have some family in SIN...

Definitely will see you at the Conrad Saturday night!

Michael, Friday late night munch and Saturday dinner for me. No Sunday. Need to see friends and relatives. Leave Monday on SQ2 5:00p.m. for HKG.

zvezda, please PM me if you would like to meet up at SFO Thursday night.

T minus 7 days. ZH!!!

SQ2 Monday 16 Jan? I will be in that flight with Paffendorf.

That crew will never be the same with the three of you there together... :p

Hmmm why do you say that? ;) Are we PITAs? Or else, the crew will be allover us? Hmmm... :p

You most certainly are not a PITA!!!!! But I know you, and belle, and paffy... and the combination may just be a bit too much fun for that crew :D

Hmmm lucky for the crew. Seems that belle only go as far as HKG that day. ;)
Hmmm certainly with Connexion on board, you will get full report... Ooops, you are on the way back to ORD... :o
And as always, my first Dom will be cheers for you! :D

Mike, Thanks so much for your explanation. I, of course, had no idea about the tipping policy in Singapore.

Movie Man...Thanks for telling me where my note went. As you can see, "Don't follow me. I'm lost!" :confused:

The SKL at SFO is quite small. They got Haigen-Diaz hidden in the backroom, so you'll have to ask the attendent for it. Not sure about guests, but with *G, anyone can access SKL-SFO. The only exception is SKL-SIN, which is a biz/first/pps lounge.

If you want to take a shower at SKL-HKG, you need to register with the front desk quick, cuz there's only 1 shower cubicle. If the list is long, I think they will pay for the shower facility at the lounge next door, but you will need to press for it. ;)

Enjoy SKL in SIN.... :)

If you're on SQ1 connecting through there's no time to have a shower as you've got be rescreened at security. Besides, it'd be at some really early hour and probably a little cold too.

Change in plans...Still arriving on Thursday evening, but now departing on Monday AM. Should be around for Friday evening and Saturday day activities. Have plans Saturday evening and most of Sunday.

Kev,

What is this? Some kind of attempt to see if I really can play with HTML that fast? :-)

No worries sir, I have the updates in place as I type. See you soon,

Mike

As mjm said, tipping is not needed in Singapore. Just think of it as a European city in terms of how most things work. It's certainly a match in terms of development, though much cheaper. I say European as restaurants charge service and waiters/waitresses are paid reasonably so tipping there is a nicety rather than required.

Personally I round-up S$0.5-1 in taxis as I have chatted to enough drivers to know how tough things are for them.

Seems a bit wrong suggesting this on a mileage run, but if cost is moderately important and you still want to take in KL then you should seriously consider taking a luxury coach. No miles, and no lounges but it's a lot cheaper - well under $100 return - with good comfort level and a door to door time not much off flying.

I'd recommend first class with Transtar Travel: +65 6299 9009 :: http://www.transtar.com.sg

There is also www.plusliner.com or www.aeroline.com.my

Looks like I will be in SIN next weekend. Please put me down for dinner on Saturday. I'll bring a friend.
:cool:

Got plenty of time...done it b4 buddy! The water is a tad cold though....not sure if they fixed it already...o well, will find out next week.

I second this recommendation. IIRC, it stops near Ritz Carlton in KL.

Thanks manar
 

Punki and I have some Singaporean friends who made this same suggestion when we met with them in Tucson last month, so the luxury coach was our original plan.

In true FlyerTalk fashion, however, we were swayed to flying first on SQ and MF so we could check out their respective first-class lounges and, thereafter, be in a position to properly compare them with the UA RCC. ;)

BTW, mjm, we will probably be spending Sunday evening with our Singaporean friends and not make the night safari.

Thanks for the help, Manar.. I appreciate all I can get. ^

In my limited experience on taking SQ1, yes, you have time for the shower, as long as you walk fast towards the security and to the lounge. But again, it depends on the other pax who takes shower before you. I know some would really take a very long shower... :eek:

Skl-sfo
 

I would also bring clorox or tilex and a pair of beach slippers. The tiled floor is visibly moldy and yucky. Last April I was there, the purple towels were smelly, torn with holes and stained. I showed them to the agent, she said ''oh, sorry", and put them aside. :rolleyes:

Is this at SFO? Gosh, has not been there for a very long time. But I don't reacll they use purple towel. It's regular white.

I can't wait to hear that comparison!! :D IMHO the SKL SIN F and the MH F in KUL are two of the finest lounges in the world....We could only "wish" to have things like this in our RCC's.....Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!

Best wishes, Dave

Unfortunately I really won't be able to make it all the way to SIN this year... :( Rain check, okay?

BUT I will be in HKG 01/13 to 01/16, at least if my luck as a non-rev'er on LX holds. Maybe some of you pass through there on the way to Singapore?

To be honest, Krug/Dom apart, I think the MH F lounge at KUL is slightly better than the SKL F at Changi, although they could do with putting more effort into keeping the supposedly hot food hot in the MH lounge.

Sorry if I missed this: anybody staying at the Marriott?