Singapore Trip - Jan 23- Feb 8
 

Just finished my shakedown ride a while ago at a local park...it was 4:30 AM. :eek:
I guess still trying to get over the jet lag.
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Flew in to Singapore last night. Total flight time: 16 hrs 48 mins. It's 16 hours longer than I like. ;) But you know what, I think it was the "best" of the 1/2 a dozen times I have flown to Asia so far. We flew United. All the flights were on time. We were a bit worried at first that the 1-hr transit time to catch our connecting flight in SF might be cutting it a bit too close. In the end it was no problem at all, in fact the flight from Austin to SF was ahead of schedule by almost 15 minutes, that gave us some extra breathing room. The flight from SF to SIN was not full at all, was able to take up an entire row and lie down to sleep. I think that makes a big difference. Really got no complaints with the United services, the flight experience was overall pleasant and without any incidence. Yeah, there was a crying baby or toddler close to where we sit but hey, we have gone through the same thing ourselves with 6 kids so we understand perfectly what every parent has to go through especially with these super long flights. Please be kind and compassionate towards the parents with young children, don't make their job any harder than it already is. I had quite an enjoyable chat with one of the fathers. They were on route to the Philippines to see the wife's side of the family. They had two kids, a girl and a younger boy and the family hasn't seen the boy. And then on their way back, they are flying to Canada to see his side of the family and they too haven't seen the new addition to the family. Wow, they are gonna be doing quite a bit traveling in the next few weeks that's for sure.

Joosttx pal, I did wave at you as we flew past, I think, was your area.

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The S&S Coupled Spectrum performed splendidly.
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Was amazed at how quickly the stuff that I threw in there add up to the 50 pounds weight limit. Ended up ditching the wheels and left them at home and just borrowed a pair here locally from one of our forum pals - tttsmm. Thank you Thomas!

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This is the fourth time I have flown with a coupled bike and left my wheels at home. Twice to D2R2 and borrowed BumbleBeeDave's wheels and once to Oakland, where I bought the rear wheel and borrowed the front wheel from Elefantino pal. It's nice to shave off a bit of the weight but more importantly the bulk and makes packing A LOT easier.

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I like to zip-tie everything together in a bundle so that if the TSA pal were to take it out, it's easy to just place it back down and everything fits just as it should, no shoving and pushing or damaging any of my stuff.

Will be here for the next three weeks, looking forward to posting more pictures and ride reports as we go.

Look forward to more posts. Enjoy your visit! Fond memories of Navy port visit in 1993. I had my mtb (GT Tequesta) on the ship and rode around the island. This was days of paper maps, and not a very detailed one at that. I ended up riding into a huge semi rural graveyard with shanties around. Some dogs starting chasing me, biting at my heels as I sprinted out of there.

Oh to be young again! Chili prawns at Newton Circus ... mmmmm.

Singapore is soooooo beautiful especially today- such a progressive island nation. I have very fond memories living there.


I will try and wave back when you return.

SG is great. I love the food...especially the hawker stands. I'd never get tired of eating there.

I remember it being super humid outside...props to you for riding in it...

coming and going
 

Right on the heels of my departure from Austin. Same S and S cases too. Happy trails!

-pal blocks me but for the others...I visited here when the USS Midway made a port call in Singapore..home of the 'Singapore Sling', of which we drank a few..rickshaw races in the parking lot too:eek:.

Very friendly and VERY clean place..don't litter!!

From there ship then to Hong Kong..like a different planet..;)

2nd day highlights
 

First off, the promise I made to myself right before I left to not eat like a pig with the local food ...just on the second day only and I have already broken that promise many times over. (Sigh) I should have known. In the face of thousands and thousands of food menu options literally thrown in front of your face everywhere you go at absurdly low prices....there can be only one outcome.

Resistance Is Futile.

Oh...fcuk it....life is too short.

Actually ate at this hawker.place called Newton Circle, where they filmed one of the scenes in Crazy Rich Asians. Ordered Satays, Oyster omelette, Fishball and fish dumplings, Otah....should I go on?

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Other than succumbing to the gastronomic temptations, we checked out the Art and the National museums. Keeping this somewhat bike related..

The Japanese soldiers were able to make rapid advancements on land cthrough Malaysia riding on these bikes.

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This Raleigh used to belong to the current serving prime minister. He either donated or loaned it to the museum, I don't know for sure. It was given to him as a gift while he was a child. He's from a well to do family.

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Wei-san don't forget sambal Kangkong, chilli crab, Mee pok and all the roti prata!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...1221fb34a6.jpg

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6003 using Tapatalk

How was the 787?!

Food in Singapore is Amazing with a capital A.

Are you posting on Instagram?

jason pal, oh gosh, you are supposed to help me, not tempt me!
everything you just mentioned with the exception of chili crab (I don't like to work for my food) are in the inner sanctum of my human weakness, especially roti prata.

carbs...loads of carbs.....why must all, if not 95% of what that I like about Singapore food must be accompanied by some kind of noodle, rice or bread?

I am done for.

I am hopeless when it comes to recognizing or taking notice of planes.

This is the only one I ever care about and the others that either come before or after it are all "er...mehs..." :p

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anyway, back to your question, I don't fly that much so I can vaguely remember what it was like on the last transatlantic flight...but if I were to hazard a guess as to why the most recent one seems to be the "most pleasant" to this date (other than the fact that I left almost all my kids at home and just brought my oldest), I think, there's a combination of things...

1) quieter cabin - I guess it is. seems like I can hear the sound coming out of my cheapo non-noise-canceling earbuds better without to crank it up all the way.

2) better cabin pressurization control - i don't experience as much ear poppin' as I recalled

3) extra leg room - i got the whole row to myself and was able to lie flat---well almost, had to curl up my leg a little to avoid tickling everybody with my toes who is walking down the aisle.

and last but not least...this is coolest part I think. The windows. And I donl't know since when this started using this new technology...instead of the usual flap to close, it comes with this micro-adjustment dimmer button, I thought it was so cool that I even took the before and after pictures, check it out!

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This was before our sun got destroyed by the Maltusians

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And this.... is Nuclear winter
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No, I am afraid not, I am not on FB or Instagram...becoz' I have used up ALL my allotted cyber time token on the greatest and the bestest social media forum in the world -- right here! And I got no time left for anything else other than family, work, biking, eat, sleep...repeat.

I grew up in the area (before they built all the skyscrapers!). Don't skip the chili crab: it's not so much the crab as the sauce, which is to be dipped with bread. Sounds like you're heading into Malaysia (I can't imagine taking 3 weeks to bike in Singapore; the place is only 26 miles across). Have a great time and watch for the drivers on the narrow two lane roads. They don't slow down just because the road is narrow!