Moving to Singapore Part 4: Serviced Apartment

While we've known what condo we would be moving into for awhile, it wasn't available for us until the end of October. In the meantime, HR had arranged for us to move into a "serviced apartment". Serviced apartments are stocked, furnished apartments that are a little bigger  (and probably more economical) than hotel rooms. Similar to a hotel, a cleaning person stops by 3x a week to change the linens and mop the floors, and breakfast is provided. We don't have a great view, but the location is really fun. Or would be, if Singapore hadn't gone into heightened restrictions the day of our release (September 27). That means that only groups of 2 can dine in restaurants together, and all elementary aged students 2nd-6th grade were required to do virtual school. This was a big disappointment because everyone was looking forward to going to their new school. Not to mention we can't eat at a restaurant as a family. I feel pretty restricted on what I can take the kids to do, although I think we can be out in groups of 2 and 2. So this part of the move has not been terribly fun or particularly easy, but I suppose it's better than being stuck in one room. Lucy has been using my laptop to do virtual school, so I haven't really been able to update the ol' blog until now. The kids are on break until Oct 18. Hopefully over the next 10 days we'll find some fun things to do, but it feels like a long 10 days before everyone is (finally, hopefully) in school. I feel like we've learned a lot in the 9 days since we came out of quarantine, and we've accomplished a lot of immediate needs on our to do list.

Leaving the Ritz as we came in... through the back service entrance so we don't contaminate anyone

This time it took 3 carts to move our luggage up

After all our luggage was delivered, we quickly toured our space and assigned beds. This is the first time Lucy has had her own room since she was... 3? She was so excited she immediately unpacked and organized her stuff. I've never seen her organize her stuff so quickly.

Then it started raining, and by raining I mean tropical storm style down pour, which was unfortunate because we had a boatload of errands to run. I'm pretty sure my father in law was making fun of me for wearing Chacos, but I was the only one not complaining about my footwear at the end of the day.

We walked to the nearest MRT (Transit) station where we'd been told there was an ATM. Then we walked another 10-15 min to a mall where there was a medical clinic that we could get a blood draw for a serology test. Singapore doesn't validate vaccination status without the serology test, and we wanted those results as quickly as possible. Because as limiting as the restrictions are, it's worse when you can't prove vaccination status! Then we went to the Burger King in the mall for lunch, because we were starving! and looking back feel really lucky they were cool with us all coming in, as 5 people obviously from the same family, looking like drowned rats. 

Sitting at 3 separate tables.

Rewarded with chocolate ice cream cones for walking through the rain and sitting through our serology appointment.

Next we power-walked back to our serviced apartment where the car leasing company was dropping off a car for Travis, then we turned around and left again for our appointment at the Ministry of Employment to get our pictures and fingerprints taken for our government issued IDs. After that we walked to yet another mall to get me a sim card so I could have a local number, where we learned I couldn't get a post paid plan, because I didn't have my ID yet, only $15 worth of prepaid data. Which was fine but it's going to run out soon and having to go back will be a pain. Then we saw a taco place and decided to test our luck trying to eat in again. Thankfully this restaurant also was cool with our US issued vaccination cards and lack of check in apps. I think they took the bandaids on the inside of our elbows as proof we were serious. And the tacos were delicious! We walked home tired, feeling accomplished and a bit wet. But we had walked 18,000 steps which I was hoping would mean a good night sleep. 

We unpacked enough to find our toothbrushes and pj's and got in bed. Unfortunately I didn't sleep very well, as we didn't realize the air conditioning wouldn't work with the door closed. 

The next morning we had appointments at the school to pick up uniforms for the kids. This was our first time to test using the Grab app for private car service. It's a lot like Uber except the app does a lot more than Uber! You can buy anything via Grab and have it delivered, or be transported to anywhere. We learned for all five of us we needed to book "Grab Family". There's also an option to book a car with a car seat, but since we have our own travel seats we just carried those with us.

It was fun getting to see where the kids would be going to school, but unfortunately we couldn't get a tour (do I need to say why?). The school is huge and serves over 4,000 students ages 2-18! This requires 135 busses at the end of the day! However it seems to be very well run and efficient.

From there we went to another government office to register for something else (don't ask me what) and pick up our tokens, which is a contact tracing device every person must take with them every where they go. For adults we can use an app on our cell phone, but I have to bring tokens for the kids even though I can check them in on my phone too. It's very confusing and I still don't fully understand when you use what.

Wednesday morning Travis went to work, and I tried (and failed) to help Lucy navigate her emotions and feelings regarding a full day of virtual school. Then we encountered a stressful situation where I tried to book a taxi to take Max for his appointment to tour the Early Learning Center at the school, but my app wouldn't confirm payment. Travis was on his way home to be with the girls, but not there yet, so his co worker ended up booking a grab for me. We made it to the school, met his teachers, and enjoyed getting to see where his classrooms would be. He's in a class of 26 kids with 4 teachers. The classroom is huge! They have a small library just for the pre-K kids, several outdoor play spaces, a Mandarin classroom, and a movement classroom (PE). They eat lunch in a covered outside area on picnic tables. Max also said there are giant snails on the playground!? 

Of course it started pouring the minute we were leaving, and my app still wasn't working, so Travis had to book my car for me again. It's definitely unnerving not feeling in control of my own transportation!

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All the above had been written on or before October 26th. A few days before that we were able to move into our condo that we would be staying in permanently, and I had to put all this behind me while I unpacked and got my bearings.

Here's some pictures from the rest of our stay in Robertson quay:

This is what happens when you walk 18,000 steps

Lucy was super mad at me, but the wi-fi didn't work in her room, so this was her way of blocking me out

Our first homecooked meal in nearly 3 weeks. Tacos, of course!

Max's first day of school

He was so brave getting on the bus by himself!

This was the breakfast the serviced apartment served every day. I think normally you could sit and eat in the dining area, but that wasn't allowed so we were given these plastic boxes to take our food back to our rooms. Definitely an improvement over quarantine food!

The girls and I went exploring and found the grocery store while Max was in school. We learned its important to only shop with the basket you carry. If it's too much to carry in the store its definitely too much to carry back!

Ice cream cones on the balcony to celebrate Max's first day of school! 

The playground at Fort Canning. Such a great park!

The Art Bridge close to our apartment

We explored East Coast Park one Saturday. There is an awesome climbing structure here.

Of course there would be Merlion popsicles!

Earning their keep. The serviced apartment was not equipped with a dishwasher

Sometimes they are so cute together

Eating lunch at the zoo. Two tables, of course.

Watching the elephants from afar. Was a little surreal knowing we had been here 7 years prior and sat in the seats on the other side of the picture, watching these same elephants!

Not pictured: Giant, terrifyingly awful crocodiles at the base of those trees. There might be a monkey in the trees somewhere in this pic

Love all the orchid displays!

Air Shipment day!!!

Travis and I found a Belgian restaurant--can't resist a big pot of mussels! We left the kids at home with their ipad babysitter for this.

I took Max out to breakfast. We went to Boomerang, a very kid friendly cafe along the river. 

Another fun park!

Love how the equipment is built into the landscape

These fresh squeezed orange juice machines are everywhere and probably my favorite thing about Singapore!

The American Club has a great library upstairs. They kept us supplied with books!

Lucy facetiming with a friend from back home. It's hard moving away but facetime really helps!

Lucy's girl scout troop did a "simple meals" badge. To complete her badge requirement she had to make a meal for us! Naturally she insisted on making us Chicken Taco Chili, her favorite.

Trying out some new tricks he learned from the monkeys at the zoo

I took Ellie on a breakfast date the next weekend. We went to The Book Cafe.

One exciting day during fall break we took the double decker bus--and got front row seats on top!

The destination was a surprise--the largest Toys R Us in Singapore! At this point they had been out of school for a whole month (not counting the 5ish days of virtual) so I let them pick out some legos.

Singapore has pedastrian bridges EVERYWHERE, and most are covered in flowers!

Another fun day at the American Club

Travis took me out for Kaya Toast at Killiney Kopitiam. It's an iconic local breakfast. A sandwich is made with toasted bread, kaya jam, and butter, and then you dip it in a bowl of soft boiled eggs mixed with soy sauce and fresh ground pepper. So simple, yet so delicious!

I ordered Max a police costume for Halloween, he didn't take it off for days!

Now it's Lucy's turn for a breakfast date! We also went to The Book Cafe but she chose to sit inside.

I can't remember what mall this is or why we were there... so many malls

I think this was the weekend they announced they would be extending the 2 person restriction. Everyone was hoping they would allow groups of 5. This was very depressing news.

Just a fancy (pink?) Aston Martin SUV. So commonplace.

October 18, the first IN PERSON DAY OF SCHOOL for all 3 kids since September 10th. 

Of course I treated myself to a lunch on the river

One of our last days in the serviced apartment I went for a run and found this interesting wetland area where the river ends.

And that wraps up our time in the serviced apartment! We weren't sad to leave that cramped, questionably clean, poorly ventilated space, but I did really enjoy the neighborhood. On to the next phase...