Singapore beautiful city

i many time flew to join ships as merchant marine officer and have bee also later on with ships I sail on in that amazing aculay island and country, wher one must obey strictly rules when went to city.

First expirience when you are joining Singapore by plane, I noticed all people in plane when flight attendant gave to everyone form to fill up and people saw what among address wher are you going either tourist or business trip and address of your stay in Singapore there is scary note writen in bold. letters and that is something what scared all passengers on plane as  i then yyoung first time joinn ship in Singapore.

Wihout much expalantio it is writen on that form tha anyone caught with few grams of drug when leave plane will be entenced to dead and that is so scary that even President of country you came from cannot help you. I was thinking my god what if someone somewher as we cgange few airport and your luggage is not propery locked throw it in , you aare doomed, no any excuse you can tell tem or they accept it.

One can only imagine how all on this plane was scared, but all went well after immigration formalities all went to his, direction and agent wait me and brought me to my ship on which i have to sail as junior officer.

After thatexperience I went later with ships I sailed many time to that beautiful city, but only what I can say no suits me is high humudity as temperature is all year same as Singapore is just 1° north from Equator thus daily many times rain then came sun and one sweat a lot day and night time.

When you went out  first lesson will learn that as is not big as being not so big islabd city Of Singaoore have many taxi which are cheap, to emchourage people not to use their cars, and if you own car licence plate for driving it one months every fay cost more then a good car, so they have plates alow you to drive certain days in week or one wee in the monts and you pay much lesss mone.

Now I came back on taxi not expensive passing all the time but they will not sop you as they are not allowed if you vawe hand, no way but there are taxi stations with oeople waitin very discipined in rows and you take your place must be patient and when you reach pposition on 1st place next taxi is yours.

I can also advice not to smoke on the street as you lit cigarete and finish it there are not asthreys to dumb it, and if you throw it on the floor and they saw you  you will pay lot , and you must be happy that issuee no go fiurther.

Even worse is with chewing gums as they no allowed it thera nd if you jappened to have one in mouth and spoat in on the floor and the saw yoi its consider offence bigger then smoke and throww cigaarete on flor and fines are astronomical.

but what is realy very dangerous and that they punish you without mercy if you spray some logo on some building or in underground  metrro which i visited as heared a lot about it , want to see how it looks like,

Well its co spotless clean as is best pharmacy, and if as one boy made spray some grafity on the wall and he was barely 18 years old and the yaarrested im and sentenced him , ny 25 lash by bamboo stick on his back, I will not reveal his nationality as was from great country and even his Presiden try to save it from that punishment and beating but no way, he was beaten  as its low in their country and  i suggest al young people read what you can and what you cannot do in certain country aand respect its regulation, as if you as this boy made what is considered there as big crime then nobody even your President of country you are coming from cannot help you.

This later I always kept in mind when in some foreign country as been in hundreds and each have its own regulations and you must respect and obey it not only tha you can be harshly punishment but out of respect to the country where you come.

Now can not bus think to Singapore as advice to young people, I agrre as said rules must be obeyed but such hard punishment what in most countries will be not only fined they can even sentence to deth.

Its is very smal island country lot of people live there , their standard of living is among highest in the world, but they lack space to buld even schols as we did but most are bult in big sky scrapers with all facilities,

It is mayot shipping lane for ships coming from oil reach countries, Suez Canal, bound to Chima, Korea; japan, all is so congested with ships that its one of the most dangerous shipping line in the world when ship passing Singapore straight, When huge oil ladden tankers carry up to 500 000 crude oil are passin as they are submerged 20m deep and cannot simply when meet another ship in opposite course move abit left or right as will run aground, so Singapore maritime authorities every hour transmit their current position to other ships as they can trapped in narrows with devastatin consequences.

There are hundred ships at anchor in Singapore many came to take fuel but many also wait new jon egagement.

City itself is in best position for merchaaant ships as all going and coming to and from up to Japan and then back super  tankers in Persian gul or so, other heads fo Suez Canal and all have to pass Singapore straigh and many sto to take fuel and fresh provision and ship spare parts bringing to Singapore  huge money income as being on such place thar any ship went arround Indonesia will lost few days and of course nobody do that but goes throug Singapore strait and save money and time as well

Ships coming to Singapore road to take fuel mand provision, always adjust speed to come in the morning so all free crew with boat prowide by ship agent went ashore to city and come back about 10 pm.. One must be very carefull not to on way back miss boat as man in charge told us at what time all must be on pier and gave us address where he will be waitng.  If someone miss time and boat it is very difficult with another boat which he will pay from his pocket among hundreds ships at anchor find where is his spip or explain to other boatsman , its almost imposible task.

Many when went to that city attracting as magnet to shopping or so , at last moment came to boat what company paid and boatsman know where our ship is anchored. Ones been first time as I mention at last moment try to take taxi passing but are not aware that taxi as in  outher country is not allowed to stop and take them but must go to taxi statio and there sometimes is long row of people waiting in fanced left and right side to board coming taxi, so no other way but stay in row and wait watching all the time , that they no miss boat which at certain time will leave and they will stay ashore.

Its easy to misss time when one see how beautifuly city is and all that shining shoping, gold and diamond shops, and many more most buy for their vives some golden present as there prices and a bit lower then at other places . So see this and that and want tose more all want to stay till last moment counting will stop taxi but get surprised when must stay in row and wait , luckily they are veryy frequent and very chip to encourage people even ones can afford car plates as plates cost if on monthly taken more then car and weekly aalso a lot or few day a months its not to clog city with traffic

luckily all come in time some at very last moment and board that boat with boatsman who know among hundreds ship wher is our as then was no GPS.

Once when i senior officer one junior officer miss the boat, at stay trying to find and pay another boat and man but what is difficult is for boatsman to find our ship. He was lucky as ship stayed till 5 am at anchor and he with boatsman was going hours arround and arround and finaly saw his , our ship, he was so happ, he paid but if he stayed in Singapore and we  sail without him , and he was without any documents, then will have lot of trouble with local authorities as one must avoid to come in conflict with them as to say simply they have no any sense for humor, boy had small money, with him but wworse what can happen to one as will happen to him no any document as then there its nightmare what one must experience, which in some other countryy will be not big deal as ship agennt will issue guaranty letter and buy him ticket probably to next ship of call destination so will stay in hotel and will pay all expences but its nothing compared what will have to pass here in this amazing city, having very rigorous low and really it differ especialyl fro European Or USA or so but as I point out and younger people can learn to be careful when travel to countries they never been and read what is allowed and what not as in certain country small ofence one think it as joke there is no joke at all..

And when we sail either from Singapore as I was later and before was with huge container ships most of the crew is very tired and just when you clear Sinapore road its is for pirates best time to board ship and steal mostly monyy from Captain. Till there we maintain antipiracy watch and after Singapore but that short leg crew is not only tired but busymaking ship ready for sea. Those pirates cannot be compared with Somaly ones which board ship and take it in their port and asked ransom money in million dolars, so in Singapore they if board ship rush to captan cabin as they know he is still on bridge broke sef with money stole what can and run away, Hard to believe that is hapening sso close to that city, having so big standard of living for his citizen and all is beautiful and just few miles across is diferent people poor and reafdy to do desperate anything