Adventures in Singapore, part 1: Arriving in Singapore

What was weird for me, coming from Thailand, was that the 7/11s and convenience stores here are far more expensive than even shopping in a supermarket. In Thailand, 7/11 is where you go when you want cheap food to eat quick. Like, it's not healthy but at least it's convenient and cheap!

In Singapore, it kind of feels like they're punishing you with the prices for the convenience and trying to make sure you plan ahead and buy at normal places. So yeah, for food, plan ahead. Your wallet does not want you to be making midnight snack runs to 7/11.

However, you can get a SIM card with data at the 7/11, which is useful if you arrive too late at the airport and everything's closed or just don't like their rather extreme options. The other version of a convenience store they have here is called Cheers, and you can get a SIM card there too. Either way, you will need to show them your passport.

SIM card from Cheers convenience store

The other thing that really stood out was that everybody spoke English! This may not seem like a big deal for some, but I've spent my whole life and all my travels in countries where nobody understood me and it was difficult to communicate. That meant I always had to plan ahead a ton for transportation routes, struggle with ordering food, have internet to get info that I needed, etc. 

My typical planning. This is a picture I took of info online regarding what SIM card I should get, before learning that the cashier could just tell me all this because she spoke English

But no, here? The cashier at 7/11 could tell me the different SIM options and the data packages involved they had. I could ask for directions!

When I asked the guy at the ticket booth for the exit I wanted to get out to the hotel I was staying at, he not only could understand and tell me how to get to the exit I wanted, but even took it a step further and noted that since I had luggage I'd want to alter my plans slightly for a tiny bit longer but easier route. Marvelous. 

The picture I took of the exits for my area, before learning that they could just tell me where to go at the ticket booth

Travelling abroad has never been this easy in my entire life. Hell, travelling inside of Thailand often isn't this easy. We're off to a fantastic start.

The incredibly easy to understand transportation system, so convenient

A random Harry Potter exhibit at Changi airport