Singapore Arrivals

Our flight from Las Vegas to Singapore went by with the speed of a slow moving truck driver on his last batch of "no-doz" The final list of things to do before we left piled up to a point that I feared not being able to meet our plane on time. Past experience told us though our original flight was 8:45 am, it was wise to get there early and try to board the 7:30 am flight to LA. Luck was with us because the 8:45 am flight had been changed to 10:30 am and they wanted us on the earlier flight anyway.

Our Plane was new and each of our seats had the individual video monitor. We traveled from Las Vegas to LAX to Tokyo then on to Singapore- totalling over 20 hours of travel time. You have to hand it to the foreign air carriers, they tend to have great service and all the entertainment to help make this long flight bearable. I can tell you horror tales of my last experience with United but is was free so had to be done. So the advice today is don't just shop price for around the world trips, seek service and comfort. There is nothing worse then having to beg for water at 30,000 feet in the air.

Lets talk Airports for a second. Have you ever noticed the difference between most US airports and major airports around the world. With the exception of San Francisco and some of the others that I have not traveled to, many of the airports in the U.S. seem to be lacking in the cleaning area. I am amazed at how clean the escalators and people movers our in Japan and Singapore. I believe the term is Virtually spotless. I can't say the same for LAX. The U.S. does have some of busiest airports in the world but boy our image could use a little sprucing up. It also wouldn't hurt if some of the people working in LA would drop the attitude and be a little more courteous to people(customers) using their facilities. I am not talking about TSA people but those in the lounge areas or there providing directions.

Our excitement was mixed with the blur of being half exhausted as we landed in Singapore. We were welcomed by our Sister Aline and of course a little Singapore rain. With four large bags and two carry-on bags, thank goodness for a large van brought by another family member, Warren. Once we arrived at our close friend house, PG showed us where to drop our bags. Being that it was after midnight and we had finished with hugs and greetings, the subject turned to a main Singapore pastime, "Eating"

We had past a 24 hr outdoor noodle house just a few minutes walk from PG's house. So we grabbed a few umbrellas and set out to get a late night supper. The area we are staying at is very quaint in that most of the homes are 3 and 4 story mid-rises. Lots of lush large trees and vegetation towering throughout the outsides of the buildings, like the buildings were placed in open areas of the plant life. Did I mention that PG's home is a "Walk up" Flat? No lift!!! And we had 4 large, HEAVY, bags and two carry-on bags. No wonder I felt a twinge of hunger at 12:30 am. Not so bad after you catch your second wind and take deep breaths.

The first thing you notice at this 24hr noodle shop is that it is outdoors but under cover. The rain had moved to a drizzle as we walked but picked up after we finished eating. Every table was full except one and lots of good smells came from the open kitchen area. Jenny and I sat down as Aline and Warren placed our order with young chap looking a little wet from the local humidity or maybe it was because they were busy. There was over twenty people slurping noodles, soup and hot tea. We just added four more to their count. Within two minutes our four bowls of noodles and our big bowl of veggie soup was placed on our table. The steam rose from every item. Though it rained it is not cold by Las Vegas winter standards. I left wearing a coat in Las Vegas but wore short sleeves as we ate our quick served supper. Short of describing each bite, it tasted great. I would say it would compare to a home cooked meal but without the mess of clean up. In Singapore, these shops are everywhere and are the "fast foods" of the neighborhoods. There are the McDonald's and even a Burger King right when we came out of the airport but the difference is that the food was real good and we all ate for under $9 U.S. total.

A short walk back, another thing that is not done too much in Vegas, and we are ready to say goodnight. Through the haze of being tired and our excitement, I wonder what we will miss first from Las Vegas.

We have lots to do and many people to meet to work on our Real Estate Plans.

Removing the Clutter when relocating

I have sent so many postcards out to clients during the spring to announce the time to do spring cleaning. I wish I had sent a few to myself. I really didn't think we had too much extra stuff but boy was I wrong.

As a Realtor dealing with relocating clients, keep in mind the mountain of things that they had to do. Now they might have a service that is provided by their company but even with a service they may be distracted or concerned about the whole process. Ask them where they are at in the process. If your are showing homes or rentals to a client, they will really appreciate the attention to their struggles in relocating. You may not have to offer a solution but you may just be a ear to listen.

Here is some of the things that I had struggles with and where I found some relief.

1. Determine what you are taking and what is staying. How much do you want to store if you are not keeping a residence in your current location?



2. Contact local charities early on in the process for those items you want to donate. Sometimes the charities will not take your items. So call early!!!



3. In some cities, Craigslist is a lifesaver. If you are trying to sell items like furniture or office equipment then it is highly effective. Remember just like selling a home, Price is a factor. I even looked in Singapore to see if they use Craigslist and they do. So I may be getting some items I need that way.



4. Are your clients relocating a pet? This could add considerable frustration to your clients move. Some countries have specific rules regarding pets. We are bringing a cat to Singapore and they require health checks, tracking chips installed and a 30 day quarantine period. I only thought that bring my cat on the plane was the only worry.



5. If your clients are trying to get rid of a lot of items and they can't sell them, encourage them to call friends, family, co-workers, and church. We found a lot of help from these people.

Now these are not all the struggles we have had but I decided not to rail on the cox cable company or local cleaning companies that failed to even show up for their schedule appointments. Ask me and I will tell you but you may just shudder with fear when you hear how some people do business.

I would like to thank our family in the US, from Mom to our Sister Germaine, for all the help they provided. And especially our friends George and Mary for being a huge relief.

As we finish the last of the items before we go, we now realize that we had way too much stuff. I challenge anyone reading this if you have a garage or storage area that you have boxes that you haven't opened since the last time you moved, its time to let go. Don't take spring cleaning for granted. And remember to donate, your junk may be someones treasures.

NEXT STOP--SINGAPORE!!!