Expats, do you think Singapore is that boring place?

k1w1 · Post by **k1w1** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 8:11 am

I can't count the number of times that I've heard someone say the best thing about living in Singapore is the proximity to other places. ie: they want or need to get away a lot.

I have been here three years now. I'm bored out of my skull.

Superglide · Post by **Superglide** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 9:57 am

You're stuck kiwibird,

You can't even spread your wings and fly!

vink · Post by **vink** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 3:33 pm

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Okay. I'll just put it a slightly different way. I don't claim that there is nothing to do here. There is plenty to "do". It's just so much of a sameness that it is rather "boring" at the end of the day especially after 25 years. I can remember when there were exciting places on this island but they have either torn them down or moved or renovated or otherwise sterilized them.

The whole country is now purely a product of the STB from the Merlion down. I guess the "artificialness" has gotten to me. I'm not speaking for others, only myself. I did NOT say the region was boring. Everybody seems to counter every argument on this thread about how they can go here and there. That's my whole point. We have to go elsewhere because Singapore itself if boring. Others have been using a different term called "sterile" for at least as long as you have been here (10+ years correct?). One has to leave the country to find natural excitement or character.

Maybe what gets in my craw is that if it's free, it's so crowded that you cannot enjoy yourself or it's so damned expensive it borders on the ridiculous (like concert prices).

Okay, Rant over.

Best post in this thread! couldn't agree more..

vink · Post by **vink** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 3:35 pm

I have been here for 7 years.. watching paint dry is starting to become an exciting activity..

Arizona · Post by **Arizona** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 5:59 pm

vink wrote:I have been here for 7 years.. watching paint dry is starting to become an exciting activity..

Especially on a swinging gondola.

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 7:40 pm

Arizona wrote:
vink wrote:I have been here for 7 years.. watching paint dry is starting to become an exciting activity..
Especially on a swinging gondola.

Yeah, won't be much different than the cable car. And check out the prices.

Makan24-7 · Post by **Makan24-7** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 7:41 pm

No arguments - Singapore's boring but it's a trade-off - safety, stability, convenience and easy access to other places (haha, couldn't resist it)

Come on SMS, after 25 years in one place, ANYWHERE would be boring, wouldn't it? The sameness all over again.

Plavt · Post by **Plavt** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 7:50 pm

Makan24-7 wrote: Come on SMS, after 25 years in one place, ANYWHERE would be boring, wouldn't it? The sameness all over again.

I have to disagree, in Briatain, Europe, Japan, the US and other places there is far too much to see and do in a life time. Singapore is just a small island which you can travel across in around an hour. In addition it's housing estates have that 'uniform' appearance and with what I can only describe as a 'plastic' tourist attractions it lacks variety and appeal for expats and tourists alike.

Makan24-7 · Post by **Makan24-7** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 7:56 pm

Hi Plavt,

You cannot compare living in Singapore to living in the whole of the UK, US or Europe...... That would be comparing an apple to an entire orchard.... A more fair assessment would be comparing living in Singapore to living in London, New York, Amsterdam, Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Shanghai etc..

If you were to compare to living in the UK, US or Europe, then you have to take the easy access that Singaporeans enjoy to the Asia-Pacific nations.

Makan24-7 · Post by **Makan24-7** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 7:56 pm

ahaha don't know why the last 2 words "into consideration" were missing from my last post.. LOL

Plavt · Post by **Plavt** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 8:06 pm

Makan24-7 wrote:Hi Plavt,

You cannot compare living in Singapore to living in the whole of the UK, US or Europe...... That would be comparing an apple to an entire orchard.... A more fair assessment would be comparing living in Singapore to living in London, New York, Amsterdam, Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Shanghai etc..

I don't see your argument; you stated: 'after 25 years of living in the same place anywhere would be boring'. There was no mention of comparisons and in any case Singapore is both a country and a city rolled into one.

If you were to compare to living in the UK, US or Europe, then you have to take the easy access that Singaporeans enjoy to the Asia-Pacific nations.

You overlook something; if you live in the south of the UK then you have easy access to the continent either from Heathrow or via Dover where numerous ferries operate day and night in addtiion the channel tunnel rail-link has been extended and you can get from London to Paris in a little over two hours. Living in the north of the UK makes easy acces to Scandanavia by air or sea while the neighbouring European countries have easy access to each other; examine the high-speed rail links for example.

Plavt · Post by **Plavt** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 8:06 pm

Makan24-7 wrote:ahaha don't know why the last 2 words "into consideration" were missing from my last post.. LOL

Makan24-7 · Post by **Makan24-7** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 8:26 pm

I don't see your argument; you stated: 'after 25 years of living in the same place anywhere would be boring'. There was no mention of comparisons and in any case Singapore is both a country and a city rolled into one.

Initial argument that many people used to say Singapore isn't boring: Easy access to other places outside Singapore.
Counter-argument: if you say you have to leave Singapore, then it is boring.
My argument: if you use the counter-argument, then it gets boring staying in any one place for too long. In this context, you have to treat the place you live as a city. That's coz not many individuals get to live in London, Glasgow, Belfast at any one time (although I personally do know some who do)

You overlook something; if you live in the south of the UK then you have easy access to the continent either from Heathrow or via Dover where numerous ferries operate day and night in addtiion the channel tunnel rail-link has been extended and you can get from London to Paris in a little over two hours. Living in the north of the UK makes easy acces to Scandanavia by air or sea while the neighbouring European countries have easy access to each other; examine the high-speed rail links for example.

Exactly my point! If you say living in the UK and not London or Glasgow or Belfast is not boring, then you must consider living in Singapore within the same travel radius, either by air, sea or land.[/quote]

Makan24-7 · Post by **Makan24-7** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 8:31 pm

Ahhh. i'm having problems expressing myself properly..... It must be the 7pints of hoegaarden i've had already...

Plavt · Post by **Plavt** » Sat, 22 Sep 2007 8:56 pm

Makan24-7 wrote:Ahhh. i'm having problems expressing myself properly..... It must be the 7pints of hoegaarden i've had already...

Have one for me.

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Expats, do you think Singapore is that boring place?

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