Agenda for a "Reconnaissance Weekend"

[ev-disinfection]

Stay close to where you will be working. so that you can sleep a little longer and get to work on time. btw, which area will you be working in?

On this short trip, look for your place to stay, as there are many apartments to choose from. Also do dress as casual as possible, do let the agent think that you have a tight budget. And get all the agent's promises in writing / email.
The rest of the island, you can visit and enjoy when you get here.

Cheers, (Local guy)

[beppi]

This is what I would do - no, actually, what i DO do every time I am in Singapore:

Go to any hawker centre in a heartland HDB estate, order a Teh Si, watch the uncles and aunties, try to figure out which of the myriad of languages you hear, observe how Hokkien Mee or Roti Prata are made, listen to the blind musician at the entrance, have a Tiger and a chat with the retirees who sit there all afternoon doing the same, and enjoy that you are a welcome part of this without being treated as the outsider you are.

I have been staying here on and off since 1996 and so far never bored!

[Mary Hatch Bailey]

In local parlance, or at least to the resettlement companies I've worked with over the years these trips were called 'look-see' trips and they are invaluable. Good for you Jon for taking on a pro-active attitude and for trying to equip yourself for a big move.

Your list is good. Just remember to use your time exploring things that matter to you. A bank is a good idea, except now its all done through internet banking so no need to waste time there. All local banks suck equally as far as I can tell anyway.

If you are a 'foodie' who likes to cook, I'd skip Jason's for sure (since it's just a smaller version of other Cold Storages) and hit up a Cold Storage close the the Orchard area like Great World or Centrepoint, a Giant or NTUC and a wet market to get an idea of the depth and breadth of goods available.

If hiking is your thing visit the parks. Art? then go to the museums and galleries. Find an agent and actually see a few places in your budget and don't rely on the internet in this regard.

Ride a bus and the MRT for sure, preferably at rush hour. Walk the area specifically around your office to get an idea of what it there.

Be careful of old timers who are full of bluff and bravado that you meet here and elsewhere. Unfortunately, expats are a competitive bunch and you'll always run across people trying to out-move/travel/settle, etc... you. An international move is a big deal and the process should be respected. Singapore may be easier than Bangkok or Delhi but if you are moving to Singapore you are right to educate yourself as much as possible.

Good luck!

[JonOfArimathea]

Thanks folks for all of your time to comment - some very useful information indeed and some great ideas which I will be incorporating into my itinerary.

Work location looks to be very quite central - 'Beach Road' near to 'Raffles Hospital'. That said, the work looks like it's going to involve a fair bit of travel so depending on exactly how much, it makes accomodation options hard to pin down right now given that the best option (to my mind being that value = % of weeknights spent there/cost) might be something more 'local' and not too flashy and ex-pat orientated. If that is an option of course?

Things are moving fast, so I already have a jam-packed Thursday-Tuesday agenda ahead of me for this coming weekend!

Of course, no deals as yet so let's see know how it goes...

[JR8]

Thanks folks for all of your time to comment - some very useful information indeed and some great ideas which I will be incorporating into my itinerary.

Work location looks to be very quite central - 'Beach Road' near to 'Raffles Hospital'. That said, the work looks like it's going to involve a fair bit of travel so depending on exactly how much, it makes accomodation options hard to pin down right now given that the best option (to my mind being that value = % of weeknights spent there/cost) might be something more 'local' and not too flashy and ex-pat orientated. If that is an option of course?

Things are moving fast, so I already have a jam-packed Thursday-Tuesday agenda ahead of me for this coming weekend!

Of course, no deals as yet so let's see know how it goes...

Park-Royal on Beach Road is a decent hotel in that area. Not too $$ but that of course depends on your budget. In fact the Service Apartments in the attached block were the 1st place I stayed the 1st time I moved to SG back in the 90's. Then I subsequently stayed in the hotel a couple of times later on.

Golden Landmark hotel is in the block right opposite Raffles Hospital... but that is not such a great place (tattier)