The Singapore Chapter..... Orchard Road.

On arrival at Singapore Harbour Front, ASH and Iain took a taxi to our accomadation and I took another to......ORCHARD ROAD !!!

8 over years since I visited it ! What would it be like ??? My playground of yesteryears , especially when I was in College which was situated in Paterson Hill just off Orchard Road ! How we used to sneak off from lectures to go bowling at the Orchard Bowl. So regular were we that a few big companies offered us to play for them. There used to be companies like Jardine Waugh, Harper Giflans and others.

Any way , as the taxi passed my College, memories came back in a rush....good ones and ugly ones ! I saw the the fourth floor of the Canteen Block and remembered how my mates carried my scooter to the 4th flr of the buliding and only told me about it when it was time to go back.

And the lady lecturer who  would flirt with us. Oh ...she was such a flirt. I remember on one occasion when she saw me sitting at the back door of the class, would walked pass and casually 'dropped' her handkerchief ! It took me only a second to pick up the handkerchief , caught up with her and returned the it to her.. Her style was classic... instead of thanking me , she said, "Ha...I'm glad you noticed !"  Well----what would say and do to that ? You'll never know my reaction !

Anyway, soon I was in front of the Shaw Centre. Got out of the taxi and ......OMG !!!

The thrill to see the changes and the activities. In fact they putting up the Christmas lights. What great timing !
However, I wasted so much time looking for the pedestrian crossing and it was like being trapped in one place, unless you take long walks to the traffic lights junction.

The buildings were something else ! Anyway, I walked the length of Orchard Road. There were still some familiar scenes but well hidden by or dwarfed by the new bigger and taller buildings.

I would just like to relate my experience at one of the electronic shops. My phone battery was out and I needed to communicate . So went to a shop and got a new battery. Then the salesman saw my camera. And with the gift of the gab, I stayed on and listened to him selling his stuff----a camera lens.  The demonstration and patience displayed was just fantastic and super professional. Then , the pricing ! . From an opening price of S$950, it ended with a final offer of S$250 !!!!!  Can you imagine that ??? And the best part is that he didn't even show a sulky or long face when I told him I did not need the lens. All he did was, gave me a card, and told me to ' Come back anytime Sir !".

This is at the base of the big Christmas tree. Four doors lead to a big room in the tree.

There's a thing or two to be learned here for some of our salesman !

Anyway here are some photos.

This is the electronic shop that tried to sell me the lens and this photo was taken with it. Note the wide angle and lighting, which, by the way , was taken without flash.