chronicles of a m'sian trying to renew passport in s'pore

Only done so once in my 13 odd years in Singapore.. so naturally, think as hard as i might.. i really couldn't recall what i did five years ago...

Anyway, read the M'sian immigration's website somewhere with regards to the form that you gotta fill in. So I got the form from my brother when he went back to M'sia. Have to buy one.. not free. If you download from their website then its free. But have to print out on both side of the page else will be deemed as invalid.

So there i was happily went to take my photo via those photo ID booth that you can find in some of the MRT stations. It states there, suitable for passport, driving licence etc, so should be ok.. or so I thought.

So today took a cab to the M'sian High Comm. in S'pore at Jervois Rd. Don't know where? Haha, neither did I... but from the streetdirectory.com it says its near Orchard/Tiong Bahru. Anyway, the cab uncle knows. So reached there about 830am. Must exchange some form of ID to get their valid pass. Security measures.

The place to renew the passport is about 1 minute walk from the security area. And the building is quite nice la... better than the one in Hill Street last time! So, assuming all the docs are ready (application form + photocopies of M'sian + SG NRIC+2 photos), then you're suppose to queue to get a queue number. How ironic... Anyway, gotta follow procedure.

Then I sort of like noticed how the other people's photos are like.. with a blue background while mine is like white? I looked at the photo ID machine in the office.. exactly the same as the one I used back in one of the MRT stations. Anyway, i went out of the queue and got my SG NRIC photocopied (bcoz I didn't know that is also required..) and then queued somemore to get a new set of photos taken. I chatted with the officer there and yeah.. seemed like that photo ID machine is the only one in SG that has a blue background!

So rejoined the queue to get a queue number and it was quite alright. I noticed that at 930am, there's practically no queue already. So after you get your queue number, you gotta wait somemore. I waited for about half an hour, then was called to the counter to scan the thumbprint as well as to get it printed/inked on the application form. Think I'm not that good in thumb inking, so the repeated it for about 3 times.... -_-'
And after the lady had keyed in all your particulars etc, satisfied with the thumbprints, then proceed to the payment counter. Pay in SG dollar cash only $128 for a 32 page passport. After that you'll be informed to come back within the same day (or the next) at either the 2.30 or 4.30 pm time slot to collect the passport.

So to make life easier.. summary of procedure:
1. Go to the High Comm. and bring your driving license or student pass or some form of ID (other than NRICs) so that you can exchange for their pass. Bring both your SG and MY NRICs.

2. Fill in the application form to renew passport. Form is available at the counter @ SGD$0.50 per piece.

3. Photocopy your MY and SG NRIC. Otherwise, the service is available at the High Comm. @ SGD$0.30 per piece.

4. If you're taking photos in a studio, ask for a blue background. Otherwise, take at the instant machine at the High Comm. Costs SGD$6 for 4 pieces. You'll need just 2 for the application.

5. Queue at the counter 1 to get the queue number. If you have missing items, the lady will advise you after a super quick check.

6. Wait patiently...

7. Once your number is called, proceed to the calling counter and get your thumbprints taken.

8. Make payment in cash. SGD$128 for 32 page passport.

9. Collect the half of the receipt and you'll be advised on the date and time of collection. Usually is collection within same day or the next working day.

10. At the collection date and time, you'll be called based on your pass number and not the receipt number. Guess this is the first come first serve implementation?

Overall comments on the experience:
Quite alright. The security people at the High Comm. seemed caring enough as they'll keep a lookout for pregnant ladies. Also, at the collection time.. I liked it that they give priority to senior citizens first. :)

Total damage today:
1. Cab fares: $16+$5+$5=$26
2. Passport application payments: $128 + $6 + $6 (2 times bcoz first one is of white background.. useless)
2. B'fast + lunch: $4.50+$3=$7.50
3. Bus + MRT rides to SG Immigration (ICA) + journey home: $5 (at least?)
4. Photocopy: $0.30
Total costs: $178.80

So I got my passport renewed and collected within same day but didn't manage to transfer the SG PR stuffs over because according to the lady at the ICA.... one must do so before 4.30pm. Guess what time I landed there? 4.40pm. 10 minutes over... so need to go there another day. Bahhh... what a downer!

centrepoint lights

lots of light bulbs



closer view...



any closer, probably will get electrocuted!

sometimes you wonder... sometimes you doubt...

Been moody recently. Everything and anything seem to irritate...
And I realize.. just how recent did I ever smile, those happy little smiles? It seemed so long ago, so I wonder...

Beginning to doubt. That very purpose that I'm pursuing... now seem something that's quite impossible. Or rather.. it was not even realistic in the first place!

Ha...

So once in a while, I wallow in sorrow. And I ponder... and I wonder.. meanwhile, life's go on.. ya... gotta stay functional.

tampines mall

Christmas came early at Tampines Mall. Actually, I'm sure a lot of places already have the deco up la. As you can see the tree is less than 3 storeys high. It was real crowded on Saturday last week.

Was hungry so went in search for food. Mcdonalds was like packed to the brim! Then upstairs have food but all near $10 range.

So went downstairs, but most are like kiosk except for Crystal Jade but my friend didn't want to because she's been having good food since her sister came for a visit. So, decided to settle on one selling Indonesian food (because their stall got some seats one... that's why la.. if not you think I'd bother meh...)

Anyway, ordered a Nasi Bali (never hear before right? Neither have I... -_-'') Anyway, the picture up there at their signboard looked pretty decent but lo and behold, I was surprised when I saw the real thing. So disappointed!


miserable portion... and missing a begedel(Malay potato croquette)... and look at those egg threads.. tsk tsk.. pathetic!


The lady boss placed the plate on the tray and just looked at me. I looked at her... then I looked at the plate of rice and looked back at her. I exclaimed, "This is it?? Like this only?!" She never say anything also to my bewilderment. Then my friend nudged me and whispered, still got chicken la.. Then the boss muttered something like wait... still preparing. Faints.. for a moment, I really thought my $5.50 is just a plate of rice with miserable vegetables sides...

Then after waiting for another 3-5 minutes, the chicken appeared in a bowl similar to ayam penyet. Cheh... just cut up those pre-fried chicken and douse some sauce only also need to take so long ah?


dun be fooled by the chicken.. it looked better than it taste...

Food verdict: While the rice and its accompanying sides like the long bean (crunchy!) and crackers (belinjau crackers.. so crispy and bitterish!) are ok, the chicken itself is cold and slightly dry and not much taste except for the sauce. So the $5.50 could be more well spent elsewhere...

dial 100

Yesterday was the day when I truly felt gan-cheong spider. I think I had been sedated for quite a while. Well... with the exception of some bursts of 'excitement' at the workplace of course.

Anyway, I was on-leave. So woke up at a comfortable time at about 5 mins before 9am. Went down had my leisurely breakfast (not nice tho.. laksa no taste unfortunately.. it looked better than its taste!) and bought some necessity for the bathroom clean-up (like rubber gloves, scrubs etc). Reached home about 10am and started cleaning up my toilet (looooong overdue!). Mirror, sink, walls, toilet bowl and floor. The full works. Hence, it was 11am when the job was done. "Hmm... still have time to re-work the contract." I thought. The contract means the contract for my practicuum. My lecturer has asked me to rewrite some parts. So I thought I better get down to it.

When its done, wahh.. its already 12pm. Oh no, still haven't bathe yet.. can't possible go to my appointment with the school principal in this condition bah... not after I just cleaned the bathroom right? So off to the shower and went finally done.. 12.15pm! Chamz.. appointment is at 1pm. And its to the west side. So I rushed out and grabbed a cab. It was raining too. Taxi uncle say, "Go by Lornie road and then PIE". So off we went. Then got traffic jam before Lornie because apparently go roadworks in broad-daylight(?) and because of rain and along some parts there was an accident too. I looked at my watch. 12.30pm. And oh no, I don't have the telephone number to inform the other party that I am going to be late. So I asked the taxi uncle, "What's the number to call to find out other people's number?" He asked me what service provider I am on. I was like ?? Does it matter which service provider? He said something like 106. Tried it and nah.. doesn't work.

So sms'ed someone else and got it. The number to dial is 100. Just let the person know what you want and he/she help you find the number.

Anyway, with rain, traffic jams and all.. finally managed to reach the place.. on time. Phew!

food and blogs

Noticed recently that many youngsters nowadays when they go out to eat with their friends are armed, with digital cameras. And most are with those high end digital SLR cameras. Cool!

Either the food is impressive or the electronics has become more affordable, or simply people are loving photography.

chinatown

i was in town... chinatown area on the way to my favourite pasttime... karaoke. So i brought out my trusted old phone with 1.2M camera... it works well in bright daylight as evidently shown from the pictures below ;)


pagoda


rows of trishaws


trying to be arty farty

KTV was fine.. although the distribution of people who had airtime were uneven. Had dinner at the people's park market (i think so la.. neh.. the one that's near the pagoda.. i think...my sense of direction not good one). Anyway, ended up eating crispy noodles (生面). Errr.. it tasted like mamee coz very the crispy.. but hor.. not enough sauce and 料。Quite stingy with the ingredients and small plate for the $4 price tag.

Then hor, went to eat dessert. And it was such a disaster... Was supposedly Taiwan dessert but with the usual ching teng, red ruby ice kachang etc. So out of curiosity, I ordered a Taiwan ching teng. The aunty who served me looked sickly.. and as if that's not enough, the ching teng ingredients were already set in a bowl! Walao.. no standard siah! Don't know how long that stuff has been sitting around also and whether it was visited by any other things like lizards or cockroach or wat nots! Eee... Anyway, still never mind.. she went to put in the 'teng' in ching teng from a tiny plastic container. Usually other places they will have cooked the 'teng' in a pot.. here.. I don't know and don't think I wanna know!

Then hor, must put ice shavings right 'coz I ordered cold one. So she proceeded to put ice lor but lo and behold, I spied her fingers inside the bowl wor.. boo hoo! I really considered not eating that dessert there and then! Then hor, another aunty came along and I saw at the top of the stall a picture of her looking radiant and resplendent alongside an unknown (becoz i dun recognize) celebrity (I guess it is la... else take picture and paste there zhor simi?) Then I looked at her.. and looked at the picture again. Now her face had a terrible outbreak of acne.. almost pock marked like.. with the scars still reddish... I was like.. errrr... has she been eating too much dessert or wat? The she proceeded to put agar agar ontop of the iced cheng teng... and I was like, huh? Since when cheng teng comes with agar agar slices?

Anyway, decided not to waste the dessert and ate it. I found a humongous red date inside my cheng teng and the red date is hard! Who puts a raw uncooked red date inside cheng teng ones??? Walao! Not only that, it had some unidentified objects that tasted like sugar bits (hard n chewy?), got raw 枸杞子(?), got black pearl like those in bubble tea (??) and then after a while, I gave up... it just tasted.. too weird for my liking...

Best part was, my friends also bought dessert from the same stall. Got ice kachang and red ruby. The ice kachang one comes with... a long strand of hair! *yucks*


die die DUN eat!

mediocre...

Am now convinced that there is nothing special that i can do, i am as mundane as mundane can be.

For my assignments.. I could only muster two P1s last term...P1s.. it's just like hovering between 55 - 64 points out of 100. Walao.. like that dun take better! But then, heng can pass la... phew. By definition that would mean that the papers that I've submitted are not well referenced... (yalar.. that time was sick mah.. had to complete one of the assignment while I was on MC.. sad right?) No enlightenment (though I can imagine who in the class are most enlightened), no great insights like sudden eureka kind of exclamation worth revelation... basically, it didn't catch on well with the marker. Not same frequency.

More likely to be.. need more depth and greater self and community awareness, and maybe 1000 references...

food glorious food

french fries


fish fingers or fish cake?


oats + prawns = oats prawns?


sweet n sour fish?


thai style roasted chicken?


and to think that I've loaded all these into my stomach.. all in one day... today... and those are part of the food only...wow, no wonder I'm fat!

and today i learn... about myself...

Ever had a time when you 'argue' with someone and that someone insisted on having his/her say? (Ha! I realize sometimes I could be that person... but that's not the point..) Today I had met my match.

This person is knowledgeable, seemed open to all viewpoints. Seem is the word. It is actually nothing wrong to have opposing views. I do enjoy discussing opposing views but today, I felt oppressed. Did you ever get those feelings? Especially when you don't get any chance at all to say what you want to say but instead everything else was monopolized by the other person and when you do get a chance to say something it was shot down flatly absolutely with no leeway at all.

Sigh, next time if I ever do that to you... do remind me. I will absolutely respect and will allow enough time for you to air your views!