Since the day I set foot in this country in mid-2005, I have seen those Tiger Airways ads on newspapers advertising really cheap fares to the Lion City. The catch? One would have to fly out of Clark. Being the Curious George that I am (awakened only in 2005), I decided to ditch my Cebu Pacific suki, and go for Tiger Airways to find out what it was like to fly out of Clark.
Getting to Clark was not a problem. I just called Philtranco weeks before and reserved a seat. At 11AM, I got on the shuttle bus behind Megamall A for P300. After an hour and a half, I was in Clark, checking in my baggage. No sweat, I tell you.
Tiger Airways is very much like Cebu Pacific: you get on the tarmac to get on the plane. And yes, it's true: they really don't serve you anything onboard. You want to eat? You buy. I suggest buying food prior to leaving Megamall because there's not much to eat at the Clark Airport either. Oh, and it's also true that there are no assigned seatings, but since the flight wasn't full coming out of Clark, I got a window seat without having to shove anyone out of my way. HeHe.
After three hours of non-stop iPod playing, I arrived in Singapore. Irene e-mailed me the day before to tell me to take an airport shuttle to get to Orchard Road, but I had it in my head that I was taking the MRT (thanks to my Lonely Planet: SE Asia on a Shoestring book). Taxis/shuttles and anything that drops you off right where you need to go are for wimps!
With my duffle bag on wheels, I climbed on board the free T1/T2 airport shuttle bus to take me to the Terminal 2 of Changi Airport (Tiger Airways is located in the Budget Terminal). From the bus window, I got to see Singapore and it was love at first sight! Oh the clean streets! Oh the landscaped grounds of Changi! Oh my! It was like I landed in the U.S.! *SIGH.
After being dropped off at Terminal 2, I headed over to the MRT Station where I bought an EZ-link card so I can tap-tap my way around town. Naks, so high-tech! I love this city!
After three painless transfers, I got to Somerset station and got out on the Orchard Road side. Okay, where do I go: left or right? I should have known better than to trust my instincts when I'm hungry: I went to the right: the wrong way. After sweating it out and looking like an idiot with my bag on wheels, I finally asked someone where the Paragon Mall was. Reply? "Oh, it's the other way." $&*#!
I backtracked and ended up in front of the Singapore Visitors Center. I thought I passed by the Paragon without knowing it. With my bag on wheels, I went inside to ask one of the attendants (she looked at me funny with my darn bag). She turned the map of the hotel that I printed out from the internet upside down and told me to walk two more blocks. While there, I grabbed a good stash of maps for the next three full days.
When I finally found the Paragon and went up the hill, I ended up in a crossroads again: do I go to the left or the right? Again, I went to the right. Wrong. Good thing, I ran into an expat who told me to get on the other side of the road. I could smell the apartment hotel already, but I passed it on my way to the top of the hill. Again, I had to ask another man who was walking with his family for directions. He told me that I passed by it and sure enough I did.
Sweaty and way too hungry, I finally saw Irene and co-workers after a total of 12 hours of traveling (from the time I left Mandaluyong!). First day of Singapore: done!
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