View Full Version : Anyone here been to Singapore?
WickerBill
02-24-07, 05:30 PM
I'm headed to Singapore next month on business (23 hours of flights, ugh), and was wondering if I'll fly east or west from Chicago? I know flights from LA to SG go west, and NY to SG go east, but I can't figure out which direction my booked flight goes. Does it matter which way I go? No. But I'd like to know, see?
Anything I should know? This is my first trip to Asia... I'm really glad I'm going to a place where the "language of business" is English.
Kiwifan
02-24-07, 05:48 PM
Don't know that much about it WB other than it's hot, humid and ya still can't take chewing gum in. Fore warned and all that. ;) I think it's a very clean friendly place so you should enjoy your visit.
Rusty.
chop456
02-24-07, 05:51 PM
Don't spray paint anything.
http://www.corpun.com/3695es.jpg
:D
As far as the flight goes, one of these days, check one of those flight tracking websites a few hours after that flight number leaves.
WickerBill
02-24-07, 06:00 PM
Ha.
I did check flytecomm and flight tracker, and they all say "no dice over the ocean, loser."
Or something like that. They show the flight leaving Chicago and heading directly for Santa's house, which seems unlikely.
Gangrel
02-24-07, 06:07 PM
Ha.
I did check flytecomm and flight tracker, and they all say "no dice over the ocean, loser."
Or something like that. They show the flight leaving Chicago and heading directly for Santa's house, which seems unlikely.
Not as unlikely as you may think. Actually, I believe quite a few international flights take a polar route one way and come back over the Atlantic, to take advantage of tailwinds... ;)
When I flew from Atlanta to Tokyo, the flight went north and west over the northern coast of Alaska and down the eastern coast of Siberia. I realize Singapore is quite a distance from Tokyo however I would think it's still a westbound flight. 15 hours there, 12 hours back. See if you can get a few Ambiens from your Dr. and time it so that you'll be waking at about the same time the locals do.
Singapore is very British and VERY clean. The cops will bust you if you litter or take a whizz in an alley. Its also hot and humid, so bring light clothes and suits.
I did Chicago to Tokyo a couple of times and its a long haul. Bring a couple of books, wander around every couple of hours. I tried staying awake for one flight so I'd crash as soon as I got to my hotel, wound up waking up two hours later like I had just slept for eight.:confused:
The reason you fly close to the North Pole is because of Great Circle Navagation- its the shortest distance unless you believe the world is flat.:tony:
Warlock!
02-24-07, 10:57 PM
Just had a bud get back from there in October... I can pick his brain for any info if'n ya need.
I have a buddy who travels over there extensively. Shoot me a PM and I will put you in contact with him
Ziggy
WickerBill
02-25-07, 07:29 AM
The reason you fly close to the North Pole is because of Great Circle Navagation- its the shortest distance unless you believe the world is flat.:tony:
Wait... what are you trying to tell me here?
Ha.
Or something like that. They show the flight leaving Chicago and heading directly for Santa's house, which seems unlikely.
I have a friend here on the east coast who has made the trip a couple times. Like the others, he said it is more of an "up and over trip" rather than east/west.
I've been to flown thru (Changi) Singapore serveral times. Each time I was on my way to or from Perth, and also had a stop at Narita, (Tokyo). It's odd watching the flight map on that flight, as we took off from LAX and bascally followed the West coast up and across the Southern part of Alaska and almost into Russian airspace.
I doubt the flight you take willl go quite that far North but I would dare say it might be somewhat similar. Is it a non-stop flight to O'Hare -> Changi?
Singapore is very a clean city and typical of most Asian cities very busy traffic wise. If you have the choice, stick to taxis/public transportation rather than risking life and limb with the maniacs on the roads. :)
Never been, but I do know that flights from Cbus to India head east (layovers in Germany are the norm).
-Kevin
WickerBill
02-25-07, 04:01 PM
Cam, the flights are Indy to Chicago, Chicago to Hong Kong, then HK to Changi. On the way home, substitute Tokyo for Hong Kong.
I just learned something pretty interesting -- had I flown American Airlines, I would have gone east (stop in Paris). United goes west, through Hong Kong.
Stop over in Hong Kong, ay? I hear you can get some good deals on Windows software there. :)
Ozarkian
02-25-07, 04:29 PM
Cam, the flights are Indy to Chicago, Chicago to Hong Kong, then HK to Changi. On the way home, substitute Tokyo for Hong Kong.
I just learned something pretty interesting -- had I flown American Airlines, I would have gone east (stop in Paris). United goes west, through Hong Kong.
Yep - friends did O'Hare to Hong Kong last April on United to get their first baby, and it was a 14 hour over the top. Try to get a bulkhead row - more room for stretching out (kind of a low or no cost upgrade).
Second the advice on staying with public transportation/taxis. Traffic is like motorized tai chi, except with occasional contact.
WickerBill
02-25-07, 04:56 PM
Fortunately I'm flying business class, so I'll be in one of these:
http://a56.g.akamai.net/7/56/7207/38d7d524a4f201/www.united.com/images/seat_prods/bus.jpg
Probably a broken one that doesn't recline, but hey.
EDwardo
02-25-07, 05:37 PM
Fortunately I'm flying business class, so I'll be in one of these:
Probably a broken one that doesn't recline, but hey.
If you are really lucky in addition to broken you might have a screeching, whiny kid behind you who keeps kicking your seat.
Here's a crazy idea. For your return flight, switch to American so you can circumnavigate the planet!
oddlycalm
02-25-07, 07:32 PM
One thing to know about Singapore is that everyone arriving goes through a body temperature scanner. If you have any kind of fever you get turned around and sent back. It's a post-SARS / bird flu precaution.
oc
Cam, the flights are Indy to Chicago, Chicago to Hong Kong, then HK to Changi. On the way home, substitute Tokyo for Hong Kong.
I just learned something pretty interesting -- had I flown American Airlines, I would have gone east (stop in Paris). United goes west, through Hong Kong.
WB You may get a little further North than flying out of LAX but you will still get to fly over the Bering straight and some very obscure parts of the world.
Possibly you will fly over the top of Taiwan.... If it is in daylight hours that is one spectacular sight out the window of a 747... Incredibly mountainous and amazing to think that the majority of the silicon parts in our computers come from there.
HKG airport can be a bitch to navigate around. They have underground trains that ferry you from terminal to terminal. Security and passenger screening is non-existant...
Stop over in Hong Kong, ay? I hear you can get some good deals on Windows software there. :)
I was there this time 2 years ago... All the stores were shut down for Chinese New Year. I was looking for cheap RAM. Didnt exist.... I was horribly disappointed...:(
I had a few Singapore Slings one time and I didn't know what direction I was going at the end of the night.
http://www.freesmileys.org/emo/eatdrink048.gif
Andrew Longman
02-26-07, 10:29 AM
I've been to Singapore a few times. It will be about 90 degrees and humid every day. Right close to the equator. Clean and modern. Very English. Sort of feels like an Asian Miami.
Keep the porn and drugs at home too. They'll give you a warning on your entry form of all the things punishable bt death.
Make sure you eat well. There is great Chinese, Indian and other restaurants.
When I've gone. I've usually done EWR to LAX to Hong Kong to Singapore on United
If you can Singapore Air is the best airline on the planet.
I flew United from ORD to Narita back in 1992, and I remember flying over Alaska to get there, so it does not surprise me to see you going toward the North Pole. As Bob S. said, its all about the Great Circles.
If you can Singapore Air is the best airline on the planet.
I will second that! :thumbup:
ChampcarShark
02-26-07, 12:25 PM
Have a safe trip...
Great Circle Mapper: http://gc.kls2.com/
WickerBill
02-26-07, 06:38 PM
Well now it makes sense.
Thanks JB.
http://gc.kls2.com/cgi-bin/gcmap?PATH=ORD-HKG
Totally off camber (in the sense of a question to you about this.....
Not to pry, but what makes someone fly all the way to singapore for business just for meetings....
Seems to me that in this day and age of Video Conferencing you dont need to fly... (unless of course you need to touch something or "look someone in the eye of someone, or see their body language")
I don't mean to stir your thread too far off....
And I know I'm kinda being facetious.
But it always interests me..
Don't get me wrong.... I used to fly a lot.....but that was before High Speed Internet everywhere....
Most recent business trip (about last April) was cross country and (yes) I came back with a little more connected compared to members of my local team that had never "been there"...
Just having fun to see if you have a comment..
BTW HAVE GREAT SUCCESS and GOOD LUCK
OW
Andrew Longman
02-28-07, 10:27 AM
Not to pry, but what makes someone fly all the way to singapore for business just for meetings....
OW
One of my trips to Singapore was for lunch... literally.
The Singapore government was offering subsidies to companies who developed their workforce, many of which were clients of my company. They held a lunchtime briefing on a Saturday to explain the program to dozens of companies and my clients wanted me to be there to understand how I could help them get the subsidies. There was a ton of money in play so it was an easy decision.
I arrived at about 2am Friday and flew back Sunday morning (feeling a complete mess, but a bit richer)
As for videoconferences, I haven't found them to live up to their promise. Useful, but limited. Webex, on the other hand, has been a Godsend. Really useful to keep phone conferences on track and focused.
WickerBill
02-28-07, 11:40 AM
I have to touch something(s).
I'm installing a SAN infrastructure and a VMware VI3 farm, both of which are centrally supported so we don't need to keep people at every site who are well versed in both.
If a disk goes bad, or a power supply fails, then yeah, the local Singapore IT person will swap those out for us... but the operations of both will be handled in Indy.
The VMware stuff could likely be done remotely (painfully, but could be done)... but Singapore would like for me to be onsite, explaining as I go, and meeting with them about support, etc.
I have to touch something(s).
I'm installing a SAN infrastructure and a VMware VI3 farm, both of which are centrally supported so we don't need to keep people at every site who are well versed in both.
Finally switching to Linux, ay? ;) I thought you were too important to be touchin' stuff.
WickerBill
02-28-07, 11:47 AM
Yes... I can grep with the best of 'em now.
And as far as your other comment...
http://loowho.blogspot.com/uploaded_images/worth-787567.jpg
Yes... I can grep with the best of 'em now.
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
chop456
02-28-07, 02:07 PM
Yes... I can grep with the best of 'em now.
As long as you don't tell us you also know how to handle pipes.
WickerBill
02-28-07, 02:26 PM
Ahh, computer humor.
(I know, I started it)
eiregosod
02-28-07, 02:32 PM
I heard that the Singaporese like all things British, your Premiership viewing ixes will be well catered for. Ex[ect to see lots of Chelsea shirts :D
I'm sure that booze is banned there, you might want to bring along someother form of entertainment.
WickerBill
02-28-07, 05:15 PM
I'm sure that booze is banned there, you might want to bring along someother form of entertainment.
Before Warlock answers.... that's banned too; don't suggest it.
Yes... I can grep with the best of 'em now.
df -k | grep -v grep | grep dev | awk -F " " '{print $3}' | awk '{total = 0; for (i=1; i <=NF; ++i) total += $i ; printf ("%9.0f\n", total)}' | awk '{printf ("%9.0f",$1 *1024}'
Can anyone tell me what that does?
(assuming devices not lvm)
I know, I need to "get a life" - no wait --> this pays the bills
Again.... safe travels
;)
edited because I missed something - :)
df -k | grep -v grep | grep dev | awk -F " " '{print $3}' | awk '{total = 0; for (i=1; i <=NF; ++i) total += $i ; printf ("%9.0f\n", total)}' | awk '{printf ("%9.0f",$1 *1024}'
Can anyone tell me what that does?
(assuming devices not lvm)
Prints a syntax error because it's missing a close parenthesis? :)
devilmaster
02-28-07, 10:53 PM
nerds.
;)
WickerBill
03-06-07, 09:10 PM
sigh....
Anyone here been to England for a week, home for four days, THEN to Singapore?
I better get some killer frequent flier miles out of this.
sigh....
Anyone here been to England for a week, home for four days, THEN to Singapore?
I better get some killer frequent flier miles out of this.
Dude, you are so out of of the "I hate flying" club.
sigh....
Anyone here been to England for a week, home for four days, THEN to Singapore?
I better get some killer frequent flier miles out of this.
Drink some decent beer. Eat good fish and chips then settle in with some Ambien... ;)
World record for a thread that ebbs and flows
WickerBill
03-18-07, 05:07 PM
Right then, I'm in Basingstoke UK. I have no personal transportation. I would like to see the sights/take some pictures in London.
Suggestions from the natives / those who have been before?
I was thinking I'd take a taxi to the Basingstoke rail station, ride the 45 minutes to London Waterloo, then somehow procure a ticket for "The Original Tour" red line (http://www.theoriginaltour.com/files/awnsnrtcsz.pdf).
Really I just don't want to come over here and do nothing but work, and tell my family "yes I was in England, I only got a photo of the Basingstoke Hilton".
Really I just don't want to come over here and do nothing but work, and tell my family "yes I was in England, I only got a photo of the Basingstoke Hilton".
Could have stayed home and done that. :gomer:
http://www.chooseyourevent.com/images/company/hilton_basingstoke(1).jpg
Andrew Longman
03-18-07, 07:14 PM
Right then, I'm in Basingstoke UK. I have no personal transportation. I would like to see the sights/take some pictures in London.
Suggestions from the natives / those who have been before?
I was thinking I'd take a taxi to the Basingstoke rail station, ride the 45 minutes to London Waterloo, then somehow procure a ticket for "The Original Tour" red line (http://www.theoriginaltour.com/files/awnsnrtcsz.pdf).
Really I just don't want to come over here and do nothing but work, and tell my family "yes I was in England, I only got a photo of the Basingstoke Hilton".
I suggest a boat ride up the Thames to Greenwich to the British Maritime Museum. See what ruled the waves and the chronographs. Very cool in a seriously geeky way.
Also recommend the Imperial War Museum. Very different take on WWI and II from the US bias
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