HK trip #4

In changi airport right now, decided to take this short opportunity waiting for a flight back to HK to write this entry. someone's been complaining there's nothing new on my blog. surprised they still read it!!

As usual, I met up with my same ol bunch of close friends. A weekend is pretty too short to meet up with everyone I'd like to... but still it was good. It was a bit tiring rushing around but it was good to have a weekend filled with meeting old friends.

Meanwhile L was in the US scouting for a venue for our wedding. hehe...

And a short story I felt quite strongly about. I arrived in SG friday late night (1am Saturday actually), and I wanted to buy a sim card - so I can make and receive calls more easily. I hadn't planned to come back to SG so I didn't bring my IC, my EZlink card, and my sim card. I was told I could get it from the money changer.

W: I'd like to buy a sim card please.
Girl at Counter: Top up card or sim card?
W: Sim card.
G: new number?
W: Yes.
G: Can I see your ID please.
W: (take out passport>)Here you go.
G: Sorry sir, for Singaporeans, I need to see your NRIC.
W: Why? I left my NRIC overseas. Isn't the passport good enough?
G: Sorry sir, its the regulation.
W: So foreigners can use their passports but Singaporeans cannot?
G: Yes sir. For Singaporeans we need to see your NRIC.
W: But my NRIC number is exactly the same as the passport number
G: Yeah I know sir. But we need your NRIC.
W: Why? The passport IS a valid ID, accepted by goverments worldwide. And its not valid here?
G: Sorry sir, its a singtel regulation.

I was on the verge of going balistic. Seriously, do they have to follow the rule to the letter? WHAT, really, could be the reason they refuse to accept my passport as a valid id? In the end, I went to the money changer at the other end of the airport to try my luck again. Again I was told the passport CANNOT be used as a valid ID. I asked if there are any other forms of ID they'll accept. Driver's License, i'm told. Luckily I had it in my wallet. And then I got the simcard.

But really, logically speaking, WTF can't I use my passport? I cannot use my NRIC in anywhere in the world, except Singapore. And I can use my passport EVERYWHERE in the world... BUT Singapore. AND THE DRIVING LICENSE IS MORE VALID THAN THE PASSPORT???

I was dissapointed, to say the least. In Singtel, for having such a ridiculous rule, in the cashier for having such a narrow one track mind, and in Singapore, for I knew only such a ridiculous rule can still be followed unwaveringly here.

Sim Wong Hoo once wrote about the "U Turn" syndrome in Singapore, i.e., you are not allowed to make a U Turn unless there is a U turn sign (in other parts of the world, you are explicitly allowed to U turn unless there is a "No U-Turn" sign). Perhaps Singtel's regulation wasn't that you can't use your passport if you're singaporean.... They just didn't write that you could....

Actually, writing about this I remember another incident. Our PM came back to SG from an overseas visit and noticed a longer queue in the "Singapore Residents Only" lane versus the "All Passports" lane and was confused. Why, he wondered, would that be the case when Singapore passport holders can also choose the "All Passports" lane? Reason being that some Singaporeans won't risk it unless its explicitly written - "All passports including singaporeans" perhaps.

Enough ranting.. i gotta go. maybe next entry i'll talk about the financial meltdown... since people have been asking me about it and also... i feel like this is gonna be a historic moment. 20-30 years later people will remember about this year as the worst financial disaster in history and I'm smack in the middle of it. Perhaps I really should start documenting day by day recounts, and then I can compile a book and sell it - when i get fired :P.