Things here are different. The adventure begins with driving to the mall. I don't allow myself to think too much about driving on the wrong side of the road or I'll scare myself into staying home and I can't afford that: we've run out of toilet paper. I start the car, make sure I've adjusted the mirrors and I'm off! I decide to make a big circle of our road a few times just to get a feel for it. I'm constantly reminding myself "to the left, to the left, to the left," which would be fine if I never had to make any turns or stop lights. Eventually I head out of the comfort of my street and make it the 1 mile or so to the mall. I think it was 30% skill and 70% dumb luck that got me there safely and backed into a proper parking spot. Everyone backs into parking here. The cars are all equipped with the "beep--beep--beep" reminder that you're about to hit a wall so if you get to beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep, you'd better stop.
I go inside Causeway Point and make my way to Cold Storage. I'm digging into my change purse for the one dollar coin and I can't find one. Drat! I found out the hard way last week that in order to have a cart, you must release the cart with a one dollar coin. Then I remember a tip that my friend Jenni shared with me yesterday: the cart releaser also takes the $0.20 coins. Bonus! I feel slightly guilty as I cheat the cart people, but I'm desperate. Cart released!
First area is fruits and veggies right after you pass the Chinese New Year stuff. This is comprised of pots of tiny and very cute bamboo plants that I'm tempted to grab. There are also pots of tiny mandarin orange bushes/trees and some tacky looking red and gold decorations. I go through quickly because I'm on a mission. I actually have a list of desperate items. I must leave with toilet paper, paper towels, razors*, dishwasher soap, thirsty hippos*, and coffee filters. The rest is gravy.
I love the fruit and veggie section. Here I find things as comforting as Fuji apples (from China, not Washington!) and baby carrots (same brand as home!) and as exotic as papayas, pamilos, and veggies I can't pronounce. I stare at the veggies I can't pronounce and desperately wish I knew what they are and what to do with them. Then I realize I don't always know what to do with baby carrots so I move on. I buy a pamilo and I'll give a report on that fruit later. We had it last night with dinner. (homemade dinner!! by my new friend Jenni)
After the produce comes the challenge of the meat section. I didn't realize prior to talking with Jenni that the meat section would be a challenge so I'm already ahead, right? The problem for we silly Americans is we expect things to be like home so when we see "minced beef weight watchers," which translates to "ground sirloin," you think no problem!
Wrong, you silly person!
The meat, fresh from Australia (mental note to check if Mad Cow is or ever has been in Australia), has already been frozen for its trip to Singapore and has now been thawed for your convenience. Do not freeze. Ugh. I'm scanning the meat section for a while and every package has this on it. What is it!? Do these people shop every day for that day's meals or what?! D'oh!
Ahead of me I see long mousy brown hair in a butterfly clip standing at a butcher section. I can't help but stop and ask for advice. Turns out this is Susan F. and she lives across the street from me and just happens to be the president of the SAS PTA. Small world. Hadn't met her yet. She definitely carries a vibe of confidence. This is all old hat for her. She gives me good advice and the most important tidbit I take away is 500g is roughly one pound. Whew!
I come away from the scary meat section not with chicken feet, beef lungs, or Fish heads, but with 500 g minced beef weight watchers that I can freeze, 500g pork tenderloin that I can freeze, and deli turkey meat like at home. I also manage to find Johnsonville bratwurst. Not too bad! I'll have to post a photo of scary meat section in the future so you all can appreciate my success more fully.
I manage the rest of the market pretty easily albeit slowly. I'm trying to carefully scan each aisle so I don't miss something good. I hit the jackpot when I found Goldfish Crackers. J.E. has been without for a long time now! I'll be labeled the Goodest Mom in the Whole World, a label I've previously held for letting him snuggle in our bed.
About 3/4 of the way through I come to the grim realization that I have a pretty full cart. Back home this wouldn't be a problem but here in Sing, they don't take credit cards. Cash only. Drat! No turning back now! I throw my Thirsty Hippos in the cart and decide that I'll remove expendable items at the check out if needed. I'm also fighting the urge to be mortified because I'm the only person in the whole store with a cart, and a full one to boot.
I pick a nice-looking Indian girl to check me out and explain my situation. She rings me up and lets me know where I am with my total along the way. When we get to $250, I take a look at the cart and realize I didn't plan this well at all. Nice-looking Indian girl asks me if I have bank card and I explain that I do. She asks if I have money in my account. Hmmmm. I must look more desperate than I thought. She teaches me another valuable tip: it works like a debit card here at the store. Wow! No reason to feel like lost Ang Mo with no money! We total up the rest of the cart and I'm off for home with my Thirsty Hippos and $20 dishwasher soap and all.
*razors--In my 5 day packing frenzy, I somehow neglected to pack my Lavender Gillette Disposable Razors. I've been borrowing husband's real razor for my pits. My leg hairs are so long you can braid them!
*Thirsty Hippos--I'd read about these little things in my pre-move-internet-access-about- Singapore education. They are some kind of little device that you can purchase at the store to put in your cabinets, room, or closet to absorb the humidity in the air. I need these for my kitchen cabinets. No Air Con.
P.S. I made it home easily with the car, which is now parked in our drive facing out.
LYMI, Vicki
