Three More Sleeps To Singapore

[pupsiecola]

Evening all,

So we leave on Thursday and we're excited and wanting to go on our adventure. I've not felt too emotional up to now - too busy I think, something to do with the fact that we only embarked on this adventure 2 months ago and now most of our possessions (the ones with no emotional value) and both cars have now been sold. The lounge sofas and washing machine went tonight. The dining table and chairs are going tomorrow. Home doesn't feel like home (it's on the market but no buyer as yet - we wanted to be here 5 to 10 years and have been here 7 hence selling rather than renting). When it sells we'll look at buying a place to rent out). So, everything is in order, pretty much.

Anyway we have our lovely condo waiting for us and I'm sure I can make it home. And our fab friends who live there. But I'm finding these last few days really tough. Saying au revoir to friends and especially feeling sad for the children (boys, 9 and 7) who told me earlier being at school is hard as they know they're not going to be seeing their friends soon. Home is pretty deconstructed and doesn't feel like home any more.

And niggling feelings of "what are we doing?" are creeping in. Even though I keep trying to remind myself of how I felt when I was over there in the Easter (didn't want to come home!).

Anyway, just waffling. Just need to get there and get on with it I guess.

Karen

[londonmoo]

No wonder you're having wobbles, you've done it all in Olympian time! I'm feeling bad enough and that's having had three months to 'plan' it (ha ha) with two still to go.

You mention in your other posts that you have learnt to trust your instincts so keep listening and plough on; this will be the worst time.

Good luck with it all, go for it! It will be brilliant.

x

[BellaMummy]

You have done so much in 2 months! A wobble is completely natural; you'd have to be a hardened soul to make such a big move without feeling emotional. It is always hard to leave friends behind, but email/skype/facebook make it easy to keep in touch, and you will all make new friends in Singapore.

When London and I are having wobbles later in the year, you can remind of us our advice and hopefully tell us that you're so happy you made the move and you've not looked back

Hang in there and think about the joy of putting your winter clothes in storage!!!

[londonmoo]

Yes P, we're relying on you to tell us all what great decisions we have made! :)

Hope wobbles are subsiding and being replaced with real excitement, now.

[popping another winter jumper into vac-pack bag, smugly]

[BellaMummy]

Good luck tomorrow Pupsie! Have a great flight tomorrow and hope you get settled quickly - I'm sure you will

[Hownoobrooncoo]

Good luck and enjoy. We had three lovely years in Singapore and made some amazing friends. Still remember that first day we arrived wt a one and four year old, the heat was stifling. Or first visit to the local food court etc. The first two weeks amazing but almost overwhelming.

[Hamishbear]

Yes, we love it but in the first weeks we all cried about the mistake we'd made! So good luck and don't worry if this happens to you, all normal :)

[empirestateofmind]

Once you get here you will have the time of your life. Safe travels and do tell us all about your first impressions and experiences. I still remember the initial excitement and wonder even though I am an old hand here now.

[Music2145]

Hi P, Bella and London, nice to hear your conversations. My DH has just got a job offer and we're now facing the prospect of moving from the UK in under 2 months too and I'm 5.5 months preggers! (first baby) I'm having a wobble too, but good to know others going through the same too. Be nice to keep in touch over the coming months. :)

[pupsiecola]

Hey Music,
Congrats on your pg! We are 4 weeks in (!) and mostly loving it. Haven't had too many wobbles at all - just fleeting feelings that come and go. Seems to be that there are tons of ex-pats here with babies and toddlers and I often think it must be easy to meet people if you're a new/ish parent!

Most stressful thing for us is that our house in the UK isn't selling at the moment which is v frustrating.

Karen xx

[Music2145]

That's great P! 4 weeks in must be flying by if you're feeling good and settled. Goodluck with the house selling, fingers crossed for you. Have you found a nice area in Singapore to live?

[londonmoo]

Hi Music, welcome to the gang - not that I'm part of it yet but I soon will be, in three weeks time. Eep!

Now in the white-noise stage of planning. Surrounded by lists. Our home stubbornly not renting. Close friend in crisis. School hols aready a week in. Not started packing yet and shippers come in a week. Oops, there's the clock ticking again, better go.

Cannot WAIT to be out there and have a little lie down for... ooh... five minutes would probably do it.

Keep the sun out, Singers.

[kday]

Hang in there, soon-to-movers! It gets different when you get here - there will still be lists but (in my experience) you can at least start to breathe again.
Pupsiecola, looking forward to meeting on Monday. Hope the house sells soon.

[Music2145]

Thanks for all the reassuring messages all and enjoy your get together next week! Look forward to connecting when we arrive late September.

Goodluck with the big move London.. at least the weather here in the UK should be providing enough to-do-list inspiration to get to the sunny shores of Singapore!

[laptopwieldingharpy]

Safe travels!!!

[BellaMummy]

Looking forward to hearing how the Singapore meet-up goes - hopefully a huge success, and I'll be able to attend one of the next ones when I get there in October.

DH leaves on Monday. Dreading it, but glad it's finally happening as I feel like we've been standing still since he accepted the post.

I think we're on the same page when it comes to condos and schools, so hopefully he will find us something nice and we'll get a place for DD1 nearby. We want three bedrooms, and our budget is on the small side so he may have his work cut out for him! My in-laws have been living at the Carribean Club, and I think that has spoilt me now!!

Pupsie, so glad it's going well for you. Have been following your haircut, grocery shopping posts....all fantastically useful information that I am going to borrow!

London - good luck with the final push to get packed and on the plane. Music, you will arrive before me, so will look forward to a meet-up.

Finally, we are looking at Dover Court, Chatsworth, and CIS at the moment - I like the look of Avondale too but they aren't putting any more names on the waiting list. Any suggestions on condos nearby/nice complexes? Our budget is a maximum of $5k per month, but aiming to spend around $4,500 if we can. Not even sure if that is possible!

[teenyweenytadpole]

Just saw your message and had to say bon voyage, spent close to 10 years living in Singapore and loved it. Not every aspect of it, but lots of things are great. It's a fantastic base to explore the region as well, Bali, Thailand, Australia, many lovely places within easy reach. Hope you have a fantastic time!!

[Music2145]

Hello all.. I know it's been a while since this thread and I've been very silent since, but I thought to get in touch as most of us should hopefully be through the crazy soon-to-be moving panic of getting to Singapore! Hope you're all settling in well?

DH and I packed up our London life in under 2 months and landed two weeks ago. Hurrah!

First bub due 19th November, so 7.5month pregnant me is keeping busy apartment hunting, getting used to life, weather etc. All good so far, and will be so pleased when we find a place we can start to make our new home. Let's hope we don't get any early arrivals before flat sorted and shipping arrives. But good news is Gyne and hospital all sorted, ante-natal classes started, so making progress.

Bella - how did your apartment hunt go!? Kday - your insurance help/advice was so helpful.. thanks so much!

Hope you're all settling in well and I will keep an eye out for future meet ups & will look to join in the NMSG too.

Hope to meet some of you soon!

[Astelia]

Welcome to Singapore Music, you sound very together and organised. Good luck with getting ready for your new arrival.

If you have any questions about where to find things just ask, there are plenty of seasoned Singapore shoppers on here.

[pupsiecola]

Gosh it's so weird re-reading my original post - 4 months ago. How did that happen?! Sometimes it feels like years when I think what we've achieved. Other times it seems a lot less. There are a few of us "new arrivals". How are you getting on with your house hunting Music?

[BellaMummy]

After my initial flurry of posts, I then put my head down and got stuck in to the million things, little and large, that needed to be done to shut down our life in the UK. My DH has been there three months, settling in to work, making friends and sorting an apartment and schools.

We are going to be living in Katong Park Towers on the East Coast and my DD is starting at Eton House from November. We were initially aiming for one of the 'swisher' condo complexes, but they were a bit on the small size on our budget. We have a really big three-bed place sorted with a large outside verandah. Obviously only seen photos, but trust DH.

Music, you sound very sorted. Glad you're enjoying it so far. Looking forward to joining the book club and meeting you all! I have Anglo Pacific here today packing up the house. It is already feeling like a house rather than a home :(

Only 5 sleeps until we get on the plane! Eek!

S
x

[BegoniaBampot]

My children went to Eton House on Broderick Rd and overall we were happy with it. Loved living on the East Coast and the older condos are usually much better than the new swish ones IMO. Good luck!