Of Cabbies and Sings

Singapore cab drivers are a most intriguing group of people. They are well-versed in facts about their city-state, and will quote them to you at any opportunity. They are unusually well-travelled - last night's driver had just returned from a visit to his son in England, and will be visiting his daughter in Australia next month. They can find any address (do they have tests on this?) and are experts in maneuvering through traffic. They are very dedicated to their work and to their country. Two drivers are assigned to the taxi - one to the day shift and one to the night shift. In typical Singapore fashion, there is no waste - the taxi is always in use. Another driver was concerned about taking a vacation because he would not be there to take care of his taxi to make sure that it continued to run.

Sings are my clever way of referring to the currency here - technically Singapore dollars but the common parlance is 40Sing (meaning $40 Singapore dollars). The US exchange rate is not nearly as favorable as on my last visit, so everything is more expensive, including taxis.

Last night was a lot of fun for me - I was invited to visit with a friend and his family at their house. David has a lovely wife, Clare, a 3.5 year old daughter, Julia, and a new baby Stuart (who is only 9 weeks old). I felt immediately at home - Julia was smart, lively, and enchanting. She has grown so much since I last saw her.

I'm still exercising a lot, but I'm getting lazier. My first workout was a brilliant 8 km. My second was a steady 5 km, and today's was a rushed 2 km. But I'm still doing it!

I called Derek and the girls today and had some interesting conversations. Derek sounded more relaxed than the last few times I've called (in the middle of leaving the house, trying to deal with floor refinishing, trying to get his computer working for a call). Sabrina was happy to talk to me, until she accidentally dropped the phone (cutting me off). When I called back, she was inconsolable. Fiona was happy to borrow the phone while Derek helped Sabrina. She told me about watermelons, butterflies, elephants, and a great big rock that she had found (and many other things that simply didn't translate!). Sabrina recovered well, but didn't really want to use the phone anymore. I think this trip is harder on her than on anyone else.

I miss everyone and am looking forward to leaving for home in two weeks. In the meantime... back to work!