It now looks like we left Sydney at the right time, because she’s got flash floods and thunderstorms resembling Singapore and Malaysia in December.
But really, though, there isn’t ever a good time to leave Sydney. I spent nine good years from 1992 – 2000, and ten days there last month. One difference between the recent stay and the previous one is that everything there’s really really expensive now.
There was a time when the S$ was a little bit stronger than the $A, making many Singaporeans say things like, ‘Wah, drink coffee here damn cheap hor? The cappucino and latte only $1.80 leh, when you convert back’.
But what the heck, Sydney welcomes everyone who’s ever seen the Pacific’s waves lap at her shores in a way that makes you keep longing to come back, whether or not you gain or lose when you convert back.
It was even more special for me (that I had to show Sydney off to Naomi), as I visited the locality I lived in, bumped into my old landlord (who’s still renting out the flat at a premium – $500 a week, and dat’s cheap already!), and many other places of significance (to me).
Again, I’ll have to tell you about them later, because reservist book-in time beckons, and there’s Combat Live-Firing all of tomorrow.
Peter the landlord (I forget his last name), who still collects rent personally, as well as tends to the common garden
The art-deco Ritz cinema at The Spot, St Paul’s Street, Randwick
