Singapore Expats

MOD NOTE: The following are links to threads to commonly-advised things to bring to Singapore when relocating, usually by place of origin. More links may be added on a case to case basis.

Good stuff!
You might want to go and check out the 'Relo/Moving' sub-chapter, and look up topics like 'What to bring', and 'Where to live' and similar. So that you can start to consider such things at your leisure...

examples:
What to bring when moving to Singapore from the US
http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ptopic79193.html

What To Bring from Canada?
http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic100323.html

Moving to Singapore: what to bring [ex NYC]?
http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ptopic73819.html

What to bring to Singapore?
http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic71062.html

Advice on what to bring.. with a twist!
http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/sutra623449.html

What to bring over...?
http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/sutra489254.html


The forum search on 'what to bring' brings up 9 more pages of hits (the above is from page 1!). As you see it's a common question...

Hi
We are moving on the 30th, but our packers are coming on Monday....and they have just told us we cannot ship liquids....has anyone else encountered this? If so what did you do? I'm just after buying a LOT of suncream....which is very heavy to put in our luggage!! Thoughts and help appreciated!

You can buy sunscreen here, you know.

eeoflan wrote:Hi
We are moving on the 30th, but our packers are coming on Monday....and they have just told us we cannot ship liquids....has anyone else encountered this? If so what did you do? I'm just after buying a LOT of suncream....which is very heavy to put in our luggage!! Thoughts and help appreciated!

We've been told this before and we ship most things anyway. If the bottles have flip/pop-type tops you have to secure them. You might tape all the lids down very firmly, stack the bottles vertically and tightly into a small box. It's down to minimising the risk of leakage and isolating it if it happens. You could go further and bag the box and tape that too. [Note you might want to show the packers the contents before you do this]. I have some items that I've done this to several times, like bottles of super-special aged balsamic vinegar of which I might only use a tablespoon a year. That's now likely done 4-5 transcontinental moves with no harm done...

Then you can say to them that you're taking it at your own risk, and ensure the sub-box is packed vertically into it's larger freight packing carton. It all comes down to them trying to avoiding liability for any damage potentially caused...

Thanks!

Yes I know suncream is available in Singapore but I've heard its pricy, and with my pale skin we will be going through it quick!!
Thanks for the packing tips - will ziplock them before packing them tightly into a box.

eeoflan wrote:Yes I know suncream is available in Singapore but I've heard its pricy, and with my pale skin we will be going through it quick!! Thanks for the packing tips - will ziplock them before packing them tightly into a box.

Yes it is pricey. But what I've found is that when you have sun 'on tap' just about every day, there is little incentive to go and grab some. In fact you might go to some lengths to avoid it altogether...

I don't recall the last time I used sunscreen here. But when by down by the pool I swim, I either sit in the shade after, or sit in the sun (good for your vitamin B levels!) but limit that to 30 minutes. I don't know when the last time was I got a hint of pink on me here, but then neither do I wish for a tan here.

My wife has just popped her head around the door - "Mention Batam!". Do a forum search on Batam, it's a nearby Indonesian island where you can day-trip or overnight, and whilst there do something akin to a 'cash and carry' at the hypermarket with bathroom consumables costing 50% or less than here. Last time we went on an overnight trip there IIRC we got enough stuff to probably last a year or so...

p.s. Don't underestimate the brutality of freighting stuff here. Your bottles might benefit from more than simply 'putting in ziplock bags'. Pack them as if they're going to be thrown off the roof of a house... and you should be ok.

JR8 wrote:p.s. Don't underestimate the brutality of freighting stuff here. Your bottles might benefit from more than simply 'putting in ziplock bags'. Pack them as if they're going to be thrown off the roof of a house... and you should be ok.

Being "thrown off the roof of a house"is a bit of an exaggeration, but a 2 m drop would not be.
Should also be concerned about errant forklift blade penetration ("oops").

JR8 wrote:My wife has just popped her head around the door - "Mention Batam!". Do a forum search on Batam, it's a nearby Indonesian island where you can day-trip or overnight, and whilst there do something akin to a 'cash and carry' at the hypermarket with bathroom consumables costing 50% or less than here. Last time we went on an overnight trip there IIRC we got enough stuff to probably last a year or so...

Thanks for the tip about Batam.
Need to go there again one of these days.

eeoflan wrote:Thanks!

Yes I know suncream is available in Singapore but I've heard its pricy, and with my pale skin we will be going through it quick!!
Thanks for the packing tips - will ziplock them before packing them tightly into a box.

I am moving to Singapore from Northern country and very worried about the UV so I want to bring lots of suncream. Does any one recommend the minimum strength sun protection for Singapore? I know the strongest is around SPF50 but my skin is sensitive...

Thank you

yukiko84 wrote:

eeoflan wrote:Thanks!

Yes I know suncream is available in Singapore but I've heard its pricy, and with my pale skin we will be going through it quick!!
Thanks for the packing tips - will ziplock them before packing them tightly into a box.

I am moving to Singapore from Northern country and very worried about the UV so I want to bring lots of suncream. Does any one recommend the minimum strength sun protection for Singapore? I know the strongest is around SPF50 but my skin is sensitive...

Thank you

If I were you I wouldn't bother to bring sunscreen, if you still want to do it well, SPF to take is 50+
Good luck!

You should bring you credit/ debit card and buy it

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Sia White,

Have you ever been to Singapore even for a visit? I only ask because you are just posting nonsense and from a Bulgarian ISP (all of your posts).

Moderator

Why for God`s sake bringing credit/debit card is a nonsense. If you have a card you could buy everything here. There is no need of over packing and buying things in advance.

Sia White wrote:

sundaymorningstaple wrote:Sia White,

Have you ever been to Singapore even for a visit? I only ask because you are just posting nonsense and from a Bulgarian ISP (all of your posts).

Moderator

Why for God`s sake bringing credit/debit card is a nonsense. If you have a card you could buy everything here. There is no need of over packing and buying things in advance.

It's not that you can not. It simply makes little sense to buy some specific things in/from Singapore while you can buy them in the country of origin for a fraction of the price, especially that many people have moving allowance.

Does it make any sense to you to order some food from Bulgaria, or books for kids in Bulgarian after arriving in Singapore or it is better to buy it in Bulgaria and ship it with the cargo your Singapore employee pays for anyway?

I never knew people brought so many things from overseas. When my wife and I have moved in the past we just sell everything that isn't sentimental and buy it again in the new country.

mikew wrote:I never knew people brought so many things from overseas. When my wife and I have moved in the past we just sell everything that isn't sentimental and buy it again in the new country.

Same here. I have moved internationally 3 times and each time I have sold everything until all my possessions fitted in a couple of suitcases. It's kind of cleansing to be rid of all that 'junk'. Makes you feel free. On the downside I'm in my early 30s but no big assets yet. I'm gonna settle down soon.

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