Category Archives: Tips

Tip – Obtaining a Vietnamese visa in Singapore

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I had a very slight runaround and got some good information while I was doing this, so thought I might as well pop the info up here as I can’t find anything as specific elsewhere online.

Please note that the prices are as of the date of this post. Visa prices fluctuate and also vary depending on which country you get them from, what type it is, where you are from and so on. The visa I was after was a single-entry 1-month tourism one.

First of all, there are two phone numbers published online for information. Ignore them and use this one: (+65) 63233833. It will get you through to a chap in the visa office who speaks very good English and is incredibly patient and helpful.

There are also two locations you can visit if you’re applying in person. The actual consulate is in the middle of nowhere, and quite a way from the major cluster of embassies near Orchard Road. It’s at 10 Leedon Park and the phone number there is (+65) 64625938, but this only takes you to an answering machine message.

The other office is much more convenient if you’re staying in the usual backpacker areas round Bugis and Little India. Get the MRT (or walk) to Buena Vista station and exit via route C (Anson Road). Straight over the crossing is Prince Edward Road. You’re after number 12, but it doesn’t have a number on!

The building is on the right as you walk away from the MRT station and also houses several TV networks. Their sign outside makes it easy to spot. Go through the glass doors and to the lifts on the right hand side. Floor four, come out of the lift and turn to the right and look at the doors facing you. One of then says “Vietnam Visas” amongst a lot of other things.

You need: passport, 2 x colour passport photos, money.

You can turn up: between 9:00 and 11:30 Monday to Friday.
You can get your visa/passport back: between 13:30 and 17:00 on the date they give you.

The cost depends on how quickly you want the visa back and is payable only in Singapore dollars as cash.

Same day: SGD285
Next day: SGD130
3 days: SGD100
4 days: SGD85
5 days: SGD70

Note that these are *working* days. Hand your passport in on Friday and pay SGD130 and you’ll get it back on Monday, for instance.

And I think that’s all!

Tip – Airport security

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A lot of this is common sense, but I just witnessed an incident so here we go:

The people rooting through your bag, x-raying it, asking you questions and running sniffer-sensors round all your zips are doing it for your safety. They’re not nazis, they’re not idiots, they’re not bully-boys. They’re trying to stop the real idiots blowing you up. This is a good thing.

Don’t give them a hard time. Don’t make excuses. OK, you might forget and pack something you shouldn’t have. Mistake. It happens. Accept the fact that you’ll have to lose your nail scissors, large tube of toothpaste or authentic samurai sword with good grace and move on to immigration.

And for crying out loud don’t say that this is the first you’ve heard of it when you’ve walked past three huge signs on the way to the departure lounge, the restrictions were plastered all over the booking pages and flight confirmation sheets and it’s been in the news and enforced by the UK and US for several months – like one moron in the queue in front of me did.

The new regulations for international flights state that you may only carry gels, aerosols and fluids which come in containers no larger than 100ml/100g. In addition, all of these can come to a total of no more than 1l and must be kept in a clear plastic zip-lock bag (Darwin airport supplies these, I assume others do too). Note that, for example, if you have a 110g tube of toothpaste and it’s half-full, this is no good. The volume/capacity counted is the volume/capacity when full.

So if you want to keep your toothpaste in your carry-on luggage, ensure you buy a tube that’s 100g or smaller. Incidentally, in Oz at least, I found this very hard indeed. All the adult toothpastes started at 110g with very rare exception. Methinks someone needs to give the manufacturers the heads-up.

Tip – Rucksack repairs

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Once more, I’m indebted to Hans for this one. He mentioned it in India, and I read it somewhere else again recently. I finally got round to using it today.

If your rucksack is torn or your trousers need stitching and you want something tougher than thread… dental floss. It’s surprisingly easy to stitch with, knots very well and holds ink should you want to go over it with a marker pen so the repair’s not so obvious. I left my peppermint green stuff as it was because my rucksack’s black with green trim anyway.

Additionally, double-stitch stuff the easy way if you are using thread. Pull off twice the amount you think you’ll need and thread it onto the needle. Then move the needle to the centre of the thread before stitching. This way you won’t have the thread pop out of the eye mid-stitch and each stitch will be twice as strong.

Or get a girl to do it for you. Preferably an old one in Vietnam like the kind lady who fixed my laptop bag for nothing and made it stronger than the manufacturer had managed.

Bye-bye Adelaide!

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And back to Perth. I think I managed my food resources well at the hostel this time. I only gave away a glass of orange juice and packed a large swiss roll to eat at the airport. Everything else was used up by lunchtime.

I’m adding this post as a Tip as well as a regional entry. Information about getting to and from the airport in Adelaide:

Save money and don’t use the SkyBus. It’s $5 and gets you near to your hostel (or to the door depending on where you’re staying) but can take some time as it goes round the houses. Instead, head for stop W3 on Currie Street near Light Square (200m from the YHA) and catch the J1 or J2. It runs every 15 minutes and is only $2.30 between 10am and 3pm. I think it’s $3.80 outside these times. Obviously there may be a more convenient stop for you if you’re staying somewhere other than the YHA.

To get the bus back into Adelaide, you need to exit the terminal upstairs onto the flyover near the checkin desks. Go through the glass doors and turn left. The bus stop is after all the short stop/taxi parking.

Another thing to be aware of is that Adelaide airport provides free wireless access – only the second airport I have yet been to that offers this. The connection’s pretty good and the only restriction is a “reasonable download limit” and “web pages only” (though I have MSN working right now). As with Kuala Lumpur, though, the main problem is finding a plug socket if your battery’s not charged.

Overall a pleasant way to depart Adelaide and South Australia. Until next time…

Tip – Sleeping in airports

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Again, thanks to Hans for kicking me off on this tip.

If you have to spend the night in an airport and there is a mosque inside it may be a good idea to check it out – it will likely have carpet, and be dark and quiet (like Madrid!).

Also check that the airport you’re heading for is actually open overnight. Many small ones aren’t and you’ll find yourself with a taxi ride back into a closed town with no accommodation available!