Duty Free Issues

[Valve Bounce]

Recent new laws in various parts of the world are causing havoc and confusion among travellers, with some having their duty free goods confiscated, while others are too confused to buy duty free.
Travellers to Sydney from Singapore should check their entitlements carefully. If you buy duty free at the airport, and have it delivered to you by the duty free shop AFTER you go through the final security check, you can shop without fear of confiscation. However, don't even try to bring watr through the security check as this will be confiscated, as evidenced by the large number of bottles of water and aerosol cans confiscated.

I am not sure about the new rules going into or coming out of the US, as we gave that a miss.

Shopping in Singapore is great: Computer related stuff can be purchased at FUNAN Centre without fear of being cheated - all prices are fixed. They are like a Singaporean Dick Smith - only 10 times bigger.

Electronics can be found at Sim Lim Tower or Sim Lim Square. This ranges from cameras, cell phones, camcorders up to GPS navigation systems for cars. I bought a cell phone (unblocked) for AUD$300 that costs over $800 here. So go figure.

I really liked Singapore; I could not believe I would ever see an Asian city that wasn't dirty, polluted and didn't stink. Streets are beautifully tree lined, and this place is really, really clean.

[Valve Bounce]

By the way, people travelling to other places other than Australia from Singapore, should check the regulations before buying any duty free. When we were departing Australia, the security guys told us that they have been confiscating many bottles of very expensive wines and liquor as well as cosmetics.
It is my understanding that the Duty Free people will advise you when you cannot take stuff onto planes.

[Jaws]

Hey Valve,

My brother is departing for Singapore on Sunday. I'll pass your useful info onto him. Thanks for that, I owe you one.

What will it be ? :beer:

[Storm]

I really liked Singapore; I could not believe I would ever see an Asian city that wasn't dirty, polluted and didn't stink. Streets are beautifully tree lined, and this place is really, really clean.

You mean you did not know this? Singapore is perhaps one of the cleanest cities in the world. Kuala Lumpur is lovely as well.

[Valve Bounce]

Hey Valve,

My brother is departing for Singapore on Sunday. I'll pass your useful info onto him. Thanks for that, I owe you one.

What will it be ? :beer:

I forgot to mention: the busses there are very good and there is also a Mass Transit system. The Singapore Sling at Raffles tasted awful, but I was intrigued by the tradition of shelling the peanuts and simply tossing the shells onto the floor. If he is early at the airport, he should go to the Oasis lounge there are lying down lounge chairs, massage chairs and free internet.

[Valve Bounce]

You mean you did not know this? Singapore is perhaps one of the cleanest cities in the world. Kuala Lumpur is lovely as well.

I knew this from way back that Singapore was clean and green. But this was the first time I had this pleasant experience.

[Dave B]

In my (admittedly very limited) experience of Asia, people simply wouldn't dream of dropping litter in the way that now seems so common in the UK.

[Daniel]

You mean you did not know this? Singapore is perhaps one of the cleanest cities in the world. Kuala Lumpur is lovely as well.
Parts of KL are nice. But parts of it are slum-like and the canals smell like ****.

[BDunnell]

Parts of KL are nice. But parts of it are slum-like and the canals smell like ****.

Do you mean **** or ****?

[Daniel]

**** :)

[BDunnell]

**** :)

Appalling.

[Valve Bounce]

Durian???

[Daniel]

Poo and wee is what it smells of :p

[Caroline]

That's rather polite isn't it? :p :

[BDunnell]

I prefer 'urine and ordure'.

They were a great band.

[Valve Bounce]

We've deviated a long, long way from duty free, havn't we? :p :
The thing is, every Asian city that I have lived in (working) or visited (as a tourist) so far stinks except Singapore. When the planes used to land at Kai Tak in HK, as soon as the plane touched down, the smell from the nullah next to the runway pervaded through the aircraft. Then when you got off the plane, that smell was joined by diesel fumes to the tune of jackhammers.