20081009

EXPLORE - Anything You Want To Know About Changi Airport

*A review about EXPLORE - Free Airport Magazine at Changi Airport and a story about my traveling experience*


As soon as I stepped in Changi Airport Singapore, I grabbed a small magazine named EXPLORE which was provided by the airport to help me go around since it was my first time to be there. I was thinking I would be such a WORLD dumbass if I get lost in this huge airport and miss my connecting flight. However, that was not the only reason why I grabbed the magazine. Somehow, it’s like my weird habit to get free travel magazine or anything associates with traveling because I think it can be another extra useful souvenir for me in the future.

I was extremely surprised that EXPLORE has all the information you need to know about Changi Airport. Money Changer, Food Court, Toilet, Sky Train, Taxi, Bus, Transit Hotel, Swimming Pool, Exciting Transit Experience, etc are easily found here. You name it, you get it…

My favorite part in this magazine is WHAT YOU CAN ENJOY FOR FREE AT CHANGI AIRPORT. Haha, who doesn’t love FREE STUFF? For your information, Changi Airport offers FREE Internet at over 500 Internet Stations, Movies at the Movie Theatre, Singapore City Tour, Online Xbox and TV Entertainment.

With the help of EXPLORE, I was able to go around within Terminal 1 & 2 by Sky Train safely and easily. However, I also stopped by at the Information booth couple of times just to make sure I went to the right direction.

Little did I know, my weird habit could help someone’s travel experience. It started when I was waiting for Sky Train at Terminal 1 to bring me to Terminal 2 where my connecting flight was located. Sitting next to me was a blonde girl with a big backpack, looking at a map with confused face. I didn’t sweat saying hi to her because she looked really lost. Suddenly, she asked me a question “Excuse me, do you know how much does the train ticket cost?” I was pretty much sure that it’s FREE, so that what was I told her. She gave me a surprised look, then she opened her map again and pointed out the name of terminal she wanted to reach.

I figured out that she actually needed to go to the city first in order to reach her final destination. However, can it be done by Sky Train? Where is the Sky Train to the city located? Is taxi cheaper? All sort of different questions popped up in my mind until I remember about “EXPLORE”
*Drum roll please…*
Thanks to EXPLORE because it has every little detail that we needed to get to the city with different alternatives of transportation.

Both of us then headed to Terminal 2 where the MRT station to the city is located. She asked me nicely to help her finishing all her business and I agreed to help because I have all the time in the whole world and it would be my benefit when I visit Singapore in the future.

Through this process, we really had a great chit-chat. Barbara Weiss as she mentioned her name is from Switzerland and actually on her ROUND THE WORLD trip. Singapore is her first pit stop. She would be traveling for another 7 months to different countries to complete her trip. We finally managed to get her MRT ticket from the machine and once it was done, we said good bye by hugging each other. It was such a weird yet pleasing experience for me.

As you read my story, I do hope you can learn something out of it about traveling tips. If my story is too long and too boring, I will figure it out for you:
1. Never ever underestimate the power of free travel magazine or brochure or map at the airport. Grab one or two that suit your need. If you think those things are too heavy and not useful, don’t throw it. Put it back at different racks so that other person can use that information.
2. Always ask some information from officers or people around to make sure you are going to the right direction. It may cause you 5 minutes to ask them but it would be better than lost for hours in a place you are not familiar with.

*Traveling gives me the opportunity to be out of my comfort zone and bump into new friends from all over the world along the way. Those are the reasons why I never stop traveling*

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

sista, we are very much alike.. i search for free brochure/magazine/travel maps/ etc. etc. at the airports... i love free stuff.. weee. anything to save that precious bucks!!! where you headed next??? I'm thinking of doing some trips around philippines and if i have saved money again, i'll be heading for malaysia and singapore.. will just ride a bus to cross the boundaries.. in malaysia, a blogger advised a cheap hotel : www.stayorange.com i'm still searching for cheap one in singapore... you might want to join couchsurfing too and perhaps able to crash at a family's couch for a day or two.. i'll never stop travelling too.. aheheh

Rintjez said...

Carlota:
Sista, I thought I'm the only weird one here! Hahaha! I'm glad you love collecting free stuff as well!!

I'm heading to Vietnam, Cambodia and possibly Laos in December :) My plan is flying to Vietnam then ride a bus to Cambodia. We'll see!

Thanks for the info about www.stayorange.com. Will take a look at it for sure!! Yes, I joined couchsurfing as well!! Agh, why don't I be surprised that you are a member of couchsurfing too?
HAHAHAHAHAHA.....

Save some money again and... TRAVELING again sista!!!!

Ivana said...

Hohoho....jadi, mana no foto-fotonya?

Anonymous said...

That's what exactly makes travel memorable. You will undoubtedly come across and meet new friends around the world. ;)

I love freebies too especially if it's about travel. :)

By the way, I just posted about Stinky Tofu

Poppus said...

Amazing what we'll get by helping others. And about the freebies, ah i love it too. Not only magz, but cookies, souvenir, etc, and i'll always collect them heuehueheuehuh. Btw, you still owe me the travelling tips article haha

Daniel said...

Great advice... but I am doing that all the time, too. Once I found a magazine with some "coupons" in it while travelling through California. Turned out I got significant discounts at several motels! Very useful :)

Anonymous said...

wah, ternyata bukan cuman emak2 yang doyan gratisan yah... hehehe...

thanks for sharing the tips yah... jadi tambah giat ngumpulin free stuff nih... hehehe...

mencobahidup said...

halo bu, ketemu lagi. Kalau boleh tanya pekerjaan asli ibu ini apa?Apa kelebihan duit gitcu? Masalahnya enak buangets bisa jalan-jalan kesana kemari.Pengenssssssssss

Rintjez said...

# Ivana:
Jeung, foto-fotonya menyusul ya.. :)

# Asian Traveler:
Yes..that's the excitement of traveling! Make new friends!

# Brokoli sehat:
Tante Popi..Iyah, ga nyangka bisa bantuin orang pas lagi traveling. Seneng juga sih.. :)

Haha...emang orang Indo suka banget yg gratis-gratis! Haha!

Aduuhh...iya masih ngutang. Ini lagi digarap tante.. tunggu ya!

# Daniel:
See..never underestimate the power of freebies :)

# Caroline:
Haha, sapa bilang cuman emak-emak yang doyang freebies? Gw kan lagi mempersiapkan diri jadi emak-emak juga makanya suka gratisan. Haha!

Sama-sama bu...mudah-mudahan bermanfaat!

# Mencobahidup:
Gw hanya seorang pegawai kantoran biasa seperti yang laen. Kelebihan duit kagak, malah bokek terus! HahA!

Hiiii semua juga pengen jalan-jalan melulu. Aku beruntung aja kayaknya bisa jalan-jalan terus. Hehe..

Anonymous said...

It's always cool to help other around in a city that you are not also familiar. Happy travels!

By the way, I also collect free travel brochures from airports and embassies because I work near many embassies here in Manila.

If you need help regarding Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos just leave a comment on my blog. I'm the one who told Carlota about stayorange in Singapore ;)

Rintjez said...

Ar-wee-der-yet:
Thank you so much! I will definitely buzz you about traveling in those countries! I'm already excited and it's still months from now..haha!

Are you working in Makati area? As far I remember, there are couple of embassies in Makati.

I actually worked for Indonesia embassy when I was in PI :D