Trip to SIA Training Centre

Such a memorable homecoming to STC. The last time I stepped inside was in 2004(?) for my interview. But it was cut short when the man had to put a stop to me applying for Crew Pass, as he didn't want our big girl to have both parents away from her most times. I was outside STC at least twice after that as I picked my dear friend, Leila, up from there for our dinner / lunch date. 

Securing tickets prior and all my rantings  
Securing the Behind-the-scene tours: Inside Singapore Airlines tickets was nerve-wrecking. This year, they only open up STC for 4 days (21st, 22nd, 28th and 29th Nov). So I either get it or miss it, and nobody knows when SIA will do this again. I knew about this a month before, so paid so much attention to it. And when the application opened at 10am on 1st Nov, I immediately applied for it. Ehh....actually I was on standby 5 mins before and kept toggling in the link to make sure my fingers score me 4 tickets. SIA made announcement they had to close the application within 10 hours, as it was highly in demand.

But they will only email successful applicants within 3 working days. Sigh....another angonising wait. So when they didn't email, I was rather upset thinking how can I not get any tickets since I managed to finish application in 2 mins. If they chose their applicants, or if they will only entertain those who made bookings of 5 instead of 4 and 2. I emailed them, they gave the standard reply. So apparently they replied me informing me on my successful application on the 4th day! I made my payment immediately to secure. Emailed tickets and all I had to do was to wait for D-Day.

I read queries by people who had applied for the tickets in the SIA FB. Most were asking when they would be informed. Then there were some comments by the public that they didn't secure tix though they applied within the 1 hour timeframe and if SIA chose the premium pax over the others. Someone said he's a PPS and was not successful too. Then there were 2 who said they applied for all 4 dates but not successful in any. Wow! I didn't think about applying many times, so I was DAMN LUCKY. Maybe it was the timing I chose, the 2nd timing which not many people would want.

D-Day

I can't describe my feelings when I walked through the main gate. I just needed to show my family this beautiful place.

The so familiar sign

The pathway that we all walked in the mornings and late afternoons. There was no shelter walkway then

Ahh.... What happened to the plane?

The all so familiar amenities

The 1990s amenities, suddenly it made me feel so ancient. Soon, I'll say "I left the airline 50 years ago." 

Auditorium

Where graduations were held in here

Boarding time to FRA is at 9.40am. Flight departs at 9.45am

And that reminds me of what almost every senior crew would say to a new crew going to FRA for the first time. "I'll bring you to see a doctor later. Go and see Dr Müller." 

Our relax corner became this now - Heritage Gallery

Trishaw the girls sat during our 2015 NDP

The drink drank and get drunk room

Air sommelier in the drinking pub giving a brief introduction of what they learn and do. Anyway, I'm really horrible when it comes to describing wines.    

Deportment Room
Where we learnt to be gracious in posture, walking etc...

Pledge

Our mock up. Oh! how I miss this place. 

Suites - can see but no money to pay to sit

Girl, you want to sit in Business Class right?
Nah! Here’s your opportunity.
#daddyiwanttositinbusinessclass#

Safety training
Where we learned to be rough n shout at the top of our voices. And then slide down the slide.
#bigbigslide# #butthisisnoplayground#
#youhavetobeseriouscozhundredsoflivesisinyourhands#

And guess who I bump into? My secondary school classmate. She joined SilkAir as a cabin crew for many years and is now a trainer.  

My favourite place.

A guy asked how do the girls train with kebaya? And when the trainer replied, the guy’s comment was “I really salute them.” I was so touched and wanted to hug him and kiss him. Thank you very much for being so appreciative of all the crew.

The trainer didn’t set the waves 

 on. If he did, this will shut those people up who thinks that training to be a crew is an easy job.

And while the female crew needs to maintain that feminine approach on board, they will change when it comes to emergency. And ehh….must make sure our undergarments is nice if we needed to do water evacuation. 

And during my time, during the 2nd part of 2nd interview (in total 3 rounds) the successful applicants are expected to jump into the 3m pool. Yes, some get kicked out in the first part of the 2nd interview. Which I will recount how my interview went in a later entry. 

The only thing he didn’t verbally mention is that crew needs to go to another section to be trained in First Aid and Fire-fighting as well. So a cabin crew’s training encompasses other apart from serving. Most importantly it’s the training, starting from the “Good mornings” all the way that makes a crew different from others n that’s why they r highly sought after, that retrenched crews are offered jobs elsewhere.

We are not waiters, waitress in the air mind you! 

Simulators

Our friendly Captain

One of SIA’s commitment to sustainability
#socialresponsibility#

Batik roses

Making my own

Can make some purchases. And hubby used his mileage points to buy 4 items. Anyway, so many mileage points might as well,  since can’t travel and miles will expire after some time also

They sell Inflight items in another room to the right. Cutleries, crockeries, tongs, cups, amenities, blankets etc... There’s a sense of familiarity when I saw the long long time ago obiang palm tree JCL crockeries. Haha!

Not interested though the man asked me if I wanted to get a blanket. Haha! I rmbr mom offloaded the blankets before! 

Though I regretted later not checking out if they were selling the casserole tongs. I’ve never been able to find one suitable to use at home, so I guess that familiar tong was something close to me that I can even use it with my eyes closed.

“Would you like some Har gow, siu mai or peh dan chok?”

Now so pui (fat), can't squeeze between cart and seats for sure

Canteen.
The place where empty stomachs and brains are refilled and recharged. And I always needed my mentos after lunch to keep myself awake in class.

With my lil' nottie girl. I just realised I look a little better in this pic here. No make up at all, the lighting brought out the best of the worst in me. My skin look so flawless here. And this angle didn’t emphasise my fat ugly face. Now u know why I hate to do selfies.

Our meal

Vegetarian pasta, Mac n cheese, beef goulash, mee siam

Ordered 2 plates of satays - also redeemable by mileage points.
This is only 1 plate here. Che-che started eating before I can snap a pic of both plates

I left this place with mixed feelings. This should be the last time I’d ever step in here

Goodbye STC. Hope to be able to come back again. Will you hire old ladies? 

Umm...ok that’s the way out —>

To sum up my trip
Thanks for the flight 

Bought a few more packs with his mileage points to bring home. We all miss the satay.
And he says “they always give so little peanut sauce onboard” so now there’s more than enough for him.

My rose

Bought this bunch of roses made with the 4 ranks batik fabric

Ok, now I need to find a place to put these roses

     

  

After so many years, I've finally made an order

21st Nov

Made use of the Yamaha Sale, I decided to get a new electone. Afterall, this is long overdue wait as I wanted to get ELB-01 when it was launched. 

I had my old electone close to 30yrs (gasp! 😦). The final decision to make this purchase came when somebody dropped something on the cover and a part came off 😏 (I should make that lil’ somebody to pay for me right?)

Can’t afford my ideal loved 🥰 powerhouse stagea - ELS02C so just have to settle for this.

Now waiting for my books and data to arrive in a few days time.

My books and data that came a day later 

QO or SHN - my preference

Nope, I wasn't asked to serve either notice but that made me think which I would prefer.

QUARANTINE ORDER AND ALONE!! 

Give this to me anytime, I'll take it man. *wink*

Thousands of reason why I'd rather be served a QO notice. If you have read on my previous post on Covid19 timeline in Singapore, you would have known how shitty my life was during CB. When everyone else had their time to rest after their work or school, I had none! I was working non-stop, I was worst than being a FDW (and what more - not paid!)

PLEASE DON'T GIVE ME A SHN when (worst) stuck even more at home, I still have to do housework since I'm looking at everything. I've fxx bleep bleep had enough of doing housework. I desperately need some time on my own, with no distractions and probably grow fatter. 2 weeks may be short, if I count it's only like 10 days of no ah-mat (chauffeur) duties but oh well it's better than not having any at all. 

Then I started to daydream..... what will I pack? Granted that I'll only be given like 1hr to pack? or 2? Maybe I'll be ever so ready and pack up in 30mins, I can't wait to leave the house!    

My To-Dos : 

These are things that I need to do now but just can't find the time. It's taking me forever to do them or they're only 1/10 done. In my daily shitty life, I'm always interrupted to do other stuffs. So I desperately need a time not caring a hoot about house, about kids, about food and finish up the things I really need to do

1. transferring pictures from handphone to hard disk. My phone is lagging now and I worry that I won't be able to transfer them quickly, most importantly are holiday photos which are irreplacable 

2. USA 2019 imovies! Okinawa left with 3 more days to do my imovie!

3. pick up German language

4. housekeeping in handphone, laptop and hard disk if time permits. I need to clear useless stuffs in handphone so that it makes transferring and changing to my new phone easier and faster

5. in between complete my draft entries in my blog. It's taking me forever to finish one entry AND I have 13 drafts inside, some since 2019 *slap head* 

All these sounds like trivial stuffs right? I'm really having trouble to find time just to do these simple tasks. 

New things to blog would be my QO, but I guess I'll be smarter by logging entry in daily so after the end of QO can publish the entry.

6. not forgetting that I need to do my weekly exercise, need to keep up. Won't bring my mat, I'll just do BodyCombat/FightDo. If I need or change my mind to do pilates or yoga, then I'll just use a towel and lay on the floor.  

7. If I hv the time, maybe to catch up with some dramas. I have a long list of dramas (abt 140+ Korean, 200 Chinese and a few others Thai dramas) that I noted down the title in 2018. But couldn’t watch coz "I" was taking my PSLE. I’ve only managed to strike off 1 or 2 dramas so far. It perhaps I can just delete the list, who knows ...the dramas could be delisted from Viu, Dailymotion already 🤣

MY HOLIDAY PACKING LIST

ELECTRONICS

1. laptop n mouse

2. hard disks

3. airpod

3. lightning cables, micro USB cables

4. Targus 4 port USB (knowing that maybe I'll be charging a few things at one go?

5. multiplug (big business woman lah!) 

AROMATHERAPY 

1. diffuser 

2. YL essential oils (lemon x2, lavender x2, deep relief roll on, peppermint, RC, thieves, white angelica)

CLEANING STUFFS 

1. small bottle of Dettol - to clean toilet floor for that not long but not that short stay. Toilet is the only place I can go slipper-less. Can't expect me to vacumn the room carpet right? So keeping the toilet clean is reasonable.

2. Alcohol spray or maybe bring my almost expiring Thieves spray to clear them first. Will clean the room before I start touching them. And this might be my insecticide incase I spot the most hated cockroach? No more heavy phonebook aka yellow pages for me to throw and trap cockroach beneath (that's how I killed a cockroach in the Gold Coast BNE hotel)

3. clothes scrub

4. clothes washing detergent (wtf?) - Is laundry provided? But I do need to wash my undergarment and knowing me.. I have the hard life of washing clothes while on holiday...  

5. dishwashing detergent n sponge 

STATIONERY

1. Test pad or notebook, post it pad, post it tabs

2. pencil case

3. scissors, scotch tape (wait! These are usually in our luggage bags which I never remove)

4. German language stuffs. Only 2 weeks - will I be able to cover much? Considering that I hv short attention span. I may split between doing tasks n don’t hv time to study? 😂 

TOILETRIES

1. Just grab my travel toiletry bag. Easy as everything is inside. Oh but I need my own shampoo and shower gel, I don’t really like hotel’s toiletries

2. Bring my Kiehls masks, hair mask (think should hv time tight?) Time for some serious pampering 

3. Vanav face massager 

4. Labelle thingy 

FOOD RELATED / NEED TO SATISFY STOMACH

1. travel cookpot 

2. blender? Or maybe not. Going 2 weeks only not 2 months. If I crave for Açai, I think I can order in right? 

3. Instant noodles, instant porridge, bread, Nutella, milo, tea leaves, cereals, snacks, eggs?? Black soy sauce, pepper, chilli sauce. Haha! Think I can order groceries right? Then maybe certain stuffs don’t need to bring from home. Maybe if I haven't started my ketogenic yet, food will be much easier to settle.  

MISC

1. Plastic bags (wah lau eh...I sibei aunty leh!) to throw trash coz I think I'll have lots of trash esp if I'm going to snack. Haha!  

2. thermal flask for cold water

Oh goash! How can I forget abt clothings! 

CLOTHINGS

1. 3 T-Shirts n shorts

2. 3 sets of undergarments

3. Since I’d probably be wearing jeans, I’ll just pack 3 tops

4. Indoor sports shoes n socks for exercise

Haha! Notice clothings take the least space for me coz that’s how I prefer to travel light. I usually don't like to do fashion show lah! Anyway aunty so fat already, alot of clothings don't look good on me at all. And I do alot of washing in between, old habit die hard or maybe I can be kind to myself and pack 5 sets of shirts, shorts and undergarments. 

                            **************************************

Sounds like a good plan right? I even listed down what I'm going to pack. So when will I be called? I'm so ready!!

Maybe I should not check-out my Safe Entries??   

But I get my nose cleaned intensively twice? or how many times? *yeeks* By putting myself to suffer, I might as well just pay money to do a staycation on my own.   

This blog entry serves as a quick checklist for me. Haha!

Some sinful goodness

Haven’t had Delifrance for a long time and was craving for their tarts. I haven’t seen many Delifrance outlets around now, or perhaps coz I haven’t been exploring many places now. 

A search into the web and realised I could order some items online. Just for my records purpose, the web page is at : https://www.delifrance-eshop.sg

Made an order on a Thursday evening around 6+pm and order came on Saturday morning which worked out really well for me. As stated in their website on delivery time - 

“ Deliveries Tuesday to Saturday (excluding Public Holiday).

Placed an order from Monday to Friday before 3pm; your order will be delivered the next working day (excluding Public Holiday). If you have place your order Friday after 3pm, Saturday or Sunday; your order will be delivered on Tuesday (excluding Public Holiday).” 

But if their deliveries are done in the mornings, weekdays are fine with me too. I forgot to check with the friendly delivery guy earlier on. He was such an angel, he made a phonecall at close to 8am but I didn’t hear as phone was on silent. Called back at close to 10am n Apologised to him as didn’t expect delivery to be so early, he was kind to come back as he explained he couldn’t deliver to an order in Sengkang as well. 

Free Delivery for order $40.00 and above - an amount which is easy to hit. My order came up to $56.10 for only 4 items. 

Though I was hoping for more items added in this e-shop. There’s another link : https://www.delifrance.com.sg/ which is catered mainly for parties, so yes I can get my tarts from there as it’s difficult to heat up tarts. 

Bought my dearly missed opera cake, lil’ one’s fav eclairs and some croissants for breakfast. Had wanted to order baguettes and sourdough bread but we still have a pack of mini baguettes purchased from The German Market in the freezer. But no worries, since it’s so easy to order online, soon I’ll be making my second order once those are gone into the tummy.

Meanwhile J'apprécierai mes délices.