THE TOP 10 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SINGAPORE AND ADELAIDE
(ok i might not be able to list 10 differences but there are quite a few I assure you and if you're thinking of coming here for whatever reason, I strongly recommend reading this post)
Number 1: The weather. Alright, technically it is summer in australia right now but temperatures can go as low as 8 degress at night so it will be wise to bring along a coat. The temperature fluctuates actually so it might be 38 degress today and 16 degress tomorrow. (temperatures taken at the same time of the day) So you might also want to consider bringing along your micro mini shorts and singlets to walk around at home or outside. (depending on individual preference)
Number 2: The climate. DRY DRY DRY DRY DRY. Its really dry over here in adelaide and you might get "fish scales" cos your skin
is falling off. OK this might sound a bit disgusting but you get the picture. Which is why you should drink plenty of water and moisturise. This might sound a bit sissy but it is very important to moisturise yourself after you bathe and before going to bed. So, don't forget your Johnson's baby lotion or your Nivea cream on your next visit. (bring some for me too!) oh and your lip balm. Never leave home without it:)
is falling off. OK this might sound a bit disgusting but you get the picture. Which is why you should drink plenty of water and moisturise. This might sound a bit sissy but it is very important to moisturise yourself after you bathe and before going to bed. So, don't forget your Johnson's baby lotion or your Nivea cream on your next visit. (bring some for me too!) oh and your lip balm. Never leave home without it:)
Number 3: The sun. It is hard to ignore the sun when you can feel it constantly burning your skin as each second ticks by when you are walking innocently to school. The sun is very strong here and never leave your house without applying sun screen on expose skin with SPF of at least 30. A cap and sun glasses is a must-have and maybe I should add that sadly, Australia has the highest cases of skin cancer so, better be safe than sorry.Number 4: The water. If you have been reading faithfully so far, you should have already know that I recommend drinking plenty of water here in australia. However, the water here taste quite different as compared to the water in Singapore. I am not sure what it contains exactly but I presume that there is more of everything in the water here (meaning more metal and non-metal ions and stuff) cos its slightly more salty and might have a tinge of sweet after taste to some. Now, its far from your typical soft drinks and its actually dislike by, least to say, most of the international students here. But a bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice usually does the trick. The water here actually cannot be used to put fires out cos of the high content of ions in it. (and I don't mean H+ and OH- ions) This brings me to the next point on static.
Number 5: Static energy. OK this is NOT my area of specialty cos I did not take physics (not even the combined one) at 'O' levels so this account might not be accurate but I appreciate feedback. Feedback is always welcome over here:) Anyways, I strongly believe that everyone has a endless store of static energy in their bodies. This is due to the dry nature of this place as well as the huge amount of ions we take into our bodies when we drink water. (this is solely my own hypothesis so please do your own filtration as you read) I am not talking about the small, tiny sensation you feel when your arm accidentally (or purposely) touches your friend's (or girlfriend's/boyfirend's). The static over here is strong enough to numb your fingers for a second or two. I have yet to come up with a solution to this problem and I pray that it will go away soon. (please HELP ME if you know a way)
Number 6: Food!! It will not take you a long time to figure 
out that the australians LOVE to barbecue. And they LOVE hot dogs! So what happens on a normal day at BBQ is to have barbecued hot dogs. And of course you have your potato salad and bread and stuff but it is mainly hot dogs. They also love sunburst and froggy and their absolute favorite is Tim Tams. Every australian family is bound to have at least one of these at home as they are the more popular brands among the locals. Oh! and they don't have fish balls over here but if you really crave for your fishball noodle soup, you can always have them at chinatown which will cost you around $7-$8 a bowl. (It only cost me around $2.60 to cook dinner at home so I would rather go without my fishballs for a while) But even chinatown will not satisfy your cravings for pork floss and ba gua. So eat all you can before coming here.
out that the australians LOVE to barbecue. And they LOVE hot dogs! So what happens on a normal day at BBQ is to have barbecued hot dogs. And of course you have your potato salad and bread and stuff but it is mainly hot dogs. They also love sunburst and froggy and their absolute favorite is Tim Tams. Every australian family is bound to have at least one of these at home as they are the more popular brands among the locals. Oh! and they don't have fish balls over here but if you really crave for your fishball noodle soup, you can always have them at chinatown which will cost you around $7-$8 a bowl. (It only cost me around $2.60 to cook dinner at home so I would rather go without my fishballs for a while) But even chinatown will not satisfy your cravings for pork floss and ba gua. So eat all you can before coming here.Number 7: Shopping time. Generally the shops closes at 5 pm except for fridays when some shops open till 9 or 10. Some places do not operate on certain days of the week for instance, the Central Market does not operate on Sundays, Mondays as well as Wednesdays. So prices go down just before closing time on Saturdays and Tuesdays. Woolworths on Rundle Mall reduce their bread between 5 and 6 pm. So, its all about knowing where to get the best bargain for the things you need. (gosh! I sound like an aunty)
Number 8: The people. Australians are usually very friendly and it is absolutly very common to walk up to a stranger and comment on the weather or the slow traffic flow etc etc. I actually exclaimed to a complete stranger on the road about an aeroplane which was writing the word "PUFF" in the sky on valentine's day. The auntie told me it is a prefectly normal sight in Adelaide and walked briskly away. OK its not as bad as I said it. At least she didn't ignore me. Please do not assume that everyone is as friendly as the auntie I saw. There are some who are not as friendly and if you get in their way, they will not be shy to tell you off in your face. Of course that did not happen to me but I have heard of stories where things ended quite unpleasently so its still safe to keep your opinions to yourself.
Number 9: Night life. Basically there isnt much to do out here at night so people tend to go to bars and clubs. There usually will not be anyone roaming the streets so it is very unsafe to go out at night be it alone or in pairs. My guess is that since the shops closes early, there really isnt a reason to hang out too late at night unlike back in Singapore where the streets are still buzzling with people even till midnight! Ok maybe I am not the best person to be writing this since I usually stay at home between the hours of 6pm till 8 am the next day and I do not really know the details of the real night life here but I am here to discuss the difference between Singapore and Adelaide so bear with me ya.
Number 10: Last but not least the language. Australians like to over elongate their vowels. For instance, they say "yea" when they mean "yah" and "G'daeeee" when they mean " good day". And "Hi" usually becomes "How's it going?". It is important to note that they do not expect a response to that question. It is just a form of greeting which they commonly use here.
And there you have it, my top 10. So keep these in mind when you decide to drop by Adelaide in future. Till next time.
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