Thursday 25 January 2007

First Night and Bonus Offers

First night in the new "condo" and the body is aching from the unaccustomed physical exertion.

Fortuitously there is a gym in our Queens complex so I think it’s about time I got back to an exercise regime.

The last time I ventured into such a place the exercise machines were far less complex than they are now. Modern machines have so many dials, gauges and knobs that a pilot's license is needed before setting foot on a treadmill or exercycle.

The other disturbing thing about modern gym equipment is the plethora of health signage and lights that appear when one's body fat index reaches critical mass. Signs that your blood pressure could explode like an over-ripe durian (if you overdo it) are everywhere and none too comforting.

The view of Singapore in the evening is very pleasant, with the commercial and HDB building twinkling in the distance.


The new shower has been tested and found to be satisfactory while the computerised washing machine has automatically weighed the washing, suggested the amount of soap powder to be used and started of its own accord.

Singapore has some wonderful electronics and appliances available for purchase, many of which are models that have yet to reach the Antipodes. The competition is fierce and so sales are often sweetened with "offers".
For example our purchase of a 32 inch Samsung LCD television resulted in a bonus home theatre system plus vouchers worth several hundred dollars to spend at the local Robinsons department store.

I suspect we will literally be dining out on free supermarket vouchers for the next month.

2 comments:

Frank said...

Roger - you have to change your vocabulary a bit - These sales and bonus offerings are called "promotions" - Promotions everywhere - here today and gone tomorrow.

Welcome to Queens from Hampton - by way of Chennai (where I am this weekend). Your prose is quite relaxing - so I think I'll hire you as a writer for my insect photos

Roger Smith said...

Thanks for the welcome Frank and we will catch up when you get back from your travels.

You are of course quite correct about the term "promotions".

We discovered on the day we bought one of our appliances that there was a special in-store weekened promotion that netted us still more benefits!

Am enjoying you insect portfolios by the way