Singapore is a rich nation and Singaporeans are in many ways a bit spoiled. The climate is hot and humid and there is such a thing as an air-conditioned, result: AC everywhere. Shopping centres, public buildings, offices, MRT, busses and taxis as well as many private homes are air-conditioned but instead of cool these places are frequently cold.

On humid, but otherwise dry i.e. no rain, days it is not uncommon to see a bus with it’s windshield wipers on to get rid of the condensation on the outside. In office buildings, especially the ones with central AC, most office girls have a vest hanging over their chairs for those days when the temperature really drops. During a recent seminar in a hotel the attendants huddled together in the lobby warming their hands on a cup of tea after each presentation as if they were standing outside on a winter day in NY. And yes, my daughter puts a vest on in the bus and during music lessons.

You may laugh at the above and think it’s crazy but almost all of you will find a low twenties temperature (Celsius) with some wind a bit chilly after your body got used to continuous high twenties. And those nice thick blankets in the hotel room, don’t toss them aside either, not turning on the air-conditioning (if that is an option to start with) lets you float out of your bed but once you turn it on there’s no controlling it, no matter what that little dial says.

So, when you’re coming over here and are looking at your wardrobe, don’t forget to bring a sweater, your jacket and in extreme cases … some nice thick socks.

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