Posts

FR24 in Singapore: T-WSAP38

· misc

Now running a Flightradar24 receiver in Singapore: T-WSAP38. Range is fairly limited due to surrounding buildings and not having an amplificator on the antenna. Not much I can do about that for now.

Stats here – click on top users: Yeri (#13 atm).

Brussels

· travel

I guess I get to post now when flying to Brussels.

Flying SIN to BRU with Lufthansa.

BRU to MAD with Brussels Airlines (which I guess is now Lufthansa too) from 20/10 till 23/10.

BRU to BCN with Brussels Airlines from 27/10 till 31/10.

Leaving the 5th November to SIN again with Lufthansa and returning with Swiss (their brand new b777!) on July 6th.

Also changed blog timezone to Singapore.

Singapore expat part 1

· misc, travel

My quest for opening a bank account in Singapore:

  1. DBS: wanted utility bill < 3 months old of my residence in Belgium (which I didn't have -- most of the stuff is on my company's name). Payslips and other bank documents didn't count. Also 2hrs queue. -- (at this point I signed a tenancy agreement and had my own address/place/crib in Singapore) --
  2. UOB: Required a physical Singpass (which you only get after you started working and your employer submitted your IPA).
  3. Citi: IPA was enough, but tenancy agreement wasn't enough; they need the "stamp duty" proof. Also doesn't provide NETS. Getting a online banking token has to be "requested", and getting cards (and thus access) takes ~2 weeks
  4. Went back to DBS with my tenancy agreement and IPA: opened bank account, got access to online banking, everything up and running in about 30 minutes. Downside of DBS Android app: seems to drain battery (requesting GPS high accuracy all the time for some reason; uninstalled for now as I'm not in Singapore until end of this month). Bank cards (did I mention I received them directly?) comes with Visa payWave. It's a Platinum (not sure why I received this -- seems standard as they didn't ask -- don't think they noticed my other credit cards were Platinum too) Visa debet card.
It's also worth noting I didn't receive my DBS text messages with my OTP in Belgium (Belgian number) while it worked in Singapore (same number). I assumed routing issues or my provider (Proximus) blocking their gateway. I tweeted them about the issue, they called me, tested alternate SMS routes while I was on the phone ("I sent several test messages, which one did you receive") and they waited on the phone until I managed to do whatever I was trying to do and made sure I got the OTP via text message this time. Great customer service!

With FlatTurtle we have people working for us via a Singaporean company, outsourcing. So I already transfer money every month to Singapore with BNP Paribas Fortis (~€40 fee), but for my rent deposit I wanted to try something new: enter TranserWise. Works really well and fast, and needless to say, the fees are much lower (more than half).

Singapore

· travel

There. Relocating to Singapore for the time being. Becoming an expat.

Lufthansa BRU => FRA => SIN.

Back in Belgium in October for a bit though.

Auf wiedersehen for now. Be good Belgium.