This is our first oversea trip together and definitely not the last one. Singapore is a stepping stone for me and Juan. A motivation for both of us to travel even more often.

This trip has been planned since September itself. I only planned the itinerary as well as the plane ticket. Our mode of transportation throughout our stay is by MRT and bus. All itinerary was planned 2 months before our departure because I wanted to put our 6 days to good use.

As this is Juan first ever trip to Singapore, I did some research on where to bring him. We spent 6 days with accommodation courtesy of my aunt's place. We saved quite a lot. But if you're a backpacker, fret not, because there are plenty backpacker hostels that you can rent with affordable price. Singapore is an expensive city although some things are cheaper there like electronic gadgets. So be watchful on what you spend and know your budget.

Public transport in Singapore is very efficient that you do not have to worry if you miss a bus or the need to rent a car. You just need to purchase an EZ link card (like Touch and Go card) where all buses and MRT station uses this, You can even use it to shop for food or pay for your grocery or entry fee to certain theme park theme park (e.g Sentosa Island entry fee). You can top up at any 7 Eleven. The price for a new EZ link card is S$12 and can be purchased at any passenger service counter situated at any bus interchange hub or MRT stations.

You can also borrow from friends or family members if they have one because this card is transferable and each card can last up to 5 years.

Travelers who doesn't want to bring a lot of cash but plan to use their debit card, make sure you call your bank to inform them that you'll be using your card in another country. Inform them the dates  so that they'll make the card available to use. Bear in mind that there'll be extra charges when you withdraw your cash in a foreign country. For Maybank card holders, no extra charge if you withdraw from Maybank itself. You can check where Singapore Maybank branches are located via Google. Maximum withdrawal will be RM5,000 per day and maximum charge transaction is RM800 per day. Be careful when using credit card due to the conversion rate. They might be extra charges for using the card abroad. Best is to check with your bank.

For your convenience, you can also purchase a prepaid cellphone card bundled with data. It's as low as S$8.00 and add on with $S7.00 data worth of 1GB that could last you up to 7 days. There are a few network providers like Starhub, M1 and Singtel. I used Singtel during my stay there.

Our flight was scheduled at 9.45am on 25th December with 1 hour transit in KLIA 2. We arrived in Changi around 12.45pm, took the MRT from Changi towards Jurong East, then took a bus and dropped off at Boon Lay Place. We took Malindo Air for PEN-KL (RM340) and Jetstar (S$190) for SIN-PEN. Jetstar usually offers affordable and cheaper plane tickets compare to other airlines. If there is a need to transit on the flight that you purchase, it is advisable to get at least 2 hours of transit time so that you don't have to rush or chances of missing your connecting flight. In my case, my transit flight was on Malindo.

Best time to visit Singapore is during Christmas. Year end is also the time for Big Singapore Year end sale. You could see Christmas decorations hanging on trees and streets of Orchard. It was fun, colorful and exciting to see. Christmas is a big celebration in Singapore with year end sales around, you'll be spoil with choices. I went crazy, seriously.