Showing posts with label Singapore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Singapore. Show all posts

Monday 24 June 2013

Visiting Singapore Mail Processing Centre (MPC) @ Eunos Branch

A few weeks back we were being invited to visit Singapore Mail Processing Centre at Eunos Branch by SingPost. It's was a fun and educating trip where we learn how mails are being process after we drop them into the post box. I am sure most of us are not aware of how our mails are being sort through the different process before it reached the receivers. And it was only after tour that we realised there are so many steps and work involved in order to deliver our daily mails despite of the minimum postage of 26 cents stamps that we paid.

Everyday SingPost deal with an average of 3 millions over postal items and although most of the sorting process are being operated by machines with minimum human help but still about 20% or less of the mails with undetectable addresses (not written in English) or bulky items are being manually sorted by human.

In order to provide better services to their customers, SingPost will be going through some major upgrade on their Mailing Process systems in July 2013 to prepared future demands on a better postal services.


Bar Code Sorter reads the ID tag on stamped mail and prints destinations bar code on envelopes at 35,000 per hours.

Corporate Mails takes up about 80% of the daily postal items.

Manual stamping for large and bulky mails with hand written address that could not be fixed and detected by the Bar Code Sorter.

Operators trying to captured the image of the printed address on the mails and sent them out for sorting.

My boy was excited to be able to try out the mail processing system.

Different types of "stamping" such as pre-paid postage, stamps and franking found on the envelopes. 

Just for your information, more than 90% of the basic mails are being delivered on the next day delivery which can be considered as the best service record in the world.

Other than handling basic and corporate mails, each day on an average SingPost has about 14,000 undeliverable mails/items due to wrong or unrecognizable address as well as no trace of return address. These mails/parcels are then held for at least 3 months for the owners to claim. But after the dateline those items which could not be donated to the Red Cross will be automatically disposed without being opened.

For kids who sent their letters to Santa Claus during the month of  November and December, SingPost will still help to send them to the home of Santa Claus in Finland out of goodwill.

Beside those undelivered mails/parcels, we were also amazed on those loose items that being put into the post box each day. On and off SingPost will received loose items like toys, books, wallets, identification cards cards and etc in the post box island wide together with the rest of the mails. SingPost will then consolidated those items and sent them in bulks to the related banks or government departments. 

Photo Credit: SingPost
For your reference SingPost do offers a wide range of options to help customers to deliver their documents and parcels including fast delivery and standard delivery services within Singapore and overseas (over 200 countries). Depending on your items, you could select the type of deliver services accordingly to your preference by referring to the chart above.

A.M. Mail is a postage-paid local delivery service that offers an earlier delivery time for urgent mail. Customers may choose from either Letterbox Delivery (SG$2.60) or Doorsteps Delivery (SG$3.90)to deliver their mail (maximum weight is 300g) in a postage-paid A.M. Drop the envelopes at any of SingPost's posting boxes during the regular mail collection hours and the mail will be delivered to the recipients not later than 11.00am the next working day.

SmartPac is a postage-paid postal service for delivery anywhere in Singapore within the next working day at a fixed price of SG$4.70 which comes with free packaging box for delivery up to 3kg. On top of it, SmartPac also provide an easy online Track And Trace access which allows customer to check the whereabouts of their package 24hrs a week too.

For those who stays around 5 mentioned area stated below, POPStation or "Pick Own Parcel Station" is a new pilot phase system which allows selected customers (vPOST members or customers with SingPost/Speedpost Deliver Advice) to collect their parcels 24hrs a week at the designated  5 POPStation such as:-

- Bishan Community Club
- NUS Stephen Riady Centre
- Sengkang Community Club
- Singapore Post Centre
- Tanglin Post Office


Other than postal services, SingPost also handles Basic Banking Services, Financial Services, Remittance and many other services.On the go, you could also download SingPost Mobile App on Apple iOS and Google Android which will help you to track parcels, locate a post office, find a postal code or calculate postage and etc in just with a few clicks.

Monday 20 May 2013

Singapore Navy Open House 2013

Over the weekend, I believe many of us has visited the Singapore Navy Open House 2013 (NOH) at Changi Naval Base. The open house starts with long queues over at the Singapore Expo Hall 3 where visitors go through some security screening before boarding the free shuttle bus to NOH. Even though we were there early like 8.10am on Saturday, 18 May we still waited for about 30 minutes before we get into the bus. But thanks to the well-organized queuing system (to and back from the open house) as well as the navy staffs who help up to maintain the flow, the queue do move pretty fast and in order too.

The crowds at Singapore Expo go through the security screen and waiting to board the shuttle bus to the Navy Open House on Saturday, 18 May 2013.

K-Ster expendable mine disposal system (EMPS) on display

Navy Open House held at Changi Naval Base


With the given brochure(s) at the entrance, visitors would be able to redeem a limited edition Navy Open House Badge plus submit a slip to join their ballot cruise ride on one of their display warships too.

There are a few zones to explore at the NOH like Mission Zone, Heart Zone, Experience and Family Zone.  In the Heart Zone, there are many navy personnel around to share they stories as well as a photo booth to provide free photo taking and instant print for visitors and after which these photos would be uploaded to their Facebook here.  

Souvenirs and information booths are also available in Heart Zone too.

At the open house, visitors could also experience ear-bursting dynamic display on how the members of the elite Naval Diving Unit dropping into the water from hovering Chinook helicopters to overcome terrorist threats at sea as well as conducting a hostage rescue.

Rescue in process.....

RSS Valiant from 188 Squadron

Ships at Navy Open House which opens to public access where visitors could go for an on board tour.

RSS Swordsman at the Navy Open House. Too bad submarines are not open to public access and viewing.

Thanks God, we won balloting tickets for a 60 minutes cruise ride on board the RSS Vengeance from 188 Squadron.

We sail off from the Changi Naval Base and start with an hour of exciting cruise ride along the coastal line.

On board we get to experience the Corvettes travel at amazing speed of 30 knots which is about 50kmh. And during the ride, we also given opportunity to understand the function of the warship and the life of the crews on board through exchange conversations.

Beautiful view along the coastal line while on board the RSS Vengeance.

At the open house, there was also an Food and Beverage Zone where you could take a rest, have some bites and occupy yourself with performances that are prepared by the navy staffs and school students.

As you could see from the over, the food zone was over crowded even before the lunch hours which I think they could have bring in more stalls or bigger area to cater for the crowds in future events. For us, we just grab some pastry which has the shortest queue of all but I think it would be good to bring along some bread or sandwiches which would be great in term of cost and quality.

RSN S70-B Seahawk naval helicopter


Other than the naval ships, visitors also has the opportunities to see other assets from the Army and Air Force too. For example, Seahawk naval helicopter, Tankers, Top Gun and etc.

Out of all the exhibit warships, the queue to visit the RSS Endurance [207] never seems to get shorter than the 90 minutes wait. This ship is fitted with a well dock which can accommodate four landing crafts as well as a flight deck which can accommodate two medium lift helicopters too.

Lastly we also explore some of the foreign warships that participate in this year Navy Open House such as the :- ) USS Freedom [LCS-1] – Freedom class Littoral Combat Ship from United States of America; INS Satpura [F48] – Shivalik class Frigate and INS Kirch [P62] – Kora class Corvette from India.

Although the weather was pretty hot that day, but I am sure all those who went definitely had an enjoyable time with the cruise ride, warships tour, experience at shooting range and etc. We shall look forward for the next Navy Open House in 2016.

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) Food Trail 2012 - Singapore Night Safari

For the last part of our "Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) Food Trail 2012", we get to go for a kitchen tour on behind-scenes of the Ulu Ulu Restaurant with Chef Low as well a special dinner spread prepared by him and his team.

For your information, Chef Low is the man behind Wildlife Reserves Singapore’s unique dining as well as the culinary maestro behind award-winning dining experiences that include Jungle Breakfast with Wildlife at Singapore Zoo, Lunch with Parrots at Jurong Bird Park and Gourmet Safari Express at Night Safari.

After an interesting Lunch with Parrot and some exciting and birds shows, we were back at the Singapore Night Safari for our evening programme.   

Awaiting for us is Chef Kelvin Low who is professionally trained at Le Cordon Bleu and he has whipped up exquisite fare for local and international dignitaries, celebrities and royalty. These include Singapore's former president S.R. Nathan, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, former foreign minister George Yeo, magician David Copperfield and even the Prince of Wales.

Some of the Open Kitchen Concept stalls in Ulu Ulu Restaurant

Chef Low showing us around the behind-scenes Kitchen Tour @ Ulu Ulu Restaurant

Different Food Stations in the Ulu Ulu Restaurant Kitchen.

Chef Low explaining to us about their new Pastry Kitchen where pastry chefs made their cakes and desserts.

For hygiene purpose they have a separated room for handing raw meat.



Some of the prepared the dishes that are ready to be served

Upon entering the dining area, most of us was shock and excited to see the beautiful arrangement and set up for that night's theme. Really appropriated their thoughts and warm hospitality. 

Our Menu For The Night

Surprised to see this olden days serving mug when our beverages arrived.

For starter we had Ulu Ulu Chicken Satay which was so delicious that everyone gave their positive feedback on both the satay and their peanut sauce. Most of us even finished the whole cup of peanuts sauce and asking for more top up. 

Next we had BBQ Chicken Wing which are quite similar to those sold at the BBQ stalls in hawker center. The wings are well glazed and tasty which makes it goes well with the spicy in-house made chilli sauce.

Trio Meat Platter Chicken Rice served with 3 different kinds of Chicken such as Roasted, Soy Sauce and Steamed. Personally I felt the texture and taste of the chicken could have being better.

Other than the impressive Ulu Ulu Chicken Satay that we loved, this is another recommending dish to try if you are craving for some Indian cuisine. The Naan bread is good, not very oil bu yet crispy and tasty when dip with the mint sauce. Even though the fish fillet might look dry but actually it was juicy and full of flavour from the spices used.

Although I am not a crab lover (because I find it trouble and messy to eat the crab meat from the shell) but I love to sink those deep-fried mantou (bun) into the gravy. Overall the Ulu Ulu Chili Crab was a bit salty to my liking but with the accompanied fried bun this dish is still score above average.

To end the dinner, we each had a glass of Sea Coconut with Glass Jelly which was prefer for that warm evening.

After our hearty dinner we decided to go for a short walk at the newly launched Wallaby Trail but unfortunately it started to rain heavily before we reached the destination. Despite being stranded we still having fun running in the raining and I am sure this WRS Food Trail programmes would marked a wonderful memories in our life.

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