YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT CHANGE...
 |
| We Made The Change! |
So we made the life-changing decision a few years shy of our intended retirement age of 50 and crossed the still sea north of swanky Singapore into our newly adopted hometown called Johor Bahru in West Malaysia. Trust me, if not for the driving convenience between West Malaysia and Singapore by way of two causeways, I would have moved to East Malaysia - the beaches, jungles, mountains, the works! Alas, West Malaysia it shall be, and I should not be complaining because Johor Bahru - or JB as most would call it - has grown on us as a family-friendly, retirement-living and fun-filled adventure. That is why I started to make my past years of musing in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand public on a blog, so that the readers - especially those from Singapore - can be convinced that there are other alternative quality of life outside the island city state. I for one find Malaysia and Thailand's natural advantages complement those that Singapore offers. Together, I call them my "Golden Triangle" countries for working, living and playing, which I aim to promote through this blog. Good things - in return for good karma - we gotta pass it on!
 |
| Johor Bahru Is No Longer The Backward Cousin Of Singapore |
So we packed up our belongings after having lived in Singapore for the past two decades and we moved across the causeway into slow and relaxed Malaysia, just below an hour's drive via the Woodlands crossing. It was the best decision for us as a family, for my kids can have access to good quality international schools at half the price Singapore international schools are charging - so that's a load off our retirement budget. And over the years, we were able to discover the little gems in JB which have made every day an adventure - the wet markets, street food, car and accessories havens, budget and luxury shopping, spas and massages, you name them, we have them over here.
However, as you read on in my other post on how I managed to attain my current living means through application of the 3-Pronged Strategy, leveraging the "Golden Triangle" countries of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, you will realize Malaysia is for my "LIVE" stragegy - an affordable home base for basic living and sustenance. The "WORK" plan still focuses on Singapore, while the last "PLAY" element refers to my favorite country of travel and rest & relax. Of course if you have the means, you may "play" beyond Thailand, and let your travel budget take you to interesting corners of the world!
As our living adventure unfolds in Singapore, Malaysia and beyond Thailand, we intend to share our useful experiences - from properties, education, politics, travels, to my partner's beauty pursuits, my car repair/maintenance, home decor & renovation, food, shopping and just about everything an Asing (Malay for foreigner) like me has to undergo, in order to navigate our beloved adopted "Golden Triangle" homelands.
 |
| It's Not So Hard To Say Goodbye After all |
No comments:
Post a Comment