Dealing with the Crowd in Singapore

The crowd at the Chinatown Food Street.

In talking with some of my expat friends, one of their biggest complaints is constantly having to deal with the crowds in Singapore. To put the crowd situation in perspective, there's more than five and a half million people on an island the size of a city dot on a world map. So the chances of being alone in public are slim to none unless you head to a nature reserve (because Singaporeans aren't very keen on sweating in their tropical climate). Here are some tips on surviving the crowd in Singapore:

• Ride in the first or last cars of the MRT. Most people don't want to walk that far up or down the platform.

• If you can, avoid travelling at peak times. If you do travel at peak times,  you're in for a long line at the taxi queue or bus station or being crammed like sardines in the MRT. Peak times include:
• 6-9 am
• 5-9 pm
• the eve of public holidays
• public holidays
• weekends

• Shop at regular grocery stores between 8 and 11 in the morning or after 9 pm. Other stores don't typically open until 10 or 11 in the morning, so grocery stores in malls aren't as crowded then. Some of the rush hour crowd stops at the grocery store on their way home, so shopping after 9 can help with that (though you may have to contend with eager stockers).

• Watch out for phone zombies. People who are oblivious to the world around them because they are so busy on their devices are a fairly normal sight here. Try to avoid being behind these people as  they are slow and do stupid things (like trying to get on the escalator which is going the wrong direction). Being in front of them is no better as they may run into you, step on your feet, or accidentally hit you.

• Get enough rest. There may not seem to be a clear link here, but getting enough sleep can help you be more patient and thereby, cope better with the crowds.

• Do things to expand your personal bubble when you walk. Use your stroller as a battering ram - everyone else here does - or carry your baby without a carrier.  Hold your bags slightly in front of your when you walk. Engage in PDA. Don't wear deodorant.

• Make your home or hotel room a haven. It's good to have somewhere to quietly recharge at the end of a busy, crowded, heat-filled day. Stay in a quiet location several minutes walk away from an MRT station or if you can't do that, play soft relaxing music in your room. Make your home a pleasant place by adding pillows, using candles, and decorating it in a cool color scheme.