“Keep a snake, and the snake will eat your chicken.”
– Singapore Proverb
There are approximately 6,700 miles between London and Singapore. It takes about 13 hours to travel by plane (14 if you’re returning). 35 days by cruise ship. And according to Google Maps it takes almost 112 days to walk it (without rest) with one short ferry across the North Sea. In summary, it’s a fair old distance.
Despite all this, Singapore is where we now live. (We didn’t walk.) It is April 2022, the sun is out, and it is 32 degrees outside (feels like 36 degrees). Our house is nestled in lush green surroundings, as any property brochure from any estate agent marketing any property in the area would almost certainly tell you. Monitor lizards roam the garden. There is a rooster that has ever so kindly taken it upon himself to provide us with a daily 5am wake up call. A number of weeks back, I came across the latter of these creatures on the road and for some reason (known neither to the rooster nor myself) I swerved around it. The 5am wake up calls continue.
There are approximately 50,000 British expats living in Singapore, having been lured towards the jungle-framed city. A city known both as the Lion City and the Little Red Dot. A city of wealth (ranked the joint second most expensive city in the world by the Economist Intelligence Unit in its Worldwide Cost of Living 2021 survey), and a city of hawker markets where you can grab a substantial hot meal for under 5 Singapore dollars (roughly £2.75). Despite two weeks of quarantine (worse than imagined), Singapore is a great place to live, as any property brochure from any estate agent marketing any property in the area would almost certainly tell you.
Tel Aviv was the most expensive city ranked in the world in case you were wondering.
I remain an incredibly proud member of 36 Family. I am also very fortunate indeed to be working with the brilliant team at Expatriate Law, and I am registered as a foreign lawyer here in Singapore.
As family lawyers know, additional considerations come into play when matters take on international dimensions. Jurisdictional issues and indeed the timing in regards to instigating any such proceedings can arise, along with potential issues in respect of enforcement. Clients may require advice from lawyers based in multiple jurisdictions. Indeed, there are a whole number of issues that may arise, and specific examples and updates will no doubt follow in subsequent offerings, but for the time being, and by way of brief introduction only, it is from sunny, lush green surroundings that I commence this first blog.
The only concern as matters stand (the mandatory wearing of face masks outdoors in 32 degree heat having recently fallen away) is a certain neighbourhood reptilian that lurks just out of sight within said lush green surroundings. On the upside, it may – perhaps – bring a welcome end to the 5am wake up call.
(Please note that I don’t generally support the killing of roosters. Just the ones that wake me up at 5am.)
Further information
For more information from the family team, contact clerks@36family.co.uk
Involving Alexander Knight