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It was early morning on 26 June 1998. I recall the taxi driving me from the airport down the pretty bougainvillea-lined ECP and I was happy with my plan to stay for perhaps just a couple of years – after all, I was told Singapore was boring.

It’s almost 22 years later … and only now am I heading for pastures new.

Back in ’98, I recall the old taxi uncles who couldn’t speak English, used “kangaroo petrol” and always had pandan leaves on the back parcel shelf. Road users had to buy a windscreen licence sticker at booths for entry to the CBD. Some buses had no air-con, but they also had cheaper fares, most often paid with coins. Conversely, there were gleaming air-conditioned MRT stations, and the double-decker lifts in skyscrapers were a wonder to me. But I couldn’t get a salad for lunch, or coffee without sugar!

In the early days, the nightlife was fun and inexpensive. Brix at the Hyatt, Brannigans in Chijmes and the live band at Bar None in the Marriott were popular. No.5 and Que Pasa on Emerald Hill were a staple, together with the “Anywhere” Music Bar in Tanglin Shopping Centre with live band Tania featuring a very colourful cross-dressing singer. We would also dance on the bar at Carnegie’s – considered outrageous at the time.

But most restaurants called last orders before 10pm (yes, really!), so we would head to the Cuppage Jazz Bar that operated a lock-out after midnight.

After a Ball, we would head for the Mitre Hotel, a creepy old colonial building hidden up a drive off Killiney Road. Still in our glad rags, we would sit on the old office furniture that was piled up in the porte-cochère; and, never one to turn away a few dollars, an old uncle would pass the beers through the security grilles, so if the police came he could pretend he was actually closed.

There was no Theatres by the Bay, and no Marina Bay Sands Theatre – I used to take my friend’s dog for a walk where MBS now stands. But there was one theatre gem: the cosy Jubilee Hall in Raffles – reminiscent of an old London Theatre, now sadly converted into a ballroom.

I quickly immersed myself in the many marvels of exotic Asian countries as Singapore has always been a great stepping off point for travel (when virus-free!).

I have lived in high-rise apartments with glorious pools and amazing views; I shared an old haunted three-storey house with friends where we had the most amazing parties (and weird experiences). And I have owned and restored a 1920s shophouse.

However, I recently bought two glasses of wine in a hotel pool café and it came to almost $80 – slightly more than the price of a full Sunday champagne brunch in 1998! But returning our last LPG gas bottle, I definitely got a 1998 refund: $3!

A fond farewell to this amazing country – you are far from boring.