Angeline went to the IT Fair (PC Show) at Sun Tec City on 13 June 2008. As agreed, Angeline and Celine were supposed to meet at 6.30pm at Sun Tec City Conference Hall. However, a sms sent at 6.20pm to Angeline informed her that Celine would be late, as there were too many people onboard the buses that were heading to Sun Tec City. Well, Angeline sent an identical reply and told Celine that she would be reaching late as well. This was the first bad sign that Angeline has recieved, as it implied that Sun Tec City's IT Fair would be packed with people.
Thankfully, it was only a half an hour delay. Both Angeline and Celine reached promptly at 7.00pm. As predicted, the crowds were indeed overwhelming. The lobby was packed with people, the walkways were packed with people, the escalators were packed with people. Angeline would assume that you got the point.
Thankfully, it was only a half an hour delay. Both Angeline and Celine reached promptly at 7.00pm. As predicted, the crowds were indeed overwhelming. The lobby was packed with people, the walkways were packed with people, the escalators were packed with people. Angeline would assume that you got the point.
With the intention of signing up for a new Starhub Broadband plan, Angeline and Celine decided to head straight to their booth. Oblivious to the fact that there were floor plans for visitors to browse and target the brands that they have in mind, Angeline and Celine walked straight into the conference halls at Level 4 (401 - 404). Taking a walk at this level made Angeline and Celine wasted 45 minutes of their time.
Angeline and Celine saw the floor plans that were display outside the conferences hall at Level 6 (601 - 603) when they took the escalator up in search of the Starhub booth. From the floor plans, there were over 30 IT brands that have participated for this Fair. As Angeline is more familiar with the common brands, Angeline only took snapshots of these brands.
Fortunately, Starhub's booth was relatively bigger in size as compared to some of the other brands at Level 6, thus Angeline and Celine found it effortlessly. Just as what Angeline and Celine have expected (Angeline checked up Starhub's website, found this special promotion and informed Celine), Starhub was giving away FREE HP MINI-NOTE PC with every new subscription or renewal of their Broadband plan.
After confirming some minor details with one of the Starhub promoter, Angeline and Celine quickly joined in the queue for Registration. After waiting for about 20 minutes, the girls finally got their queue number and proceeded to the Sales Counters. One glance at the digital counter that read "6723" and another glance at our queue number "6842", Angeline and Celine shrieked in shock. There are at least 120 people waiting in the queue before Angeline and Celine.
Angeline exclaimed to Starhub, "Please GO FLY KITE!"
Angeline was wondering if everyone was signing up for the same Broadband plan. If it was really the case, Angeline could be ensure that she was not the only 'kiasu' one who was targeting the FREE HP MINI-NOTE PC. FREE ONE LEH! Furthermore, Starhub was waiving off the activation charge of S$30.00 (exludes GST) and giving a free modem that worths S$99.00 (excludes GST) to new and exisitng subscribers who sign up for their Broadband plan only during the IT Fair. AND THAT WAS NOT ALL. For the first 200 customers (daily), they get to go home with a FREE NOKIA MOBILE PHONE. Unwillingly to give up such a good offer, Angeline and Celine waited for 2 hours. Angeline is indeed 'kiasu'.
Once at the counter, Angeline asked the Sales person to expedite her subscription. Time check was 9.30pm and Angeline was going to faint from hunger. Angeline assumed that Celine was suffering from hunger pangs (as well) when she confronted the Sales person at the counter and asked (maybe demanded) for an explanation why she had to wait for 2 hours for 120 people in the queue when there were over 52 Sales coutners serving customers at any one time. She has expected the turn-over of queue number to be faster when there are 52 serving counters. The Sales person apologized and explained that they have over thousands of applications and this over-whelming number caused them to be under-staff literally. Celine continued to argue that that are over 52 serving counters. Angeline don't see the point. Angeline just wanted to get the application done and zoomed off for dinner.
The Sales person explained the details of the contract to Angeline. Unknown to him, it fell on deaf ears, as Angeline simply couldn't concentrate. However, when he mentioned the FREE HP MINI-NOTE PC could only be collected at Funan IT Mall on 21 July 2008, Angeline jumped in shock and repeated (loudly) the date and the venue to him. He explained that it was the rule of HP and Starhub was going conveying the message. How convenient! At that point in time, Angeline really couldn't care less and just wanted to get the application done as soon as possible.
Just as Angeline was expecting for the Sales person to hand her the modem and the FREE NOKIA MOBILE PHONE, he told Angeline to proceed to the Cashier because the items have to scan before he could pass it to Angeline. ARGH! It simply implied another queue for Angeline and Celine. Losing her cool, Angeline complained to the Sales person that this was indeed riddiculous. Angeline has waited 20 mintues for Registration, 2 hours for Sales, and she don't know how long she need to wait for the Cashier (just to scan her 2 items). As the Sales person ensured them that it won't take more than 15 minutes, Angeline and Celine walked grumpily to the Cashier.
Angeline really didn't wait more than 15 mintues for the Cashier to scan the 2 items, but she waited for 10 minutes for the Sales person to transfer the 2 items from his (damn) Sales counter to the (damn) Cashier. Collecting her 2 items from the Cashier, Angeline walked to Esplanade with Celine to meet SD for dinner. All in all, Angeline thinks that Starhub should GO FLY KITE!
As the trio were tired and hungry, they walked into the nearest restaurant (which is Thai Express) and sat down. Without much deliberation, the food was quickly ordered. Angeline was hoping that the food would be served as quickly as it was ordered.
In less than 30 minutes, the 2 appetizers and 3 main courses were gone once they were placed on the table. Angeline was not the only one who was really really really hungry.
After dinner, SD suggested going over to Pan Pacific's Hotel Lounge for drinks, as Angeline and Celine requested for somewhere with BIG and COMFORTABLE ARMCHAIRS. As Angeline and Celine didn't look very convinced, SD went to explain how he discovered the BIG and COMFORTABLE ARMCHAIRS at Pan Pacific's Hotel Lounge.
In SD's words,
"I was going to Marina Square to collect my car yesterday after work. As I was driving out of the carpark, I realized that my CashCard has no value left. So I walked all the way back to the Marina Square to top up the CashCard at the machine. But SUAY la, the machine don't accept Citi ATM cards and I have to drive all the way to Pan Pacific, parked my car there and walked to all the way back to Millenia Walk to top up my CashCard at Citi Bank. That's why I walked past Pan Pacific's Hotel Lounge and I saw the BIG AND COMFORTABLE ARMCHAIRS."
Angeline and Celine should have just nodded and followed him to Pan Pacific's Hotel Lounge.
As promised by SD, Angeline and Celine indeed sat on BIG AND COMFORTABLE ARMCHAIRS at Pan Pacific's Hotel Lounge. The lighting was slightly dim (as usual) and there were candles lit on every table (as usual again), thus the ambience created was supposingly romantic (but for sure, not with Celine and SD). Angeline supposed that the live band was the bonus for her experience at Pan Pacific's Hotel Lounge.
The final decision was to open a bottle of red wine for sharing. Together with the red wine, the snacks were served by the waitress at the same time. Angeline has assumed that the snacks were complimentary because they did not order any snacks but they were still served by the waitress. Furthermore, Angeline didn't managed to take a look at the bill when it was presented to SD. Heh!
Other than drinking, eating and gossiping, Angeline also insisted that they cam-whored together. Celine and SD obliged (damn) unwillingly. Btw, Angeline would like to tell you that the Atrium is the name of Pan Pacific's Hotel Lounge, just in case you are wondering where did the Atrium pop up from. Heh!
Everyone went home happily except Angeline. SD got to hear 2 infamous gossips about him from Angeline and Celine. Celine is going to get the FREE HP MINI-NOTE PC. Angeline went home and got a nagging from Ck for going home at 2am and drinking wine (when she was sick). Oh well!
