It's not the car we hope to get at this time in our lives- but when there are only 2 available you can't be too picky.
This is a Hyundai Avante, I believe it's a Spanish name like avante' but Fred enjoys calling it an Avant as in "I Want" a different car. We had hoped to get a station wagon/mini van type of car while here in Singapore, but availability were this 5 seater sedan or a squished 5 seater hatchback.
If you didn't notice the steering wheel is on the right side, so driving here is opposite the US. I have taken the car out just around our immediate area (definitely no highways yet) and it's not as hard to drive as I expected. Basically, you are still driving so that the driver is next to the oncoming traffic. The biggest problem has been looking right when I should be looking left for the cross traffic. I also keep turning on the windshield wipers when I try to put on the turn signal. Soon enough I'll be used to it and driving back in the US will seem odd.
I also wanted to give you a little info on buying cars in Singapore. If you want to buy a car as a Singaporean you need to first obtain a certificate of entitlement (COE) that allows you to buy a car. To get this (COE) you can bid on one 2 times a month and the bidding is open for 2 days. So, it is not a set price and is variable by demand. Lately, these bids have gone up to $70,000 just to get approval to buy a car! The Singapore government does this to limit the number of cars on the road and to encourage people to ride mass transit. To be Singaporean and own a car you must be rich, rich, rich. Thank goodness they make an exception for us!
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