Two weeks ago, I got one of the craziest assignments I’ve ever received since I started as a full-time content creator in 2018.
The ask? Put the battery life of a laptop to the test… by flying halfway around the world to Singapore with a single charge. The AMD Ryzen-powered laptop that I would be testing is known for having a battery with seriously impressive stamina. It can be used with a single charge for up to 19 hours.
Not only was this my dream assignment—I also knew I was the perfect person for the job. As someone who is constantly on the move (and constantly in a state of low battery) the idea that I wouldn’t have to worry about charging a laptop for up to 19 hours? I was sold.
It was peak holiday season and I had a million deadlines to meet, but I immediately cleared my schedule and started looking at flights.
Less than two weeks later, I was on my way to Singapore!
Below, I’ve recapped all the deets of my trip—from the travel experience, to my time spent in Singapore, and (most importantly!) whether or not the battery was able to withstand the lengthy journey.
Thank you to AMD for sponsoring this post and presenting me with the coolest collaboration opportunity EVER.
THE FLIGHT
As crazy as it sounds, being on a plane is my ultimate happy place. To me, it almost feels like being in a bubble—a quiet space where I can either disconnect and relax, or do work without any distractions.
Since there weren’t any direct flights to Singapore from Miami, I chose a flight that connected in Paris, which meant that my first leg (Miami to Paris) would be around 8 hours, and my second leg (Paris to Singapore) would be around 14.
All things considered, the travel was pretty smooth. I did run into one delay on the way to Singapore, which wasn’t terribly long, and on the way back, I almost missed my return flight home when the airline changed the TERMINAL (!) 20 minutes before boarding. I had to sprint with other passengers to an airtrain, then onto a bus, and finally back through security (for the second time!) We made it just 2 minutes before the boarding cut off.
At this point I’ve experienced just about every travel hiccup you could think of, so nothing surprises me anymore!
Total travel time on the way to Singapore was 23 hours; total travel time on the return was 30 hours (because it included a 7 hour layover.)
THE “BATTERY POWER CHALLENGE”
Embarking on a trip during the work week meant that I had to use my time in-flight to get things done. I had videos to edit, blog posts to write, emails to send, and photos to approve. As you could imagine, having a laptop with a crazy-long battery life was CRUCIAL.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been on a flight where the outlet is broken, or worse—there’s no outlet at all. It was pretty wild to board a 14 hour flight without worrying about what the charging situation would be.
Prior to the trip, I made sure to charge the battery to 100%. For the first 8-hour leg, I used the laptop for a couple hours—I sent emails, did a quick update to the Hotel Lobby Candle website, and watched a short documentary. I didn’t end up having time to charge it during my layover, but (not surprisingly) that didn’t matter.
On my second leg—the 14 hour one—I used the laptop for almost the entirety of the flight. I responded to emails, worked on blog posts, approved marketing copy, went back-and-forth with my team on photoshoot inspo, planned TikTok content, and when all of that was done… I binge-watched like 4 hours of shows.
Right before we landed in Singapore, I looked at the battery, and I STILL HAD 11% left. I hadn’t charged it since leaving Miami!!! My usage total was around 15 hours.
If I’m being completely candid, I was nervous that the battery life would fall short of the claim, but the power that AMD promised truly delivered. (WHAT A RELIEF.)
3 MUST-DO’S IN SINGAPORE
Since this wasn’t my first time in Singapore (I had been once before in 2017) I felt like I already had the lay of the land. My flight arrived at 9:30am on Wednesday morning and my flight home was Thursday night at 11:30pm, so I essentially had 2 full days to work with.
Below I’ll share three of my must-do Singapore recs if you’re tight on time!
Satay Street at Lau Pa Sat
Hawker Centres are a huge part of the culture in Singapore. They’re essentially indoor-outdoor markets with dozens upon dozens of food stalls from local vendors.
While there are plenty of Hawker Centres to choose from in Singapore, Lau Pa Sat was particularly appealing because every night at 7pm, they close off one of the streets outside the market, and it turns into “Satay Street.”
They fill the street with tables and chairs, and you’ll find around 16 different vendors all selling different variations of satay (grilled meat or fish on a stick, served with a peanut dipping sauce on the side.)
It was absolutely packed, with a mix of locals and tourists, and the food was incredible. I will be dreaming about the peanut sauce for a very, very long time.
While I was there, I had a major pinch-me moment. It’s been a few years since I last took a solo trip to a far-flung destination, and there was something about being in that bustling market—completely jet-lagged and eating the most delicious local food surrounded by local people—that reminded me how lucky I am to have experiences like this.
Long Bar at Raffles Hotel
As an avid traveler, this had always been a “bucket list” item for me. Not only is Raffles an iconic property with a fascinating history—it’s also home to Long Bar, the place best known for creating the Singapore Sling.
Going to Long Bar and ordering a Singapore Sling feels like a Singapore rite of passage. The bar has a very cool, old school vibe, and reading about the history of the space (and it’s signature cocktail) made it feel even more special.
Just be prepared to wait in line, and pay an egregious amount of money for a drink!
Singapore Botanic Garden
To me, what makes Singapore so unique is the fact that it’s a bustling city like New York, but there are beautiful parks, trees, and green spaces everywhere you look. (Its nickname is actually the Garden City.)
Perhaps the best way to fully appreciate Singapore’s beauty is by paying a visit to the Botanic Garden, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has been around for 163 years. It’s free to enter (open from 5am to midnight) and you could literally spend hours getting lost while exploring all the different areas.
I’d recommend going early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid the midday heat.
I have SO many other amazing recommendations that I received from the #SilbSquad and didn’t have time to do… but I suppose that’ll give me the perfect excuse to go back.
I’m sure to some people the thought of flying halfway around the world for such a short trip sounds crazy and exhausting, but doing it truly allowed me to recharge my batteries (see what I did there?) in preparation for the holidays and the New Year ahead.
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