The best teachers were often once the slowest students; and the most thoughtful travel guides should be written by those who have felt the most insecure and sensitive.

A woman can travel abroad on her own, even if she speaks English one word at a time.

I grew up experiencing hunger. I was beaten for not having firewood to cook with, and made to stand as punishment because my family couldn’t afford books to read outside of school. I felt inferior, anxious, and sensitive. I hope this story can encourage people like me to travel abroad and experience all the wonderful things Singapore has to offer. If I can do it, so can you.

I traveled alone the whole way there and back this time. I’ll share my personal experiences in the order of my four days in Singapore, what you’ll need to bring, and how to keep your budget under control.

This article is long, but it won't tire you out to read it, because I write in plain, simple language. You can read it like a storybook.

I hadn't planned to come to Singapore this time. I'd already spent money on a trip to Hong Kong earlier this year that was half travel and half work. Coming again in the second half of the year would put a lot of pressure on me. But a friend saw my post, understood what I'd been through, and encouraged me not to give up and to come to Singapore. I came despite feeling torn.

Before I came, I even did a divination reading: Would my trip to Singapore go smoothly? I did it on the 24th. At the time, the day and hour landed in unfavorable palaces, but my mind and spirit landed in a very favorable palace, as shown in the first image. This is a classic reading, and I want to report back to my teacher: the palace of my mind and spirit outweighed the energy of the day and hour. In other words, if someone truly wants something, they can make it happen, and outside forces will come to help.

I've wanted to travel abroad since I was little, and dreamed of being really good at English, but the right circumstances never came together. I'm grateful to Sui💧 for making it possible for me. The main reason I came to Singapore for TOKEN2049 was Sui.

Yammmy, one of Sui's Asia-Pacific leads, really took the time to read my posts and cared about me like a friend. That encouragement, and knowing someone cared about me and wanted me to come, gave me an indescribable feeling. It led to so many wonderful experiences afterward.

1️⃣ Passport

From the moment you start reading this article, you can go apply for a passport. You might think you won't travel abroad anytime soon, but once you read this, you'll soon be going overseas. Some unexpected circumstances will bring it about.

On my second day here, I stared at my passport in a daze. I got it when I was bored, and for the last couple of years at home I'd wondered whether it had expired and whether I'd ever need it. But somehow, fate had its way: once I got it, I found a use for it.

When I went to Hong Kong in April, I thought I probably wouldn't travel abroad in my life. I never imagined I'd go overseas so soon.

Remember to take a photo of the personal information page of your passport in advance and save it on your phone. It'll come in handy if you lose your passport or need to provide your passport details.

2️⃣ Luggage: Pack light and leave half your suitcase empty

Try to bring as little luggage as possible. Don't bring valuables. We're going from event to event, and I didn't use my computer at all during the trip.

Bring enough clothes, but choose the lightest ones. Singapore is very hot, especially if, like me, you don't want to spend money on taxis and end up walking more than 500 meters on average each time.

Before I came, I thought I could wear the same outfit for a few days, but by the second day it smelled awful. Laundry costs money here, and everything is expensive. I stayed at a five-star hotel for the first three nights, but I still didn't want to pay to do laundry in Singapore dollars. People here respect everyone's labor, and there's no cheap labor, whether at a five-star hotel or a hostel.

I brought disposable socks. If you have socks with holes in them, or old clothes and underwear, you can bring them too and throw them away after wearing them. They take up no space.

A little metaphysical tip: Before throwing something away, especially something you've used for a long time, be sure to thank it and tell it that it has fulfilled its purpose and can go now. Then you can throw it away a minute later.

Indoor spaces in Singapore are very cold because of the air conditioning, so bring a jacket. Women should try to wear long skirts indoors to keep the cold air from getting to them and making them sick.

Be sure to bring a travel adapter. I bought one when I went to Hong Kong. It was a multi-function adapter and cost over 100 yuan. Try to buy a complete adapter with the right plug types for different regions all at once.

For a bag to carry around, I brought a little pink one that cost 70 yuan. It was very lightweight. I learned my lesson in Hong Kong: pretty leather bags are too heavy. I also switched to the lightest umbrella I could find.

The rain in Singapore comes in short bursts, so keeping an umbrella in your bag isn't much of a burden. It suddenly poured while I was watching the F1 race. Luckily I had a small umbrella with me, and I was able to help three other people avoid getting too wet.

I recommend bringing a power bank too, even if it's a bit heavy.

Also, many thanks to the friend—I don't know who it was—who gave me the wallet. It's especially practical because it fits my passport. You need your passport to travel to and from the airport, check in at hotels overseas, and buy a SIM card for data. This wallet is genuinely useful. I'm grateful.

For women, cosmetics are the most important thing. Based on my experience, don't bring too much. Everyone comes to Singapore with a purpose, so unless you're counting on your looks to give you an edge, keep your makeup simple. You can buy small plastic travel bottles ahead of time to make things easier. We women have limited stamina, so lighten your load in advance. If your budget is generous and you'll be taking taxis everywhere, feel free to ignore this advice. I had a rough time in Hong Kong, rushing back and forth with my suitcase.

Try to leave half your suitcase empty. There may be some great merch you'll want to keep. This time at TOKEN2049, lots of projects gave out bags and totes. I only brought a SUI bag home. It's blue, which makes me feel calm, and it's eco-friendly in design: it doesn't shed or create dust pollution. I thought that even if I don't use it, my aunt, who grows vegetables, could really use a bag like this. It's big enough and sturdy enough.

As for merch, I hope projects will be more environmentally friendly in the future. They could also mail merch to people—it's not easy for everyone to travel to Singapore.

3️⃣ Hotels: The biggest expense

The most important thing when coming to Singapore is your hotel. If there's an event on, booking at the last minute will be extremely expensive. Your hotel choice determines how much this trip will cost you.

Book your hotel before you book your flight.

You might worry, like I did, that the hotel won't refund much if you end up not going. Here's a trick: book your hotel early. Even if you can't make it in the end, it's easy to pass the booking on to someone in crypto. Someone is always looking for a room at the last minute, and they'll appreciate getting one at a low price. Booking early is both cheaper and better.

Be sure to book a hotel near Marina Bay Sands. Booking 20 days in advance can be very cheap, and it'll be convenient for getting to events. You'll save a lot on transport.

I looked at Chinatown, which is close to the main venue and an ideal base for going to all the other events. Decent three- and four-star hotels generally cost around 1,000 yuan a night and usually have two beds. It's easy to find someone to share a room with in Singapore, especially if you book early—people are happy to share. You'd only need to pay 500 yuan, or even just 200–300 yuan a night.

If you're really trying to save money, hostels are also an option. I'm a woman, and I was prepared to stay in a hostel if I couldn't find anyone to share a room with. If you're worried about safety, don't choose a mixed-gender dorm. Think carefully before deciding to stay in a hostel. Remember to bring your own toothbrush and slippers; choose disposable slippers that you can throw away after wearing. That'll make your trip home easier.

Be sure to book your hotel for enough nights. You could stay an extra night to enjoy the sights of Singapore. I know that spending one more day here means one more day of experiences. Even if no project invites you, don't worry. Flights are so expensive; since you've already spent the money, you may as well see Singapore's beautiful sights and nourish your soul.

I stayed four nights, three of them at the five-star Carlton Hotel. Meimei saw that I needed help and proactively invited me to share a room. I only paid what I could afford for the hotel: $500. Four nights cost $2,100. That's for a five-star hotel, and we didn't book very early. If we had booked well in advance, it would have been around $1,000–$1,500. If you have a bit of savings, sharing a room like this is great value: you get a nice place to stay, it's convenient for going to events, and it doesn't put too much pressure on your budget.

Hotels like this also offer a buffet breakfast, which is very generous. Crypto meetups are usually in the evening, so you can save money on lunch by making the most of the buffet breakfast and getting up later. Just remember the hotel's breakfast hours. The buffet has meat, vegetables, and all sorts of things. The breakfast at a star-rated hotel is especially lavish, and you can eat very well.

Thanks to Meimei, who's beautiful inside and out, I got to stay in a five-star hotel for the first time by paying for it myself, and experience a luxurious dinner. I'm so grateful.

4️⃣ SIM cards

If you want to save money, you can buy one on Taobao. I bought mine at the 7-Eleven in the airport after landing in Singapore. Have your passport and a SIM ejector pin ready. I recommend bringing your own pin; it takes up almost no space. It cost 12 Singapore dollars for 500 GB over 14 days, which I think is plenty. With roaming, you start getting throttled after just 2–3 GB a day, and it's more expensive.

When should you use roaming? If your phone only takes one SIM, or you need to use two SIMs and can't fit a data SIM, then you'll have to spend a bit more. But I noticed that people often bring two phones when traveling abroad, which is enough to solve the problem.

A friendly reminder: If the SIM card you used to register for WeChat is in your phone, take it out when you put in your data SIM in Singapore. Remember to keep the original SIM with you. When I was overseas, my phone didn't have the SIM linked to my WeChat account, and WeChat forcibly logged me out. Being abroad, that was a little stressful.

5️⃣ Payments and transportation

I found that having an iPhone in Singapore is really convenient. If you can, try to save up for one—it makes paying for things in Singapore much easier. Of course, other phones might work too, but I don't know. Lots of people here use iPhones, and Apple Pay works really well.

I got an HSBC bank card in Hong Kong ahead of time. If you're going to Hong Kong before Singapore, I recommend getting one too, and applying for the physical red and blue Lion cards. The blue Lion card can be linked to Apple Wallet. I couldn't link my mainland China-issued China Merchants Bank Visa card to Apple Wallet in Singapore, but I could do it in Hong Kong.

You can buy a transit card for the subway, but there's a card fee, which you should be able to get back later. It's a bit of a hassle. You can tap a Visa card directly on buses and the subway, and use it for purchases too. But whenever I took the subway, I worried about losing my card and kept checking for it. Losing a Visa card would be a real hassle.

So link your card to your wallet in advance and enable express payments. Taking the subway and buses will then be really convenient.

Singapore's subway lines are marked in different colors, so just follow the colors. Many station names are abbreviated, like NS, so check Google Maps to see which station you're at. If you see a straight-ahead arrow, it means you need to keep going. I didn't know that and went straight down. The signs at the bottom of the stairs in the subway are the ones you need to follow. Check that you're going in the right direction.

Singapore's buses have designated stops, each with a different stop number. Make sure you check the number. When the bus arrives, you need to wave to signal that you want to board. Of course, if lots of people are getting on, you can skip that.

Remember to tap your card both when you get on and when you get off. If you don't tap off, you'll be charged the fare to the end of the line.

The roads in Singapore are much easier to navigate than in Hong Kong, and are pretty similar to those in mainland China. Traffic is well organized. Where there's no crosswalk, if you see that a car is still some distance away, you can raise your hand to signal that you want to cross. During the F1 event, lots of staff used hand signals to guide us across the road.

6️⃣ Essential Singapore apps

I only used three: Google Maps, Grab, and Grok AI (Doubao works too).

You absolutely need Google Maps—it's very accurate. Keep a power bank with you. When you're somewhere unfamiliar, you might need to use Street View navigation.

Use Grab for rides. Remember to register before you leave China and link a Visa card. I linked my China Merchants Bank Visa card, and it worked great.

I used Grok Bot AI throughout the trip. Whenever I didn't understand something in the subway, I'd take a photo and send it to Grok. Sometimes it was even more helpful than Google Maps. During the F1 event, many roads were closed and the map couldn't update in time, so just ask Grok.

On the 10th, a friend invited me to watch F1. The location my friend sent me was very different from the area I was allowed to enter. When I asked for directions, people pointed me the way based on the directions on my ticket, but my friend's Google Maps pin was somewhere else that I couldn't get into. I walked for over an hour and was nearly in tears. I messaged my friend saying I was going back and wanted to give up. Then I took a photo and sent it to Grok, and it told me I was right nearby.

A huge thank-you to Elon Musk's AI. I didn't understand English throughout the trip, and it was my go-to source for everything.

Another woman used Doubao while traveling abroad, and said it worked smoothly too. I haven't tried it, but I look forward to hearing other people's experiences.

A word about flights: make sure to book well in advance. Compare the deals on Ctrip and Qunar, and try to stick with one airline, as that makes it easier to get upgrades later.

You need to board the plane half an hour before departure. At Shanghai Pudong Airport, you really do need to arrive three hours early, but at Singapore Changi, an hour and a half is more than enough—you'll have plenty of time.

I flew from Shanghai on Spring Airlines, a low-cost carrier, and paid 600 yuan. They wouldn't let me board until I had a return ticket and a hotel booking. It took up a lot of extra time.

7️⃣ Meals and meetups: There's food as soon as you land

Before I landed in Singapore, not many people had invited me to dinner. The only dinner I knew for sure I was going to was the gala dinner, which my friend Lu helped me get into. After I arrived, I realized that once you're here, there are more meals than you can possibly get through.

The key is this: if you're a small KOL, a new KOL, or just an ordinary attendee, remember to start engaging with exchanges, projects you like, and KOLs you follow at least six months in advance. If you're proactive enough, even fans can get tickets to all kinds of dinners. No exchange or project can turn down someone who engages sincerely, consistently, and patiently.

Exchanges hold dinners. If you often engage with a particular exchange, reach out to a staff member you know and regularly interact with. Tell them you'd like to join a dinner, and they'll try to help. The reason is simple: this fan has consistently engaged with and supported us. No manager would refuse to approve that budget.

I'm the perfect example. I interacted with Lu regularly and even set a little reminder for him, so I was very direct and told him I wanted to attend the gala dinner. There were no spots at first, but later he managed to get me one.

Binance currently has a generous budget, so if you need help, there's a good chance they'll be able to help. Regularly repost and engage with Binance events, and interact with their staff's posts too. Keep in touch with a staff member you trust, and they'll help you.

Here's another option: fans can contribute by working or volunteering. Learn about a project in advance, choose one, and tell them you want to attend but need their support. They can also use it to promote themselves and show the human side of their project. When every project is trying to court big KOLs and exchanges, a project that genuinely cares about its fans stands out—and that alone can help it gain attention. A project won't take advantage of you excessively, unless it's run by foolish people. I trust your ability to tell projects apart. Choose a reputable exchange or blockchain, such as SUI, and contribute.

The same goes for KOLs. Take me, for example. I don't have much money in crypto, but if you've interacted with me regularly and tell me you don't have dinner plans and are worried about paying for a meal, I can cover up to 50 Singapore dollars (a little over 200 yuan). You've consistently supported me, and I think you deserve it. I'm not a wealthy KOL, but lots of people in crypto have plenty of money, and they're generous to their loyal fans.

Remember: once you land, you'll have food to eat. Build relationships in advance through sincere interactions that don't cost anything.

8️⃣ Food and health prep before your trip

A trip to Singapore is a rare opportunity for those of us who have never traveled abroad, and things here aren't cheap. So take care of your health beforehand, get enough sleep, and avoid eating foods you don't usually eat, to prevent indigestion.

Before I came to Singapore, I ate sweet potatoes and had a bloated stomach for a long time. It was uncomfortable for a while. The same goes once you're in Singapore—be mindful of what you eat and don't upset your stomach.

I tend to feel cold easily, so I packed a few sachets of cold medicine for wind-cold symptoms and some stomach pills. They take up little space and can help if I eat something that doesn't agree with me.

Coke and coffee—caffeinated drinks like these—can help with wind-cold symptoms. If you feel chilled and unwell and don't have any cold medicine, you can drink some hot coffee and sweat it out.

But don't worry too much. Once you've decided to come, your spirit will protect you and keep you safe and healthy in Singapore.

9️⃣ What to eat while going to events

Some opportunities only come after you've arrived and booked your flight. Before I came to Singapore, nobody had invited me to a meal, so I saved a Singapore food article by Teacher Ni. Once I arrived, I didn't need it at all.

I had Hainanese chicken rice for lunch at the SUI venue on the 7th. It was free and incredibly delicious. There were tons of drinks and coffee at the venue—more than anyone could drink.

I don't usually eat breakfast at home, and I'm used to having just two meals a day, or even one. It's a habit I've built up, so I could wait until the afternoon and eat at the various events I attended. Afternoon events often have lots of desserts, enough to tide you over, and then there's a proper dinner in the evening.

In Hong Kong, apart from Yaya from Binance inviting me to dinner, I had no other invitations. I brought lots of pineapple-flavored candy in advance to get me through the day.

I also had Sui afternoon tea in Hong Kong. After attending two Sui events, I found that they're very thoughtful. Other conferences might only have desserts and alcohol, which can be a bit cold, but Sui had both hot and cold food, including hot burgers and all kinds of other hot dishes. I remember that I hadn't eaten lunch that day, and after the Sui event I had to hitch a ride with someone to the next venue, so I stuffed myself with food. One hot beef dish was especially delicious—it was practically a full meal.

That was also one of only two hot meals I got while going to events in Hong Kong. The first was at a Binance event, and it was a very lavish dinner. One of the top women in crypto told everyone to eat and drink their fill. What I remember most was the giant lobster. My throat was a bit sore that day, and after doing a divination reading I didn't dare eat too much, since it was only the first day of events and I needed to take care of my health. I regretted not eating more lobster last time, but this time I got to eat some at the Binance Chain event on the evening of the 7th 😊

I was the first to spot the lobster with my sharp eyes. The staff saw how much I wanted it and kindly brought me a clean plate. I'd already wolfed down everything on the first one. Then I grabbed a big prawn from the plate below and asked Brother Tong to hold it for me while I ate it without a shred of dignity.

I actually wanted more, but first, Brother Tong was holding it for me and I didn't want to trouble him too much. Also, there were lots of people, and I wanted to leave some for everyone else.

Brother Tong is a really nice person—genuine and unpretentious. I feel comfortable around him and don't have to put on an act, so there's no pressure.

When you're away from home, as long as you don't overeat or get chilled, you generally won't get sick. Take it easy for the first couple of days. If you're in good health, you can ignore this advice.

That evening at Ni Da's, I ate the biggest crayfish of my life so far. I finished eating crayfish at the Binance event and arrived at 8:30 p.m. Sorry, I just can't resist crayfish.

Thanks to Brother Tong for holding the crayfish for me the whole time. He didn't eat a single one; he just kept holding them for us while I ate nonstop. I was so lucky to have such a feast, and I'm very grateful.

At Ni Da's crayfish dinner, ordinary attendees can join too, as they can at dinners hosted by Binance and many other projects. Be proactive and energetic, and getting dinner won't be a problem.

🔟 Social etiquette: Be confident but humble, honest, and genuine

This is how I am. When people read my articles, they can feel my happiness and sadness, my inner conflicts, my indecision, and my authenticity. If I don't have money, I say so. I need help from others, but I don't put myself down. I'm a diviner with ten years of experience and a skill of my own. On life's long journey, there will be times when people can use my help. So it doesn't matter if some people look down on me; there will always be someone who sees my value and won't define me by my wealth.

Of course, most people are superficial, and that's fine. Relationships, collaboration, and socializing are all part of the process of panning for gold.

Honesty matters a lot to me. On this trip to Singapore, I met someone very dishonest who lied. I won't name names here. This is a small community, so don't act like you're someone you're not. People in crypto may joke around, but we're all smart. You can present yourself in a favorable light, but don't do it in a way that drags other people into it.

This was the only thing on my trip to Singapore that truly shocked me. I couldn't believe a young person would turn around and lie to someone like that.

Maybe he'll see this article, maybe he won't. Ability only matters for a while; in the end, what matters is who you are at your core.

Also, I do have a strong sense of justice and can't stand evil. I've suffered a lot because of this personality trait, but from a certain point of view, I did call that young person out, including by writing about it here, because it involved me.

1️⃣1️⃣ Divination in Singapore

My trip to Singapore was really interesting. I thought that since so many people had come to me for divination in Hong Kong, I'd be busy in Singapore too, so I made sure to bring my Qimen Dunjia divination tools. My Qimen copper coins are pretty heavy, but I carried them around the whole time.

It turned out everyone was too busy in Singapore. On the afternoon of the 7th, a friend invited me to a talk. The auditorium was freezing, so I went to the restroom and sat on the toilet to warm up.

When I felt warm enough, I came out and met a female entrepreneur whose work was mainly in Web2. She was very proactive and asked what I did. I said I was a KOL, and she wanted to add me as a contact. She's a senior executive, and I really admired her for being so hardworking and proactive even after achieving success.

Later, I mentioned that I was a diviner, and we started chatting about her marriage. I'll leave out the private details.

She proactively sent me 666 as payment for the reading without me asking. She's a very considerate person. Of all the people I did readings for in Singapore, she was the only one who paid. I'm very grateful.

Actually, whether or not someone pays for a divination reading, they should always give a red envelope. The Chinese phrase for “doing a reading” also sounds like “that's it, it's over.” Once you've given a red envelope, no matter the amount, and I've done the reading, neither of us owes the other anything. The reading is complete and that's the end of it. That's the custom in my hometown, though customs vary from place to place. Maybe some people just wanted to give me a chance to show what I can do 😂, or were just making polite conversation because they were worried I'd feel awkward. But you don't need to do that in the future.

If you don't believe in it or don't need it, I won't feel awkward. My energy and spirit are important to me; speaking up would drain me.

1️⃣2️⃣ The fascinating art of face reading

At a private Onchain event, I read the faces of a lot of people. To be honest, I'm only an average face reader. I kept doing readings all evening, and although it was tiring, I gained so much from it.

As I wrote these words today, I finally understood what my teacher meant: to truly read someone's face, you don't need to look at it. You can sense it through conversation. When people ask questions, the good and bad signs in their faces have already revealed themselves.

I want to thank Sicheng once again. They looked after me throughout the dinner 🙏

Thanks as well to A Fei for the invitation, which gave me this opportunity to learn and grow.

1️⃣3️⃣ Go out and see the world

At the Sui venue on the 7th, I used the official wallet Slush to buy a drink. This really amazed me: I paid in USDC by scanning a QR code, with no gas fee, and the USDC had been given to me by the organizers. I was so happy.

I also tried the claw machine. With Annie, one of Yammmy's colleagues, there to keep me company, I got to experience the joy of playing it.

1️⃣4️⃣ Finally, is going to events worth it?

Don't listen to anyone else—go and experience it for yourself.

People had invited me a couple of years ago, but after reading other people's stories, I thought traveling abroad or to Hong Kong sounded terrifyingly expensive, so I didn't dare go.

Actually, lots of people exaggerate. These days there are hostels—are you really still worried you'll have to sleep on the street?

I'm grateful to my friend for reminding me that Singapore has hostels too. That gave me the courage to take the plunge, and my trip to Singapore went really smoothly.

If I can do it, so can you. 🇸🇬

I may add more to this article later. If you'd like to hear more honest stories about traveling and going to events, follow me. See you next time 💙

1️⃣5️⃣ A heartfelt thank-you to my family

I'm grateful to my husband for supporting me and making it possible for me to come to Singapore. I was away from home for six days, and he never bothered me. He only checked in about my trips to and from the airport; he didn't message me about anything else.

He took such good care of our family and my child. I'm so grateful. This trip and all the experiences I had were only possible because of what you did behind the scenes. I'm also grateful to my child and my parents for taking good care of themselves, so I could be away without any worries.

I'm grateful to everyone who helped me along the way, to Singapore and Shanghai, to the City God and the Earth God in my hometown, and to all the unseen forces that helped make this trip go smoothly 🙏

The above reflects only my personal views and experiences and does not constitute investment advice.