Continued from here.

So, if this hoopla is all taking place well after we're home, why was our favorite hotel unavailable? Advance people. They were there in droves, dining out, shopping, taking up hotel rooms, planning, organizing, setting strategies, claiming parking spaces.

And with Singapore known for being one of THE most organized cities on the planet ... nary a glob of pre-masticated gum or a cigarette butt to be seen, traffic that flows like corpuscles through a vegan, entire construction sites that cause no dust, dirt or inconvenience ... putting on a show like the IMF/World Bank gala-hoohaa-mindmeld-power-fest will only happen after meticulous preparation.

It takes a goodly amount of planning to accommodate the 60,000+ the city is expecting, especially when the atmosphere is bound to be electric with contention. Details, details.

Check out the preliminary info the average citizen better absorb pronto:

Several roads and lanes around Suntec Singapore will be closed during Singapore 2006 to facilitate security measures. There will also be changes to existing road traffic schemes from Sunday, 10 September to Wednesday, 20 September. Only police vehicles, emergency vehicles and other authorised vehicles with valid labels will be allowed access to these roads during the period of road closure.

Traffic will be diverted at the junctions of:

Nicoll Highway and Republic Avenue
Bras Basah Road and Nicoll Highway
Esplanade Drive and Stamford Road
Middle Road and Nicoll Highway
Temasek Boulevard and Temasek Avenue
To enter the Marina Bay area, use:

East Coast Parkway (ECP) and exit at Rochor Road or
Republic Avenue via Crawford Street

Motorists are advised to follow the directional signs put up at the affected locations, as well as the directions of police officers on duty at the affected road junctions.

Depending on prevailing circumstances nearer to and during the time of the event, changes to the timings and other ad hoc traffic arrangements may be necessary. Please be flexible when planning your journey in the area.

Shopping, Dining and Parking in Marina Bay Area

City Link Mall
Marina Square Shopping Mall
Millenia Walk
Suntec City Shopping Mall
Car parks at these shopping centres are accessible to the public except car park entrances/exits A (Suntec Singapore), D and E (Suntec City), which will be closed.

The following bus stops will be closed during the event period:

Dates and times
Bus Stop
Operated by bus services
Sun, 10 September 10pm to Wed 20 Sep midnight
Bus stop along Temasek Boulevard
C2, 36, 70X, 97, 106, 111, 133, 162X, 502, 518, 700A, 857
Sat, 16 September 12pm to 7pm
Bus stop along Beach Road beside Raffles Hotel
56, 57, 100, 107, 961, 961C
Sat, 16 September 12pm to 7pm
Bus stop along North Bridge Road near Raffles Hotel
7, 32, 51, 61, 63, 80, 145, 197, 851

Certain bus services will be affected and their routes diverted during the Meetings period.
Use public transport (public buses and MRT) whenever possible.
Be prepared for ad hoc changes which may affect your travelling plans.
Allow sufficient time for unexpected delays when travelling in the vicinity of the Marina Bay area during the event period.
Parking restrictions along the peripheral roads will be strictly enforced. Vehicles found parking indiscriminately and/or causing obstruction will be towed away.
If you are involved in a non-injury accident, move your vehicle quickly to the roadside for safety reasons so as not to cause obstruction.
If you must drive, plan your journey early and use alternative routes.

And if the getting around town part doesn't sound like so much fun, how about some of the entertainment?

Asia Rising: Myths & Realities
Capital Markets and the Financial Sector in the Emerging Markets
Corruption, Governance and Growth
Infrastructure for the 21st Century
Why Investment Climate Matters
Trade & Investment
Energy & Security
Growth & Equity
Regional Economic and Financial Integration
Innovation & Technology

More to come ...