Pulau Ubin Cycling

another good ride to the ubin island from my home. cover a total of 55km. is only half the distance if I were to be in Suzhou but it is better than sitting at home without doing much exercise.

woke up at 6pm, get myself prepared, washed up, had a light b/f and off i went to pulau ubin. started off at about 6:45am when the sky starting to brighten up. Rode slowly at the pace of 15 to 20km, passing through concrete wall of HDB flat, road with tree canopy cover, industrial park and gardens. by 7:45am, i reached changi point ferry terminal where we would take bum boat to the ubin island at the most east eastern part of Singapore. make a call to my friends and he told me that it will take another 15 to 20mins to reach changi point.

they reached, together with them, we queue for the bum boat ride, S$2.50 for a person and S$2.00 for a bike. there are another 5 with their bikes going to pulau ubin as well. I understand that there is a mountain bike park that has a 8km track and these riders must be heading for that.

well, we reached the island, picked our rental bike from one of the many rental shops. they have various type of bikes, single suspension, dual suspension, single seat, dual seats, children bikes, girl bikes, etc. started our journey on the island. rather slow ride with many stops to take pictures, view scenary, take leak, feed terrapin, resting.

by 12noon, we returned the bike and had lunch on the island. headed back to main island and had ice-kacang (红豆冰沙) before i rode another 18km from Changi point to SengKang where I stay.

Seng Kang HDB flat taken from the bridge spanning across Serangoon river.

the morning sun taken at the tampines industrial park

Passing by the Downtown East Resort. Currently, the biggest theme park cum chalet in Singapore. By early next year when Resort Sentosa World and Resort World are open, this theme park will be the smallest.

Reaching Changi point. Another 2km.

Finally reached.

Changi Point Ferry Terminal, bum boat took us to Pulau Ubin

my ride together with other on the bum boat

Boatman concentrating on his job.

one of the bike rental shops. many type of bikes available for rental. the owner is teochew, they were speaking to ah wee about life in pulau ubin.

my friends

My bike

Terrapin being fed

Wee doing the job

that was me at one of the mountain bike session entrance.

map of the mountain bike park.

the mountain bike trail actually surround this quarry.

friends

friends

friends

lunch after the ride

Secondary School Pictures

it has been almost 30 years since my first day at secondary school. so to recapture some of the memories, a ex-school mate actually started a facebook group for that. Here I show you a link to some of the pictures. let me know if you can spot me.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1215116171717&oid=113992092810

been some time

Since we were back from China, we have not really went for a good outing. 2 weeks ago, while reading paper, i saw that HI-5 is heading to town for a show. i thought, it may be a good idea to bring my son for the show. so, i went on to book ticket online for a Friday afternoon show.

Friday, i took leave and went to the show with my family. my son and wife love the show but i almost felt asleep (haha, a bit bore for me) but still good for them. as long as they enjoy it.

After the show, it was about 5:30pm and we thought we should head to changi airport for dinner. many in other countries usually will not travel to their airport for meal but in Singapore, it is a norm. many singaporean love to eat, and the changi airport has lots of restaurants as well as food outlets to cater the singaporean. we had the steamboat cum bbq at T2 (terminal 2, Changi Airport has 3 terminals), total damage about S$35, ok for a family of 3. after dinner, we head to T3 as we have not visited the T3 before since it opening 2 years back.

T3 is very well build and nice. there is also a Crowne Plaza Hotel right next to T3. at the same time, as Singapore is hosting the 2nd night F1 race during end of September, there is promotion of the F1 that has free F1 arcade game, complimentary photo. Keith took part in the arcade game competing with 3 other kids similar of his age. the helper mending the game told him to go slow with his accelerator and he did. With some spinning and lost of direction, he was leading the race. The other 3 racers were spinning so hard and their rear wheels were gone. After 3 mins, Keith came in first. We were so proud of him. He received a gift from the promoter, a 3D F1 car puzzle.

Keith, getting ready to race.

Keith holding his winning gift from the race.

Keith winning gift.

Gan Bei - 干杯

Once a Chinese and an English man went to the restaurant.

They begin to tuck into their food. The Chinese man lifts his glass up and makes a toast to the Englishman
"Gan Bei" (Cheers). The English man was confused but he continues eating.

This happens a few times and whenever the Chinese man wanted to drink he would always say "Gan Bei"

The English man only nods and silently continues to drink and eat again.  Not so long after the Chinese man says it again, "Gan Bei" while he is lifting up his glass.

This time, the English man puts his cutlery down and angrily said to the Chinese man " It's all right if you CAN'T PAY!" I will pay! So just shut up".

 

almost injure

yesterday morning, as usual left my place at 6:35am and took service #136 to work. nothing special and i was still sitting at the 2nd right row of the 2nd deck of the double decker. this sit has been my favorite sit because i could watch the mobile TV as well as enough light to read my "Today" newspaper during my 45mins trip to work.

the trip was smooth with many students boarding at various bus stops at sengkang and 80% of them alighting at Serangoon Secondary School. Well, the journey went on smoothly till the bus was approaching Serangoon Garden along Serangoon Garden Way. Out of sudden, there was something flashes right in front of me with a loud bang. The windscreen was cracked by a coconut felt from the coconut tree along the road side. To my amuse, it must be a very big impact otherwise the windscreen will never crack. Fortunately, it was just a crack and not fully smash else I will be injure. Right in the first row on the left was a school boy who take it that nothing had happen.

Soon, the bus was stop at the bus stop and the bus captain (Singapore way of calling the bus driver) came and asked if we were fine. We told him everything was fine other than the cracked windscreen. He proceeded to call and report the situation to the bus headquarter while we waited in the bus. 5 mins later, another bus of the the same service came and we transferred to that bus.

Well, this add some spices to the normal and monotonous riding life of the bus journey. I hope that there will be more excitement but no injury or death. haha.

look at the crack, the force must be very great to crack the windscreen.

our living room in singapore flat

for the last few weeks, we have been purchasing stuff (furniture, etc) to make our home cozier than when we left singapore 2 years ago. we go with white color as our place at suzhou was white and it look good.

this is the picture of the living room, thanks to selina for the decoration. i just make sure i do the drilling.

horrible sight!!!

we flew and reached singapore on the 10th Jun 2009. We were having mixed feeling leaving china. Good to be back to Singapore due to the food and family members that we missed. Also, sad to leave china with lot of good memories and good friends, and activities with many both work and non-work.

whatever, when we reached our apartment in singapore, it was a horrible sight. The living room is a mess. the tenants left many unwanted stuff such as empty boxes for modem, notebook pc, some clothing, and worst, the calender still at the page when we last left our place... 30th june 2007.

kitchen was a mess too... used pot, plates, bowl, and many many more... boh bak kuang(in hokkien, basically it referred to sight that no one wants to see)

floor was dusty, we mop twice in 3 days and we still feel the floor is dusty... :(

cannot log on to blogspot

Does not know why, I am not able to log on to blogspot from my home… maybe china is blocking it … 

back from singapore

This 7 days trip back to Singapore had prompted some random thoughts.  After almost 2 full years of staying in Suzhou, China, we are in the process of packing and reading to head home, Singapore.  Be it good or bad, it will come to an end where we have to say good bye to our colleagues, friends, neighbour, etc.  I do hope I would be coming once a while to visit the place, the great people here.

 

1. I know Singapore was a hot and humid country and I had stay in Singapore for 40 years. When I left Suzhou on the end of April, Suzhou was still cooling during the night and even day time.  The 2^nd days when I was in Singapore, I went cycling with friends and you know what, I was tanned… and perspiring even when riding on flat road.  One of the days, I was just doing nothing but watching TV shows, I was perspiring.  How hot and humid would that be, let me know please.  In contrast with Suzhou, it was like heaven and earth.  When there were no comparisons, we would mention that it was hot and humid, live with it.  Well, think I will have to tolerate the temperature when I get back to Singapore this June.
2. Staying in Suzhou for almost 2 years.  I lived in a rather remote area.  Singapore everywhere is city.  When I was out of the flat where my parents lived, immediately I can feel the congestion.  Car park packed with cars, road packed with cars, bus-stop packed with people waiting, library pack with people, shopping mall packed, pulau ubin packed with bikes and people, food court packed, basically everywhere is packed.  I could not understand why the government wanted to increase the population to 6 millions when it is already so pack.  Can’t we stay with whatever now, be it 5m or 4.5m?  Please, this is enough.  Suzhou is only packed in the city.  SIP (this year is 15 years anniversary of SIP), SND and other districts are not packed at all.
3. Housing in Singapore is still VERY expensive.  I wonder if I will be able to get a condominium.  Even a 2+1 unit.  I had checked through the price, the price range from $650psf to $750psf for a Pasir Ris or Bedok area.  While for the current HDB that I have, it is $260psf.  Will I be able to buy a unit that cost at least 2 to 3 times my current unit?  Is this expensive?  I wonder those how other are able to purchase these units at that cost?  Some can even purchase unit at well over $1000psf.
4. Time flies, my contract is coming to an end.  It was really nice to be staying here in China.  My wife insistent of staying in this villa was right.  We had good time here.  I do not foresee myself staying in a villas back in Singapore, maybe when I strike the big sweep and what… is it 2 millions Singapore dollars now?  We had experience all the 4 seasons in Suzhou with temperature as hot as 40°C but not announce since it may create panic in the country and temperature as cold as -10°C.  With trees growing very green and flowers blossom, or just tree with leaves.  With sky so grey and visibility as low as 10m or sky as clear as crystal.
5. The tree in front of the house was full of leave, dropped off during autumn, started to grow again during spring and dropped again during winter.  I have seen the cycle twice.  It bring back memories.  When we were here, we were so excited to be in China.  All places, attractions are new to us.  My driver told me that on the 3^rd in Suzhou, he mentioned to me about the CCTV studio at Wuxi and I was telling him that I still have plenty of time to visit that place since it was only an hour drive away.  Do you know what? I only visited that place after 1.5 here.
6. One of my colleagues, David was a crazy fan of bicycle.  Once, he had a total of 8 bikes for his family.  I started riding with his enthusiasm.  He would be telling us all his adventures with his bike.  First I bought an Oyama folding bike, started riding home from work.  The best part I was telling them that it was so far from work, 14km journey.  I was wondering if I can do it.  In May 2008, I bought a mountain.  On the 2^nd day of the purchase, I was rather brave (actually I would say stupid) to ride with the Suzhou Riders to Dong Shan, that trip was the longest ride I rode so far.  Although after that ride, I was still riding 100km ride once a while but mainly are mountain and leisure rides including a few races (Shanghai Philip Race, Nanjing Race) last year.  Recently, in order to be able to ride a similar bike as my wife (the Oyama now belong to my wife), I bought myself another bike. A Dahon SP16 that cost at 60% the price if I get it in Singapore.

 

school search

this morning, walked for one school to another and apply for P1 admission for my son. went to a total of 3 school nearby where we will be staying when we return home. basically, rivervale area. none of the school has vacancy for my son. has to put him in waiting list and the list is at least 15 application before him. aiya... damn bloody tough, are there really so many children staying nearby these school? or are they from other area and trying to getting into these school... when i called up MOE 2 weeks back, the officer ask if i were a helper to the school, do i have other kids studying in that school or am i a alumni to the school. well, these schools are only max 10 years old, would i be a alumni? no way right?

anyway, i have another school that i will be heading to and i understand the school do have vacancy but it is far from my place... do not really like my son to travel that far...

enough of garbage...

YunNan, Lijiang, Day 5

after the shangri-la 2 days trip, we were rather tired. on day 5, i woke up at 7am, washed up and head out to take picture of morning lijiang. at the same time, checked out day tour to the nearby location. found out that the agency is able to provide us with a day tour to 拉市海 for a horse riding and boat rowing and ShuHe (束河古镇)old town

the local start work early. many make use of their strength to work, such as this man. transporting of a table from one point to another. also, with the slack flooring as well as undulating of the area, the only option for transportation of good is through human.

the quietness of 四方街 in the morning, it was so much contrast to the night when it was very crowded.

another quiet street in the morning

kids going to school in the morning, in china, the kids do not need to wear school uniform, this is great, life will be colorful

from lijiang old town, once could see the dragon jade mountain (玉龙雪山). some of the inn could see the mountain as well. of course, those room will command slightly higher price.

玉龙雪山 from the inn where we stayed

by 9am, the activities at lijiang get into start... the local dance in synchronization

the following section is for the La Shi Hai horse riding and boating. we took about 2.5hrs to complete the Yi Xian Tian (一线天) route. the distance probablem about 3km including uphill and downhill. the scenery was beautiful as the sky was clear and we could see the lake when we were at the top of the hill. my family love this horse riding but our buttock were painful after the ride (haha)

we reached the rest point, the horseman help to take this picture.

selina and keith feeding the horse with dried corn grain.

lijiang is for lovers, not for family... haha

going through some rough terrain. this horse that i rode, was rather intelligent. as it went downhill pretty fast, he would wait at the top of the slope, making sure the front was clear before he moved down the slope. while heading down slope, i would have to lean back to keep myself balance.

after the rough terrain, we reached the hill top. soon, the gorgeouslake would appear right in front of us

gorgeous scenes, i love it very much with the sunny sky. too bad that some pictures, the horizon were tilted because i was snapping away while riding... fortunately, never fell...

boat rowing was part of the package, it was not that easy as there were current and wind that day. nonetheless, we did it with a smile...

after a hardday riding through the up and down, rowing in the scorching sun, it was time for a rest and lunch. this hot pot had green vegetable with potato and some local small fishes below it. good lunch especially when we were hungry

the next activity was Shu He old town (束河古镇), the town was about 20mins away from lijiang and a taxi ride cost 15rmb. the issue was that if we went with taxi, you will need to pay 50rmb/head for an entrance fee. we took the "black" taxi by paying only additional 20rmb from the horse riding place. the driver took us to the back entrance where no entrance fee is required. again, this old town is very much less commercial comparing to lijiang. it has more of those sit and relax type coffee/bar when lovers, friends would just sit and enjoy the lazy afternoon without worrying, thinking of anything think. you could go there to day dream, play cards, chitchat, or do nothing... the bar/coffee place owners were very friendly, we sat and took pictures without any purchase but the owners did not make any noise. with the pictures taken and posted here, it would be free advertisement for them. haha... pictures time...

on a lazy afternoon, the place was quiet, a great constrast to lijiang that was always busy and noisy starting 9am


more scence of shuhe old town.

various posh of dear, but look rather similar leh!!! haha...

keith, i love this picture of him

can't leave shuhe old town without a picture of this...

that was it for the Yunnan, Lijiang trip. frankly speaking, I would love to go back to this slow, and leisure attraction. if time permint, i would love to go back for a month stay and just doing nothing much... a highly recommend place for lovers, newly weds, 10 years anniversary without the kids. haha...