SG - Walk

I made it to my mum's place!!!
Total distance: 15.8km
Total time: 3.5hours




07:10 Rowell
07:17 Tekka temporary market
07:24 Carlisle Road (Changed my mind about living in the building near LTA, I'm falling in love with some of the units here already)
07:33 Derbyshire Road
07:43 Thomson Road


You'll hear my heart when the sun find its way to you, lil'peks. -secret-

08:05 Thomson Nursery
08:18 Upp Thomson Road


THERE'S A PENTHOUSE ON THIS HDB FLAT??!!!

08:37 Thomson Plaza
08:59 Watched a squirrel run up a tree and leap off to another
09:09 Lower Pierce Reservoir (Kerbun Baru Vista)
>> Turned right into Yio Chu Kang Road


Started to walk backwards with head back-facing the sun.

09:19 Said HI to a golden retriever
09:37 Lentor Avenue - first sign of the MRT line
10:20 The MRT train turned and headed for "The Woods" (I like to think that my mum's place is in the suburb. For strange reason, the hopping lamp post in Miyazaki's TOTORO is always on my mind)





10:40 Mum's place

SG - Walk

09:23 Tekka temporary market


09:39 Carlisle Rd
09:49 Derbyshire Rd

Rose of India, I remember you.
There used to be this tree near my place when i was 10. I forgot the scientific name, only remember how my teacher affectionately called it the Rose of India.


09:52 Thomson Rd


10:43 Upp Thomson Rd
11:27 Lower Pierce Reservoir (Kerbun Baru Vista)




Tanny, i finally made it to Pierce Reservoir.
I'm ready to check out Juan's place around Thomson.

SG - For the near future

I've dumped 2kg from paper weight of the past and cleared 19sqf of space for the future. Feel lighter now, mentally.

I remember watching Brat Academy on Discovery Channel last year - about a disciplinary school for the spoilt kids in China (also nicknamed the "Walk School"). I'm beginning to believe that walking is more about character building than just plain exercising. It allows the child plenty of time to think and to me, this is therapeutic.

For the past 2 months that I've been staying in Rowell, I've found my way to work (at Tanjong Pagar) by walking - once/twice a week. Since last week's walk to Thomson, I've decided to set a few goals for myself. Ganbatte! Ganbatte!

SG - Morning Walk

I woke up that morning feeling empty - not even hungry. Then I decided to embark on a journey to my mum's place. It was her birthday and I wondered if I could make my way to her from Rowell. The time was 7:55am.

For the Cindy's sake, I recorded my various timings. In case she asks me to join her in the Great Eastern Run - then I'll just walk. I hate running!

8:10am KK Hospital
After passing the hospital, I passed by this building near the Land & Transport Authority. I want to live here.





8:20am Novena Square
8:25am Made a turn into Balestier Road to buy some pastries
8:50am Thomson Nursery
I was delighted that the fresh-cut-flowers department was open. It was freezing cold!!! By the time I made up my mind to buy the bunch of 20 roses, my sweaty body has cooled down. With the pastries and flowers, I ended my walk and took a cab back.

After measuring the distance on the street directory, I'm quite please that the journey was about 5.2km. So if my speed was 5km/hr, I COULD HAVE walked to Khatib in another 2 hours' time??

SHALL try again.





I think flowers and Mr Lim made my mum happy. And of course, her two adorable children. I miss my brother a lot.

Kukup - Morning After

6.00am


6.30am


Everyone was sound asleep when I made my stroll down the cold jetty. There was a sudden downpour at 4am and I was more or less prepared for all the gloominess out there. To my delight, I caught a faint smile of the morning sky and the sea was calm and quiet. The wind was so chiiiiiiilly and there was a light drizzle on me. Good morning villagers!





Later in the morning, Qiang's wife sat comfortably at the edge of the house, watching the trio walk down the jetty. Such a bliss. Life can be so slow and simple.





Cat was engaged in photo taking around the house and along the jetty. I'm glad that she was wearing orange. How can anyone lose sight of her?

Kukup - Night life

Lesson #1.01 from Ah De: Swing the rod to the back, hold the line with your fingers. Let go of the line when you swing the rod towards the open sea. Lesson #1.02: Wait. After catching that last spark of firework and racing the girls up and down the jetty for countless times, I was too exhausted to fish. I completed #1.01 but never really made it thru #1.02.



Patience is not my forte.






The GT guys were gentler than what their tattoos had portrayed. A fatherly figure, a kind friend, they made such great company. Every one of them. We couldn't have done this trip without them.

Kukup - Follow every rainbow

It was pouring in JB before we set off for Kukup and we were quite upset with the gloomy sky. Everywhere was dull and grey. Later did we know, the lovely rainbows have planned for a surprise greeting at the end of the road trip! The rain has stopped, the sun was setting and the sky was such a warm delight. Right place, right time.

I thought of my childhood when the little girls smiled.
And this song found its way to me...

Climb every mountain,
search high and low
Follow every by way,
every path you know

Climb every mountain,
ford every stream
Follow every rainbow,
till you find your dream

A dream that will need,
all the love you can give
Everyday of your life,
for as long as you live




The restaurants on the kelongs were filled with dinner crowd already and we slowly made our way to the guesthouse further in. I love walks, especially when the sun is setting.

Johor Bahru - Qiang

Qiang is the construction foreman at Graphictech - our most trustworthy and reliable set-up team for every event. Our initial plan of visiting him and his family across the causeway became a trip to Kukup with the rest of the GT guys.

We arrived at his house despite the heavy downpour and I'm really glad we made it cos I've never seen him so gleeful.




With his wife and daughters, Jiayi and Jiaxuan.

Melaka - Windmill

Lil' sweetheart went around the windmill chasing no one but herself.

Melaka - Sunset

I made my way back to The Jetty again and found the way to the ground level through a stairway from a KTV. There was a restaurant right at the end of pier and I'm really glad no one chased me away.

These days, I've mellowed quite a bit, I think. I'm okay being alone, having all the time and watching the world go by.