"You could take a little trip around Singapore town..."

In a little blue GT bike,
To see the collyer quay and raffles place,
The esplanade and blah blah blah...

Which was what I really did. Was bored to tears yesterday so I decided to take the neglected GT out. A perfectly cloudy afternoon. Just me and my beloved GT. Also some people say I buy camera also never use. So here's some lovely pics of my afternoon adventure courtesy of my olympus.

Cycling guide for noobs like me:
First step to get to anywhere in S'pore, cycle to the end of East Coast Park. You'll then be spoilt for choice on the routes to take.

You should see trees like these:


Towering pine trees...

Then you'll hit Fort road area where you gotta choose... Boring Nicoll Highway or Crazy Adventurous ECP??? I say ECP!


More nature for your viewing pleasure...

Why is the ECP more challenging? Well besides the great view and crazy ride downhill later on, there's a lot of roughing out to be done before you can reach the foot of the expressway...


You will then hit this bridge which will bring you to one of the ulu-est corner of East Coast. Sector A of Area A. Which no one in the right mind would go. Really. Cos you gotta wheel your bike across the darn bridge. Those barriers prevent skaters and bikers from crossing easily.


Welcome to Sector A of Area A where the roads are narrow and cracked and dead branches fall all over the road and where no one clears anything. This area was totally deviod of any human form. Well except me. Haha.


Ladies and gentleman, the end of East Coast Park or the beginning you might say. The sign's just there for fun. At this point dismount and wheel your bike across wet, muddy, tall and unkempt grass patches. It's silly to try to cycle. There's uneven mounds and huge dead falls scattered all over. The mud's pretty thick as well.


Keep bashing and wala! The city's in sight! But then the first sign of problem appears... Why is there a drainage when there wasn't any last time???


Second sign of problems: Well constructed roads.

Confirmation of problem: Talked to a foreman who was there directing some construction and he said that there is no more accessible route to the ECP side staircase!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@#$%^&*!!!!!!
He said the narrow path's sealed for the preparation of S'pore's future. Marina. Haiz.
@#$%^&*!!!!!!

Well there's always a way. You can bring your bike across the divider and cycle on the road shoulder, up the ECP till you hit the side path. WHICH I STRONGLY DISCOURAGE. Well I would have the balls to do it if I were 17. The most is LTA pick you up then send your parent warning letter nia. But I'm 21 now so I probably would get charged in court if I did that. But really that idea did cross my mind and it's with much regret that I turned back to the way I came. So near and yet so far.

So once again, bash back to the road, cycle to the bridge, bring the bike across the bridge and go back where you came from to the Fort Road exit. But the last time I took this route was on overnight cycling trip with JC friends. 4 years and things change so oh well... =(


No choice but to take next best route: Nicoll Highway Route. Don't take the Aljunied-Geylang-Kallang-BeachRoad Route unless you really got energy and time. So from Fort Road, cycle to Mountbatten then to Kallang and Hallelujah! To Nicoll Highway and beyond! I hate this route. Traffic's a killer and no one gives way or clearances to motorbikes anyway, what more to manual bikes?


I'm going to the city!!! Yay! See what I mean by killer traffic? Even at a non peak timing like 2pm. Don't you guys have to work in some office or something? So many people Lobo like me.


Basketball. GST go up by 2% and they still charge ERP on Nicoll Highway from 12.30 to 5.30 even. But I don't see any picture of bicycle on the screen lei. Neh na ni boo boo you cannot tax me. I'd like to see them try to get every bicycle registered with LTA and installed with a tracking IU device like on cars. Wahaha! Bicycle's the way to go folks. Cycle on road and still siam road tax. And what are parking fees??? =)


View on Nicoll Highway. Pretty boring lei. Lacks elevation.


Can you guys see the bridge at the far end in the background? Click on this pic to enlarge it. I was suppose to be atop that expressway behind the condominiums dammit. And I was just at the foot of it. Imageine the killer detour I took. Haiz. And I missed the great sea view too. And yes. It's windy way up there but guess I'll never experience that again.


The end of the bridge. Another part of Marina. But city's in view!


And finally! Suntec City!!! I finally reached the city after an hour and half. Would have been much faster if not for the unforseen detour.

Ok I gotta admit I look like a fish out of water by arriving in city in 9 Div pt kit and tpjc shorts. Whole world's in nice nice clothes. Got lots of 'why are you here in this sort of attire look' from kay poh S'poreans. But I seem totally normal to foreigners who don't flinch at the sight of me. Even managed to take picture for a foreign couple by the WW2 memorial site.

Well the rest of the pictures are self explanatory if you're S'porean.....






Memories of Prom night. Well the aftermath, if you guys were with me. Remember??? Sigh. Memories memories...



City hall was one thing. I took it further by cycling to Raffle's Place. The economic power of S'pore. And yes. I shamelessly sat rested right outside Raffles MRT by those stone seats containing carpet grass. All the people in office garb were totally... erm staring would be too light a term I guess? You get the idea. I stared up at the tall buildings and thought, "One day I shall work somewhere here..."


Pit stopped at Lau Pa Sat for some drinks and snacks. Wanted to cycle to Orchard but was really too shagged and too late by then. Hey I'm no longer 17 you know...

And..... *Drumroll please*.................

Hereby conferred the highest honourary title, "THE ORDER OF THE FOO FAMILY". In recognition for years of outstanding uncompromising and unwavering services to members of the family. It's a decade old thereabout GT Tempest that you probably can't find in S'pore anymore. Hand me down from elder bro. One heck of a powerful and durable all terrain bike. Haven't had a need for any servicing except to change worn tires since it was bought. Thanks for the countless kilometres of adventures... *sobs*

One last look around before I head home...




Another fond TPJC memory...


That pretty much sums up my cycling expedition. Had much more pictures but if I uploaded it all I no need to sleep liao. Took only a single pic of myself but didn't wanna put cos I look horrible, sweaty and unshaven. Hahaha.

Shocker of the day: The ironic fact of life. It grabs you by the neck and slaps you in the face. The moment I got home from cycling mom said she got a job for me at Carltex House. Right smack in the heart of Raffles Place. Hahaha. And I started work today le. So will hardly have time to blog these days. Will probably be too tired. I expect the tempo of work to get faster tomorrow onwards. Sheesh. Just yesterday I was here at Raffles in slack pt kit laughing at 9-5 beavers in formal clothes and here I am today, a formally dressed 9-6 Raffles beaver myself. Life is indeed unpredictable.

SIGH. Wonder when I'll have time to do something as fun or crazy as this again...

When I do, anyone wanna come along???