The Walk ....... !!!!! Singapore 2017

Warning, this is a rather long blog!!!  You may want a tea break half way through x x x

About a year before my daughter and her husband moved to Singapore, I went to visit them in their home in Southampton.

At the time I had thought my health was good, I suffered quite a lot of pain in my legs after years of standing on hard kitchens tiles for hours upon end through my work, but I put most of my problems down to wear and tear plus age

During the visit they suggested that I took up some form of strengthening exercise to help my legs. 

At the time I thought nothing would help but I agreed to look for a formal Tai Chi class when I got the time.

Then, three years ago, when they first moved to Singapore I went with them for the first four months as they settled in and had their first child.

As the time past during those early days in Singapore, they noticed the way I needed to sit and rest after walking just a few hundred meters and again stressed that exercise would help.

The classes I attended in Machynlleth were held weekly and although I had attended quite a few, my schedule was always so busy that any extra practice was non existent, plus I ached so much after each class I was apprehensive to do more.

With so much leisure time ahead of me in Singapore, a 50m pool on my doorstep, various outdoor gyms where people twice my age exercised each day, plus the prospect of not being able to enjoy play times with my Grand daughter as she grew up, I decided to try to commit to a more regular exercise routine.

By the end of the four months, although I still had some pain, I also had much better movement. 

Back in the UK I kept up my daily workout putting the Tai Chi movements learnt in class to the sound track of Jason Mraz 'Love is a Four Letter Word' and bit by bit my legs improved.

In 2016 I achieved my ambition to climb Cader Idris!


All those exercises had finally paid off!!



This year I arrived in Singapore feeling good.

My legs were strong and relatively pain free after a summer of festivals, exercise and play, my health was great and even my cough that has followed me for years had gone.

I spent a week catching up with Emelia and learning all the new things she could do before, in my infinite wisdom, I decided to go for a walk!!!

Now my usual stroll while I am in Singapore is to walk along the canal from the condo towards Lake side before heading through the park that winds it way to Chinese Gardens. 

It is a stunning walk and the quietness next to the water is wonderful.

Unfortunately it has been under renovation for the past two years!!!

For my last two visits I have contented myself with walks to Taman and back or to Boon Lay. 

The day of the walk, however, I decided to head out into the city to find a new walk!!

According to the internet plus Lisa's recommendation, here is a great hill inland from Harbour front called the Southern Ridges. 

There are various walks depending on your level of fitness and the time you have.

We discussed my options over breakfast and after a hour or two soaking up the rays beside the pool, I set off.

A 500m walk to the MRT saw me heading off on the Green East West line to Raffles Place where I changed onto the Red North South line to Marina Bay ....

....which by the way is totally the wrong stop I required!!

It was only when I stood on the platform of Marina Bay did I realise my error! 

Marina Bay is where I go to visit Gardens by the Bay, another of my favourite walks. Today however I should have headed to Harbour Front!!

I scanned the MRT map. 

If I headed up the Yellow Circle line (which isn't a circle yet!!) I could get to Dhoby Ghaut and change onto the Purple North East line back down to the Harbour.

If I had changed to the Yellow line at Buona Vista, which is only 5 stops from home, I could have been at the harbour 7 stops later!

Well today was a good day for an adventure, I told myself and jumped onto the circle line to head towards the purple line???

The  announcement to 'All change at Promenade for Dhoby Ghats' got me a wee bit confused and although I ended up on the right train, I got the one going in the wrong direction and ended up back at Bayfront.

I got off to look at the map again.

After a few minutes of study I realised that from Bay Front I could get to China Town on the Blue Downtown line and from there I could catch the Purple line to the Harbour.

As I had already enjoyed the Green, Red and Yellow line hospitality it seemed only fair that I complete my journey by using the Blue and Purple lines!!!

I arrived at Harbour Front at 1 o'clock!!! 

Not bad considering I left the house at 11ish for what should have been a 20 minute MRT ride!!

Sun could be seen blazing down from the sky through the large glass windows as I left the coolness of the MRT station. 

I wandered through the shopping mall trying to find my way out but finding en-route and much to my pleasure, a pop up second hand book stall.

I must have spent half an hour looking at all the old favourite Lady bird books including the entire Peter and Jan series before I settled on a copy of 'Read with me' The Elves and the Shoe Maker.

By now it was past 1.30 and I still hadn't started my walk but I had planned to be back by 4ish so I figured I still had plenty of time.

The mid day heat was intense as I crossed the main road to find the park entrance. 

Lisa had said it was past the food court by the bus terminal and up what looked like a street of houses. I walked 500m past the food court but found no side street.

I asked for directions only to be pointed back towards the food court at the bus stand!

I turned around as instructed, walked past the food court once more and going in the opposite direction I walked another 400m but I still could not find an entrance!! 

Lush tropical trees and vegetation grew in abundance over the hillside beside me but no gateway could be found. 

A narrow lane headed in the direction I wanted but a huge 'NO ENTRY' sign stood to one side. Did that mean cars or people I mused heading in the general direction of the trees.

I was just about to give the whole adventure up when rounding a corner I spotted, hidden by the undergrowth, a small sign.  'You are Here' read the board, a red dot highlighted on a green background. 

I had found Mount Faber Park!!

One hundred and thirty seven steps led me straight up through dark overhanging greenery and chirping bugs to the top of the rise and ready to begin the trek along the ridge. 

I still hadn't, at this point, found a proper map of the place bar the one hidden behind the trees on the hidden way in, but sign posts now pointed in many different directions directing visitors to the Toilets, Tiered Gardens, and various walkways.

I headed toward Faber Point figuring that this must be the highlight of the park, passing the cable car line as I went. 

Not a single cable car hung from the 1,650m line that travels from the hill top down to Sentosa Island and I wondered if they took all the cars off every time the line wasn't running. 

If they did it seemed like a lot of work to me!!

For the final sixty steps to Faber Point I was accompanied by an entire coach of tourists that were conveniently dropped sixty steps from the summit. 

I raced ahead of them to have a brief moment of solitude before cameras and calling voices swarmed over the view point.

Descending on the far side steps I found a fabulous wall of textured art.

(Plus a convenient step on which to balance the camera as I put it on timer!!)

Each panel was different and depicted scenes that, if I had a guide book (a map would have been useful too!) may have explained what they were about.

On the far side of the Point I found a sign post stating that Henderson's Wave was not that far.

It was now just past 2pm. 

I would walk as far as the Wave and then head back.

Not far turned out to be not far down hill! 

Ninety plus steps down, around a few corners and up a few more steps I eventually reached the beginning of the Wave.

To be fair it is pretty impressive.

Opened in 2008, Henderson's wave is a pedestrian bridge that connects Mount Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park. 

 True to its name, it curves and twists in the shape of a wave along its entire 274m length.

Curved metal ribs are lined with a dense hard wood called Balau forming shell like caves where you can sit and rest.

The views were amazing too!

People stood taking selfies with friends, others jogged (!!!) past and up the hill. 

The bridge rises a total of about 20m from one end to the other and although the incline is a gentle one it is none the less a definite uphill one!

At the far end of the bridge I looked at my watch, 2.30. I was covering the ground quicker than I thought. 

It was then that I saw the sign …... Kent Ridge Park 2.9km

Kent Ridge had an MRT and I had covered at least 2.9 km to get this far so instead of turning back, I walked on!!

Sun poured down upon my shoulders, I drained my water bottle and walked on.

For just over 1km the steps lead down, then up, then down again and still I walked on.

I came to the Forest walk, a 1.3k long metal walkway that winds its way through the tree tops on its way to Kent Ridge Park. 

The walk way ranges in height from 3m above the hill side ground to 18m with fully grown trees beneath and beside it.

From the Henderson Wave end it is mainly down hill and as I was still heading in the right direction I was happy to continue but time was now ticking on.

I began to look for signs signalling there was an MRT nearby but all I found were signs saying how far it was to Kent Ridge!

At the bottom of the metal walkway the trail crosses the Alexandra Arch that spans a busy road beneath and on the far side.

Apart from a sign that says Kent Ridge is STILL 1.3k away there is little else to say you are going in the right direction.

Flowers line the side of the road in terraces that were under constructive alteration as I passed. After the soft sounds of the canopy, the sound of cement mixers, cars and jack hammers was a rude awakening that I was back in the real world!

I walked on until I reached the entrance to the HortPark.

With 23 Hectares of space I now needed directions to Kent Ridge but all I found were directions to the many, many themed gardens that make up this recreational garden paradise!

I began to wander instead of march until a lovely guy walked up to me. 'You have walked very far' he smiled, 'I saw you in Harbour Front!'

I smiled back, glad of the company. 'I am looking for the canopy walk to Kent Ridge' I beamed hopefully, 'Any ideas?', he looked a bit confused. 'I think this way?' he murmured.

At this point I was glad of any direction plan and happily strode beside him as he set off at a fast march! 

Conversation was stilted from my side as I fought to keep up but it turned out that Richard loved to walk! 

He had left his car at some random MRT miles away at 7am to go walking and now at nearly 3.30 he was deciding how to get back!!!

We marched through the gardens barely looking left or right until we came to a turning to the left that ran up a steep hill.

'This is where you need to go' he beamed pointing to the words 'Canopy Walk ' written in yellow paint along the floor.

I had presumed he was walking that way too but as I turned he wished me good journey and turned to walk back the way we had come. 

He had only walked this way to help me find my way!!! 

What a cool guy!!!

The walk through the canopy was wonderful.

This time the walkway was solid wood interspersed with view points that held descriptions of trees and their uses.

The wooden walkway eventually spills out onto a tarmac road high on the final ridge of Kent Park. 

It was then that it dawned on me that I didn't actually know where the MRT was in Kent Ridge. 

It was now nearly 4pm! 

I Whatsapped Lisa!

Running a bit late, any idea where the MRT is please?

She sent me back a picture of a map along with the comment

'The blue bit is the MRT!'

I spotted a map saying 'You are Here' and sent her a picture with the caption 'Close!'

I got a reply just saying 'ish' with a smiley face!!

It may have been only 2.9k to Kent Ridge Park but the MRT was at the far end at least another 2k away!!

With nothing better to do I walked on! 

I walked down about 100 steps to a sign that simply said 'Pond' so I walked to the pond. 

From there I walked out of the Park and onto a large deserted road that runs through what they call the Science Park.

Huge buildings of glass and ornamental stonework line the broad sweeping road but not a car nor a person could be seen. 

I walked on, and on and on.

Eventually I spotted life up ahead! 

From between the tall building surrounding me I could make out the side of the Hospital, I was so close!!

Another 200m and I saw my life saving sign MRT 230m ahead.

I sent Lisa another picture!

4.30pm saw me climbing aboard the Yellow line to Buona Vista and from there I caught the Green Line to Lakeside.

A final 500m saw me back at the condo and for the first time I did not climb the steps but took the lift to the 3^rd floor!

I had done it.

My little walk had turned into a 10k hike through trees, walkways, across bridges and to some of the highest points in Singapore.

I had climbed so many steps that in comparison Cader Idris seemed small fry.

As I lowered myself into a chair Lisa worried about how much I was going to suffer the next day! (and so did I!!)

************

Tea break time if you need it!!

************

Part Two .........

That evening after food and some R&R, I swam 1k to loosen all my muscles and then slept straight through the night from 11pm until 7am for the first time in years (Drunken slumbers excluded)

Pleased with the way I had not only coped but had also not suffered for my walk through the Southern Ridges, one week later I decided to do it again but this time from Kent Ridge Park to Harbour Front!!

This time I was also prepared for what lay ahead!!

I awoke at 7.55, an hour later than planned, yet I managed to get off the MRT at Kent Ridge at 8.30!! 

It is amazing what you can achieve when you know where you are going!

By 9am I had reached the 152nd step that took me to the top of Kent Ridge and by 9.30 I had managed to fall 'Out' of the Park!!

The week before, despite my searches I hadn't been able to find an exit from any of the parks once I had eventually find my way in, let alone a MRT but one minute I was in Kent Ridge and the next I was standing next to a main road with a large sign saying MRT 50m!!!!

Walking towards where I presumed Harbour Front lay, I took the next turning left back towards the greenery that covered the hill only to come into HortPark from an entrance I had obviously missed the first time I had marched through in Richard's company.

With no dead line to fulfil I took my time wandering between the various gardens.

Each sectioned garden area is about the size of your average Welsh garden but each has a theme.

There is an edible garden, scented garden, a silver garden where all the plants are silver or white,

a meditation garden,

a play area with pirate photo opportunities and the most amazing bouncy platform that I sat on quietly pretending to rest as I bounced up and down!

From Hortipark I followed the trail back over the Alexandra Bridge to the beginning of the Tree top walk onto Telok Blangah Hill but this time walking UP instead of down the long, long, long walkway.

My arrival at the base of the walk way coincided with the arrival of a large group of parents and children on scooters. 

I quickly overtook the parents but the children raced ahead of me their scooters sounding like a swarm of angry bees as the small wheels vibrated on the metal grids.

No sooner were they a maximum of 100m ahead of me, they stopped, waiting for their parents to catch up, by which time I had passed them once more.

When the parents caught up the children would race along the walk way, their angry bee sounds getting closer and closer until they once again overtook me only to stop slightly further on to wait once more!!

I upped the speed of my walking, determined to out run them but still the angry bee swarm caught up with me. 

Paranoia set in as I became convinced the parents were allowing them to 'Only go as far as the lady with blue hair then wait!' as each time they caught me they would stop 15m ahead of me and wait for their parents.

The gap between the parents and I got longer and longer as I power marched up the Walkway, sweat beading upon my brow as I inched my way ahead until they did the unthinkable ..

..… they cheated!!!

Climbing a short cut set of steps that took maybe 200m off the journey they immediately not only caught up with their children but also with me and I was once again trapped in the midst of the swarm of angry bees as children raced by either side of me, scooters thundering by as they shrieked at the top of their voices!!!!

At the top of the walk way I lingered trying to work out which way they would go (so I could chose a different way) but suddenly one of the youngest took a tumble grazing her knee as she went.

Cries of pain filled the air, voices called out in concern, adults raced to the scene as I quietly (and mentally guilty for not aiding) melted away into the trees and jungle quietness.

Cutting through some amazing tiered gardens I had missed on my first walk along the ridge, I reached Henderson's Wave in record time stepping onto the board-walk at 10.40 precisely!

I stopped to photograph a resting walker lying stretched up in the semi shade

before moving onto the bridge now filling with people.

At the large covered cave halfway across the bridge, a young man was taking a photo of a group of resting cyclists. 

Thinking that he was one of them I offered to take his photo as he sat with them, only to be told by the crowd having their photo taken that they had no idea who he was but could I please come and join their photo instead!!

One photo became two, two became three, three became four.

'Where was I from, where was I going?'

The conversation burst into life and when they saw my tattoos …... well, even more stories came out.

I sat with them for over half an hour as we laughed about life in the saddle, children and families.......

....... the  fact that the park near the condo was closed and how I came to be living in Singapore for the winter.

We swapped phone numbers, Facebook addresses, joked that we should all meet up for dinner and compared notes about travelling.

By the time we decided to continue our various journeys it was 11.20 and hot!!

I had hoped to be finished by mid day so with last burst of speed I worked my way past Fabers Point,

past the cable cars now racing back and forth between the hill and Sentosa bay,

past the various look out points and down the one hundred and forty seven steps to the base.

From there I followed the narrow lane but rounding the final bend I found myself in the middle of a set of condo's??

This wasn't the way I had come in the week before.

I figured I had managed to find the exit Lisa had told me about and headed to the main road to turn left.

500m later I asked directions to the MRT and turning around again I walked 1k right!!!

Considering I travel the world my ability to have no idea of where I am going amazes me!!!

There is a lovely pyrography saying that I write onto wood that says .....

'I don't get lost …. I just find different ways to get there!'

....that seems to apply very well to my methods of navigation!

I passed an old, old Rolls Royce waiting at the traffic lights before entering the cool of the MRT to begin my journey home.

At Lakeside I decided to walk home via the amazing food court at Taman to pick up an Indian Byriani from the food court.

It was only an extra 500m and after the fabulous morning I had had, I deserved it.

I messaged Lisa asking if they needed anything.

Just as I was leaving I got a call. Em had fallen over and cut her knee, could I pick up plasters please.

There isn't a chemist at Taman and the walk back to Lakeside MRT had already been done once that day so I walked the 1.5k to Boon Lay stopping at the various skips on the way back.

Recycling is not something that has taken off in Singapore as far as I can tell so a quick look in the large bins outside the government condos can reveal wonderful finds!

I walked back with a lovely relocated large gold coloured deep plastic tray. Three days before I had found a two seater settee dumped in the basement of our condo, that with a little scrubbing had come up like new.

I arrived home ready to collapse. 

It was now 2.30pm and apart from some small breaks while on the MRT I had been walking since 8am.

As I walked in Emelia requested help to fish out a dice that had rolled under the settee. 

Despite my tiredness I crawled and stretched until I reached it only to catch my necklace on the way up. 

One hundrend and eight beads bounced their way into every corner of the room!!!

What was left of the afternoon was spent counting and re threading beads. The evening was spent writing Blogs and having intermittent cat naps until at 9pm I slowly walked to the pool to swim my lengths!

Three years ago I couldn't walk 300 m without painful consequences, today, for the second time in a week, I had walked 10km!

As I drifted off to sleep a wonderful quote wandered into my consciousness and settled itself in the centre of my thoughts …..

Your present situation is not your final destination, the best is yet to come!

I have been lucky with my life. Many of my friends have fallen prey to illness that prevent them living life the way they would wish, others have even passed away, too young, too soon.

At this stage of my life every day is a bonus. I live my life now to the full, knowing that I must not stop doing thing just because I am growing old, as I WILL grow old if I stop doing things!! 

If you don't like your life the way it is ........change it!


(If you got this far .... well done!!!!

I'll make the next Blog shorter I promise!!)