Runway Skate 2012 & Pulau Ubin

Arrrghhh!!! 

Blogging regularly is so hard, especially since I've been squeezing all sorts of activities into my calendar. This post is about last last weekend- just about 11 days too late. Sorry about that to my future self! I know you'll be shaking your head, wondering what happened in between...

Alright, early in the morning, on Sunday 17th June, I went to SAFRA, Paya Lebar Air Base for a mass cycling/skating event. I was there early enough to catch the sun rising over the military runway. 

Though this event happens every year, this is the first time I've gone to it. The first time I'd heard about it, I was already in the U.S.

Was really stoked to finally be able to go check it out!

Because I was there so early, there weren't a lot of people yet. 

I thought it was really cool to be able to come into this air base that is usually closed off to the public. Not only that, but to be able to skate on the same tarmac that fighter planes take off from is awesome too. 

They'd tucked most of the planes away except for a few that was out for display.

Skating with legends from the industry.

And finally it's a go!

I hung back a little bit with the rest to wait for the initial crowd to start first. 

I love skating not only because I get to see places that I normally wouldn't be able to see from the bus or on foot, but also because I've met so many nice people around Singapore.

I had a lot of fun on the runway dodging cyclists and racing with my shadow, but by 09:00, my shoulders were really starting to feel the sun and the runway just seemed to stretch on forever into the horizon. 

Much like running on the track, going round in circles on the runway on rollerblades gets boring after a while. I think I still prefer skating on the streets.

After I was done skating on the runway, I went around the event premises to check out the various activities they have. Because that weekend was somewhere in the vicinity of Fathers' Day, they'd set up some fun family games for children to play. 

Though I wasn't there with my family, I had lovely Xiin Da to join me on the choo choo train! 

Age ain't nothing but a number...

There are some days that will stick out in your memory for years to come. I think this is one golden Sunday morning that will stay in my heart for a long time. Nothing extraordinary happened, but just a few short hours of feeling young, alive and joyful. 

No wonder the Bible tell us to "be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment." (Ecclesiastes 11:9)

Last Monday was our company's day out and I organised a trip to Pulau Ubin!

For those who don't know, Pulau Ubin is a tiny little island off of mainland Singapore. It takes about ten minutes on a bumboat to get there. 

We got to the jetty around 13:00. 

Since there were 10 of us and the boat only needs 12 people to take off, we got to leave within ten minutes of everyone arriving at the jetty.

Off we go!

On the window of the bumboat, I noticed this little poster. All of these sayings are kind of funny, but very true. 

Looking towards Changi from the back of the bumboat. On Instagram, Nat said this looks like Hawaii. 

Really? 

LOL!

We finally got to Pulau Ubin after a very breezy and sunny ride.

I remember coming to Pulau Ubin as a little kid. Back then, this corner restaurant by the jetty was the first restaurant you'd see coming off the boat. Even a year ago, I still remember it being open albeit with little customers. I was quite sad to see that it had closed down now. 

The rest of the island still looks pretty much the same. Perhaps a little cleaner than before, and with paved roads.

Bicycle rental in Pulau Ubin is at $2, while the shops at East Coast Park charge $6! So ridiculous.

Being the adventurous sort, my boss decided we should hike instead of bike since it promotes better conversation.

Some of us grudgingly obliged. 

It was quite a nice walk actually and we spotted a wild boar sleeping near a very open and public space on the way. That, and we encountered a native Ubin dweller who started catapulting stones at us because my boss took a photo of the sign in his driveway. 

It was wonderful! 

Just like the good ol' kampong days eh?

Finally reached the observation tower overlooking Chek Jawa.

The tower is about five stories high and sways in the wind.

On the way down, we saw more wild boars! 

They came so close to the boardwalk, I could've touched one if I wanted to. But I didn't really want to get knocked down by the angry mother.

Our walk continued through the mangrove area by the sea.

And onto the boardwalk on the Chek Jawa shoreline.

Chek Jawa is a protected nature conservation area and best appreciated at low tide. That's when all the cool crabs come out to play. 

Everyone was fascinated with the armies of crabs sprawled over the sand.

View downwards.

There were so many crabs at one point that one of my colleagues started getting freaked out.

Walked a bit further...

And we spotted a baby monitor lizard. 

The sun that day shone in just the right angles and degrees. All my pictures turned out really well thanks to the great lighting!

Having fun already? :)

After the boardwalk, I came upon this little house called House No. 1. No one lives here now, but this obviously used to belong to a wealthy colonialist. 

This tourist attraction now claims to have the only operating fireplace in Singapore. Somehow, I don't quite believe that!

Whoever lived here during the early 1900s must have had a magnificent view.

Imagine if this was your backyard?

Tired from the 2 hour hike, we settled down at the Pulau Ubin Seafood Restaurant for dinner.

Ice cold water for everyone.

And beer for others.

The food was really good! Especially the black pepper beef dish. We gulped it all down in a second.

Pulau Ubin dogs are so cute, and they all look the same! I wouldn't be surprised if they become their own breed in decades to come.

On the way back to the jetty, we passed by a colourfully muralled house.

I really liked what it said on top of the gates.

The day ended faster than I thought it would. Guess that's what happens when you are having fun!

On the way back to Changi Point, our boat stalled and so another bumboat had to come alongside ours to tow us in to the jetty.

It was soooo fun!!!