Sunny Outdoors

Apr 24 2010 - Much has been written in blogs and websites that Gunung Panti (513m) is relatively easy for beginners.  But believe me, it was a fairly challenging trek.   The only other mountain that i have climbed is Gunung Lambak (510m) and Panti compared to Lambak is equally as tough, but with a gentler gradient that is not as steep. This sign marks the start of the trek ! We started our trek at a desolate looking path that led to the forested area of Gunung Panti. The varied terrain in Panti makes it challenging and interesting at the same time.  There were streams to cross ... ... and fallen trees to overcome.  In fact, there were lots of fallen trees along the way ! We had to go below, climb over or detour to get pass them.   You could see from the leaves on the branches that some of trees fell recently (likely due to the recent raining season) while others had been there for some time. This is probably a hazardous place to be when there is...

17 April 2010 - Today i didn't get to complete the hike from Bukit Timah Visitors Centre to Dairy Farm Quarry as one of our friends got very sick during the hike.  ( click here for the pre-trip recce of the same route )  Shortly after starting, she began to have dizzy spells and stomach cramps.  It quickly got worse and she had to stop.  We sat her down onto a boulder in a side track.  I can tell she was really uncomfortable and sick as she sat slumped on the boulder with her palms holding her forehead and her elbows resting on her thighs.  As she rested, we fanned her and gave her water but her condition did not improve.  Someone took out a bottle of  Axe Brand medicated oil and applied the oil under her nose and massaged the oil onto her temple and the back of her neck.   A little while later, she felt better and we could lead her back to the visitors centre. I believed that the medicated oil accelerated her recovery and thus made h...

10 April 2010 - The objective of this hike is to get from Bukit Timah Hill visitor centre to the Dairy Farm Quarry using the forested paths of Bukit Timah Hill.  This should be an interesting hike as it has been a long time since my last visit. It was raining when we got started.  Once we got into the trails, we were confronted with a lot of steps ! There were steps going uphill, steps going downhill, steps made from concrete, wood, rocks etc.  It was certainly more challenging than i had expected.  I had been to the summit of  Bukit Timah Hill a few times using the main road, but using the side paths provided a whole new different challenge. There were remnants of old buildings and structures that suggested that the area was once inhabited.  Well, according to Mathias, there were once villages (kampungs) situated in Bukit Timah Hill. Dom led us to a hidden location along Seraya loop that had an excellent view of the Singapore Quarry. This secret lo...

Mar 13 2010 - I've decided to have another go at Gunung Lambak with 10+ of my friends and colleagues from the office. Although only 510m, Lambak is still fairly challenging for beginners (thats me !). This was my second time at Lambak. Although I succeeded  in my first attempt, this time it was much easier. Perhaps the mental advantage of knowing the route and the end point helped. Perhaps i got fitter :-) At the beginning, the route was paved and gentle, making it easy to walk on. Many of the first timers thought this would be a walk in the park, till they see this ... The flight of steps led to a rest area, something like 1/3 or 1/4 to the summit. Some of my friends were already complaining ! Haha, but this is only the beginning. Anyway, it was also a good photo opportunity for the cam whores :-) This was where the real ascend to the top begins. The terrain got more rugged and steeper. The well defined steps were replaced by footholds, tree roots and guide ropes....