Sunny Outdoors

19 Jun 2010 - Gunung Belumut (1010 m) is situated in Kluang, Johor and is about 2.5 hrs drive from Singapore.  We arrived at about 9am and started the trek assisted by local guides. It is compulsory to hire a local guide from the ranger office when you trek in Belumut. Depending on your group size, you may need more than one guide.   At the foot of the mountain, there was a nice river where families played and swam in the water. In the beginning, the trail was generally flat and easy.  Like all gunungs I have attempted so far, the easy part doesn't last long.  Once we got nearer to the midway point, the trail becomes steep and demanding.  Gentle beginnings .... Steep midsection The midway point ! There were lots of fallen trees and branches along the way.  I knocked my shin twice (double ouch !) onto fallen logs when i tried to get across them.  The fatigue must have impaired my judgment and sense of balance.  Anyway, the only good thing...

04 Jun 2010 - "Climbing Gunung Belumut can be challenging for beginners and seasoned trekkers". "Hated Belmut [ sic ] coz both legs cramped when i climbed up"....  Are these all ominous warnings that Gunung Belumut is a "mountain" too far for the beginner climber ?   Some members of the expedition have already begun their stairs climbing training.  I also hear stories of members climbing their apartment's stairs for training.  Stress ah! Surely i wouldn't want to be the only one who struggles and falls behind.  There's also an ongoing joke that the last person will offered to the tigers if they do appear ! Apparently, some trekkers heard the roar of a tiger at Belumut. O_O "If you spot a tiger roaming around do not be afraid, for the tiger itself would not harm a human unless you agitate it. They usually go into hiding when they spot a human." http://www.cuti.com.my/Sub/Johor/guide_johor_gunung_belumut_recreational_forest.htm The...

29 May 2010 - This is my first time participating in the Sundown Marathon.  Together with some friends, we signed up for the 10K event.  Since there weren't any 10K category for men, the guys in the group had to form a team to participate in the team event (4 x 10k)  :)  The event was fairly well organized. There were prominent distance markers along the route. Drink stations were provided every 2 - 3 kms.  I think there were more drink stations here than in the 2009 Stanchart marathon (10k).  There were also ample parking spaces located near the event and I had no problem looking for a parking lot. However, you had to adhere strictly to the road closure timings or you will be stuck in traffic for many hours.  A friend of mine had to pay $40 for cab fare because the cab was stuck in traffic had to make a detour due to road closure !  Perhaps the biggest complaint about the event was the inaccessibility of the location.  There were no ...

15 May 2010 - Gunung Datuk (655m / 870m) is located in Negri Sembilan which is about 3-4hrs drive from Singapore.  We started our journey the night before at 11pm and we arrived at the park at 4am.   As it was still dark then, we had to sleep in the van to wait for the sunrise.  I am not a person who can sleep easily in coaches or buses when travelling longer distances.  Sleeping in the van was impossible. Calvin was snoring to my left, Mathias was making weird noises to my right and the driver was also snoring.  Calvin didn't have a good sleep either, when he snored too loud (which was quite often), i will elbow him and quickly look away hehe. We started the trek at 7am when it became bright enough.  We were immediately confronted with a steep and rocky ascend when we got into the trail.  There were also lots of roots and the soil was soggy and muddy in certain areas, probably due to the rain from the night before.   I must ...

Me : Hi, is the Via Ferrata (VF) suitable for beginners ? I have never done it before. Girl on the phone : It's suitable for beginners and for people of all fitness levels.  Me : Great, that sounds like me. 09 May 2010 - Having been assured that almost anyone can climb, i decide to book an appointment to try the VF in Orchard Central, which is the world's tallest indoor VF. Via Ferrata actually means "iron road" in Italian. It was used during world war I in Italy to aid in the movement of troops on the mountains. The wall starts from the 4th floor in Orchard Central and climbers have to make  their way up to the top at the 8th floor in 1.5 hrs. At level 7, there's a platform to rest.  Sounds simple enough I thought, should be a breeze :-) However, when i actually got started, I was feeling nervous. Although I wasn't afraid of heights, i wasn't really sure of the VF system. Where to hook ? How to loop the rope round the pigtail ? where to step .... ...