what we are doing on September 2009, exactly 4 years ago...

 Guess where? 14 September 2009.

Guess where? Which border?

Camping life....

 

Twice a day, we must come to this place.

Tire puncture RTW

I just found an interesting picture in my hard disk.

It was on the way from Texas to Colorado.

The tire just self punctured due to the rusty spoke i had and was the very first puncture for the past 20 months.

Enjoy.

National Day Parade 2013 ticket

I was sitting at a coffeeshop last night, sitting with an elderly couple. They were smoking and watching the news. i had my drink. the old lady suddenly said in Hokkien:

'this guy is useless. the vote for him is kelong. useless chap. do nothing. all belongs to one family'.

i was curious and turned my head to the TV and i asked her:

'are you referring to the President or the Prime Minister?'

In a way, it was funny that even a 85 years old lady said that, in a way, disappointed. Our President needs to be loved by the citizen, not by force but by heart.

Interesting picture to share, not relating to the story. This is a good rest place for me during lunch. Cool, quiet and peaceful. I always come here.


The conversation continues with other topics. She is a great grandmother, having 14 grandchildren and 5 great grand children. 85 this year sharing me the secret of long life:

'is the food you eat. I don't eat chicken, duck, mutton, beef. Rice contain sugar and i only eat a little of that. Take lots of vegetable and I don't consume alcohol.'

She was smoking a cigarette while talking to me, I made a guess about her age at 68-72.

Interesting picture to share, not relating to the story. It is a bird with one leg. I saw this bird limping around, just like any other birds in Singapore, they hang around the food places, pecking onto left over food. But this bird has some disability, with only one leg and this bird is still working to look for food, even working harder than the rest of the other birds. It did not come to me to beg for food, it did not come to me and show me the broken leg, it does the same job as the rest of the other birds.

She shared with me the days living at the 'Fire City', which is around Kallang when she was born and the days during Japanese occupation. As a young lady, she remembered the Japanese were very fierce. her brother was working for the Japanese as a store person so that the family had rice and flour to eat.

During the British times, the days were much easier.

Interesting picture to share, not relating to the story.


Then the topic turns into some transvestite and she mentioned going to Hatyai a few times to watch the transvestite show. The performers were so pretty and after performing, they would undress, remove make up and go around to ask for tips but all the audiences were freak out.

 1st April 2013 marks the end of my National Service for my country, since 9th June 1999. I have been wearing the same uniform, same gear and equipment for the past 14 years. I wanted to continue as volunteer troop for another 5 or 10 years but my request was not replied. It has been almost 4 months and still not of any reply for me to volunteer, so i have to do something about these bulky items that is taking up 5% of my house space.

Every Male Singaporean that holds the SBO only assembled once and never took it apart. I had hard feeling this day when i have to take it apart and never use it again.

I have to throw away the items inside this nicely packed standard item.

In fact, I didn't use the mess tin during the NS days but the mess mug. This tiny mess mug had served me and my comrades for the past 14 years. It provides the motivation when we are low. We shared one spoonful of meal each time I cook. The taste of it is hard to forget when we were out there, wet, cold, waiting for something to happen.

I tried cooking it with the same ingredient at home for Samantha to try but the taste is just not the same. Maybe is the mixture of our saliva?

Since I was not invited to be in the volunteer troop to serve the nation in Military, I found another channel to serve the nation.

Performers at a National day celebration.

Lets forget about all these politics, Nation come first.

Don't ask what they have done for us; ask what have we done to our country, ask what have we done to love our country.


I have a picture to share with you, taken in August 2008, Bolivia, where we set the first record in Singapore history.

Happy National Day Singapore and Singaporeans!

Best Bak Kut Teh in Malaysia

It is just a ride. 3 friends talked at a coffeeshop and we settled for a fix date and requirement. 

My requirement: not to spend more than S$100 for the 2 days ride. 

Michael's: Go riding and off road, maybe durian at Tangkak? 

Leong: just go!

Any hint what animal left this?

We wanted to explore the offroad in Endau Rompin. For what I remembered, i joined a tour on 4x4 about 10 over years ago and they used the most hard way to enter Endau Rompin National Park, by Kahang entrance. The road was very natural from my memory. We had to get off the vehicle and walk across bridges made of tree trunk, clear fallen trees and pass by a native village before reaching the park. There are 3 entrance to this park and Kahang is the most hardcore one.

Picture taken over 10 years ago.

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

ok, since we are talking about the best Bak Kut Teh, this is how it looked like. very laid back restaurant and economical price, compared to the other famous Bak Kut Teh. 

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

But if you ask any Malaysian Chinese about where is the famous Bak Kut Teh, they would tell you that the one in their home town is the most famous one. So, don't meet your friend by telling them: meet at the very famous Bak Kut Teh shop, you will end up having the meal alone.

Other than Bak Kut Teh, we almost tasted the world largest animal waste.

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

The road to Mersing was usual. Nice curve and not much traffic on a Saturday morning. Hope 2.0 is behaving well on the corners, it is just me, not having the correct eye line on the curves.

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

I insisted on staying in a budget place. The fun part was splitting up in team to look for lodging and back for meeting. In Malaysia towns, when you ask the local if there are any hotels around, they will tell you:

HEN DUO AHHH!

that means a lot.

next important question: Got bike parking?

YI DING YOU! HEN DUO AHHH!

that means sure have, a lot.

the budget hotel are usually fixed into one of the shop houses in a row, that can share with Prata shop, Massage parlor, hardware shop, small office and the hotel will usually located at the end of the row of the shops. There are really lots of hotel for a night.

So parking for bike? by the road side.

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

AT NIGHT GOT JAGA ONE! VERY SAFE!

that means: security guard on duty in the night.

I tried to talked to the owner by pushing the bike into the lobby only in the night but was slammed on the face.

Even if we can park the bike in the lobby, i wonder how are we going to tackle the typical kerb, or rather a big step of more than 30cm height. Just a guess, the big step of 30cm is to prevent car or bike from driving into the shop directly, smash the glass, rob and run.

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

Things to do before we leave our bike for more than 20 meters.

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

Once bitten, twice shy. Making sure Hope 2.0 is holding hand with another friend.

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

We were like watching the Dakar Race when Michael rode in front of us.

 Mersing, endau, Labis at EveryTrail

http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=2221062&code=791952418562fb24752c31dcac14becf

You may click on the map.

Riding the track reminded me of Bolivia and South America, less the heavy luggage that Hope Too had. Sam and I love the new version Hope 2.0 that was performing well on the trail road.

We didn't have proper plan. Before each of us enjoy the ride by going at own speed, my last word to each other was to stop at 530pm and make U-turn out to the main road.

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

Cheryl's cockpit view.

Tiger and his partner were very brave. It was kind of Tiger's first off road trip. It was his girlfriend's first motorbike trip and we really went dirty and tired with them.

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

It reminded me of my very first motorbike lesson at bukit batok driving center, learning half clutch to hit the tire.

Any hint of what animal with such a big foot print? this guy walked onto the road, poo-ed and pee-ed at the same time, then walk back into the vegetation.

Patrick and Roy joined us on the Sunday morning, meeting us at where we slept. 

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

We had the same Bak Kut Teh at the same shop, at the same time of the day, but with Patrick and Roy, since the ride topic was Bak Kut Teh. They could be disappointed if we had lunch at a prata shop. 

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

What made me wanted to go back was the people in the shop, very sincere and made me feel like one of them. They don't look at us as if we are from 3rd world country. They don't bill us as if like in 1st world country. They just do their job in their way.

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

From the play we had with the sparks, I realize that we have to bring our own good practice from our home when we visit other country. Did you notice some of fellow country man goes to another country just to do things that he/she cannot do back at their home? Maybe, like, something like, not obey the rules of home country and want to break such rules at other country.

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

Maybe like... littering?

What was most disappointing for me personally was the feel I had 10 years ago was gone.

After 30km of dirt road going thro the oil plantation, perfect tar road was built for the next 20km to the end of the road at the park entrance. Concrete bridges had replaced the tree trunk. 

In a way, it benefited the native that is staying in this area. I counted that there are less than 8 families staying along this new road. this 20km of new tarmac was upgraded for them or for better tourism?

I wanted to bring the fun with the group which I had 10 years ago with Uncle Woo, Choy, Yang, Lawrence and Teo. To experience pushing the bike over the bridge, riding the natural road and enjoy the shade of the tree. But the fun is now only memory, that i have to look ahead. We have to really appreciate what we have around, not to think that it will always be there waiting for us. Even a road and  bridge will not wait for us.

Lucky Singaporedream team, we had great friends with us, enjoying the moment. 

Having the last piece of toilet paper in the hand, that is where the test comes when your friend is asking for help in the next cubical. Will you share the last piece with him?

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

Yes, thank you friends. Glad to have you in our life.

Photo credit to Patrick Ho and Cheryl Peh.

In the end, Sam and I exploded our pocket by spending $60 more than what we budgeted. 

Haze from Indonesia to Singapore, N95

Pictures from my phone.

Just some pictures stored in my phone.

 Found this retro foot massage machine during spring cleaning.

Is this an animal?

Beautiful Jade Vine.

From the museum...

 Trying to protect myself from bee attack during work. He said: lets see how it works.

Which part of Singapore?

Today we went for a short ride...

 Morning fisherman trading.

 interesting trees and nature.

Any subtitles?

We didn't let teddy know that we went on a short trip. She is still happily at home.

Picture taken from work. This is a portion of a palm tree which I am still removing. The cuts were not that good. Can you guess the height of this palm tree?

I saw this Malaysia vehicle in Singapore doing business in Clementi Carpark.

I wonder if it needs a hawker license. by the way, caravan or camper vans are not allowed in Singapore.