Measure of All Things

Getting My Shoe Mended

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 02:52:00 +0000

While rushing to appointments one morning my shoe decided to come apart. I managed to tape it back together, but was relieved to stumble across this shoe repairman as I came out of Somerset MRT on Orchard road. After 15mins my shoe was glued back together and still is....

Some Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

What an outstanding approach to dealing with a rotten boss and then an insecure professor: bugger off on a trek and then train for a new career - I had to raise a glass of champagne in salute.

This was the response from a friend of mine to the news of some major changes that have been occurring in my life recently, which culminated in November by taking the 1st steps to leaving a full time job and working for myself whilst combining a number of things that I enjoy doing - meeting new people, helping people whilst still staying connected to the financial services industry. As part of these changes my blogs have changed too. In addition to A Measure of All Things I also had a photo blog highlighting different aspects of life in Singapore, but wasn't really keeping up to date with either of them, so I have now combined them and you can find stories and pictures from life in Singapore under the Singapore tag.

Along with my new change in career I have started a personal finance blog called Managing Your Financial Risk. My aim is to share what I have learnt from spending more than 10 years in the industry and in the process empower my readers to take charge of their finances by explaining financial terms and concepts in plain and simple English.

This change is going to be a challenge as it is something new, but it is also exciting. What changes do you have in your lives?

Best wishes for 2012.

Kim

Graphic from Affirm Your Life

Traditional Japanese Art with a Twist

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 03:29:00 +0000

Over the weekend I stumbled across this amazing artist ... Kim Yong Soo creates what looks at first glance like traditional Japanese art, but on closer inspection the images are created with electronic components. All is not what it seems.

Product Review: Solar Powered USB Charger

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:16:00 +0000

I've mentioned in a previous post about the concerns I'd had around keeping myself occupied on my trip to Pakistan. Usually I take my iPod (no, I don't own an iPhone!) when I go travelling as it compact and contains music, games, videos and spoken books which can keep me occupied for hours. It seemed like the ideal thing to bring, but there was one teeny tiny little catch - we didn't have access to electricity for 17 days of the trek and once the battery went flat it would be dead weight. It seemed like the most logical and weight efficient option, but for that small catch of what to do once the battery had run out!

I'd seen solar powered chargers before, but apart from a really expensive iPhone only charger I wasn't able to find anything thing suitable in Singapore. Fortunately I found one on Amazon for US$30 and arranged to get it sent to me in Singapore. The reviews for the product on Amazon were not particularly complimentary, but for the price I reckoned that all it had to do was to work for the trek and I'd be happy. Well, the good news is that I'm happy. Actually, no, that's an understatement, I'm ecstatic about the charger as it completely exceeded my expectations. When it arrived I noted that it had a tiny LED attached (had I read the full product description I might actually have noticed this) and I found it really useful to use, rather than waste the batteries of my torch, when fussing around the tent at night. It is about the size of an iPhone and slightly larger than my iPod and doesn't weigh much at all. The unit can be charged either via a USB cable or the sun so it functions as a very useful "spare battery" and has a USB-out connection that allows any device to be charged this way, rather than just limited to an iPhone or iPod. The battery holds enough charge to charge 2 iPhones completely. It is possible to both use the charger and charge the battery at the same time. Towards the end of the trip I had a bit of a "melt down" and listened to music for the better part of 2 days to try and calm myself down (it worked). I would not have been able to do this without the charger which was attached to my backpack to absorb the sun whilst simultaneously charging up my iPod! The one thing I realised from this event is that I need some new music. The last time I put new music on my iPod was in 2008!

My only suggestion for improvement is that the windscreen suction cups are great if you have a vehicle in which to mount it, but I had to fashion a way to attach it to my backpack or to hang it from the tent from cable ties.

As far as I am aware, it is not possible to charge cameras or larger sized batteries (can someone please design an electric toothbrush with a USB charger), but the photographer on our trip brought a solar panel capable of charging camera batteries. Doug's focus on getting every last drop of energy from the sun became a standing joke of the trip (especially as the 1st week was overcast and cloudy). It got so bad that at Broad Peak Base Camp a very ill Doug delayed his departure back to camp because the batteries were charging!

Sunday means Ultimate Frisbee

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 03:02:00 +0000

Nearly every weekend we get together (usually at the Botanic Gardens) for a game of Ultimate Frisbee, followed by dinner at a local food court. Its a great way to end the weekend. If you want to join, you can find the Facebook group here.

Product Review: Monopoly Deal Cards

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 12:00:00 +0000

I, and I'm assuming most of you, have great memories of playing Monopoly. Hours of strategy, highs when you win, disappointments when you lose and for some people winning was all that mattered - no matter what it took to achieve this goal. So I was very excited when I stumbled across a set of Monopoly Deal Cards at the checkout of my local supermarket before I departed on my trip to Pakistan. I had been very concerned as to how I was going to keep myself occupied during the trek (limited weight and no electricity for 3 weeks) and this seemed like a great idea.

The essential elements (owning property, charging / paying rent, having cash, chance & community chest cards - called Action cards) of the board game have been replicated in the card version, but there are some differences. In my mind the biggest of these were the no jail and no banker. And yes, the Houses and Hotels haven't been forgotten! The goal of the game is slightly different too as the winner is the first person who collects 3 sets of properties irrespective of how much money the others have.

Playing the game is actually really easy. We started playing with the quick start cards as I'd left the (unread) instructions behind, but with a little knowledge of the board game and some discussion amongst the players we managed to work out the rules. The recommended number of players is 3 - 5, but usually there were around 7 of us playing. Later on we played with 3 or 4 players and I found the game extremely tame in comparison to the larger number. The reason for this is the Action cards. Each player gets the opportunity to do "3 plays" during their turn. This could consist of putting property cards on the table (any cards in your hand are not playable at any other time, but you can only hold up to 7 cards in your hand) or playing an Action card. The "Its My Birthday Card" is a great way to get cash - all other players give you $2m (no change is given) and with 3 of these cards in the deck it is possible to have to pay over $6m before its your turn again! This is addition to the "Deal Breaker" (allows the holder to steal an entire property set from another player), "Debt Collector" (collect $5m from one player), "Forced Deal" (steal one property) cards and of course the Collect Rent card. All of this means that your fortunes can take a serious reversal in the course of a turn with a large number of players. Fortunately there is the "Just Say No" card that allows you to negate the card that has been played against you. The game can take 30mins to over an hour depending on the number of players.

I was really chuffed with the game and it seemed a hit with my fellow trekkers because no sooner had we arrived at our camp than I would be asked for the cards! It is compact and lightweight (5.6oz) and way easier to store & transport than the board game so meeting up at a cafe / restaurant is perfectly doable. I'm definitely keeping this one although had I known about it I would also have purchased the Monopoly Deal Shuffle Shaker as a safe place to keep the cards (currently they are being held together with an elastic band).

The creators of the game, Hasbro, have created a cool flash player introduction to the game that you can view here.

Views from Singapore Flyer

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 07:51:00 +0000

Marina Bay and the CBD

Looking North over Kallang River

Dressing Appropriately (or Not) in Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 03:09:00 +0000

Photo from Doug K of Sky
all rights reserved

The slutwalk movement began in April 2011 when a Toronto police officer suggested that to remain safe "women should avoid dressing like sluts^1" and even as recently as 4 days ago an official in Jakarta said a similar thing². I have mixed feelings on this matter. On the one hand I agree that no woman "asks for it", but on the other I have wondered what some women were thinking based on how they were dressed. And when you add "what is culturally acceptable" into the mix what is appropriate to wear becomes a very subjective question.

As I walked down the streets of Chilas, a town on the KKH, my companion kept on remarking on how much attention I was attracting from the men (there were no women to be seen). I wasn't, by western standards anyway, showing much skin, just my arms and my head were uncovered and my shirt could be referred to as figure hugging, but in comparison to the attire worn by the local women it was extremely revealing. It brought to mind a question that I'd been pondering since as early as packing for the trip - how should I dress? I was well aware that Pakistan was a Muslim country and therefore I should dress conservatively, but how conservatively - okay, no strappy dresses, but are short sleeves okay? While I was trekking on the glacier I was fully covered - even camouflaged with the scenery (can you spot me in the landscape above?) - either as protection from the cold or the sun, but once we'd finished trekking, or during an impromptu game of frisbee and rocket ball (at the same time!) I was tired of being completely covered from head to toe and wondered if I could "show a little skin" without being disrespectful of the local culture and being thought of as a "slut"?

But as I also experienced, sometimes behaving in a way that is acceptable to the culture makes the people more open to your presence. One of the things that struck me on the trip was how little I saw of the women. All along the roads you could see the men, but unless we happened to pass by a field in which the women were working I rarely saw them. From Askole we took a short walk to the village of Hushe (made famous by Greg Mortensen in his book Three Cups of Tea) and visited the school there. As we arrived the boys of the village rushed out to meet us and show us, but the girls and women were nowhere to be seen. I had picked up a local woman's outfit in Skardu (Salwar kameez) and was wearing it along with my scarf. When I tried to approach the girls they ran, so I thought that covering my head may make me less threatening and proceeded to do so. In trying to forge a connection with the children I wandered off in the opposite direction hoping they'd be intrigued and come after me - which didn't work - and heard voices from within one of the buildings calling me. When I turned and looked there were some women waving at me from the window. I waved and smiled back and a while later they came out and I was allowed to take the picture above. I believe that my willingness to cover my hair and dress in local costume made them feel safe enough to reach out and make a connection. Unfortunately I didn't manage to win-over the little girls before we had to leave.

So how should one (a woman) dress when traveling in a way more conservative environment than one's home? I'm not sure what the answer is, but in my mind it is important to be true to myself, while still taking into account the sensibilities of the people around me. I'm not sure as a western woman that I could have avoided the comments (I'm assuming there were) and looks by dressing differently (short of wearing a chador and hiding myself completely) and have had to learn to ignore the looks and stares (sometimes leers) when I travel in parts of the world where the women are usually fully covered. I asked my companion whether he thought I was reinforcing the so-called stereotypical-western-slut image or showing that it is possible for a woman to be respectfully dressed, but not fully covered. His answer was the latter, but I don't know - and after some thought, don't really care as I feel I need to do what I feel comfortable with.

What are your thoughts on this topic? Leave your them in the comment section below.

Update 4 October: This cartoon made its way to me and I thought it appropriate to share given the discussion above:

Malcom Evans Cartoon

Accident on the Baltoro

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 13:19:00 +0000

K2 from Goodwin Austen Glacier

How do you describe a trek through one of the more remote places on earth for 13 days; seeing the worlds 2nd highest mountain and 48 hours driving on a road that has been referred to as the 9th wonder of the world? Awesome, amazing, awe-inspiring, an experience? How would the description change if during the above experience 3 people died and another 2 were seriously injured?

This is the conversation that has been playing out in my mind since I returned after a 13 day trek up (and back) the Baltoro Glacier. I had signed up to do the K2 & Gondogoro La trek in Pakistan. It was billed as a strenuous hike and along with geo-political risks of travelling in Pakistan I knew that there were a number of risks (acute mountain sickness, stomach bugs, accidents) involved in the trip, but it wasn't the first time that I had ventured off the beaten track (although ensuring adequate insurance coverage was a non-negotiable).

Path of the Rock Fall at Urdukas Camp

The accident occurred while we were enjoying a rest day at Urdukas Camp (4,130m) on the 6th day of trekking. Around 2:30pm we were playing cards in the mess tent while outside there was a light drizzle. There was a loud crack, followed by a second at which we rushed out of the tent. What we saw was surreal - a huge chunk of rock (the size of a truck) had broken off and made its way, seemingly in slow motion, down the slope. A number of the porters of the two expeditions that were camped at Urdukas had set up their camps beneath the rock and were sheltering there from the rain. We stood in shock as we watched the rock roll over and over down the hill, leaving in my mind an indelible memory the frightened faces of 3 people as they ran out from beneath it.

Very quickly the group jumped into action as the injured were brought to safety and the mess tent was converted into a make-shift hospital. We had a veterinarian, an ER nurse and a podiatrist in our group who took charge of caring for the injured, but the question remained - was everyone accounted for? Initially we heard that 4 porters were missing, but it was finally determined that 3 had died. Fortunately we were able to manage the injured, although 2 were assessed as serious and needed evacuation as soon as possible. Our tour leader got in touch with the head-office in Islamabad via satellite phone and through them a helicopter evacuation for the injured was arranged (the first time this had ever been done for porters). The bodies of the dead were also to be picked up by the helicopter and returned to their villages for burial, but first the helipad on the glacier had to be extended - the work that was done by the porters and members of our group.

MI-17 helicopter landing

The day after the accident dawned bright and clear - it was the first cloudless day since we started walking - and the conditions were perfect for the helicopter to come. We (westerners) expected it to arrive about an hour after sunrise, but various stories kept coming our way - the helicopter was coming from Islamabad (not Skardu - the nearest base); they were waiting for parts; another 2 hours - so we were taken a bit by surprise when around 11:30am we heard it coming up the valley. The extended helipad was big enough (just) for the MI-17 and the injured and the dead were taken aboard the helicopter and we returned back to the camp for lunch, after which we would know whether or we would continue with the trip as a number of other porters had indicated their desire to return to the villages to be with the families. A short while later we got the message - our trip was over - all the porters wanted to return home. We would start walking back that afternoon, but then we started talking among ourselves - what options do we have as this is a long way to have come and the difficulties in arranging to do this sort of trip again. How much of the gear that we had did we really need? Mess tent, the tables and chairs, the wide range of food, single tents for some? So we put our bags away and there was more negotiating with the porters. Fortunately after an impassioned speech by one of the guides some porters changed their minds and agreed to an additional 4 days which allowed us to walk to Concordia camp before returning. There was hope that once at Concordia they would agree to an additional day which would allow the group the opportunity to walk to K2 and Broad Peak base camps (which did happen), but along with the inclement weather that we'd experienced and spending an extra day at Urdukas it was extremely unlikely (although one member of the group wouldn't let this rest) that we would be able to go over the Gondogoro La and back via the Hushe Valley. Most people seemed happy with the compromise and we started walking the next day. The weather once again was cold and overcast and I was grateful for that one clear cloudless day that enabled the injured porters to be flown out the previous day.

Baltoro Glacier

The rest of the trip passed uneventfully and a couple of days later the weather cleared completely and we were able to see the mountains along the Baltoro in all their glory (although another member of our group took some amazingly emotive pictures with the clouds. You can check them out here). I didn't make it over the Gondogoro La, neither did I make it all the way to K2 Base Camp (these are in opposite directions from Concordia camp), but it was the journey, while eventful and tragic, that was the important part of trip for me, and one that I'll remember for a long time - both the good and the bad.

The good news is that when we arrived back in Askole about 10 days after the accident we met one of the injured porters who'd been evacuated and got news that the 2 seriously injured porters were still in hospital, but were okay.

So, to answer the question I posed above - how does the description of the experience change when there is a tragic accident? I still don't know the answer and that is after trying many variations on answering the question "how was your trip?". My first message home was "safely back after an eventful trip". I didn't want to raise unnecessary concerns before I had time to actually explain what happened, but "an amazing experience" just seemed wrong. How would you answer the question? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Following the accident everyone in the group contributed what they could - jackets, shoes, t-shirts and other items were distributed to those who lost their belongings in the rock fall as well as monetary donations for the families of those porters who died, and other people who heard about the accident have also made contributions. The families will receive insurance payouts of $1,200 each, but the loss of earnings is between $200-$400 per year and the porters were in their early 20's. If you would like to make a contribution please get in touch with The Mountain Company at info@themountaincompany.co.uk for details on how to do so. You can read the official trip report here.

Quick Update

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 11:50:00 +0000

It has been a while - I know. I've been travelling in Pakistan and Indonesia for the past 6 weeks and its taken a little while to get used to staying in the same place (and organising photo's and writing the posts - which is happening so watch this space...) In the meanwhile, please enjoy some pictures from the amazing views that we experienced on our trek up the Baltoro Glacier in Pakistan.

View of K2 at sunrise from Concordia

Shigar river looking towards its source - Baltoro Glacier

Avalanche across Goodwin Austen Glacier

Village child bringing in the harvest

Balti woman in traditional dress

Your Dive Buddy - 2nd Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 10:20:00 +0000

After a long break, I am glad to be back with the 2nd edition of the Dive Buddy Blog Carnival that shares amazing diving experiences from different bloggers around the world. This time we visit the beautiful Cayman Islands, go snorkeling in Hawaii, see some WW2 wrecks in the Philippines and hear first hand about an alien species invasion in the Honduras.

Shannon O'Donnell presents A Little Exotic Pet Trade…Can We Undo the Harm? posted at a little adrift: a rtw travelogue, saying, "diving in the Caribbean means confronting the growing problem with non-native Lion Fish taking over the reefs!"

I love finding Lion Fish when I'm diving (in south east Asia) and am horrified to find that they are taking over, but the good news is that steps are being taken to combat the problem like teaching sharks to hunt them.

Liz Wright presents Don't Miss Stingray City in The Cayman Islands posted at Travelogged.

I love Stingray City and it was one of the few experiences that I repeated each time I had guests in the year that I lived there (and would do it again if I went back).

Jennifer Miner presents Maui, Hawaii Best Snorkeling Return Trip posted at The Vacation Gals - Family travel, girlfriend getaways, romantic getaways, destinations, things to do, travel tips, saying, "Okay, I know, I know - this is about snorkeling, not scuba. But it's pretty close, isn't it? I hope so. :)"
Yip, it is pretty close and a great experience for those people who're not qualified to dive. Thank you for sharing it with us.

MummyT presents Full Fathom Five? posted at Travels with a Nine Year Old, saying, "Diving WWII wrecks off Coron, the Philippines (without the 9 year old!)."

That is it for this edition which I trust you enjoyed. If you want have an article that you would like to submit for the next edition, you can do so at the carnival submission form.

Past carnival editions can be found here.

Rainstorm and Sunset

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sun, 29 May 2011 10:12:00 +0000

Sometimes a rainstorm at sunset gives rise to the most amazing colours.

Why I Like the Low Cost Airline Model

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sun, 29 May 2011 06:04:00 +0000

www.kulula.com

I can just imagine the comments my readers are thinking about writing just on reading the heading. Low Cost Airlines (LCC's) have a bad reputation, especially that Irish company which shall remain nameless, but as an independent traveller I have found LCC's to be the most cost efficient way to travel when I want to and how I want to. So here are 5 reasons why I like LCC's:

1. No Penalty on One Way Fares
As I write this, I am in the middle of 3 flights with 3 different airlines that has allowed me a) the cheapest fare and b) the most time at my destination. I would not be able to do this without the single fare pricing structure of LCC's. If I were to use a full fare airline for this route my time would be effectively shortened by one day (25%) and it would've cost me more.

2. Limited Sky Bridge Usage
Most budget terminals don't have skybridges which means that you get a breath of fresh air, freedom from frigid airconditioning and (sometimes) the ability to check out the surroundings before being hurried back into the terminal buildings. (Admittedly I don't usually fly in sub-zero temperature conditions.)

The other bonus about not using a skybridge is the time factor. Sometimes technology does not result in an improvement and the use of a skybridge over the tractor staircase is a case in point, which leads onto my 3rd benefit for LCC's.

3. Quick Turnaround Times - (What is Good for the Goose is Good for the Gander)
To me the longest part of the flight feels like the time between landing and actually getting off the plane. Because the LCC business model is predicated on getting maximum usage out of the aeroplanes and as they only earn money in the sky, turning around planes quickly is an important part of their strategy and that includes getting me (and other passengers) off the plane as quickly as possible. It is my experience that where possible they will have passengers disembarking from both front and back exits - which is not possible with a skybridge.

4. You Pay for What You Want
LCC's are notorious for charging for every last item that you use, but these days this seems to be the case with full fare airlines as well. If I want a specific seat I can pay for it and get it. This can't be done on a full fare airline. My 6'7" uncle always needs to get to the airport early to ensure that he gets the emergency row seats because they won't allow him to pre-book them. I'm sure that he would pay a premium for that facility. If I have luggage I pay for it, if I don't, then I don't and even then when I have luggage I can purchase MORE luggage than is allowed on a full fare airline for less than the excess baggage charge.

5. They Have a Sense of Humour
The picture at the top of the article is the livery of a South African airline. The safety speech on the flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg goes something like "the largest body of water we'll pass is the Orange River which is about 100m wide, but regulations require us to tell you how to use the lifevest in the event of a ditching". It is one of the few safety speeches I remember due to the humour, which seems to be fairly pervasive amongst LCC's where there is an attitude of "flying is fun". I can't think of a full fare airline that does the same - if you know of one, please share it in the comments. You can check out the full livery of the Kulula's planes here.

So there are my 5 reasons for flying LCC's. I admit they're not perfect (I had an unfortunate incident on the flight), but I'm not sure that the full fare airlines are any better, even than that Irish co that gives all LCC's a bad name. What are your thoughts? Leave them in the comments below.

Air Asia Liveries

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 21 May 2011 12:27:00 +0000

Recently I had an early (before the sun was up) flight out of Kuala Lumpur Low Cost Terminal (KUL) that included a 10 min walk from the gate to the aeroplane. Here are pictures of some of the Air Asia fleet in their different liveries*

9M-AFB "Junior Jet Club" Airbus A320-216

9M-AFQ "50 Years of Nationhood" Airbus A320-216

9M-AFE "Asean Basketball League" Airbus A320-216

9M-AFM "Hats off to Pahamin" Airbus A320-216

* Aircraft call signs and models from http://www.planespotters.net/

Sunday Brunch at Changi Sailing Club

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 21 May 2011 09:09:00 +0000

I'm always on the lookout for places to take a break from the rat-race and I found the restaurant at Changi Sailing Club fits the bill perfectly. Even better - they're open for a shady Sunday morning brunch...

Unfortunately they don't have a large breakfast menu - in fact, there is only one breakfast offer - a Full American Breakfast with egg, bacon, beans and much more - but still worth going.

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Tue, 17 May 2011 15:07:00 +0000

Earlier this year news of "The Last Kampong
in Singapore" sprung to the media's attention and it has been added to a number
of people's 'must see lists', so I was delighted to find that my hiking group arranged an evening walk to explore the area.

A "kampong" is the Indonesian or Malysian word for hamlet
or village and I wasn't quite sure what to expect in Singapore, but I was a tensy bit disappointed not to find a single chicken. What we found
was a little gem hidden amongst the leafy trees where the sun filtered down
through the leaves, single storied bungalows with wide porches, a brushed sand
garden and even a swing. It was very peaceful, even the sounds of the city
seemed muted. The road running through the kampong is untarred and most of the
houses have an open gap between the walls and the roof to allow for airflow.
This was definitely an environment that I could live in, although most of the
other people in my group veto’d the idea as there were too many mosquito’s.

There wasn't much activity outside except for some roof
repairs being done. I don't know whether the residents were sheltering from the
relentless heat that we've been experiencing lately or trying to avoid the
gawkers (like myself) who have been streaming through to take a look. There was
even a sign on one of the houses stating that the filming cost was $600 /
hour!

Bintan Cycle and Seafood Indulgence

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Fri, 06 May 2011 12:36:00 +0000

It was 7:30am on 1 April I was just a little concerned that I might be making a fool of myself. I had a new bicycle that I’d only used on a brief training ride the weekend before and studying and other commitments meant that I had not managed to get as much training in as I would’ve hoped. Fortunately my concerns were in vain as it was sunburn rather than lack of fitness that finally got to me and I managed to finish 160kms of the planned 200kms for the trip.

Day 1: From Bandar Bental Telani Ferry Terminal to Teluk Bakau
Distance Covered: 61kms
Climb: 754m

After arriving at the ferry terminal and passing through customs and immigration, we set up and made last minute adjustments to our bicycles before setting off. The first leg of the journey out of the Bintan Resorts area was largely downhill and we made good time before we passed by the security gate and entered Bintan proper. The morning was slightly overcast and cool with undulating hills – perfect cycling conditions and with fresh legs we were ready and raring to go. It wasn’t long before I realised that my front brake was continuously rubbing the wheel so I fiddled with it and next thing I knew – oops, NO BRAKE. Fortunately it was my front brake so I continued on, but it was a bit disconcerting not meeting any resistance when I squeezed the lever. Fortunately for all of us we had Benny who performed a couple of roadside repairs (including my brakes) and patiently rode at the back of the pack through most of the trip ensuring that we all got to our destination safely. The morning passed uneventfully and we were in good spirits at the lunch stop.

I expected the afternoon continue like the morning, but was disappointed. We rode along a new road towards the east coast of the island where the hills were higher than before and there was little shade to shelter us from the relentless sun blazing down from a clear blue sky. At one point when I stopped to rest I was completely isolated from the rest of civilisation. It was completely silent (which was a special treat coming from Singapore), just me, the road and the sun. The road continued up and no sooner than I’d reached the top of one climb than there was another in our sights. Eventually I saw a glimpse of the sea and I knew that we were nearly done, but fate decreed there was still one more hill to go before we finally descended to the ocean (and a welcome drink break!)

After that it was about a 10km ride along the flat coastal road to our stop for the night. I kept on wanting to stop and take pictures of the tidal flats and the floating fishing platforms along the coast, but that meant that the support vehicle would have to stop with me so I decided to focus on the cycling and getting to the destination.

We arrived at our home for the next two days, Ocean Bay Resort. As we were the only guests most of us were able (at no extra cost) to get our own rooms. The resort consists of rooms built on stilts about 200m into the ocean around an enclosed area of the sea where guests can (we didn’t) fish. Afternoon tea was served shortly after our arrival and most people either went to sleep or just rest outside their rooms. I decided to have a dip in the ocean and it felt like soaking in a warm bathtub (the water was knee deep so it was quite pleasant to just sit). After doing a couple of yoga asana’s and stretches I returned for a shower and then dinner.

“Seafood indulgence” was included in the trips billing and boy did we indulge. Both nights we were there we got plate after plate of food. I was a bit hesitant at first and concerned about eating too much msg, but the food was found to be msg free so I was able to eat to my heart’s content. On our 2nd night there we celebrated the birthday of one of the group with a large cake and much fun and laughter. The karaoke room was put to good use, but unfortunately one of the songs, Queen’s Bicycle Race, is still sounding in my head 3 weeks later (fortunately it has pleasant associations though).

Day 2: Circular route to Tanjong Pinang and back
Distance:80kms
Climb:543m

Day 2 dawned overcast and cloudy with tales of a thunderstorm and pouring rain that swept though at 3am (I was oblivious to it). Some were concerned about rain, while others of us tried to get the group moving before the clouds dried up and the sun came burning though. The morning started off easily enough with a flat ride along the coast, but after about 10kms the climbing started again (the highest elevation we reached on the trip was 63m, but it was the ups and downs that made it hard work). It was Saturday morning and the village shops and repair works were all open and ready for business, in complete contrast to Friday when most of the people we saw were in their Friday-best. It was awesome to greet everyone (especially the kids) as we passed through. Sometimes the kids would come onto the road and try to hit our hands as we came past. I managed most times, but on one occasion where I had 2 kids on my right and 1 on my left I had to choose as there is no way I would've stayed upright with no hands to hold on while leaning out. Towards the end of the cycle on this day I passed 2 children who were ready and waiting on their bicycles to race us, unfortunately I was just too tired and dehydrated to be able to join in the game.

That evening my tired aching muscles were treated to a well deserved massage, before crashing into bed just after 9pm (but not before a surprise b'day celebration during dinner).

Day 3: Return to Bandar Bental Telani Ferry Terminal and home
Distance:79kms
Climb:586m

Our route back on the 3rd day took us along the coast before cutting inland and across to the ferry terminal on the north-west of the island. It was the longest of the 3 days on the bike, but not quite so hilly. The weather in the morning was slightly overcast and made for perfect conditions cycling up the east coast of the island. By all accounts it was pretty uneventful and we joked and sang as we made our way. Ez even treated us to a demonstration of one-handed push-ups! After a while we turned inland (west) and started to climb, but all was well. Once again I was able to savour some of those moments when I was completely alone and think back over the fun we'd had over the past couple of days.

It was with great misgivings that I realised after the lunch break that I really shouldn't continue. My thighs had been badly sunburnt (inspite of constant reapplication of block out) and with the sun was still beating down I decided that discretion was the better part of valour and loaded my bike on the truck and I finished the route in the support vehicle.

It was an awesome weekend with much fun and laughter and camaraderie. In the days following the trip there were a number of emails flying around with other potential trips - Timor, Bali and even some more extreme trips like across the African continent or the Silk Route! There are no definite plans yet, but watch this space!

Thank you to Foo for the picture of Ocean Resorts and Clarence for the GPS cycle tracks and Kevin Soh for the video

Product Review: Star C8000 Dual sim Quad band TV WIFI QWERTY Keyboard Cell Phone

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 03:14:00 +0000

Imagine having 2 phone numbers that people can contact you on, but only one phone. You can keep your work and private numbers separate, or keep a pre-paid card as a 'semi-burn' phone, but the benefits for frequent travelers is what I like most about the concept. 2 sim cards, 1 phone, no roaming charges on local calls to book accommodation and transport, but you're still contactable if your credit card company wishes to confirm a purchase (despite notifying them of your travel plans). This is the concept behind a dual-sim phone. As far as I know only Samsung and LG make dual sim phones, but the networks don't like it and don't promote them.

I have used a dual sim phone for over 2 years now and after my previous phone needed to be replaced after an planned swim I landed up getting an upgraded model despite being tempted by the allure of the iPhone. So for a once off payment of $100 (no, not kidding) this is the list of what you get:

QWERTY Keyboard will take lots of convenience for you
Trackball
Quad band(GSM850/900/1800/1900MHZ)
Dual sim cards dual standby
Analog TV for free
Wifi
Java 2.0
Two real 3.0MP cameras(Biggest output:2048*1536)
Flash light for back camera
Flash light when turn on/off the phone / listen music
Gravity sensor:Wallpaper,Music
Bluetooth
FM radio(OUT)
E-book reader
MP4,MP3,Camera
Multi Language: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, Melayu, Indonesia, Vietnam, Turkey, Russian, Arabic, Persian, Chinese, Greek

Does it work?

Yes it does and very well too. Both sim cards are active at the same time (and there is no need for weird "surgery" as the slots fit normal sized cards. You can set different ring tones for the different SIM cards and it identifies which card (sim 1 or 2) the call / text message is coming in on. When making a call / sending a text message you manually identify which number you want the message to go out on. This has meant that I've accidentally replied to someone on a different number, but that just shows how easy it is to use.

What are the downsides?

The biggest one is that it is a "no-name brand" which means that backup and support are limited outside of China. I can't get any software to connect it to my pc and download my contacts / photos and when the USB cable broke I didn't know if I could get it replaced. Now I use a flash card which I physically insert into my computer to transfer photo's. (I don't take many pictures so can't comment on the photo quality.)
The phone companies don't support it, so I couldn't connect to 3G (I could in the US) until I realised that the underlying 3G portion is copied from Samsung. Once I had that data I could send and receive mms's, connect to the internet etc
There are really only 2 games and no apps. It’s a bit tiresome after a while, but it IS JUST A PHONE - which it does well.
The default language is in chinese characters (I don't know if it is traditional or simplified) which makes it interesting to change the language to english via the graphics after "restoring factory settings" on the phone.
Your phone waking you up at 2:30am because its 8:30am where the caller is at
The default sleep time on the alarm is 4 mins. Why this is I don't know and it is easy to change (when you remember), but it took some getting used to.

And then the party piece - THE TV. Yes, for $100 you get a mini TV that will play analogue channels. Its great for catching the weather report or a snippet of news while traveling on the bus, but it is dependent on the available signal and with a number of countries going digital shortly this will become less useful.

My conclusion: until Apple make a dual sim phone, I am going to stick with this one (and even then I'm not sure I'll switch). And do you know what the best thing is - you'll be the ONLY person you know who has one!

Long Time No See

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 06:39:00 +0000

To all my readers out there,

It has been over a year since I last posted here - and I have no-one to blame but myself. Part of the reason for not writing in 2010 was because I was in a career transition and not getting out as much as I would've liked to, and then 2011 came around and I was getting out too much (despite still being in career transition) with no end in sight as yet (this is a good thing).

Over the next while I plan to get back into the routine of keeping you updated with the interesting, sometimes weird and different things that I am up to in the buildup to my trip to Pakistan in August.

Watch this space and I look forward to sharing some of the fun and stories from my recent experiences.

Anon,
Kim

Super Fun Family Carnival at Kerrisdale

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 09:47:00 +0000

The condominium block where I live has a number of social events during the year for the residents (mainly the children, but the adults enjoy them too). Today was the Super Fun Family Fun Carnival and here are some of the pictures from the event:

A lucky draw kicked off the proceedings for the day

and hotdogs and popcorn were on hand to quell the hunger pangs

There were many games - one of which involved tying the participants together

A garage sale

Miniature Golf

Balloon Man

Bubble Machine

and a Magic Show were all put on for the enjoyment of the residents

the guest of honour was MP Denise Phua along with Edwin Thong

who watched a dance performed by the children

and then awarded the prizes for the fancy dress.

(I couldn't resist this one - the reluctant contestant)

Shrine Hunting at McRitchie Resevoir

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 13:34:00 +0000

Finding the Shrine was one of the things on my "to do before I leave Singapore list" and for better or worse, I've now done it. It is not at all well publicised, stories abound as to how the pathway has been deliberately blocked, I couldn't find any maps and even some of the GPS co-ordinates on the web for the location are incorrect - but in spite of all the above we found it! It was well worth the effort and it is one of the few serene contemplative places that I've found in Singapore (but don't tell anyone please).

Some of the obstacles on the path

Stairway to Heaven

Reflection Pool

Contemplation

Football - Youth Olympics in Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:16:00 +0000

View from my balcony of the Jalan Besar Stadium where the Football for the Youth Olympic Games is being contested. Unfortunately just a bit too far away to watch, but far enough not to hear to vuvuzela's (yeah - they made it to Singapore!)

Recreation in Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sun, 23 May 2010 13:02:00 +0000

Singapore has one of the highest population densities of the world (and the government is encouraging growth). This means that most of the population live in high-rise, high-density accommodation. As a result, public recreation spaces are extremely important and this is one of the newest additions. It is quite compact, but contains shaded spaces, grass for playing on, a running / walking track and exercise stations (which include instructions on stretching).

General Function Room

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Sun, 23 May 2010 12:23:00 +0000

With space in Singapore at a premium it can be quite difficult to find a suitable space to have social functions. Traditional meals such as Chinese New Year Celebrations are held at restaurant and hotels, but a kids birthday party? Most of the large private condominums (vs government housing - HDB's) have at least 1 function room which is available for use by the residents. Uses include weddings, meetings, exercise classes and of course... parties

"Two Times Kim" Strikes Again

noreply@blogger.com (Kim) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:01:00 +0000

Once upon a time at a ski resort far far away I received the nickname of "Two Times Kim" because of my propensity to have duplicates. I wasn't completely sure that this nickname was appropriate, but the rest of the group laughed as I received this epithet - none more so than the individual who found himself at the top of a snowy slope with a quickly dropping temperature and NO gloves. I duly lent him my spare pair (actually "inners") and we returned to the safety and warmth of the pub at the foot of the mountain.

Every now and again something comes up when I am reminded of this nickname and I have begun to think that the tour leaders who bestowed it
upon me may have known me better than I knew myself. It is not that I consciously carry duplicates of everything (else I'd never be able to pick up my pack), but it seems that I could definitely drop a bit more weight (although with an average luggage weight of 14kg for non-diving trips I'm not sure that is necessary). On my recent dive trip my propensity to multiples seemed a bit extreme - 2 camera's (the flash for the underwater one didn't work); 2 dive computers (a very basic computer that I used as a backup); 2 pressure gauges (tank transmitted to my dive computer and connected to my regulator); 2 sets of fins (one with fitted shoes, the other without); 2 sets of goggles (swimming goggles - eyes only; and nose covering ones). Weight was not an issue on this trip, but I'm not sure other than dropping a pair of fins that I'd pack any less. As any good diver knows - redundancy saves lives and my erstwhile travel partner nearly managed to make full use of the additional equipment. Her dive computer didn't work after the 1st dive - she used mine; her pressure gauge was giving funny readings and we could've reconfigured her regulator to use one of mine. (And to add to her woes - and expense - her camera case flooded on the 1st dive.) It was ironic that with all the duplicates my mask (goggles) sprung a leak and I couldn't substitute my swimming goggles instead!

The last picture before the camera died

But, it seems that this habit of "Two Times Kim" is not foolproof when it comes to camera's. On my trip to North Korea, my battery ran flat at the beginning of the highlight of the trip - the Arirang show. I'd tried to re-charge it the night before, but the intermittent electricity supply meant that it didn't charge fully. After which I decided that discretion was the better part of valour and purchased a 2nd battery. I was unconcerned when the "battery low" signal appeared while on safari (and making our way to see mommy lion) - I had a 2nd fully charged battery waiting. But it wasn't! and I couldn't recharge either of the batteries for the rest of the holiday. I finally had to replace the charger when I returned back to Singapore.

Now that I've shared mine - have you received a nickname that turned out to be more appropriate (or inappropriate) than you initially thought? Share it with us in the comments below.

September 2011 Update: It seems that managed to live up to my nickname on my trip to Pakistan. One lady in particular ceased to be surprised when I mentioned that I had a spare of what she was looking for.