k r i s a n d r o

LG E2360 LED LCD Monitor, Weeks Later

krisandro — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 15:01:49 +0000

I have had the pleasure of holding on to the LG E2360 for so long that I sometimes forget that I have to return it soon!

Work and life have been keeping me from playing games on the PC to really test out the monitor but I’ve been spending a lot of time (as usual…) on the PC and my eyes really love to work on the newer LG E2360 compared to the LG W2486 who is sitting on the side as my secondary monitor.

My usual habit is to utilize both screens so that I can see more at once but over the last few weeks, I find myself using only the LG E2360 and sometimes even forgetting to turn on the other monitor. To explain this break of habit, I guess it’s due to the colours and the overall better display quality.

If only I can hold it on to it longer to play some games that will shine with the specs!

Read more about my first impressions of the LG E2360 here!

[Disclosure]: The LG E60 monitor is on loan to me for reviews with the option to purchase it at a small discount should I choose to.

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1000km in Vibram Five Fingers

krisandro — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 09:29:24 +0000

It’s been 16 months since I first shared shared my experience in Vibram Five Fingers (VFFs) and since I just passed the 1,000km mark 2 weeks ago in these strange looking minimalist shoes (I refuse to call them “barefoot shoes”. You are either barefoot or in various kinds of footwear.), I’d like to share again on my journey thus far.

The two ailments I had in regular shoes prior to switching to VFFs were plantar fasciitis and knee aches/pains. Knee aches have been non-existent so far. As for plantar fasciitis, the only times when I will feel slight pain is when I haven’t been running for a period and I MIGHT feel a little pull under the left foot during the 1st to 2nd run. So I can safely say that I am rid of these two problems for good every since switching to VFFs

Besides the period of time last year when I went got top of the foot pain (suspected tendinitis), probably from switching to VFFs much too soon without a transition plan, I was completely free of any injuries. Apart from a good, progressive training plan, the most important thing for any runner is to be injury free. An injury can set you back for weeks, months & even years of progress in fitness and being free from that ensures that you can constantly improve even if you are just inching forward.

I wish I had found some way to measure my feet before switching to Vibram Five Fingers; especially the bridge of my feet because I can almost swear that the arches of my feet have risen slightly over time and they feel more muscular as well. I remember being identified by a “shoe specialist” that I am leaning towards being flat footed and I have not encountered any problems from “the lack of arch support”.

I have 3 pairs of Vibram Five Fingers now. One pair of Classics that I use to walk in on an almost daily basis and 2 pairs of Bikila that I rotate for runs. Note that I don’t rotate them because of cushioning; I rotate em so that they have time to be dry from sweat and wet weather.

How long do these thin shoes last? I run mostly on cement and tarmac and manage to clock 600km in my VFFs KSO. I could have continued to run in them but I don’t want holes in my socks when a section of my socks started showing through the bottom of my KSO. I read of others like this dude who clocked over 1,200km in a pair and still going strong!

I really don’t see myself running in anything else but minimalist shoes and will recommend it to anyone. But along my journey, I have also came to a bigger understanding that the saying of “If it ain’t broke, do not fix it!” applies to shoes as well. If you never had a problem running in shoes or even landing on your heels, I’d say that you are a lucky man/woman.

Else, if you are willing to forgo the concept of cushioning and structured shoes or have been getting injured, I will highly recommend you to give minimalist shoes a try and run like how we humans are engineered to. Remember to transition slowly!

Here’s a screen-shot of a recent barefooting article by My Paper where I gave a short blurb on running with minimalist shoes.

Lawrence Lin, the dude in the pic, plans to run the Sundown 2011 100km BAREFOOTED. I salute the man!

Link to article (Page A16)

Feel free to contact me to discuss about VFFs or running! I always love to make another friend who enjoys this misunderstood sport. I can be reached via my contact form, on Twitter and through Facebook.

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Running Diary – Part I

krisandro — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 10:16:49 +0000

I will start chronicling my training data and methods here from race to race. One reason for this is to serve as a running diary and the other is for anyone who might be interested to know how I train. I am only an amateur long distance runner and I definitely will not say this is the right way to train but I collect a lot of data and I am seeing good results from my training.

*Warning* This will be an extremely boring post for most, so do not read beyond this line if you are not interesting in running data.

Training period: 26 Jan 2011 – 28 May (Sundown 2011, 21.1 km)

Distance ran (Excluding racing distance): 473.25 km
No. of runs: 59
Highest Weekly Mileage: 48.55 km
Average running distance: 8.02 km
Time spent: 46 hrs 47 mins 31 secs
Max. distance ran: 20 km
Avg. speed: 10.1 km/h
Avg. heart rate: 157 bpm
Avg. cadence: 166 – 174 steps/min.
Calories burned: 32,233 kcal
Weight change: 67.8 kg (9 Feb) – 64.5 kg (28 May)
Lowest measured weight: 63.2 kg (29 May)
Resting heart rate change: 63 bpm (30 Jan) – 56 bpm (12 May)
Lowest measured resting heart rate: 52 bpm (24 Mar)

Race Details:

Race Name: Sundown 2011
Distance: 21.1km
Time: 2 hr 02 min 13 sec
Avg. Pace: 5:48 min/km
Avg. Cadence: 164 steps/min

Training details:

I train mostly in heart rate zones. The zones are defined by assuming through calculation that my Maximum Heart Rate (HR^max) is 192 bpm and my Resting Heart Rate (HR^rest) is measured once every 3-5 days. I measure my HR^rest 1st thing in the morning before I get out of bed and it’s at least 24 hrs after the previous run.

These are my heart rate training zones with a HR^rest of 56 bpm:

The bulk of my training is of Long Slow Distances (LSDs) and the rest are Tempo Runs, Short Intervals & Long Intervals. I chose to adopt a 10-day training cycle instead of the more common 7-day cycle because I didn’t want to run 4-6 days straight with just 1 or 2 days of rest. The 10-day cycle also allowed me more flexibility in the event that I had to skip a session or two and was still able to keep to the important scheduled Long Run.

This is one real example of my 10-day cycle:

Day 1: Warm-Up Jog – 1.5 km, Short Intervals – 800 m x 6
Day 2: LSD – 8.8 km
Day 3: Rest
Day 4: Warm-Up Jog – 1.5 km, Long Intervals – 2.7 km x 2
Day 5: LSD – 8.8 km
Day 6: Rest
Day 7: Warm-Up Jog – 1 km, Tempo Run – 6.6 km
Day 8: LSD – 8.7 km
Day 9: LSD (Longest Run) – 20 km
Day 10: Rest
Total distance (including jogging laps during intervals): 71.79 km

Types of Runs:

LSDs: These are ran in Zone 3. I will divide the distance as equally as I can into 11 parts (Zone 2.7 to Zone 3.7) and slowly allow my heart’s bpm to rise as I jog the distance. Barring sections on routes with down and/or up-slopes, my speed will naturally increase as the effort of my heart increases which results in a overall negative split.

Tempo Runs: These are ran in Zone 4. I will divide the distance as equally as I can into 12 parts (Zone 3.7 to Zone 4.8) and slowly allow my heart’s bpm to rise as I run the distance. As with LSDs, the overall timing of each run is a negative split.

Short & Long Intervals: After reading about efficiency of interval training distances by Arthur Lydiard, I mainly do distances of short intervals (800 m) and long intervals (1.5 km & above). I run as fast as I can (entering Zone 5) with the last session’s timing as a guide for each lap. Upon hitting the end of a lap, I will slow jog until my heart rate hits Zone 2.9 before I start my next lap.

Race Comparison:

(Click to enlarge)

Race to race comparison will show a very skewed improvement this time because the races are so far apart (almost 2 years).

Fitness comparison:

As my LSDs are done with the same effort (heart rate zones), I shall compare LSDs of similar distances over a time period.

As you can see, there is marked improvement in speed even with a decrease in effort (avg. heart rate).

Summary:

Seeing that I manage to finally complete a training period and run a good race, I’ll be adopting the same concept in my build-up to Singapore Bay Run & Army Half Marathon (21.1km). However, my planned mileages are in preparation for my 1st full marathon in Dec for Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore.

Feel free to ask me or discuss about my training plans and running. I can be easily contacted via email through my contact page, on Twitter or through Facebook.

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LG E2360 LED LCD Monitor, First Impressions

krisandro — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:48:59 +0000

The folks of LG has once again sent over a monitor for my grimy hands to play with and this time, it’s the E60 series.

I was hoping that it will be a monitor with an even larger screen estate because the previous one they sent to me was the LG W2486 and has a 24″ widescreen; which I had eventually purchased and it has been my primary monitor with a dual monitor set-up at home.

The slight disappointment with the smaller screen estate of the LG E2360 was quickly overwhelmed when I unboxed it and realized it was so thin and light compared to the now bulky looking LG W2486!

Fresh out of the box.

E2360 on the left. W2486 on the right.

Just look how thin LG makes their monitors in just a year apart.

Buttons on the underside of the E2360. I much prefer the touch sensitive "buttons" of the W2486.

Ports on the E2360.

It is definitely not weightless but it is definitely EXTREMELY light for it's size.

I quickly moved my old Samsung monitor to the shelves; demoted the 24″ LG W2486 as my secondary monitor and assigned the sleek looking LG E2360 as my primary monitor. Pardon my messy desk but I have to show how it barely accommodates the 2 huge LG widescreen monitors.

Yes.... I need to clear my desk....

First impressions upon using the LG E2360? Colours were impressive and the contrast of images and video on the screen were even better than the already impressive LG W2486. The other specifications are impressive too!

LG E2360 LED LCD Monitor Specifications:

Screen Size: 23″
Panel Type: TN
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Resolution: 1920 x 1080
Brightness (cd/m2): 250
Contrast Ratio (DFC): 5,000,000:1
Response Time (GTG): 5 ms (Typical)
Viewing Angle: 170º
Display Colors: 16.7 M
Panel Surface: Anti-Glare, 3H

The recommended retail price of the monitor is S$298.

I will be holding on it for a little while more and I’ll share more about the LG E2360 later!

[Disclosure]: The LG E60 monitor is on loan to me for reviews with the option to purchase it at a small discount should I choose to.

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Getting There And Out Was A Bitch But Completing Sundown 2011 Was Awesome

krisandro — Sun, 29 May 2011 13:31:26 +0000

My last race was at Singapore Bay Run (SBR) in Sep 2009 for the 21km run and since then, there was this running curse that plagued me since then. Getting to the starting line of Sundown 2011 proved to be an obstacle itself with the insane traffic jam leading up to Changi Exhibition Centre (CEC).

From my observations, the only people who got to the starting line in time were those who planned to arrive insanely early and those who travelled via motorcycles that can weave through the snail-paced vehicular jam.

The awesome KuKuNehNeh drove me to Expo where we parked and we took a cab down to CEC. A drive from Expo to CEC on any other day that will take 20mins, took almost 1hr that day. And that was only to the junction leading to Aviation Park Road. We got off the cab and away from the clearly pissed cab driver who most likely regretted picking us up even when I gave him 4 extra dollars as compensation. We then walked at a fast pace towards the starting line which took us another 25-30mins. Scores of runners and supporters lined the streets on route to the starting line as well.

My personal best (PB) was 2:43:32 at the SBR in 2009 and I aimed to do a 1:59:00 and set off at a good average pace of 5:36/km for the 1st 10km. The pace was tough to maintain not because of the speed but for the waves and waves of human traffic that I had to weave through because I started 30mins past the official starting time. Walkers hogged both the left and right extremes and sometimes even the centre. There are also groups of runners that probably know each other and thus formed various formations that I had to circumnavigate.

Most of the time I had to silently find opportunities to overtake as I didn’t want to say “To your right!” for the whole of 21km and ended up bumping into a few elbows and arms while overtaking. I did say my “Sorries” though.

The water/100plus stations were overcrowded and I only managed to grab a cup of 100plus at the 4km mark and another 2 cups of water along the way to the 17km mark. My mind and body broke down at that point and I walked to the 100plus station and took a cup and walked. It was tasty life going down my throat and I actually walked back after 5 metres just to grab another cup and walked for another 300 metres.

Upon checking my watch and remembering what I set out to do, my mind rebooted and I ran my way to finish in 2:02:13 with an average pace of 5:30/km for the last 3.65km. I was really spent, pushing myself through the last 500m and my right calf cramped up. The photographers at the last stretch probably have all pictures of my face in various states of agony.

I didn’t achieve what I set out to do but I am still extremely pleased at breaking my race curse and shaving off 40+mins off to set a new PB.

This is only my 2nd race since starting long-distance running in 2009 and there’s a wealth of lessons learnt. I can’t wait to start training for my next race!

A poor location to organise a running event of such scale but kudos to the Sundown 2011 volunteers that lined the route and the water stations who were extremely cheerful while saying/shouting words of encouragement as I ran my heart out. I can’t imagine the amount of work involved in cleaning up the event site and route which was littered with cups and other rubbish as well.

A big THANK YOU to you volunteers! (and also to KKNN for driving and accompanying me there. Though she said it will be the last time she is gonna do that due to the horrible traffic. LOL)

Update: The official results are out at Runpix! http://www.runpix.info/wrace2/00/sun11/ge.php?ln=

Here’s my comparison between Sundown 2011 & SBR 2009

(Click to enlarge)

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Learning From Failure

krisandro — Wed, 25 May 2011 11:16:50 +0000

I had 3 out of 63 runs in this training cycle that failed to meet my expectations and on hindsight, I’m pleased to have had them because the lessons learnt are priceless.

There was this failed attempt to go for a long jog in the evening after spending a tiring morning at Sentosa’s MegaZip. The other 2 failed attempts was because of my choice at an overzealous pace at a recent 10km and 12km run. These 2 fast paced runs were the most enlightening because it emulated race conditions.

Looking at the data from the 2 runs, I know that I will fail to keep the pace when my heart starts to beat above 175-177 which is about 91-92% of my MHR (Maximum Heart Rate). After I hit that threshold, I will only be able to keep the same pace for about 2-3km before my body and mind tells me to give up.

I did the 12km run in 1:05:53 and it sounds like a respectable timing at a pace of 5:29/km but it was an extremely crappy run. The initial 7.6km was ran at a pretty constant pace of 5:08/km and I couldn’t keep it up after that. The rest of the run was at paces ranging from 5:41/km to 6:27/km. It felt so bad that I really wanted to just give up.

So for races beyond 3km, I know that I need to keep a watch on my heart rate (pun not intended) and adjust my speed accordingly to leave enough fuel to finish the run at a constant pace and a strong finish.

The other lesson learnt is to know my strength and not push it too much.

Oh well, I train like a robot for most of my training. A little fun and challenge now and then should be fine.

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Habitat-Barclays Bare Your Sole 2011

krisandro — Thu, 12 May 2011 14:44:12 +0000

Anyone who knows that I run regularly would also know that I have no love for thick soled shoes. So when Ben of The PR Element approached me to aid in a barefoot walk event for charity, I was all ears.

Habitat-Barclays Bare Your Sole 2011 is a 2.5/4km barefoot walk event by Habitat for Humanity which will take place on Saturday, 18 June at Gardens by the Bay East, Tanjong Rhu. After deducting event costs, all registration fees and donations will be channelled to Habitat for Humanity (Habitat), which is an international, non-governmental, non-profit Christian organization devoted to building “simple, decent, and affordable” housing for the needy. To date, they have built over 350,000 houses for 1.75 million people in regions such as North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and throughout Asia-Pacific.

Your donations, together with the help of volunteer labour, Habitat builds simple, decent houses to be sold to needy families at ZERO profit with affordable, no-interest loans. Habitat’s volunteers have been also involved in the recent disasters in Japan.

KuKuNehNeh and myself are signing up for Habitat-Barclays Bare Your Sole 2011 in the 4km category. Everyday, disaster stricken people and the unfortunate in poverty trudge on with nothing on their feet. So join us and possibly more than 5,000 others for a very short barefoot walk. Trust me when I say barefooting is beneficial for your health so long as you keep a good eye on the ground for dangerous objects and hold off your foot fetishes till after a good shower.

Event: Habitat-Barclays Bare Your Sole 2011

Venue: Gardens by the Bay East (Rhu Cross), Official Map

Date: Saturday, 18th June 2011

Time: 9am – 1pm (Flag off time at 9am)

Registration Costs: Early Bird $15 (register before 1 June) and $20 (normal)

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/BareYourSoleSG

There are some important points to note from the FAQ:

No skating or cycling or any form of wheels on the course. This is for the safety of all participants.
Running is allowed but you will have to bear the risks.
No pets allowed on the course. (Barefoot + Poop = Ewwwwwwwwww…)
No bag deposit so please travel light!
There is no parking available at the event site. Participants are recommended to use the parking facilities around Stadium Walk and Stadium MRT, and either proceed to the venue on foot or via the shuttle buses provided.

Check out the website for more details. See you there!

[Disclaimer]: This post is not paid for in cash or in kind.

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Hey Singapore, I Am Sorry Too…

krisandro — Wed, 04 May 2011 17:47:59 +0000

Hey Singapore, I am sorry too.

Sorry to have been politically ignorant by choice for all of my life until recently. Living in Jurong West for as long as I can remember, I never had a chance to vote since turning 21 in 2002. My only joke/comment that I could make during election period in 2006 was, “Elections? Who cares. Jurong sure walkover one… Nobody wants the mutants of the west.” There were possibly half-truths in that statement but the fact is that I really didn’t care.

My view on politics was that it doesn’t affect me. Even politicians themselves look bored and uninterested as they sit in parliament, taking turns to speak. I have never seen my MP, nor find the need to visit him/her. See that I didn’t even know the gender of my MP. I was brought up to be self-sufficient and when I needed help, my mother was the one to go to; not my MP. I was a frog in a well; fully contented of where I am, what was available, and what was not. Like any Singaporean, I knew that nothing will be handed to me on a silver platter and I will have to work for what I want as mine. So even if I had a choice, why do I need someone to represent me, my neighbourhood and my country?

Just before the announcement on the Singapore General Elections 2011, I was entering into a stage where I need to think about settling down and that equates to financial planning and looking for a flat. I was looking at HDB’s website for BTOs and looking at affordability charts. These charts tell me that a combined salary with my future wife, I will be able to afford a 4-rm flat in Sengkang. It does sound expensive; paying almost 300k for a good 30 years of my life. Did I blink when I clicked to apply for one? Not really. I took it as status quo like the frog I still am. “Every regular Singaporean of my age look to be surviving with this. I think I can do the same.”

And then it struck me. My mother bought her 3-rm flat for a 5 figure sum and she is now able to sell it for a 6 figure sum if she wants to. Sounds impressive until I realize I am not earning much more than her when she was at her prime. If the price for a flat is 4 times as much compared to my Mum’s time of purchase, shouldn’t I be at least earning at least 4 times as much at this point? Was it my own fault? Did I not study hard enough? Did I make wrong career choices when younger? I look at my friends and I realize only a very, very small handful can claim to have such earning power.

A simple 3 lettered word that I should have asked…

“Why?”

Why is it so expensive? Why do I have to pay for my flat till I hit my 60s? Why do I feel like I need to work till my grave in order to survive. Why do I feel like I am unable to have more kids even if I wanted to. Why do I keep hearing awesome growth of the country but I don’t see it happening to my friends and me? Why are my ministers getting almost $2million a year when I don’t even know their gender or their names or what they actually do for me?

Then nomination day came and the Opposition parties marched. Some marched with experiences and plans. Some marched with a purpose or even agendas. All of them marched because they wanted to ask “Why?”. And “Why?” they asked for the days leading to 7th May. This time, I felt empowered for I can choose.

Through the power of social media and the internet, I was free to read up on the past and present of Singapore. I wasn’t stupid to think everything I read is true or even relevant to the present but we all know the truth is somewhere out there and definitely harder to find in our local news.

So here are my few thoughts after my political awakening.

No doubt that the PAP has a track record but we have been reminded to death about it. Your predecessors record is not yours. Most of you have a track record because you had the chance to do so. Can’t say the same about a chance for our Opposition candidates so what’s the point of saying that they don’t?
We are not stupid. Having such overwhelming numbers in parliament unchallenged, just means that one party’s voice is being heard. There are advantages to such a system and it’s benefits are of a dictatorship and not of a democratic society. How can an MP’s voice represent me when he/she is not accountable to me? I didn’t vote them in. The party brought them in. Guess whose loyalty do they owe it to?
GRCs – They do ensure a minority representation in parliament but my ONE vote can potentially bring in one or two MPs that I wanted to vote for and four to five others I didn’t care for. So should I vote for what I can live with or what I can live without?
In all considerations, I really think the PAP has it tough. Having been in the limelight and in power, their work is for all to be scrutinized. So when the Oppositions nitpick at your policies and your mistakes with the undeniable voices of citizens booing in unison, why in the world would you defend your policies in such a way that make you seem untouchable and never wrong? Where’s the empathy or even the attempt at conjuring some so that you may bring a stronger point across?
Mr Low Thia Kiang and Mr Chiam See Tong are my new found heroes. Both of them dug holes in the walls where JBJ left cracks at and managed to win over residents of their wards for 20-26 years. Both of them could have stayed in their SMCs in Hougang and Potong Pasir respectively for this GE and have high odds of winning but they left for a greater cause – To compete in Aljunied & Bishan/Toa Payoh GRCs so that they may bring more opposition voices to make it count in Parliament. Thanks to point #3, I would have undoubtedly voted for them over any PAP team if I was in the said GRCs.
Not every PAP candidate is a money grubbing, evil person with no regard for citizens and armed with bad analogies. I’m sure there are those who have the right mentality but they are unfortunate by association.
No Opposition team/candidate is worth your vote if you just want to go against PAP because you don’t like them.
Your vote is secret. It really is; so vote wisely.
“Your vote is secret” & “Vote wisely” are not calls for you to vote for the Opposition. Do your research.

To the Opposition parties: Thank you for showing us that our voices can be heard and are heard. Thank you for stepping forward even when most of you seem unprepared. Whatever the results will be after 7th May, I have no doubt that even with an 87-0 landslide, the PAP or shall I say the government, will definitely take bigger steps in the “right” direction.

To the PAP: Show empathy or at least hire a good PR team.

To Lee Kuan Yew: I have nothing much to say out of respect but I shall repent if given a choice.

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Megazip Adventure Park – Loads Of Challenging Fun

krisandro — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:31:02 +0000

I love rides and even more so when it’s challenging; so I was extremely glad to extend the invitation from MegaZip Adventure Park to a group of bloggers and go along for the ride(s)!

Huge crowd at the waiting platform for the Sentosa Express

We arrived at the MegaZip Adventure Park after alighting at Imbiah Station (Sentosa Express) and walking past Sentosa’s attractions like the Tiger Sky Tower, Butterfly Park & Insect Kingdom & Sentosa 4D Magix. I don’t think it was a long walk but then again, my sense of distance is rather warped because of my hobby.

Apart from the heat, the weather was beach-perfect conditions; sunny with gusty winds to give moments of relief.

The staff at the MegaZip Adventure Park were a bunch of extremely friendly and upbeat people. Their smiles and positivity proved to be important as many participants needed much encouragement through the various obstacles the park has to offer.

MegaZip staff demonstrating what face you should make even when you are scared enough to piss your pants.

First up – ClimbMax!

“ClimbMax is Singapore’s premiere high ropes adventure course. 15 metre high Eucalyptus trees create a formidable course in the jungle hilltops of Sentosa.
3 LEVELS, 40 FOOT HIGH, THE ULTIMATE PHYSICAL CHALLENGE
The views are breathtaking, the thrills are endless and the well-drilled staff ensure that the experience is safe, efficient and highly addictive.”

ClimbMax Level 3 - 40 feet above the ground

Here's Mint attempting to navigate ClimbMax Level 2 with her eyes closed.

Looks easy but if you look closely at my right arm, you can tell that I was hanging on really tight.

Trixy navigated the ClimbMax like a female Tarzan and still had the capacity to camwhore!

This little girl who is barely taller than my waist went for ClimbMax Level 3!

I had to take a long breather after that particular stage in ClimbMax. It was unanimously voted as the toughest one.

Hayley needed some rescuing at the ClimbMax and we watched the staff weave himself expertly to her timely and got her down safely.

Derek - our hero for the day. When he wasn't lugging around the heavy Canon 5D plus 70-200mm lens, he spat on his palms and ran circles around the ClimbMax.

Alton was with Sarah, Ash, James and me on ClimbMax Level 3

ClimbMax Level 3 - Final stage; least effort with a dash of faith

I was drenched in sweat after completing ClimbMax Level 3. It was tough!

The ClimbMax was the toughest attraction of the MegaZip Adventure Park I tried that day. We could feel the ropes sway to the strong winds and even the structures seem to sway a little. It’s definitely still all in the mind, as we were all safely harnessed in the event of a misstep. The staff were very attentive and shouted out tips and words of encouragement if anyone got stuck at a certain obstacle. We were also witnesses to a real rescue that showcased how efficiently they can get to someone who got stuck or needed help.

There are 3 levels of difficulty in terms of height in total with slight variations to the obstacles. Definitely try out level 3 if you are game. The view is beautiful up there!

Next up – NorthFace!

Test yourself on this monster of a climbing wall! The 16 metre wall is one of the highest in Singapore, with three different routes to the top. Under the supervision of our climbing instructors you will be safely belayed all the way to the top. Find your own route, reach the summit, and then lean back, relax, and abseil back down the North Face.

Ruoxuan and Mint attempting to climb the NorthFace.

Only the two ladies in the picture above tried out the NorthFace as we were all spent from the ClimbMax. It’s something I’ll definitely go for on my next visit.

Next up – ParaJump!

At the ParaJump leap point, the views are amazing. Ocean, jungle, palms swaying in the breeze, white sand beaches… and a 50 foot drop to the family below!
A custom made safety wire and harness developed in the UK and controlled with clockwork efficiency by our experienced staff is a first for Singapore and allows you to replicate a freefall parachute jump – without the plane ride!

Here's another picture of Super Derek, scoffing at the 50-foot drop from the ParaJump as he cradles his mega-camera with one hand.

Trixy at her best. Jumping 50-feet off a ledge down to the ground while holding a camera on video mode aimed steadily at her face.

Sarah, my fellow Vibram Five Fingers wearer.

Jiaqi had the most style points coming down from the 50-foot drop.

Finale – MegaZip!

Asias most extreme zip line takes adrenaline junkies from the jungle canopy of Imbiah Hill to the white sands of Fox Finish Point.
75 METRES HIGH, 450 METRES LONG AT HEART POUNDING SPEEDS OF 50KMPH
Singapores first 3 wire zip tests friendships as you race your pals or parents to the finish line. Exhilarating, breathtaking, fast and furious… if you are going to go radical for a day, this is the way to do it.

Jiaqi & Hayley (Jay on the Hay) coming down the MegaZip in tandem.

I was the last to go down on the MegaZip and I was pointing at my crotch. The discomfort to my family jewels was well worth the awesome 450-metre ride down!

Posing for Ruoxuan's camera.

After completing the ClimbMax, ParaJump & NorthFace, the final ride is a cool zip line down Imbiah Hill and across the waters of Sentosa! The view is amazing and would be even cooler if I wasn’t uncontrollably swung around to have my back face the front most of the time. My tip for you is to find someone to go down in tandem if your combined weight does not exceed 140kg. You’ll definitely enjoy the ride more going down as fast as you possibly can!

The bloggers looking extremely cool with their harnesses and a beach backdrop.

Everyone had fun at the MegaZip Adventure Park!

I had so much fun that I am already trying to find a date to go back with KuKuNehNeh and more friends!

Prices for the attractions at the Megazip are as follows:

There’s also a 5% discount if you book online through their website at www.megazip.com.sg

Wear appropriate sports attire that cover your shoulders, waist & thighs to minimize discomfort from the harnesses. In the event that you are not wearing appropriate shoes or shorts that day, the Megazip folks will provide Crocs and shorts for you!

[Disclaimer]: This trip was sponsored by the good folks at MegaZip. All views on this posts are of my own and were made while sober.

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Revised Map Of Singapore For Samantha From Holland Village

krisandro — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 06:56:47 +0000

A Holland Village resident from Singapore called in to a radio station and asked uncultured heartlanders to stay clear of cultured Holland Village.

To aid a fellow Singaporean, I have helped her define the boundaries so that you uncultured, manner-less, loud-mouthed, Bugis Street cheap clothes wearing people from heartlands such as Ang Mo Kio, Yishun, Toa Payoh and Bukit Batok will understand her plight and keep to your zones.

Keep to your zones like you should people! Stop tainting Holland Village!

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