Outing no3 for 2010

[Simon]

don't need anything extreme, a walk around macritchie is also a good idea

[Blue Whale]

One thing about trekking is bringing a simple sandwich (most likely flatten if you don't use a box), and having some drinks. Half day can take you out 1L of water literally. All rubbish will need to be collected and brought out. Meaning smokers, you have to collect your cigarette butt too.

My last trip was called by POSBank Committee (Union), some of my ex-colleagues still there to cover safety and medical. So I am always last in the group. It was half day, start point somewhere around a carpark at Thomson and end point is Bukit Timah Hill top. Oldest participant was an old lady 70 years old. Youngest was I think 8 to 10 years old. Nobody was hurt, occassionally find people lagging behind and ask them to rest a while then continue. Start time about 9am, ending 12+pm. Most opt to go up not by the staircase but the spiral road. It's steep by the way...either way. Hence coming down can be challenging too.

[David Moses Heng]

Sorry for the very brief absence as i was busy with the schools and also handling a police case now.

Desmond, thanks for holding the fort for this that i have started. I know that I can always count you whenever the call is sounded.

guys, I would like to share some of my opinions from what i have read in this thread thus far. While I did initiated a trek in the central catchment, we need not necessary cover the full milage of the trek. Also for starters, I don't think we are ready for a hike from all the park connectrs like BW suggested.

That will need months of prepparation not forgeting hours and hours of planning to cover logistic and safety.

While we are passionate about our hobby, i felt that we must draw a line. That line, we all have to decide for ourselves.

from my monthly trek in bukit timah to MacRitchie reservoir, if you are observant enough, there are actually plenty of fauna to wow you. I ever saw a civet cat last year drinking from the streams and civet cats sighting are extremly rare in our reserves. also in december last year, i saw a baby pangolin hiding at the buttress root of one of those giant trees near the visitor centre.

All these and more awaits us just in Bukit Timah. So like what Simon suggested, a leisure walk is good enough. At least, it can help us take our mind off whatever issues that we have at the back of our mind.

Let us not get overly zealous but lets take things one step at a time. Shall we?

[eddy planer]

Sorry for the very brief absence as i was busy with the schools and also handling a police case now.

Desmond, thanks for holding the fort for this that i have started. I know that I can always count you whenever the call is sounded.

guys, I would like to share some of my opinions from what i have read in this thread thus far. While I did initiated a trek in the central catchment, we need not necessary cover the full milage of the trek. Also for starters, I don't think we are ready for a hike from all the park connectrs like BW suggested.

That will need months of prepparation not forgeting hours and hours of planning to cover logistic and safety.

While we are passionate about our hobby, i felt that we must draw a line. That line, we all have to decide for ourselves.

from my monthly trek in bukit timah to MacRitchie reservoir, if you are observant enough, there are actually plenty of fauna to wow you. I ever saw a civet cat last year drinking from the streams and civet cats sighting are extremly rare in our reserves. also in december last year, i saw a baby pangolin hiding at the buttress root of one of those giant trees near the visitor centre.

All these and more awaits us just in Bukit Timah. So like what Simon suggested, a leisure walk is good enough. At least, it can help us take our mind off whatever issues that we have at the back of our mind.

Let us not get overly zealous but lets take things one step at a time. Shall we?

Oops,we're regret that we're over zealous. Time to pop some chill pills.
Then shall we go Sungei Buloh Wetland to wow us with all the awesome true biodiversity for 2hrs walk.Thereafter we still can visiting nearby farms, too!

David , your choice?

[Blue Whale]

David, I am talking about half day short trip, park connectors only spring out recently. Not the John Rambo jungle trip where you take a machine gun with one hand and take on King Cobra. After being bitten by snake use the gun powder from the bullet to cure the wound.

Squirrels if you are observant enough. Occasional wild boar, I just read a deer was being hit and run and currently in ECU after being rescue by Singapore zoo. So far I haven't seen a deer in Singapore catchment area yet.

Logistic wise is not heavy, you just have to decide start point and end point. Start time and End time. Drinks all must bring one. Just plan for emergency exit points in case of dehydration cases.

[David Moses Heng]

David, I am talking about half day short trip, park connectors only spring out recently. Not the John Rambo jungle trip where you take a machine gun with one hand and take on King Cobra. After being bitten by snake use the gun powder from the bullet to cure the wound.

Squirrels if you are observant enough. Occasional wild boar, I just read a deer was being hit and run and currently in ECU after being rescue by Singapore zoo. So far I haven't seen a deer in Singapore catchment area yet.

Logistic wise is not heavy, you just have to decide start point and end point. Start time and End time. Drinks all must bring one. Just plan for emergency exit points in case of dehydration cases.

Hi Michael,

thanks for your inputs.

I guess i may have misread you and if that is the case, please accept my apologies.

Half a day trip is fine and yes squirrels are ready to be seen. Wild boars in Singapore, I only see them in area D where we do our trainings and live firings.

I read about the deer in the Wan Baos and I suspect that it may be from the zoo or a private collector... Anyway, let me not start the speculation...

Maybe i can rope you to plan for the trip if it materalise cos from the poll, the viva/palu/terraium workshop thingy seems to be very popular also...

[Blue Whale]

Actually if it is just the 1st trekking trip. Then bypassing water source would be a good experience. A short and easy one would be Pasir Ris there. Area after Pasir Ris Resort. Once we reach the mud skipper area we can break off from the main track to wander a bit, then re-org again. As Drive 3 there will be some 6 buses around, getting back is not an issue. Of course, we may need to discourage driving here.

And if half day isn't sufficient, we could walk to drive 12 to look see look see again. Plenty of materials there.

[David Moses Heng]

BW, As the thread starter. I suggest that we fous on what is on the poll so as not to create confusion. Thanks!

[edwardchuajh]

Hi Altum,

Is it possible to include Sungei Buloh as a walk? I think it is more "controlled" as it is a park itself with defined walkways, and it should fit more into a mangrove/palu theme for the outing.

And for Sungei Buloh it will be less taxing I feel because it does not have any "up slopes" to climb.

[felix_fx2]

AL,
No need to have those real good hikes, my body not conditioned anymore unless i am wearing N.o-4. It might be good know where it might be, 1 place is good to me as nature has alot to offer.

[David Moses Heng]

Guys,

Rest assured that I am reading your suggestions/opinions. Once the poll closed, I will then discuss with my events buddy(Dkk08 ) before we decide on the location.

Meanwhile, what i have in mind is either a trek within Central catchment or a visit to Sungei Buloh with a visit to some of the farms around there.

Stay tuned!!

[fotoudavid]

If i can make it, will take pictures.

[David Moses Heng]

If i can make it, will take pictures.

Come. We believe that you can make it.

[David Moses Heng]

Guys,

Rest assured that I am reading your suggestions/opinions. Once the poll closed, I will then discuss with my events buddy(Dkk08 ) before we decide on the location.

Meanwhile, what i have in mind is either a trek within Central catchment or a visit to Sungei Buloh with a visit to some of the farms around there.

Stay tuned!!

Results of the poll:

Trek through Central catchment comes out top follow by viva/palu/terraium workshop

And having discussed with DKK08 some days back, I have decided to have outing no 3 at Sungei Buloh with a visits to a farm around the area.

Tentatively, the dates should be around 17th April or 1st May.

I will also be creating another poll for the dates.

Kindly keep the support coming.

That's all folks.

[dkk08]

Tentatively, the dates should be around 17th April or 1st May.

17th April hopefully I can make it as I'll be having my company's D&D on the 16th and will be dead drunk

1st May I should be somewhere along silk road riding on a camel

Maybe I should sit this 3rd trip out