He suggested that we go take a ride on Pulau Ubin.
I said, fine. let's go. That's what we wanted to do for over a week or so already, and since we didn't have our bikes and we had to rent, might as well go to a place where you feel is somewhat worth renting a bike. So, over to the eastern seaboard we went, hopped onto the bumboat for $2.50 a person and sailed onto the waters, the diesel engine making bup-bup-bup sounds along the way.
(I mention this because there's a very distinct sound that diesel engines on these ferries make, and they remind me of islands, lighthouses, chalets and coconut trees.)
Two bikes we rented from one of the shops in the town center, and off we went, passing through the main road which has tree roots popping right up through the tarmac and then wound our way around here and there and then past some spanking new research center that looked weirdly out of place in the kampong atmosphere. Into this pathway of trees we headed next, and which I remembered, because there was one time I biked on it by night and that was the first time I had an inkling of what real darkness was and I didn't have a bike light with me then and it was so dark I couldn't see s***.
Anyway, we reached this place that once used to be a resort of sorts but which is now no more, and the State has posted one big sign on the main gate claiming its territory.
Up a couple of granite roads after that, and can I say that I'm terrified of granite paths when I'm biking, especially when I'm going uphill and down? I mean, I feel the BUMP when I'm going up, and there's this duk-duk-duk feeling when I'm going down. And I'm terrified to brake for fear of toppling over, and I know not to jam the brakes, and so for the entire friggin' time I was basically controlling my handlebars like mad, letting the momentum carry me along whilst attempting to keep my sense of balance and direction.
Which, poor unadventurous rider who is scared of scrapes that I am, was not finding it very fun at all.
It was more than a bike ride. There was plenty of hopping up, hopping down, logical thoughts, making slope assessments on the ball and plenty of hiking, which I found wasn't really that bad after a while. And there were no crises, nor any bicycle jams, other than on a downslope when on my left, there were these ladies who had decided to brake for some reason, and on my right, one group had decided that yeah, we'll just gather here whilst we figure out where to go next, and riders behind had to control speed, control direction, and control gauge all at the same time- not the mention that behind each incoming rider rode another coming up right behind.
Each ride has its rewards.
This one, no less.
The cliffs are beautiful. The granite walls are high, solid, harsh, cold, impenetrable, but they're beautiful. From where I stood- when I safely arrived- there were trees on top of those cliffs, foliage surrounding them. There were beautiful creatures too. I saw a huge brown caterpillar trying to cross the road. I saw a flying fox. I saw a few critters hidden here and there amongst the leaves.
The colors of the waters in the quarry are breathtaking. At Ketam quarry it is a blue. Over at the other quarry, it is an emerald green, and over at the third quarry, there's a current of emerald green with a dark algae green current running through it.
I think we went over all the passable roads. I've not explored Pulau Ubin long enough to know the ins and outs. Neither do I know where the hidden paths and the little roads are. There are little lanes that lead you to a temple, and there are little lanes that lead you to the Outward Bound Campsite. And there's a road that directs you to the Chek Jawa wetlands, on which you have to go on foot.
Maybe one day I'll go look for the house on the other end on the island that they say is built in the Tudor style and which used to contain a really huge fireplace.
But for now, we were done, and we finished the ride off with coconuts and a diet coke. :)
I said, fine. let's go. That's what we wanted to do for over a week or so already, and since we didn't have our bikes and we had to rent, might as well go to a place where you feel is somewhat worth renting a bike. So, over to the eastern seaboard we went, hopped onto the bumboat for $2.50 a person and sailed onto the waters, the diesel engine making bup-bup-bup sounds along the way.
(I mention this because there's a very distinct sound that diesel engines on these ferries make, and they remind me of islands, lighthouses, chalets and coconut trees.)
Two bikes we rented from one of the shops in the town center, and off we went, passing through the main road which has tree roots popping right up through the tarmac and then wound our way around here and there and then past some spanking new research center that looked weirdly out of place in the kampong atmosphere. Into this pathway of trees we headed next, and which I remembered, because there was one time I biked on it by night and that was the first time I had an inkling of what real darkness was and I didn't have a bike light with me then and it was so dark I couldn't see s***.
Anyway, we reached this place that once used to be a resort of sorts but which is now no more, and the State has posted one big sign on the main gate claiming its territory.
Up a couple of granite roads after that, and can I say that I'm terrified of granite paths when I'm biking, especially when I'm going uphill and down? I mean, I feel the BUMP when I'm going up, and there's this duk-duk-duk feeling when I'm going down. And I'm terrified to brake for fear of toppling over, and I know not to jam the brakes, and so for the entire friggin' time I was basically controlling my handlebars like mad, letting the momentum carry me along whilst attempting to keep my sense of balance and direction.
Which, poor unadventurous rider who is scared of scrapes that I am, was not finding it very fun at all.
It was more than a bike ride. There was plenty of hopping up, hopping down, logical thoughts, making slope assessments on the ball and plenty of hiking, which I found wasn't really that bad after a while. And there were no crises, nor any bicycle jams, other than on a downslope when on my left, there were these ladies who had decided to brake for some reason, and on my right, one group had decided that yeah, we'll just gather here whilst we figure out where to go next, and riders behind had to control speed, control direction, and control gauge all at the same time- not the mention that behind each incoming rider rode another coming up right behind.
Each ride has its rewards.
This one, no less.
The cliffs are beautiful. The granite walls are high, solid, harsh, cold, impenetrable, but they're beautiful. From where I stood- when I safely arrived- there were trees on top of those cliffs, foliage surrounding them. There were beautiful creatures too. I saw a huge brown caterpillar trying to cross the road. I saw a flying fox. I saw a few critters hidden here and there amongst the leaves.
The colors of the waters in the quarry are breathtaking. At Ketam quarry it is a blue. Over at the other quarry, it is an emerald green, and over at the third quarry, there's a current of emerald green with a dark algae green current running through it.
I think we went over all the passable roads. I've not explored Pulau Ubin long enough to know the ins and outs. Neither do I know where the hidden paths and the little roads are. There are little lanes that lead you to a temple, and there are little lanes that lead you to the Outward Bound Campsite. And there's a road that directs you to the Chek Jawa wetlands, on which you have to go on foot.
Maybe one day I'll go look for the house on the other end on the island that they say is built in the Tudor style and which used to contain a really huge fireplace.
But for now, we were done, and we finished the ride off with coconuts and a diet coke. :)