9 Mar 2008 – Kuching

45mins drive from Kuching city is the Permai Rainforest’s Resort. Santubong jungle lies behind the resort. We started the Sunday morning hike from the info counter following the blue/red track to the first waterfall and then the blue track to a second waterfall. Our local guide, John led the hike and gave useful info & tips. It seemed like another lifetime ago since my last walk in a tropical forest. After about 4km/2.5mi & 4hrs of walk and sweat, to sit in the Rainforest’s Cafe by the sea for a bite & drink was inviting.  

Appreciation to Susan (MNS) for arranging the talk and for including me in the group hike. Thank you to Rose, Radio Television Malaysia for the ice cream and taking time to chat after the interview. The hospitality of the Kuching people will not be forgotten.

Destroying rainforest for economic gain is like burning a Renaissance painting to cook a meal – Edward Wilson

7 Mar 2008 – Malaysia Nature Society-Kuching / www.mns.org.my

Kuching is a pleasant lay-back river town where my ancestors first set foot on after leaving China in the early 1900s. The family history documents are in the research process and will eventually surface when time and funds permit. There is a road named after the family bank, Jalan Kwong Lee Bank. A weekend is too short for such an extensive family tree project. With luck and good health, I will return to take pictures and to spend more time with the relatives I never knew.

SC Sia, a charismatic young gentleman whose lovely wife gave birth to their third child recently connected MNS-Kuching with me as he could not attend the Singapore talks. Kuching gave me the opportunity to catch up with my brother Lawrence & his wife Mabel, meeting of an uncle & his wife I never knew existed as well as dinning with Sia & his charming family.  The talk was held at the AZAM HQ to an interesting diverse audience including Lawrence, Sia and his mother. Grateful for all who attended in spite of elections. Appreciations to the press for all publicity coverage, both before and after. Thank you to Lawrence & Mabel for putting me up, to MNS for hosting it and photo courtesy to Sia.

If you destroy your past, something in people die – Jacqueline Kennedy

1 Feb 2008 – Blazing Outdoor Adventures & Co
http://www.boac-online.com

Leonard, a young gentleman friend accompanied me to the first BOAC talk which was located at their former premises at South Bridge Rd. Without Leonard I would have been in the dark about the high tech world. He helped to choose my laptop, down loaded programs etc for me. Thank you for leading me to the software path – must have been frustrating trying to teach an old dog new tricks!

The talk was at South Bridge Rd directly across from my family’s bank ie when the family still had Kwong Lee Bank, 72 South Bridge Rd then. Could probably find my way between this road and Temenggong Rd (where I was born and lived until I left Singapore in 1965), even with my eyes closed! The amazing surprise is that I could still recognise the buildings from just after the Singapore River to North Canal Rd on both sides of the road! Fook Onn was the only store which sold winter clothes in those days, is still standing on the corner by the traffic lights!

BOAC is quite unique in that it organises hiking and adventure trips as well as the sales of clothing, hiking & camping gears. Eng Ting Ting, a charming person showed much enthusiasm to the talk and the book. We met up subsequently and are now blogging! together. Some members could not turn up being too near to the Chinese New Year. A second talk to be scheduled in their new location somewhere in Eunos sometime just before globe-trotting.

The person who is too old to learn was probably always too old to learn – Caryl Haskins

Edited 25Jun 2017: just remember what BOAC was in my youth – British Overseas Airways Corporation was the British state-owned airline created in 1940. In 1974 it merged with British European Airways to form British Airways. We used to nicknamed it Better On A Camel 🙂

25 Jan 2008 – Nature Society Singapore/www.nss.org.sg

The Sunflower is a building on 510 Geylang Rd/Lorong 28 in proximity to the red light district, not familiar and no memories of this area. There is a karaoke bar with full size mural nature scenes, waterfalls & hills painting on the exterior wall on the ground floor – any association with NSS or just a way to black-out the outside world from the bar inside? At first glance, I thought that I had lost my way. The address was correct and the NSS office is located upstairs.

Was informed that the noise from downstairs can be disturbing; fortunately the weekday talk started before the karaoking! It was a decent turn-out with members and guests showing their attentivenesswith their questions. Pui Ah REYNODS, a friend from childhood days who now lives in Vancouver, Canada was visiting. Her presence was appreciated. Thank you to Si Guim who invited me to give my talk.

Joe’s recommendation for the Hokkien Mee (noodles fried with spices, vegetables, pork, fish, prawns and squids) across the road was scrumptious and the price was affordable. In the pleasant company of Pui Ah, Ann & Quek, the evening passed by quickly. Grateful to Quek who offered me a lift home.

Nature tells every secret once – Ralph Waldo Emerson

16 Jan 2008 – The Yoga Shala School/www.theyogashala.com.sg

Was walking thru’ memory lane to get to the school which is located across from the former Yan Kit public swimming pool. In the late 1950s & early 1960s, the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus/CHIJ’s swim practices were held between there and the River Valley Rd pool, both no longer in used.

The run-down entrance brought back vivid memories to that day I forgot my underwear. Being adverse to the use of public restrooms – especially in those days, I had a swimsuit on under my school uniform on the way to practise so as to avoid using the changing rooms. Realised only after the swim that I forgot to pack underwear and could not just slip the uniform over a wet suit. To be without underwear in public was an uncomfortable feeling then, even if no one noticed!

The Yoga Shala School is on the 2nd floor in a tastefully renovated shop-house type design. The turn-out & interest was good with an abundance of food and drinks to consume; time spent with the Yogis was educational & rejuvenating. My knowledge of yoga is minimum but a session of Suryanamaskara A&B contributed some benefits to the body & soul. Would have liked to continue with more sessions if time had permitted. Thank you  Daisy CHIA for including me at the opening. All the best wishes & success to you.

For those wounded by civilization, yoga is the most healing salve – Terri Guillemets

The incorrect use of the English language with acronyms can be rather disagreeable to the ears if one is not accustomed to the lingo. When I returned to SIN in 1999, my first attempt to drive with these directions- take the ECP into the CBD, pass ERP and meet me at the MRT were not as easy as ABC! At a hawker’s centre I overheard an adult telling a child… ‘you eat yourself,  I eat myself’. Even after 8 years, it is still necessary for my full attention to understand what is said but when Singlish is spoken, I am lost in translation.

For the consideration to my overseas’ families and friends, ECP=East Coast Highway, CBD=Central Business District, ERP=Electronic Road Pricing, MRT=Mass Rapid Transport/subway. As for eating, how would you phrase that? Singlish is a mish-mash of English, often mispronounced & grammatically incorrect, with the use of Malay, Chinese dialects and ‘lah & hor’ added randomly.

13 Jan – Silver Industry Convention & Exhibition SICEX

Singapore Sports Council, SSC invited me to share the AT hike at the exhibition to SIN’s first SICEX- befitting for my book title, First SIN AT Thru-Hiker! How was I going to project this experience with a constructive message across? Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said it all in one line during his dialogue at the convention – ‘Stay interested in the world, take on a challenge’. And so the journey continues onto more challenges with the first round of talks in SIN- my birth place is an appropriate start to the silver cycle. Thank you to April, BeeKoon & Sani for inviting me.

The family tree research was the main reason for my return to SIN but the diversions on the way have been delightfully interesting and enjoyable! To be able to combine my travels visiting family & friends and at the same time sharing experience through the talks will be the way to continue. The Presentations page in this blog allows readers to know my whereabouts for the talks and media featured for both completed and to be presented.

Knowledge of the world is only acquired in the world, not in a closet –
Lord Chesterfield

Jan/Jul – traveled to Hong Kong HKG, Macau, China, Hawaii, Thailand, Indonesia, Banda Aceh, Siem Reap, Malaysia and a whole month driving around Australia. A month is not enough to see such a vast country/continent –  good excuse to return for another trip someday. My favourite part was to catch up with families and friends.

To everyone’s relief, Linn & family returned safely to the USA in July after the completion of the medical clinic in Banda Aceh. It was alot of fun and full of life in my studio apartment for a couple of days while they were on transit. Linn reminded me of her high school days in Florida where we used to have her gang slumbering all over the condo floor after every Prom & Homecoming! So much good memories with all kinds of emotions.

May traveled to Florida for her 10th High School Reunion. 2007 was the only year that I did not get to see her since she was born. It is very difficult to go a whole year without meeting up with my children but thank goodness for internet as written words and the voice contact is better than no contact.

Jul/Dec – was asked again to share my AT experience. Was I just not ready or was it because I did not know how to face yet another challenge? Decided to stay put in Singapore the second half of the year to get my act together. Bought a laptop; struggled days & nights with the words, design & layout and finally managed to get a budget book printed in time for the Christmas holiday, what an ideal present in the presence of a friend’s visit.

A hidden connection is stronger than an obvious one – Heraclitus

After returning to SIN, I was asked if I was open to give talks about the hike. For me, a talk would have defeated the purpose without any kind of printed material to share. Started to compile the data with the pictures and keywords scribbled daily during the hike for a journal.

Personal agenda, traveling, projects with setting up and orgnising of events & shows took much energy and time. The AT documentation’s was in the background and I did not think anyone would be interested to hear about it. Responsibilities, commitments and changes were pulling in all directions.

Spring – May moved back to Norway after working for some years in New York City. She wanted to return to her roots to be nearer her ageing grandparents and she also decided to do her Masters at the University of Oslo.

Summer/Autumn – Linn and her husband Jeff, and their 2 children Katy (4) & Ellie (2) moved from South Caroline, USA to Banda Aceh. Jeff, my son-in-law was there to start a medical clinic after the tsunami. Linn was then pregnant and to my relief, she agreed to travel to SIN for the birth of their third child. The family had to be in SIN at least a month before term and another month after birth.

My 60sqm 1 room studio apartment, renovated by knocking down most of the walls from a 3 room Housing Development Board/HDB, SIN’s public housing where app 80% of the population lives) was not the ideal living space for so many people. Thanks to Peggy TAN, a friend and former class-mate who kindly opened her house to us.

Winter – John Whitham HALL, my first grandson was born 29 Nov. May flew from Oslo to help and to attend niece, PatLynne LEUNG & David YEOH, her cousin’s wedding. Dec 2006 was the most wonderful December so far, together with my entire immediate family and friend by my side.

Words and pictures can work together to communicate more powerfully than either alone – William Albert Allard