Jim, it's not what it was!

Been a long time I did not go up hill. The Cameron I knew was 10 years ago. It used to be quite cool. A good place to buy some vege and flowers.. visit a garden or two.. In general.. some peace and quiet.. some..

But I found that the Cameron now is so commercialised. It is as if strawberries swarmed the hill.. A bit overwhelming, but the weekdays were still bearable.

The gardens that I went 10 years ago (Rose Garden and Cactus Valley) were still around, but less well kempt. Nevertheless, still a good walk with family. Get to take some good pics of plants (for fun).

One of the new addition is this Lavendar Garden. Good few spots for photo-taking. Kids had good time picking strawberries on top of the garden.

Lavendar Garden

Lavendar Garden

Lavendar Garden

Lavendar Garden

Rose Garden

Hi, I am Cactus! And I can't stand touchy feely (Cactus Valley)

Lavendar Garden - Strawberies picking

Lavendar Garden - Strawberies picking

Cactus Valley

Cactus Valley

Cactus Valley

Cactus Valley

Cactus Valley

Rose Garden

Cactus Valley

Cactus Valley

Kuching.. My first..

It is my first time visiting Kuching. I pour in a lot of research work because I am bringing along 2 kids and 2 elders. It has to be fun for the young ones and comfortable for the elder ones. Though the trip has its odd moments, but I'd still think it was memorable enough.

When will I see you again..

Next year would be the 10th anniversary of the best 3 months of my travel life. I spent it mostly in UK. I went there on a shoestring budget, explored many many ways to skim and save while going from the extreme north, south, east and west. I went there alone with not a care to the world or strings attached, the ultimate liberation of a carefree life. I had planned to sort out the photos after I came back but my procastination prowess proved to be superbly strong. They are all still sitting (stuffed) in my study cupboard. Perhaps I would be able to sort it after I retire.. Hark!

Nevertheless, I will try to share some of the photos I took while I was in Great Britain.

And also share some snippets of my travelling experiences and lessons learnt while knocking around on my own.

But I will leave that in the later blogs...

For the time being, I am content with looking at the photos and sighing to myself..

How time flies...

All are not gone : My take of Singapore

I never miss Singapore. I love travelling and I love the cultural exposures, but somehow.. Maybe it's the crowd. Anyway, coming back to Singapore after a decade does gave me a better chance to get acquainted and I do find a spot that I might get comfy. Not Orchard Road, hell no....
It's the rightly named Oasis of Cool and Extended Walk at Ann Siang Hill Park area. I went during the weekends and weekdays. It's somehow pretty calming for me.

Silent arches and figurines standing still amidst the blowing winds and bristling leaves.

I love the simple and stoic Nagore Durgha Shrine. Silence do express much more than words.

Looking over the doors, I see them all opening and doves flying towards the bright sunshine. Funny eh... How we tend to relate places of worship with lights and birds. These are all effects of too much impressions implanted into our heads since young. Photos.. Idiot box.. Anyway,

I do not really like the look of this supposedly one of the oldest temples in Singapore. The bright colours and compact deco just shouting commercialisation. Erghh... The only remnants of historical expression I find is the rooftop.

Dragons in the sky overseeing the community. May we all blessed with good health!

Sometimes it's hard to manage how much exposure I'd like for these shots. I'd like the bright lights but I'd like some colours to my photos too. But I thought this turns out quite ok.

I anticipated lots of greeneries when walking into Ann Siang Hill Park, only to find it all blocked by the shops' backdoors.

Silver lining beyond the dull cloudy walk, there are rows and rows of beautiful buildings of the past. Love the airy windows of yesteryears.

Why do we need standardisation? Why ignore the uniqueness within us?

This is the best place I found in Singapore! "Books Actually". That's a place to remember.

I love books. I do not believe that IT and television can ever take away the beauty of words and our own free will of imaginations. And this place seems to spell out all the good things in life. For me, at least.

The first picture that greets me when I stepped into the shop are cameras. Get it?

It's a small boutique shop of all things I hold dear. Meaningful literature, fanciful arts and beautiful past.

Simple deco at a contrast of black & white background. Who says books are boring? It's a matter of how we look at it.

The likes of classics and children ladybirds. What's not to love?

And all these settings with a background of jazzy french. Wow.. awesome!

All I can say is that, I finally found something in Singapore!

And the walk home will not be filled with void impressions of rushing souls and greying blocks.

Manifique Sabah June 2008

I took the plunge!

This isn't me. But I am no better. I guess my bulging eyes and screaming mouth was way bigger than hers?

My sister has been telling me about the slides and how one of them is almost 90 degrees in shape. She told me that I must go and try it. In my heart I was thinking "Nah... How scary would that be? It is just a kiddie slide afterall..". But I have decided to go and try it to see if it is that scary.

I've been crazy over all these rides and I never scream in them, be it in Australia's hanging roller coasters or Hong Kong's sunflower ride. What would a kiddie slide has that could scare me. Until I sat on top of the red slide looking down. My legs starts feeling numb. I started to have qualms and second thoughts. I now regreted laughing at Ben, when he first slid down. But sigh... It's too late to back up now. After a short goodbye with my loved ones, I took the plunge. aaaAAAAHHHHHH...... I left my heart at the top of the slide. To think that it was embarassing to scream all the way down. Sigh... I never got to stop screaming on my subsequent plunges. The feeling of falling freely without anything to hold was.. was... terror!

I guess age is really catching up. I see kids sliding down the terror slide like eating cabbage. They did it with such simplicity and grace. I wonder if my screamings were due to fear or jealousy.

After the adrenaline rush, we had a go at the obstacle course. Climbing up and down the padded walls and floors, slipping in between 2 cushioned rollers, falling onto nets, slipping down the firemen poles and hanging on a rope. We were positive we have burnt all the fats we have gathered from all the chompings in this trip. It was a really good work out.

You must be thinking that we are too old for this. Does age got to do with it? The equipment is meant for both adults and kids. The only thing matter here is...

Do you dare to take the plunge?

Note: This is not an advertisment and I am not paid to scream on that terror slide!