Lights Up Disappointment

This year there is no Flower show in Sentosa during Chinese New Year, instead there was a twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac Horoscope lights-up on display. My colleague, Alfred and I decided to go and take some pictures one day after work.

As our Korean accountant, Rachel, was in town for training, we decided to bring her along. When we reached there, we were all very disappointed, the lights-up of the twelve Chinese Zodiac animals have ended on the 15th of Chinese New Year! Since we were already there, I decide to take a picture of my colleagues Alfred and Rachel in front of their Zodiac animal, the Rooster.

After which, we just walk around the newly completely Resort World Sentosa area to take some pictures and called it a day. Here are some pictures taken with my Olympus Pen 2 camera.

OCBC Cycle Singapore

I signed up for the OCBC 40KM cycling event with a colleague a few months back. Initially I was skeptical I could complete the 40KM ride because I hardly ride a bicycle nowadays not to mention cycling a distance of 40KM!

Every day on my way to work, I would walk pass OCBC and look at the big cycling helmet outside OCBC building with a timer counting down to 7th March 2010 and wondering if I could ever complete the distance! I told myself I need to do some cycling to prepare myself for the cycling event but weeks and months went passed without action. Finally, last Sunday, I forced myself to East Coast Park, hired a bike near MacDonald, cycle to Fort Road then from Fort Road to Changi SAFRA Country Club and back. My cycling training trip ended up more of Olympus Pen2 camera trip because instead of concentrating on my cycling, I concentrated more on testing my new camera! Well, that’s the one and only training session for me.

Last night I retired to bed early, around 11.30pm, hoping to get a good rest before the event but the weather is playing havoc with me! It was so warm that I woke up perspiring at 1.30am even though I had my air conditional turned on at the usual 25 degree setting! I needed the rest so I turned on the fan and set the air con to 23 degree, hoping to catch some sleep before my alarm clock goes off at 4.30am. Unfortunately, I’m up at 4am perspiring again! I could not sleep anymore, so I took a shower, make myself a drink and wait for my cab to come at 5am.

Luckily, despite my lack of training, sleepless night and the XXL cycling Jersey cannot fit, I managed to complete the 40KM cycling distance just slightly over 2 hours! Beside my shaky legs when I got off my bike at the end point I’m feeling fine. Hopefully I don’t get too much aching in the following days!

The Sun, The Sea and The Breeze

It has been a long while since I last went to East Coast Park to ride a bicycle. I really missed cycling along the coast line and enjoy the sea breeze blowing in my face! Since I'm taking part in the OCBC 40km cycling event, I thought it will be good to do some cycling before the event next Sunday. I packed a camera and a bottle of water then headed to East Coast.

The bicycle rental shop I frequent is the one near the under pass from Marine Crescent. The rental fee has been reduced from $8 per hour previously to $6 per hour plus the second hour free! I found that the East Coast Park has gone through quite a lot of changes since the last time I was there. The cycling tracks are better paved and many facilities have been upgraded.

As usual after renting the bicycle, I started riding towards Fort Road then from Fort Road to SAFRA Country Club and back. Somehow it wasn't very congested yesterday so I have the freedom to pick up speed or drop speed as and when I like. Occasionally, I would stop to a take a drink and to snap some pictures.

Here are some pictures taken at East Coast Park with my Olympus Pen2 and a Canon 70-200f4 lens.