Step training thwarted again

Where to next for step training for Everest? Not only have they closed Bukit Timah but on Thursday we discovered they have now also closed the pagoda at Chinese Gardens! JTC Corporation has planned a year-long "redecoration and refurbishment" project starting at the end of 2014 and it seems they are beginning with the 7 storey pagoda. 

You can see how upset Peter was. Instead, we did multiple summits of the twin pagodas which are each only 3 storeys high and tripped over each other in the process, there barely being enough room to pass on the spiraling staircases.  

 They are known as Moon Receiving Tower and the Cloud Wrapped Pavilion.

Heather joined us for the walk and then Bev met us for coffee at Jurong East. On the way home Eric called in to the Starhub Service Centre to discuss new contracts and came home with 2 new phones. So there's a new challenge for us; a different brand and a different on/off button, not to mention the rest. 




After work in the evening we had dinner with Peter at Kovan and then went back to his place where the boys cracked a new bottle of Sullivan's Cove single malt whiskey. They sent pictures to Michael in Lismore and he apparently went straight online to book tickets to return in a week. Peter flew off to KL on Friday for the last time for the year. 

Our trekking buddy June, who recently had a stint in hospital, dropped in to the Kovan Branch on Saturday for a social visit and stayed to share lunch and thank people for their kind gifts and best wishes while she has been recovering. It was great to see her looking much better. The rest of the working week was spent holding a cold at bay and getting all the ironing done. Where does it come from?

On Monday we walked from Bukit Gombak to Bukit Batok (Singapore's second and third highest points after Bukit Timah) and on to Jurong East. It was a lovely walk, mostly shaded and much of it through parkland. There weren't as many of us as usual but it was good to have June back for her first test run. 

Bukit Gombak is locally known as Little Guilin because of the rugged granite outcrops and contrasting backdrop of green hills that gave it a similar look to Guilin in China. It was once used as a quarry but today the only outbursts you hear are not explosions but the calls of the crested laughing thrush. We didn't find any this time but we certainly heard them.  

The trail takes you on to Bukit Batok where the Japanese erected their victory monument at what is now the lookout point. There isn't actually a view to be had but a good workout for the legs. 

Lunch was at a hawker centre in Jurong East where we caught the MRT home for a short rest before heading off to the Shangri La for our Branch End of Year Dinner. Once again it was at the Line Restaurant and the food and wine was fabulous, all enjoyed on the proceeds of our weekly raffle. 

It is now time to confess that I have managed to not win the wine raffle even once all year. One would think that was an impossible task with only 7 balls to be drawn but it is true. I know I am in for a big win of something very special to compensate soon. Fortunately Peter has been generously sharing his winnings with me from time to time. Secret Santa was a hoot, everyone seemed to be very happy with their gifts.

How lucky am I? Some yellow and green coloured pencils for the classroom! My parcel also contained a fold-up backpack and a framed Bollywood night picture. Eric scored a bottle of whiskey.









On Tuesday Eric joined Peter for a walk from Bukit Timah to Upper Thompson Rd near Marymount. It rained almost all morning so they were drenched, but that's nothing new. Just rainwater this time, instead of sweat. 

 Taking shelter at McRitchie

The monkeys don't mind a bit of rain.












They finished up at Thompson Plaza where Eric found a Madelines Cake shop who sell ridgy-didge Portuguese tarts so now he has undone all the good work! Meanwhile, I was back at the National Skin Clinic having some more spots removed and then later at the dentist having the final fitting of a bridge. Now that's a day to put behind me.  

Fortunately it all finished up well when we attended 'An Acoustic Evening with Jason Mraz and Raining Jane'. The 5,0000 seat theatre is in the Star Vista complex at Buona Vista which is very easy for us to get to on the yellow line. Fancy building isn't it. We planned to get a bit to eat in one of the outlets before the show but the place was seething with people and queues at all the dining options so we settled for a sandwich.














Mraz is an excellent entertainer and his lyrics are profoundly cheerful but what perhaps stole the show was the all-female band who have been together for fifteen years and now collaborate with Jason. They were all very talented, playing multiple instruments and providing beautiful harmonies.