When Alex asked if I was interested to join a few mutual friends for a spot of mountain biking on Pulau Ubin, we didn't count on cycling for almost 5 hours through undulating terrain and muddy dirt tracks.
That we did today and I have a sore back and painful knees to show for it. Plus a little scratch from taking a tumble down a steep decline.
The trip started ominously enough, with dark clouds and a slight drizzle. But through the gloom, we boarded the bumboat with 2 Buddhist Monks. What on earth were they going to Ubin for I wondered. We were soon to find out...
Visitors from the mainland like Ubin because nothing changes. Nothing changes
much, that is. The old, long retired taxis still ply their route through the meandering mud-caked roads. Residents put quirky things at their frontdoors. And the shopfronts all look like a throwback to the 60's...
Life is slow, with alot of the architecture time-warped to the days when Policemen still wore bermudas. The island is also home to many stray dogs. They look mangy and rabid but somehow, there is an inherent cuteness to them that is strangely inexplicable.
A word about our bikes. For 10 bucks a day, we were not really complaining. But they were not exactly the carbon-fibre TREKS used by the US Olympic Team. The 'top-of-the-range' models still came with squeaky brakes and gears that, when put to 7, realistically felt like they were on 3. And I really need a pair of cycling shorts, with padding =))
Fortunately for us, it was not absolutely scorching today. But we lost plenty of fluids nonetheless going up and down, in and out. Rest-stops at quaint little drinks shops along the way were pretty frequent. If not just to have a
fag.
Yellow seems to be the predominant color on this little island.
Kampung houses, Beer crates, flowers, signposts and the ubiquitous little shrines are all painted in the color of the Canary. I also stepped right into a goo-ey bed of clay-ey soil while trying to take a picture. Dirtying my appropriately yellow aquasocks =))
We covered lots of ground today, even taking a ride up to the western tip of the island. Peering through the wired perimeter fences,
Kelongs could be seen in the distance. There was also a floating village near an abandoned quarry. Time was also taken to explore old, disused prawn farms, where the chains once used to open the sluice gates hang rusty and neglected. Rummaging through the abandoned fishing nets and cages looking for bits and pieces of hidden treasure.
On the way back to the jetty to return our bikes, we past by this abandoned granite quarry. The government is going to start allowing for granite quarrying again after about a 5 year hiatus. Much to the delight of many of the villagers, who themselves are ex-quarry workers, I am told.
And oh yah, before I forget. Those monks, they were on their way to a Buddhist temple in the middle of nowhere which we stumbled upon. And there were more of these oranged-robed ones in the forest. They even had a punching bag hanging from a tree.
Muay Thai perhaps?
OK
excuse moi as I go rub some ointment on my knee...=))
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