Before I go into the Southern Ridges Trek, let me share something on my housing issue. I have successfully extended the rental tenancy for the final term. And they finally relented and opened another option for me, which I didn't take. The resale flat option. They opened the door for me for a housing option typically reserved for singles over the age of 35. Well I acknowledge the importance of having ownership of a property, but I didn't think that I have the financial ability to pull off the deal. After all, I am 9 years short in terms of assets, and supporting my late mother through her final years after her multiple strokes, I was building up from zero asset. People always thought that I am rich after I secured the bond, but I was using my last dollars and cents for her funeral before some of my relatives stepped in to help. What a joke, I couldn't even afford a proper funeral back then. I ain't sure if I can find such a huge housing loan from banks given that I am single, and being single, the monthly installment is definitely sky high. Yes I am kinda desperate to solve the housing option on a long term, but I wouldn't risk myself to commit to something that I ain't sure that I can afford in the long run. The option is still open, maybe I would re-consider about it after I come back from my posting in Taiwan.
Alright, I shall blog in a backward fashion, I went on a trekking trip on my own along the Southern Ridges yesterday morning. The Ridges comprises 9 km of green, open spaces spanning the hills of Mount Faber Park, Telok Blangah Hill Park and Kent Ridge Park. I started my trek from Kent Ridge Park as it was nearest to my place. I went through the Canopy Walk that links the Kent Ridge Park to the museum “Reflections of Bukit Chandu”. It is funny but as a Singaporean, I have not visited this museum, I decided to venture in to have a look.
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This WWII Interpertative Centre commemorates the gallantry and sacrifice of the men of the 1st and 2nd Battalion Malay Regiment who defended the western sector of Singapore in Feb 1942.
After the brief stop and looking through the exhibits, I decided to venture on my journey along the Southern Ridges. It was an unexpected pit stop in a way and I have already took 2 hours as I went into Hort Park.
Hahaha this picture best summaries about Hort Park. Well I was in Hort Park during the hottest hour of the day so well... Anyway there are many plants to see but I guess maybe my interest wasn't into gardening. I love to see but I guess not really into landscaping. But I am pretty surprised to find a large fish tank in the middle of the park.
After leaving Hort Park, I walked towards the Alexandra Arch which looks like an opened leaf across Alexandra Road, with its curved deck intersecting an arch that is tilted at a 70-degree angle.
And then after the Alexandra Arch, I reached Forest Walk. As I was in sandals, I decided to keep to the Elevated Walkway and leave the Earth trail till my next visit. The Elevated Walkway, accessed by the metal bridge, offers you the experience of walking through the secondary forest of Telok Blangah Hill at eye-level with the forest canopy.
This Forest walk led me to the third park of the day: Telok Blangah Hill Park. Haha it was not my final destination, and I didn't really know what to expect, but since I already ventured into this park, I went and take the Hilltop Walk and make my way to the Terance Garden at the top of the park.
After enjoying the view for a short while, I started to make my way towards the Henderson Wave. Through it is a just a bridge, it was one place that I wanted to re-visit for quite a while for its view. This 274 metre-long pedestrian bridge that spans Henderson Road to connect Mount Faber Park to Telok Blangah Hill Park. At 36m above Henderson Road, Henderson Waves is the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore.
With that, I have reached the last park of the day, which was the Mount Faber Park. Decided to find and take a look at the Merlion Sculpture, I only heard before that there is one up here in the park, but have never seen it with my own eyes.
Since I have already walked thus far, I decided to visit the ship-looking structure at the other end of the Mount Faber Park, which is Marina Deck Restaurant. What attracts me is not the food, but the presence of many terrapins around the structure. =D
And I was in time to see the employee or cleaners from the restaurant feeding the terrapins with left over food that they were going to throw away. As the weather is starting to threaten to pour, I quickly make my way out of the park via Marang Trail.
I ended my 5 hours trekking trip with a good and deserved lunch at Seah In Food Centre. Haha. And It was really lucky to have reached the food centre when the downpour began.
Actually this was not my first time being to the Southern Ridges, I was there before with the R2unners but we were running then but it is like a couple of years ago. To revisit the place again alone especially on a weekday morning, it provides me the chance to feel that peace and quietness. And I believe that I would revisit the ridges in the years to come, well no one would take the same path. And there are many paths to take to reach the same point, I believe there are still many things that I have yet to see. I might not be paying a lot of attention on the plants, I am more focused on the animals, insects, the scenary views nowadays, who knows that I would be focusing in the plants in the years to come. It really depends on your perpectives, just like how you look at things, I do not believe that I would take the same identifical pictures or walk all the same path the next time I went back.
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