Marin County

Our first family holiday in the US! The last time I was in the States was 26 years ago. We landed in San Francisco on a wet cloudly morning after a 14 1/2 hours flight. Only four of us as my eldest son only joins us on Day 4 after he finishes his exams. It was a bit of a hassle getting to the car rental. The car rental centre is at one of the SFO Air Train stops, but I didn't realise that Sixt and two other car rental companies were at off-airport locations. So we had to wait for a shuttle bus to bring us to the Sixt office. It did seem cheaper though. They gave us a Cadillac Escalate which was a massive car, and it  took me a while and some help from my wife to figure out which was the gearshift. It would be nice if car rental companies tell you a couple of basic things - how to start the car, where the gearshift is, how to switch on the windshield vipers and head lights, and how to open the fuel door. Thank goodness I took my friend's advice not to drive to Yosemite at this time of the year. I don't think I would have been able to manage snow chains.

The plan was to spend the first two days driving around Marin County. Our first stop was a lookout point for the Golden Gate Bridge before we headed over. We parked near the Golden Gate Welcome Centre and took in the amazing view of the bridge. We got back to the car 20 minutes later and discovered that the car had been broken into. One of the windows was smashed and we lost both our hand carries that were left on the passenger seat. The first thing that went through our minds was whether we had lost anything important.

Fortunately we had our passports, keys to the luggages and phones with us. We made calls to the car rental who advised us to report the incident to the police. When we called the San  Francisco police they told us that we had to call the US Park Police instead. As we were about to make the call, the police that was patrolling the area stopped by to help us. After filing the report, we had to drive all the way back to SFO to get a replacement car. We were wet because of the rain, cold because we were missing a window and somewhat unsettled by the whole event.

We were really thankful that nobody was hurt and nothing important was lost. We joked about how disappointed the thief would be with what they took. We decided not to let the incident spoil our holiday but it was sufficiently eventful to call it a day and head straight to the hotel in Tiburon. After checking in, we went to CVS to buy a multi USB charger for our phones followed by dinner and a night stroll around Tiburon. It was only just before bedtime that I realised that my Adidas Ultraboost was in one of the stolen bags along with some other items meant for the marathon in a week's time. Still, it could have been a lot worse. Thinking through what I had almost wanted to put in those bags when we were packing for the holiday I was so thankful to God.

The next morning we got up early to drive to Muir Woods National Monument to marvel at the giant coastal redwoods. Drivers are required to reserve their parking online in advance of the trip. When I was planning the holiday, I had debated about whether Muir Woods was worth the visit. It was, like how my second son puts it, "just trees".  I am glad we did - one part was aptly named Cathedral Grove. It felt like walking into a gothic cathedral; massive, hundreds of years old, quiet, and reminds you of God's presence. Even the drive to Muir Woods was beautiful.

We had to skip the Earthquake Trail because it started to rain so we drove to Sausalito for lunch. We picked Scoma's which was on the waterfront. We could see San Francisco and the Oakland Bridge from where we were seated. After lunch we went to Point Bonita Lighthouse. It is only open on Sundays and Mondays and offers an amazing  view of the rugged coastline. Not to be missed.

Our final stop was Battery Spencer for the best view of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County. Can't get tired of the view no matter how many times I see it. After that, we went back to Tiburon to pick up our luggage before heading into San Francisco. I would highly recommend driving out to Marin County if you are in the Bay Area. Just make sure you don't leave your luggage in the car unattended, not even for a minute.

Life is Short and Sweet

Island Creamery

There is no doubt that I am getting old as I have started to think of birthdays as indicators of another year "used up". But not in a negative way. No matter how good this life is, it is not our home.

God has reminded me that life is like children on a playground. It is exciting and fun, and we should make the most of it. There will be bullies and injuries, so we need to help one another. And there will be that slide that seems too steep or that tower that seems too high to overcome. You have to decide whether you will allow your fears to stand in the way.

At mid-life, I can comprehend that life is truly short, but it can be truly sweet. How should I make the best of it? For one, make more memories and record them down.  Our eldest son is in University and we don't see him as much, and the two younger kids are growing up far too quickly. Having records of the good old days is important to remind us that God has been so good. Another thing is to pay forward as God has intended rather than having His blessings stuck with us. We can only eat and wear so much in this life. Everything else is an excess. The third thing is to give life to those ideas that have been playing on repeat in my head.

At some point, playground time will come to an end and the child will need to go home for dinner. Friends will passionately plea for the child to stay a little bit longer. I see this happen every week when I try to get my younger kids out of the swimming pool - a series of "5 more minutes please?" Over the last couple of years, and also in recent months, there have been friends or their family members afflicted by serious illnesses. It is like that child who got hurt on the playground. As much as all the friends want the child to stay a little longer, the parent will have to take the child home.

Not too long ago, I too was hurt on the playground. The pleas of friends werr like prayers to God for "another 5 more minutes". I thank you for your prayers, support and friendship all these years. You have been such a blessing to me. I hear and I feel the intense grief of those who are left behind on the playground without their friend. I pray that you will trust and know that God wanted your love ones home for dinner and a good rest so that they can play with you again another day.

Yellow Ribbon Run2019

Changi Prison

I woke up this morning about 40 minutes after my phone alarm went off. I had decided to sleep in after looking at the PSI reading. It was above 100, at the "Unhealthy" range. When I looked through the window, I could not see outside as clearly as I normally would. Then I realised that it was because I had shut the tinted windows due to the haze. I opened the window to take a look and the sky was quite clear. I checked the hourly PM2.5 reading and it was at the "Normal" level. So I could go for the Yellow Ribbon 10km Run if I wanted to, but I would miss the flag-off. My colleague said on Friday that he would probably get there late as he wasn't planning to win the race. So, being late for the race wasn't a good enough excuse for not being there at all. I arrived at the Singapore Expo at 7am to catch the shuttle bus to Changi Village. There was a huge traffic jam because of the road closures for the race. By the time I got to the starting point, I was behind the 5km fun walk participants  who were flagged off about 1/2 hour before. 

I haven't ran for close to 2 weeks because I was down with a bug. I am still at the tail-end and it made the running this morning quite tough. Coupled with the haze, I could barely feel my lungs. I wonder whether I had completely given back all the mileage that I have been building up over the last 2 months. How was I going to do the two long races that I have signed up for in the coming months? It was silly to be overthinking this. I resorted to walking a couple of time. I read somewhere that there is no shame in walking. Better that than blacking out! The freedom wings that I had on my shoe clearly did not help my feet fly, or perhaps it was because I put them the wrong way round (I sorted that out when I got home so thag I could take a photo for this post). 

Slowly but surely I arrived at the prison complex. I have never been so happy to see Changi Prison. Yet it was a solemn moment when I saw the formidable dark grey walls and the white steel gates, made more dramatic by the dark clouds. Inside these gates are stories of many broken people and broken homes. There is a stark difference between life behind those walls and the outside world. Yet there are people who have to pass through these 2 worlds regularly - the prisoners' family members who visit them and those who work here. I wonder how they reconcile the 2. 

Very much like my run today I am reminded that ex-offenders face challenges getting back to nomalcy.  There can be a lot of self-doubt and overwhelming fears. They have hopes to catch up on lost time, yet they have to be patient and kind to themselves when faced with the harsh realities of life. And so we are all reminded that everyone deserves a second chance in life. We are reminded that ex-offenders should not be made to face a second prison when they have already served their time.

I am also reminded that by the grace of God we too are given a second chance. No matter what our offences or how thick the walls that separated us from Him, God made a way to reconcile us with Himself.

Ireland - Ring of Kerry

Cliffd of Moher

On Day 5 we travelled from Connemara to the Ring of Kerry. We stopped at the legendary Cliffs of Moher which are the highest sea cliffs in Ireland.  They are beautiful but we should probably have signed up for the cruises from Doolin to get a fuller sense of the cliffs. There are stone slabs about a meter from the cliff edge to prevent visitors from falling over.  I can understand why they need to be there especially in windy Ireland, but it makes you feel like you might as well be 5 meters away. For the same reason, it is unlikely for visitors to spot puffins here.

Kenmare

We rented a big, clean and comfortable house in Kenmare. The kids ran up and down the stairs and between rooms when they got there. They spotted what they thought was a large moth in one of the rooms but wasn't sure where it went. After a short rest, we went to town for dinner at

Mulcahys which had great food and one of the best tart tartin I've ever had. And I ordered a pint of Guinness, my first ever.  We went back to the house right after that because most shops were already closed. After shower, I was reading in my room when I saw something flying around. The moth that the kids saw earlier turned out to be a bat. It caused quite a bit of excitement until we finally managed to get it out of the house. The poor bat must have been so frightened by all the noise we made.

Torc Waterfall

On Day 6, I came across The Rose Garden on my morning run and brought the family there for breakfast later. A cosy place and just along the Ring of Kerry (ROK)  which made it a perfect starting point for our drive around the Ring. I read several articles and watched some videos on the ROK but could not fully appreciate how beautiful the drive is until we experienced it first hand.

Gap of Dunloe

Ladies' View offered a panoramic view of the Killarney National Park. Torc Waterfall is the greenest place I have ever been to.  During the drive we saw vintage cars driving the other direction. We detoured to the Gap of Dunloe. Don't miss this, it feels like the scene in the beginning of the Lord of the Rings movie where Gandalf rides

Sala Thai, Kells Beach

into the Shire on his horse-carriage.  We should have hired one of those.  

We stopped for lunch at Sala Thai Restaurant in Kells Beach. The rest of the drive around the ROK offered stunning views of the sea.  We made a number of stops for photos. Would have loved to go to the Skellig Islands but it's  not suitable for the younger kids. 

Ring of Kerry

We ended the day with dinner at the Boathouse Bistro back in Kenmare. It is on the Dromquinna Manor Estate about 2km from where we were staying. It too had great food and a beautiful view of the sea. And we spotted rabbits on the estate, although they were too quick for photos.

On Day 7, I made a last minute decision to go to the

Puffins, Saltee Islands

Saltee Islands in hope of seeing puffins. We didn't book the boat in advance, but thank God that a boat was willing to drop us off at the island for an hour as it picks up some of their passengers. We had to transfer from the boat to a dingy when we got closer to the island due to the rocky shores. And for the last 20 metres or so, we literally  had to crawl on all fours over the rocks that were covered in slippery seaweed. That alone took us 15 minutes, which meant that we had 30 minutes to find the puffins and get back to shore and do another 15 minutes crawl back to the dingy.  But puffins we found. What beautiful creatures.

Wicklow National Park

Satisfied, we drove to Avoca where our Airbnb was. We bougth Wexford strawberries along the way. The place we rented had a beautiful garden with flowers in full bloom and was next to the woods. We spotted rabbits again. We had dinner at the Wicklow Brewery. I have to say that the food in Ireland throughout our trip did not disappoint. The next morning, we visited the Avoca Mill, which is the oldest wool mill in Ireland. We had breakfast there before we set off for Dublin Airport. We drove through the Wicklow National Park on our way to the airport.

It does seem like there is a lot more to do in Ireland. Definitely worth another visit or two. God has blessed this place with incredible natural beauty and blessed us with the opportunity to see so much. When we seek out the natural wonders of this world, we catch a glimpse of God himself. He placed the foundations of the Earth and everything in it. He set everything in motion, and gave life to every living thing. Everything has His fingerprints and reflects His wisdom.

We are one of His creations, the ones who bear His image. As much as we seek out the natural wonders of this world, he seeks us out. He is amused by us, loves us, and does not take His eyes off us. Should we not praise Him like the roaring seas, the howling winds, the beautiful flowers of summer, the soaring birds, and the trees of the forest?

“Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.” Psalm 150:6

Ireland - Downpatrick Head and Connemara

Dun Briste Sea Stack

Day 3 was a long drive from Portstewart to Connemara with a planned detour to Downpatrick Head.  Drive time alone would be 6 hours without stopping. We didn't realise that 3 June was a bank holiday and had some difficulty getting lunch. Eventually we resorted to sandwiches and wraps from Tescos.

Downpatrick Head

The journey  to Downpatrick Head reminded me of our drive to Mont Saint Michel last December. We drove through some small roads which made me wonder if I was going the right way. But it was well worth the drive. As you walk towards the cliffs, you will see tassellated pavements along the shore. This place would be a golfer's nightmare because the grass grows in clumps. On the way up you will see a statue of St Patrick, who established a church here, hence the name of this place. When you get close to the edge of the cliff, you will see Dun Briste, a majestic sea stack. Simply stunning. 

We arrived at Leenane Hotel

 Room view of Killary Harbour

at around around 5pm. It is Ireland's oldest coaching inn and is located next to Killary Harbour, which is not harbour at all but a fjord. We had a lovely view of the fjord from our room.

Kylemore Abbey

On Day 4 we visited Kylemore Abbey, a huge estate which included a neo-Gothic cathedral and a Victorian walled garden. After breakfast at the lovely cafe, we headed to Diamond Hill to hike up the moderate trail. The heavy downpour left us soaking wet. The view would have been a lot prettier on a clear day.

View from Diamond Hill

Our drive back to the hotel passed through some of the most picturisque parts of Connemara National Park. I spotted a sign for Ballynahinch which reminded me of an article I read about the hotel. It prompted me to make a reservation there for dinner later that evening. It gave us the opportunity to drive through the amazing landscape again and dinner at the Ranji Room was well worth the effort.

Picturisque Connemara

This is a short holiday and we were already more than half way through. Next stop is the Cliffs of Moher and the Ring of Kerry.

Ballynahinch

Ireland - Causeway Coastal Route

We recently visited Ireland for the first time. By that, I mean Northern Island as well as the Republic of Ireland. It wasn't an obvious choice for us just because we didn't know enough about it. My mind was made up after my wife sent me some Instagram posts #ireland.

We landed in Belfast early Saturday ready for our drive out along the Causeway Coastal Route (CCR). When we got to the Hertz counter, I found out that I had book the car based on our departure date rather than the arrival date. Ok, so I paid for 1 extra day, no big deal right? Well, it doesn't quite work that way. The no-show condition says that they can give the car to someone else even though I have fully paid for the car in advance. Lovely. It gets lovelier. They had no other cars available, and neither did the 2 adjacent car rentals. Avis had a long queue and it did not look hopeful but the prospect of spending the next 8 days in Belfast flashed through my mind. Even though it seemed impossible, I prayed for God's help. The Avis manager made a number of calls, and offered me a manual car. It has been more than 20 years since I drove one and didn't like the prospect of balancing the clutch in hilly Ireland. So he made more calls and finally found me a suitable car. Praise God!

Giant's Causeway 

We set off on the CCR. It starts getting pretty very soon. We made short stops at Kinbane Castle and the Ballintoy Harbour before stumbling upon The Fullerton Arms for lunch.  They had a table for 5 but they needed it back within 1.5 hours, which was absolutely fine because we are quick eaters. It turned out to be the table in the Game of Thrones Room. 

Carrick-A-Rede

After lunch we headed to the Giant's Causeway. Fascinating - Over 40,000 interlocking basalt columns formed by lava flows about 60m years ago. We didn't spend as much as time there as we would have wanted to because we had tickets for Carrick-A-Rede at 4.30pm.  The walk to the Carrick-A-Rede rope suspension bridge was long but well worth the effort. After that, we drove to Portstewart, where we stay for 2 nights.

Malin Point

The next morning we drove to Magilligan Point to catch a ferry to Greencastle, crossing the Irish border.  We drove along the Wild Atlantic Way to Malin Head, greeted by at least a hundred tractors doing a fundraiser for cancer. Malin Head's rugged coast is the most northerly point in Ireland and you can catch a glimpse of Hells Hole.  

Grianan of Aileach

Our next stop was also something circular, in a literal sense - Grianan of Aileach. A giant stone fort on top of a hill that looks like a donut from the bird's eye view.  We could almost lean against the wind when we were there. 


We drove back into Northern Ireland after that and visited the Mussenden Temple and the gardens in full bloom at the Bishopsgate entrance. As we were leaving, we saw a brilliant rainbow, the sort that conjures images of a leprechaun with a pot of gold at the end of it. 

Harry's Shack, Portstewart

We ended the day with dinner at Harry's Shack, known for "beach food made good", watching the sunset. 

The first 2 days in Ireland  could have turned out quite differently if God hadn't help us with the replacement  car.

Half-Marathon

I completed my first Half-Marathon race last Sunday. I signed up for it in mid-February when I could only manage 8km at a very slow pace. Signing up for a race is an excellent motivation to get out there to run and to build up your mileage. It's strange, because really all that was at stake was the $62 registration fee. In the past, I have paid for gym fees and stopped going after several months. Perhaps the difference is that I prefer to be in the outdoors rather than being stuck in a gym with loud thumpy music.

Over the next 2 1/2 months of preparation, I learnt so much through personal experience and running vlogs. Although I've heard it many time before, I've learnt to appreciate the importance of getting the right shoes, to build up the mileage slowly, hydration and nutrition during a long run, setting aside time to rest my body, and warming-up properly. But I have also learnt that everyone is different and some things just don't work for me - eating a breakfast  before a run and having to chew something during a long runs.

Three weeks before the race, I managed to do a 31km long run. It made me wonder if it was still worthwhile running the Half-Marathon since I knew that I could complete that distance. In any case, I  followed the plan to taper. The subsequent week I reduced my long run to 16km, my last long run before the race. Then I did something radical, I didn't run for an entire week (this is not how you should taper). That was a horrible mistake because I felt lethargic and was breathless when I subsequently did a 5km run. That scared me a bit and so I kept up with the daily 5km runs up until the Friday before the race.

It rained heavily on Saturday morning and the thought did cross my mind to skip the run if it rains on Sunday. Again, it wasn't clear to me what were the strong reasons to run if I knew I could complete the distance. But I reminded myself to finish what I started, especially because the race was what motivated me to train. I told myself that there are surely new things to learn from the experience.  I spent the afternoon preparing all the things that I needed for the race. I had to decide which  waist pack to use - the simple one which I have been using all along which meant that I would have to hold a water bottle in one hand, or the new waist pack which I haven't run in before but holds 3 small water bottles. The sensible thing would have been to follow what all the vlogs and articles tell you - don't try anything new on race day. I decided I would try out the new waist pack so that I could be hands-free, but I took the precaution of bringing the other waist pack along.

I went to bed early on Saturday but did not sleep well. I wasn't anxious about the poor sleep because that's what all the vlogs tell you. I work up at 3am and was out of the house by 3.30am to avoid being flustered if there are any surprises. There were not many people there yet when I arrived. When I was warming up, I realised that the new waist pack wasn't going to work for me so I went back to the car for the other waist pack. Lesson learnt.

We were flagged-off at 5am and I was about 2 minutes behind the starting line. I kept reminding myself to start slow. Runners where just continuously running pass me, non-stop. Although this was  something I completely expected,  it was nevertheless a strange sensation. I saw people of different shapes, sizes and age - there was a girl as young as my daughter running with her father; there was a man who looked like he was in his 70s who was so fast; a lady who was walking faster than I was running at the 13km point. I was reminded that there is such thing as a typical runner, and nobody needs to feel like an impostor either.

It was a little emotional when I was running up the Marina Barrage. I recalled about 3 years ago I was jogging there in the morning and noticed that there was a race. At that time, the lymph nodes on the right side of my neck were enlarged but I didn't know that it was lymphoma. To be back here 3 years later doing something that I never thought I had the interest nor the ability to do made me realise that I have come a long way. Thank God for watching over me.

The plan was for me to speed up in the last 5km if I was still feeling good, so I picked up the pace slightly. With 3km to go, I realised that I could finish the race within 3 hours, which I have not been able to do in my long runs. I had to remind myself to be patient and keep up the pace. At the final bend, when I could see the finishing line, I ran as fast as I could. The remaining distance felt a lot longer than it looked. My nett time was 2hrs 45mins. My Samsung watch said that I only ran 18.45km. This is possibly why, based on my long runs timings, I thought it would take me at least 3hrs to complete this race.

I am glad I did the race. Running with thousands others is quite different from a long run on a quiet weekend.  There are a lot more distractions but at the same time it is comforting to know that so many people are going through the same challenges. It taught me to trust tapering (so long as I do it correctly), and the importance of sticking to all the golden rules that I have learnt. It was a new experience and I had fun.

A Good Run

Singapore's awesome skyline at sunrise

Third and final blogpost about running.

I have been watching Youtube videos and reading some article on running. Some things don't seem natural and were difficult to do. I tried just breathing through the nose the last 2 weeks but would only last for about 1/2 hour before I resort to breathing in and out through the mouth. I tried straightening my posture and looking in front rather than down, and it felt like I was stiffening up; the idea of looking at the long road ahead didn't appeal to me either. And learning forward slightly so that the feet lands properly on the ground. But how are you suppose to do that if you are also supposed to run slowly? Mind boggling.

I have been cutting down on my carbo intake over the last month or so in hope to lose some weight. Shedding some weight helps with the run and is less taxing on the knees. But yesterday I finished my share of rice to carbo load for this morning's run.  I slept late because we visited the 24 hour Decathlon Hub in Kallang, so I wasn't sure if I would be able to get up early enough to avoid the mid-morning sun. Thankfully, I was awake before 5am and didn't feel sluggish so I headed out.

Having the phone bouncing in my pocket bother me. I wanted to get one of those armbands at Decathlon yesterday but it didn't seem comfortable for a long run. But neither was having the phone in my pocket. I wore a wristband which made me look like a tennis player, but it turned out to be a good idea because it was so much easier to wipe the sweat off my face. I didn't see anyone else wearing it this morning though. Well, whatever work for me. 

I took the advice to start hydrating earlier in the run. After 50 minutes I got my first isotonic drink from 7- Evelen. I got a second bottle 2 hours into the run. It made such a difference. It was well worth the effort despite the weight. I tried the nose only breathing, straightened posture and lean forward. This time, after persisting for the first 1/2 hour, I managed to continue without being self-conscious about it. In fact I breathed through my nose for the entire run.

After a while the phone was also less distracting especially when I got to Orchard Road. At certain parts, there were quite a few people who looked like they just finished their night out. And there were certain parts where you could hear hundreds of birds gathered on some of the trees. There was a real risk of being pooped on.  

The sun was rising when I got to the Istana. There were lots of photo opportunities in the 3rd hour of the run - Raffle Hotel, Esplanade, Merlion, Marina Bay, Fullerton Hotel and much more. This run was much easier compared to the hilly route I took to the Henderson Wave last week. I felt I had another hour in me if I pushed myself, but I wanted to be careful not to do too much too soon. So I stopped at Raffle Place and took the train home.

Lessons for me - take good advice; continue trying even if it something feels uncomfortable or awkward; if something works well for you, stick with it even if you are the only one doing it; don't let distractions get the better of you; and don't do too much too soon.

Running Further

Hort Park, taken
several weeks back

I have made some progress since coming back from Kuala Lumpur last week.  Last Saturday, I ran for 2 hours; I have never ran that long before in my life. And then on Sunday, I ran another 2.5 hours. What really helped was trying out a new route as it distracted me from thinking about how long I have been out or how long more I have to run. It also helped that I bought a drink to rehydrate myself in the last quarter of my run. The best thing about being able to run long distance is that the 40-50 minute runs in the weekday mornings have become a lot less of a mental battle.

This morning, I was hoping to do another 2.5 hour run. You notice that I never talk about the distance - I run very slowly. About 30 minutes into the run, I tripped on an uneven surface and fell on the pavement. Fortunately, my reaction was pretty good and I used my hands to break the fall. One of my shoes came off, which was kinda funny. I am slow but not necessarily steady. The first thought I had was perhaps I should go home. I got up and checked for damages. I felt slightly bruised on the knees and palms but there was no bleeding, so I decided to continue with the run.

After running one of my usual route, I headed towards Kent Ridge Park. Running down South Buona Vista is a confidence booster. I ran slowly because I knew that at some point I will have some slopes to climb, which I just hate. Soon enough was the turn up to Kent Ridge Park. I saw someone who seemed like a regular runner stop to walk up the slope but I decided to carry on running... for 50 meters before I resorted to walking too. I was huffing and puffing as I dragged myself up the slope. The people which I was passed must have wondered why I took so much effort just walking.

When I got to the park, I started running again. Running after stopping for a minute was something I just couldn't do in the past. What is at rest remains at rest for the rest of the day. But I realised I could do it when I ran in KL recently. I stopped to take some photos of the city during the run so I have learnt to adapt. From KRP, I ran to Holt Park, again a downhill run followed by a slope up to the visitors centre. I headed straight to the water cooler to hydrate myself. I almost made up my mind to head home but I wasn't sure if I could get a cab (I didn't have my phone with me).

I decided to carry on with the run towards the Henderson Wave. That involved a long stretch up the Canopy Walk. There were parts where I walked because I felt I had enough of running for the day. And there were parts where I ran slow-motion because I thought there was no point walking if I was still going to cover the same distance. Indecisiveness. I felt good getting to the Wave because I knew there were no more uphill slopes after that. When I got down to Westcoast Highway, I had done 2.5 hours so I decides to try to push for 3 hours. It was so tempting to get on the train at the Telok Blangah MRT station, but I continued at turtle pace to finish the run at Labrador Park MRT.

It amazes me how people can run a full marathon under 3 to 4 hours. I am just happy running 3 hours whatever the distance, preferably without upward slopes.

Exercise Routine

Taken during a morning run in
Kuala Lumpur recently

When I started, I could barely last 15 minutes. Breathlessness, the strain on the knees, and most of all the boredom. I don't like the heat so running on the treadmill in the air-conditioned gym was my preference. Spotify or Youtube only reduced the boredom ever so slightly. The most frustrating thing with the treadmill is that it tells you how little you have done, especially the number of calories burnt.

One day, when the treadmill was occupied (there are 2 in the condo gym but 1 is perpetually out of order), I decided to run around the condo premises. It started with 4 rounds, and over time it went up to 6. Sometimes I would lose count and end up not being sure if I did an extra round. It would take me about 1/2 hour, beyond which my systems would start shutting down - the ship falls off the edge of world. Again I found it difficult to overcome the boredom of doing multiple rounds. That's the same reason I can't make myself do laps in the pool even though I used to swim regularly in my younger days.

To beat the boredom, I started running around the neighbourhood probably about 4 months ago. From about 40 minutes, I've slowly managed to nudge myself to do slightly longer routes lasting about an hour, a couple of times a week. More recently, I've been able to get it up to 75-90 minutes, albeit at a slow pace. I even ran when I was holidaying in Bali and Kuala Lumpur.

The biggest barrier for me in getting started has simply been the unwillingness to give up some amount of comfort. When I am not at work, I would rather be with the family or be sleeping in. I've heard people say that exercise is a great way to unwind or de-stress, which is absolutely rubbish in my case - I just feel complete exhaustion. There was no other way to get through the mental barrier except to just get on with it; get out of bed as soon as I am awake before the analysis sets in; de-link what I have to do  from my emotions and keep the mind focused on finishing the present task.

I am really thankful for all the people who have been sharing their exercise routines on Facebook.  These people have full time jobs, family and other commitments, and yet they have taken the time to exercise. Each and everyone of them remind me that I don't have a good excuse to lead a sedentary life. If they can do a marathon or triathlon, then I can at least go for a run around the neighbourhood.

Ending 2018 in Bali

House of I Gusti Nyoman Lelpad,
painter and sculptor. Ubud

I just got back from a short vacation in Bali with my siblings and families. It's been about 2 years since we all met in one place. It's funny how a short holiday took so much time to firm up and plan - it must have been a good 9 months. And after we bought the plane tickets, Mount Agung erupted in June, followed by several earthquakes in Indonesia and then recently the deadly tsunami in the Sunda Straits on 22 Dec, just 4 days before our trip. We did discuss a number of times whether we should change our plans. So I really praise God that the meet up materialised and we had a brilliant time together.

Single Fin, Uluwatu

We started our vacation with a sunset dinner at the Single Fin. Perched on the cliffs of Uluwatu, this open air restaurant gives you a stunning view of the surf breaks off Suluban Beach. We got there earlier than planned as we had anticipated a traffic jam at the Uluwatu Temple as it was Galungan, one of Bali's most important festivals. Just as well, because the place filled up very soon after we got there. Understandably so, because the view of the sunset over Uluwatu was stunning. Great music, atmosphere, food and the sea breeze made a perfect start to the family holiday.

Big Swing,
Uma Pakel Agro Tourism

Day 2 was focused on the inland. The drive took us through the rustic green Balinese countryside. There was so much to see on the way. Our first stop was Uma Pakel Agro Tourism where you could learn about Kopi Luwak production or try one of the big swings. Next stop were the rice terraces in Tegallalang, just 5 minutes drive from where we were. Since my last visit, they have created a footpath down the rice terraces and up onto the other side. Some of us took a walk down the rice terraces while others took in the views from one of the warungs at the top of the terraces. There were big swings here too, and bird's nests to snap instagrammable moments. Great way to spend the morning.

Tegallalang Rice Terraces

After that, we drove to Ubud, the heart of traditional Balinese culture. We had lunch at Ibu Rai, a quaint place with a lovely Balinese garden and flavourful local cuisine.  Despite being in the middle of a busy town, the restaurant provided a quiet haven to escape the hot afternoon sun.  After the sumptous meal, we spent the next 1 1/2 hours roaming around the Jalan Karna market and the many small lanes. There were

Ibu Rai, Ubud

wonderful sights and colours at every corner we turned in Ubud. We also managed to hunt down the perfect pair of flip-flops for my niece.

On our way back to the hotel, we visited the Tegenungan Waterfall. I had always assumed this to be a remote site with very few visitors, maybe because of the photos I have seen. When we got there, loads of people were having a "beach" party at the waterfall.

Tegenungan Waterfall

It was like a cruise ship advertisement or the post-wedding dinner scene from Crazy Rich Asian. On top of the cliff, next to the waterfall was a place for drinks and chillout. Great vibes but surreal. My brother took a dip in the waterfall while some of us climbed up the waterfall.

Day 3 was beach hopping day. Initially I had planned for us to visit 3 beaches, but we only ended up visiting Bingin Beach. The beaches with stunning views require climbing down and up steep steps and we concluded that 1 was all

Bingin Beach

our legs could take. Also my sister was chased by a few cows on her walk down; not sure what she did to the cows. Bingin Beach was stunning and well worth the climb. Along the climb, you will see a number of accommodations and cafes to cater to surfers. Since we didn't hop to another beach, we

Hotel Intercontinental, Jimbaran

went to Hotel Intercontinental in Jimbaran for lunch. Pool view and beach front lunch and rest for the tired legs.

Day 4 was free and easy as were catching our flights home. Like the last 2 mornings, everyone got up early to catch the Sanur sunrise at the beach. I would go for a run before joining everyone for breakfast. Before we left the hotel, we spent some time thanking God for the precious time together. We prayed for His continued watch over our lives, especially those of the younger generation. God has been so good in the ups and downs, and the big and small things in our lives.

This trip was a wonderful way to end the year 2018.