While I confessed that my outdoor adventures and travel didn’t reach the numbers and destinations that I would love to, there’s still some nice & exciting outdoor adventures and travels that I embarked since my Scouting days till  today. Travel magazines was once a favourite of mine and I used to buy and read them regularly, always mesmerised and dreaming of the various destinations and adventures that they went/been to.

In an era of social media expansion, via the various social media channels and networks, I got to know more travel folks, bloggers, writers, they have really awesome adventures and travel experiences. Among those I knew personally is Nellie Huang, a fellow Singaporean, who owns this travel website Wild Junket, who has a great following, personality and reputation among the travel community in the world. When Nellie launched her brand new E-Magazine on outdoor adventure and travel, I requested Nellie for a copy of her 1st E-Magazine WildJunket to do a review and I was impressed by WildJunket.

Let me share with you my personal views from my review on WildJunket E-Magazine February/March 2012

- WildJunket is written by passionate travel writers/bloggers of extensive travel experiences

- Great team of contributors on Wild Junket

- Excellent and interesting content, a truly outdoor adventure and travel E-magazine

- It’s world wide focus, unlike some other travel magazines, they sometimes tend to be continent focused.

- Very inspiring travel stories and travel destinations

- Very refreshing and exciting, injecting a fresh new perspective into travel magazines

- It’s not just about outdoor adventure and travels, there are other interesting articles from food to outdoor gears

- WildJunket has a community bonding and sharing, interacting, socializing and sharing with readers, contributors, writers and editors. Which other travel magazines in the world does this ? 

- It’s available in PDF format

- It’s tablet friendly

- It’s on Zinio (my favourite E-Magazine)

- Print edition would be available in the future (pending confirmation)

Pricing and subscription 

- USD $2.95 for single issue

- USD $14.95 for 12 months subscription

In my humble opinion, WildJunket is a excellent outdoor adventure and travel E-Magazine, at this price you are paying for and the awesome content you are reading, it’s definitely worth your money and time to buy and subscribe and read it many times!

For more information on WildJunket subscription, check out their WildJunket Magazine site for more details! After reading WildJunket E-Magazine 1st issue

I was more motivated and energised again, to seek out more outdoor adventure and travel, truly inspiring and heartwarming, I can feel it from reading the adventure stories and their photographs, encouraging me to travel light and travel far – traveling beyond  the conventional tourism trail, to seek out extraordinary experiences while protecting the environment.

Traveling forward ahead, I would like to be and hope to be featured one day inside her WildJunket E-Magazine in any of her editorial departments, maybe as a Travel Guide or Photo Essay ! 

Without a doubt, WildJunket E-Magazine is definitely worth your consideration to pay and subscribe to, and Nellie’s extensive travel website and blog is definitely the best testimonial.

Last but not least, I would like to congratulate Nellie on an awesome job on her WildJunket E-Magazine! Good luck and all the best in your WildJunket travels and outdoor adventure!!

Looking into a brief history of Chingay, it’s all about celebrating multi-cultural diversity and neighbourhood celebrations, dating back to 1973. Over the years, Chingay has progressed and transformed from a community heartlanders celebration and performances, into an international spectacle attracting both locals and international visitors and performers to Chingay in Singapore. Chingay Parade today is a very grand street and floats parade in Asia, showcasing our rich and vibrant multi-cultural society of Singapore, as well as embracing exciting cultures and colours from all over the world.

Chingay 2012 promises to be a splashing spectacular with the theme of ”Love, Care and Kindness Everywhere”, it will take you through a very colourful and dazzling performances, encompassing love, harmony, friendship, community diversity and spirit. On the night of Friday, 3 Feb 2012 – Parade Day 1 at 8.30pm or Saturday, 4 Feb 2012 – Parade Day 2 at 8.30pm, coming to you live at the F1 Pit Building (Next to Singapore Flyer), Chingay 2012 will light up the 2 nights!

Here’s some of the Chingay 2012 Highlights 

- Dragon Dramatics

- Beautiful Cultures

- Dreams Realised – Love Our Children

- Engaging as One – Love Our Community

- Triumph Over Challenge – The Grand Finale

Chingay 2012 will be a spectacular performance, with lots of water splashing! The ticketing information is available here on their website. Do purchase your tickets and watch the Chingay 2012 performance live, you can’t beat the feeling of being there in the midst of the performances and celebrations!

Here’s some of the photographs of Chingay 2012 Media Preview – Look forward to seeing you at Chingay 2012 !

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

During the period leading up to the return and last day of the KTM Railway operations in Singapore, it gained massive interest and following, from taking photographs, trekking along the railway tracks, reminisce of the olden days, public consultation on the future of the Green Corridor and outcry over the removal of the railway tracks. I would not go too much into the details of the happenings and timeline after the return of the KTM Railway, it can probably become a mini thesis of the happenings and follow-ups, public consultations, exhibitions, discussions between different bodies. I had been documenting, photographing and writing on the Green Corridor as much as I could, do check out my The Green Corridor Collection on Flickr!

Map of the Green Corridor Stretch (Bukit Timah Railway Station to Holland Road)  - Maps attributed to OneMap by SLA, http://www.onemap.sg/index.html and CY Leong.

This Green Corridor is now officially known as the Rail Corridor, while the plans and ideas are currently still in discussion, planning and consultation between different bodies, the public and the government, the final plans for the Rail Corridor is still unknown. Most of the Rail Corridor is currently not yet open to the public again, however, there is a 1.4km stretch of station and railway land open to the public from September 16, southwards from the steel bridge along Bukit Timah Road towards Holland Road, that was announced via Channel News Asia. I had been wanting to walk this stretch and see for myself first hand how the changes were really like after the removal of the tracks, the surroundings. My business, time and other personal commitments stalled my plans, finally, I was able to set aside a bit of my time on Boxing Day, to explore this 1.4km stretch.

First and Foremost, with the removal of the railway tracks, some things once removed it will never be the same again. 

The railway tracks were covered up with soil/earth, grass is growing nicely on top of it, although not as natural as the surrounding flora and fauna, it somehow tries to fit into the greenery and surroundings, considering the factors, it’s quite good actually. There was a concern on the greenery, the wildlife and reserve, known as the Clementi Woodlands, being affected by the removal works. From my trek up and down this 1.4km railway land stretch, the damage (if any) looks minimal, the wildlife can be seen and heard, from the birds chirping away, to the dragonflies and fishes inside the small clear flowing stream and pond.

It’s definitely comforting that this stretch of the Rail Corridor still retains the aura, greenery, tranquil and natural beauty, while it’s a real pity that the railway tracks cannot be retained, I sincerely hope that this Rail Corridor or Green Corridor, will stay as a green belt, a green spine that gives Singapore a outdoor recreational and leisure area, for Singaporeans to remember her railway history, heritage and culture, along with space for trekking, running, walking, nature and wildlife studies, cycling. What exact plans/developments will the Rail Corridor be in the future ? We will know it soon in the next few years to come. Do follow We Support The Green Corridor or the Rail Corridor and look out for the updates!

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

With Singapore’s limited landspace and thirst for expansion, Bukit Brown is slated for re-development, firstly, with the building of roads across this area, supposing to ease the traffic woes around there. This is only the initial stage with future plans for Bukit Brown being further re-developed into areas for housing development. There was a public outcry, it wasn’t just affecting the dead people below the ground at Bukit Brown, we are destroying flora and fauna, wildlife and animal sanctuary, and most importantly history, heritage and culture.

I was also following the developments and discussions of the Bukit Brown, reading it online via the social media channels and decided to join Nature Society (Singapore) Public Walk @ Bukit Brown on 24th December 2011 morning, led by Hang Chong of NSS, who gave us a great tour and overview of history, heritage, wildlife, flora and fauna of Bukit Brown. When I was hiking around  with the rest of the group, the lush greenery is very tranquil and beautiful, the peace can hardly be found in modern cosmopolitan busy hectic Singapore.

This was also the time to learn more about our culture, heritage and history, we can do so much more in this few areas, it was an eye-opener for me, a reminder to myself, we must always keep on learning and never stop learning, in one area, learning from the forefathers of Singapore, with their entrepreneurship, philanthropy and giving it back to society is something so precious that no amount of monetary value can be placed on it and many of them are there at Bukit Brown.

You can do a part too, support the movements to preserve and save Bukit Brown, follow them on these 2 sites on Facebook

Save Bukit Brown Cemetery – The Roots of Our Nation

Heritage Singapore – Bukit Brown Cemetery 

We are not just preserving history, heritage and culture. We are also preserving a lush greenery belt that is a sanctuary for wildlife, flora and fauna and lastly an untouched green space in concrete Singapore. There are still much for me to photograph and document and I would plan to go back there soon again, to continue with the photojournalism coverage of Bukit Brown.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

The Elephant Parade Singapore 2011 is visiting Singapore from 11th November 2011 to 11th January 2012, presented by ABN AMRO Private Banking and there are 162 uniquely designed and colourful elephant statues, by local and international artistes around Singapore. On a Sunday morning, 18th December 2011, there was an Elephant Parade Photography Adventure, organized by: Marina Bay Singapore/Urban Redevelopment Authority and supported by: Elephant Parade Singapore, Asian Civilisations Museum, The Fullerton Hotel. It was great fun photographing the Elephant Parade, knowing more about the Elephant cause and saving Elephants movement, the honour of meeting some of the artists along the photography adventure, listening to their sharing on how their unique designs came about and their inspirations behind their drawings and designs on the elephant statutes.

This was also a great time to network and meet old friends and make new friends, from the photography circle to the social media/blogging/twitter circle. Starting from One Raffles Quay South Tower, walking towards Marina Promontory, Marina Bay City Gallery, Marina Bay Sands, Esplanade, Raffles Place MRT, Asian Civilisations Museum and finally Fullerton Hotel. The morning rain showered us twice, however, it didn’t fail to dampen any of the photographers spirits! We just rush and find shelter that’s all and wait for the rain to stop!

At the end point of the photography adventure, we were kindly hosted by Fullerton Hotel with light refreshments, relaxing and having fun with the quiz, hosted by Juliana Tan of Marina Bay Division, who was also the main organiser behind the Elephant Parade Photography Adventure at Marina Bay.

There are still more Elephant Statues around the island of Singapore for me to capture, I would try to capture all 162 of them before the exhibition tours another country!

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Let’s all help to spread the cause, let’s save the Elephants !

A group of photographers and friends, were invited to view and photograph the total lunar eclipse together, at One Fullerton Rooftop, a great time to catch up with old friends from the photography and social media scene, making new friends too, under the stars, watching the Total Lunar Eclipse taking place, sharing tips and experiences! Sing Astro volunteers were there too, with their giant telescope for us to view the solar system, educating and sharing their knowledge with us, on the eclipse and the planet Jupiter with the moons orbiting the planet Jupiter! Oh yes, do take a look at how I positioned and prepared my camera setup to capture the eclipse!

Eclipses are one of the most fascinating natural astronomical events that can happen in the sky, a wonderful natural phenomenal by Mother Nature, something very unique and special, that does not happen often. The Total Lunar Eclipse on 10th December 2011, commenced at 7:33pm local Singapore time and ended on 1:29am (11th December 2011).

Various types of Lunar Eclipses

1)   The Total Lunar Eclipse, which occurs when the moon travels completely into the earth’s umbra (shadow) and turns into bloody red colour at totality (approximately 10:30PM on that day).

2)   The Partial Lunar Eclipse, which occurs when the moon is oriented in a way that only part of it dips into the earth’s umbra.

3)   The Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, which occurs when the moon passes through the faint penumbral portion of the earth’s “weaker” shadow.

Information kindly provided by Sing Astro.

This was my first maiden total lunar eclipse photography, it’s very challenging and fun, bringing me back to this golden rule that I hold on to – “Learning is ongoing & lifelong, a rule that I always hold on to & it applies to my photography, always learning & trying & shooting.”

This wonderful event would not be possible without the organisation, coordination and execution by Juliana Tan of Marina Bay Division, URA, Fullerton Heritage and Sing Astro (non-profit society). Many thanks to all parties for providing us photographers and social media people, a gathering of fun, networking and photography! For updates on events and happenings around Marina Bay Singapore, do Like and follow them on their Facebook Page!

Here’s some of the wonderful Marina Bay Events that I am looking forward to for the month of December !

- Extreme Sailing Series at Marina Bay

Date : 9th – 11th December 2011

The final and ninth Act of the global 2011 Extreme SailingSeries and Marina Bay will be graced by 10 Extreme 40 teams out on the waters of Marina Bay in Singapore and I am looking forward to catch them in action there!

- Marina Bay Singapore Countdown and New Year Eve Fireworks

Date : 31st December 2011

My all time favourite event is to find a spot at the Marina Bay, find a location to soak in the Countdown atmosphere and to shoot the beautiful, amazing and exciting New Year Eve Countdown Fireworks with the gorgeous night landscape of Marina Bay as my background! Check out the various fireworks of Marina Bay over the past few years here on my Flickr and if you like to learn about fireworks photography, check out my Fireworks Photography Tips here!

Do check out Marina Bay Singapore Facebook Page for more information and updates, remember to LIKE the page and stay updated! Here’s the online version of Marina Bay 2011 December events !

In June 2012, Singapore will see an even bigger, better and more beautiful change to her greenery and garden space, Singapore’s paradigm shift is from “Garden City” to “City in a Garden”, a brand new holistic landmark to welcome the new “City in a Garden”, ladies and gentlemen, presenting Gardens By The Bay.

Along with the 20th World Orchid Conference held at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, visitors to the World Orchid Conference are able to visit the Gardens By the Bay for a special preview, behind Marina Bay Sands, at the former Marina South Park. Even at this junction in time, Gardens By The Bay is not fully completed, visitors to the Gardens By The Bay – Bay South were not left disappointed and many were mesermised by aura, beauty, greenery and abundance of different trees and flowers from different parts of the world.

Visitors first impression walking over from Marina Bay Sands was the landscape beauty, walking along the DragonFly Bridge, visitors would see the DragonFly Lake before entering into the various Heritage Gardens comprising of

- The Malay Garden

- The Indian Garden

- The Chinese Garden

- The Colonial Garden

SuperTree Grove

Do you notice a few very special structure that stands out, it’s very unique and specially designed ? They are known as the SuperTree Grove, 25m to 50m high, they are your Gardens in the air, vertical gardens, showcasing tropical flowering climbers, epiphytes and ferns. Another awesome beauty is, when the night falls, they will come alive with very beautiful lightings and projected media.

The Conservatory Complex, 2 unique and beautiful architectural icons – Flower Dome and Cloud Forest, the Flower Dome was opened for visitors to enter and they were treated to a magnificent beauty of different Gardens within the Flower Dome Garden. The Flower Dome replicates the cool-dry climate of Mediterranean and semi-arid subtropical regions like South Africa and Europe countries such as Spain and Italy. The Flower Dome is a VERY AMAZING icon, over 3,332 glass panels of different shapes and sizes made this so beautiful, unique and special!! With the following Gardens inside the Flower Dome

- Californian Garden

- Olive Grove

- Flower Field

- The Baobabs

- Succulent Garden

- Mediterranean Garden

- South American Garden

- Australian Garden

-South African Garden

This is just like many different beautiful oasis of plants, trees, flowers and natural beauty within a giant oasis! When the Gardens By The Bay is officially opened in June 2012, it will only get more beautiful and definitely an iconic Garden Landscape in the region and around the world too! Stay tuned of Gardens By The Bay development with updates from the Gardens By The Bay website, National Parks Singapore and Marina Bay Singapore Facebook. Do check out my special preview photos on Flickr !

I am looking forward to June 2012, to warmly and officially welcome the grand opening of Gardens By The Bay !!!

 

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Source : Marina Bay Singapore

- Elephant Parade

From 11th Nov 2011 to 12th Jan 2012, world’s largest open air art exhibition of decorated elephant statues that seeks to attract public awareness and support for Asian elephant conservation, some of them are located in the Marina Bay region, go out and spot them !

- Balloon Wonderland

Date : 26th November 2011

Time : 7:30pm to 9:30pm

A balloon sculpting event, many big balloon sculptures would appear there, check out their facebook for more information !

- Christmas ChariTrees @ Marina Bay

20 lovingly and uniquely designed Christmas Trees lighting up the Marina Bay, raising funds for 300,000 beneficiaries of Community Chest. Check them out while you are strolling along the Marina Bay, take photos, share it and spread the love!

Do check out Marina Bay Singapore Facebook Page for more information and updates, remember to LIKE the page and stay updated! For more information on the Marina Bay Events for the month of November 2011, check out the link here! Enjoy and have lots of fun at the Marina Bay Singapore!

Starting on a Friday, 4th November 2011, the pool action kick started till Saturday. It wasn’t just the big boys in action, the ladies teams were playing, along with the school boys, providing continuous sporting action on the grounds for the crowds to enjoy. Besides the sports, there’s the sideline carnival festivities of food and drinks.

Many teams from different parts of the world coming back to Singapore to play in the 64th SCC Rugby 7s, although one of the crowd favourites, the South Africa Vipers wasn’t able to join this year, some teams returned back to Singapore playing in the SCC Rugby 7s again, the Swedish Vikings with their awesome Viking Hats whenever they ran on to the pitch! The French connection consisting of French Development and NAPTHA Pyrenees7s, this was their maiden debut in the SCC 7s competition! These teams provided more flair and spectacle to the SCC 7s!

Shot over 2 days, Saturday and Sunday, great to watch and enjoy the rugby matches at the same time. Check out my sports photography of the 64th SCC Rugby 7s on my Flickr , SCC Rugby 7s 2011 – Day 2 and SCC Rugby 7s 2011 – Day 3. For more information into the history and heritage of the SCC Rugby 7s, do drop by their website and the information is available there!

 

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

The Ablitt Cup Competition, fought between Daveta and Borneo Eagles, was a great game that lived up to the reputation of fast flowing attacking Rugby 7s, hard fought, passionate, fast paced, fierce and competitive. Daveta from Fiji came up tops and they are the 64th SCC Rugby 7s Ablitt Cup holders! Congratulations to them for a great fight, sporting spirit and passion! Let’s all look forward to the 65th year of SCC 7s in 2012 and will love to watch Daveta coming back to defend their crown!

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.