We have just reached home after a four day three night expedition into the Malaysian rainforest. I am pleased to announce that driver, Fran and miss daisy are alright. Although a little dirtier than expected. It has been a long drive home, having left Kuala Tahan just before noon.
It was fun to see the stares from passing vehicles as our mud-caked vehicle passed them on the road home from the Second Link. Being so tired, only the essentials were brought up from Miss Daisy. Unloading and cleaning her will have to be left to tomorrow.
Over the next few posts, details of the trip will be shared and pictures from the trip will come online too. Come back for more exciting details from the Mat Daling trail.
6 Nov 2006
I have just uploaded the photos from the trip. Please follow the link below for a photolog of the journey.
Mat Daling Photography
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Yokohama Geolanders MTs
Today is the day I got MTs onto Miss Daisy!
The impetus being the upcoming expedition on the Mat Daling trail. I have been researching on the available options and it is difficult getting MTs in Singapore. At least it's difficult getting the MTs of the right specifications.
I have been advised to get them from across the Causeway. I just have a few problems about driving around in JB, ensuring that the shop there does not botch up the tyre change and fleece me in the process. I also have the small problem of lugging back 5 ATs in the back of my truck. So, the next bet option is just to get them from here.
As luck would have it, the company had in stock 5 Yokohama Geolander MTs, with the same specs as the Grabbers that are on Miss Daisy. I have given much thought about whether to upsize my tyres but I at the end of the day, practicality and common sense overruled the other options and I had to admit that staying the same size would be best. As it is, I already have trouble getting into most carparks, any increase in height will effectively exclude me from ALL indoor carparks.
The Geolanders do not look as fierce as I thought most MTs would. But its look grows on you. I opted for plain black lettering as opposed to the raised white lettering on the sidewalls. I think it was a conservative decision. I negotiated a deal to store the ATs over at the dealer's place and to be able to run back there to swop to ATs when necessary.
Road handling was decent. It was not as loud as I imagined MTs to be. It has a pleasant purr on tarmac with a mild vibration at lower speeds during both acceleration and deceleration. This goes away once we pick up a certain speed. Off road, traction was discernibly better than with the ATs. Maybe it is all in my mind. I will have to confirm its effectiveness but for $250 a piece, it had better work better than the ATs.
The tyres were not cheap but probably a worthwhile investment for this offroading lifestyle. It may not be the best in its class for extreme type terrain but it will probably do for my expected level of offroading. I have included below, a picture of the tyre and the specifications.
The impetus being the upcoming expedition on the Mat Daling trail. I have been researching on the available options and it is difficult getting MTs in Singapore. At least it's difficult getting the MTs of the right specifications.
I have been advised to get them from across the Causeway. I just have a few problems about driving around in JB, ensuring that the shop there does not botch up the tyre change and fleece me in the process. I also have the small problem of lugging back 5 ATs in the back of my truck. So, the next bet option is just to get them from here.
As luck would have it, the company had in stock 5 Yokohama Geolander MTs, with the same specs as the Grabbers that are on Miss Daisy. I have given much thought about whether to upsize my tyres but I at the end of the day, practicality and common sense overruled the other options and I had to admit that staying the same size would be best. As it is, I already have trouble getting into most carparks, any increase in height will effectively exclude me from ALL indoor carparks.
The Geolanders do not look as fierce as I thought most MTs would. But its look grows on you. I opted for plain black lettering as opposed to the raised white lettering on the sidewalls. I think it was a conservative decision. I negotiated a deal to store the ATs over at the dealer's place and to be able to run back there to swop to ATs when necessary.
Road handling was decent. It was not as loud as I imagined MTs to be. It has a pleasant purr on tarmac with a mild vibration at lower speeds during both acceleration and deceleration. This goes away once we pick up a certain speed. Off road, traction was discernibly better than with the ATs. Maybe it is all in my mind. I will have to confirm its effectiveness but for $250 a piece, it had better work better than the ATs.
The tyres were not cheap but probably a worthwhile investment for this offroading lifestyle. It may not be the best in its class for extreme type terrain but it will probably do for my expected level of offroading. I have included below, a picture of the tyre and the specifications.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Alegria
Why am I blogging about music today...I don't know. I was just listening so some of these old Cirque du Soleil tracks when it stuck me that I really liked a few of the songs found in their shows. 2 in particular will I remember. The first is from the show Alegria, entitled Alegria.
This five minute and forty-three second masterpiece is from the show, Alegria, meaning in Spanish, "Jubilation". The song itself has three parts, beginning in Italian,interludingg in English and concluding in Spanish. The song begins with light almost bell sounding percussions and by the time the chorus kicks in explodes in any orgy of splendor and strings the likes of which Vivaldi could only dream of.
The singer's voice can only be described as enchanting. It is powerful and clear with a raspy sore-throat like quality to it which makes it sound raw and real. Francesca Gagnon is the singer's name.
Try it and see....
This five minute and forty-three second masterpiece is from the show, Alegria, meaning in Spanish, "Jubilation". The song itself has three parts, beginning in Italian,interludingg in English and concluding in Spanish. The song begins with light almost bell sounding percussions and by the time the chorus kicks in explodes in any orgy of splendor and strings the likes of which Vivaldi could only dream of.
The singer's voice can only be described as enchanting. It is powerful and clear with a raspy sore-throat like quality to it which makes it sound raw and real. Francesca Gagnon is the singer's name.
Try it and see....
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Three Years
In a blink of an eye, Fran and I have been married for 3 years.
4 and 5 Oct 2003. 4 Oct was the wedding ceremony and the 5th being the dinner. It just seems like yesterday that it all happened.
Yesterday we went celebrating with a dinner at a quaint little japanese place called Sushi Kikuzawa. A small hole in the wall type of shop with a counter for about 10-12. Some have described it as a close resemblance to a small sushi bar you will find in Japan. For a flat fee, the chef (a real japanese) will prepare the sushi for you. Of course you can either order food that you actually like, but that would not be fun now would it; or you can leave it to the chef to prepare what he likes.
After some initial hesitation, we decided to go for the latter option, trusting that the good chef will prepare the freshest catch of the day. Boy were we surprised with some pretty good stuff. We had a range of nigiri sushi that we would normally not try. The unagi was particularly well done with a few bursts of fire from a blow torch. Wow!
We even had a taste of the fugu. This is the famed puffer fish. The flesh is edible but the innards are poisonous. The taste was rather bland but I think the thrill comes from knowing its potential for harm
All in all, we had a very good experience. It will be a tough decision to go back to the usual sushi joints with the conveyor belts. For you foodies out there, the address of the place is:
Sushi Kikuzawa
360, Orchard Road
International building
#02-13
4 and 5 Oct 2003. 4 Oct was the wedding ceremony and the 5th being the dinner. It just seems like yesterday that it all happened.
Yesterday we went celebrating with a dinner at a quaint little japanese place called Sushi Kikuzawa. A small hole in the wall type of shop with a counter for about 10-12. Some have described it as a close resemblance to a small sushi bar you will find in Japan. For a flat fee, the chef (a real japanese) will prepare the sushi for you. Of course you can either order food that you actually like, but that would not be fun now would it; or you can leave it to the chef to prepare what he likes.
After some initial hesitation, we decided to go for the latter option, trusting that the good chef will prepare the freshest catch of the day. Boy were we surprised with some pretty good stuff. We had a range of nigiri sushi that we would normally not try. The unagi was particularly well done with a few bursts of fire from a blow torch. Wow!
We even had a taste of the fugu. This is the famed puffer fish. The flesh is edible but the innards are poisonous. The taste was rather bland but I think the thrill comes from knowing its potential for harm
All in all, we had a very good experience. It will be a tough decision to go back to the usual sushi joints with the conveyor belts. For you foodies out there, the address of the place is:
Sushi Kikuzawa
360, Orchard Road
International building
#02-13
Monday, October 02, 2006
Running the Singapore Marathon 2006
The time has come to train for the Marathon again. Having taken part in my first marathon last year, I never thought the day would come when I would sign up once again for such an inhuman race. However, I have parted with 30+ bucks to torture myself again and so it is high time I start training to minimise the pain during the race.
But seriously, the desire or need to complete this gruelling race in a shorter time compared to last year is the main motivation for doing it again. I completed it last year in a time of 5 and a half hours. Quite an achievement and unexpected for my state of fitness and preparation last year.
This year I have decided to follow a training guide posted on the internet. It is designed to allow one to complete it below 5 hours. Although it is a 21 week program, I am starting at the 8 week mark. It will be tough but I think it can be done.
So officially, I have started my marathon training. 3 Dec, here I come!
But seriously, the desire or need to complete this gruelling race in a shorter time compared to last year is the main motivation for doing it again. I completed it last year in a time of 5 and a half hours. Quite an achievement and unexpected for my state of fitness and preparation last year.
This year I have decided to follow a training guide posted on the internet. It is designed to allow one to complete it below 5 hours. Although it is a 21 week program, I am starting at the 8 week mark. It will be tough but I think it can be done.
So officially, I have started my marathon training. 3 Dec, here I come!
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