k r i s a n d r o

Anyone who knows that I run regularly would also know that I have no love for thick soled shoes. So when Ben of The PR Element approached me to aid in a barefoot walk event for charity, I was all ears.

Habitat-Barclays Bare Your Sole 2011 is a 2.5/4km barefoot walk event by Habitat for Humanity which will take place on Saturday, 18 June at Gardens by the Bay East, Tanjong Rhu. After deducting event costs, all registration fees and donations will be channelled to Habitat for Humanity (Habitat), which is an international, non-governmental, non-profit Christian organization devoted to building “simple, decent, and affordable” housing for the needy. To date, they have built over 350,000 houses for 1.75 million people in regions such as North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, and throughout Asia-Pacific.

Your donations, together with the help of volunteer labour, Habitat builds simple, decent houses to be sold to needy families at ZERO profit with affordable, no-interest loans. Habitat’s volunteers have been also involved in the recent disasters in Japan.

KuKuNehNeh and myself are signing up for Habitat-Barclays Bare Your Sole 2011 in the 4km category. Everyday, disaster stricken people and the unfortunate in poverty trudge on with nothing on their feet. So join us and possibly more than 5,000 others for a very short barefoot walk. Trust me when I say barefooting is beneficial for your health so long as you keep a good eye on the ground for dangerous objects and hold off your foot fetishes till after a good shower.

Event: Habitat-Barclays Bare Your Sole 2011

Venue: Gardens by the Bay East (Rhu Cross), Official Map

Date: Saturday, 18th June 2011

Time: 9am – 1pm (Flag off time at 9am)

Registration Costs: Early Bird $15 (register before 1 June) and $20 (normal)

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/BareYourSoleSG

There are some important points to note from the FAQ:

• No skating or cycling or any form of wheels on the course. This is for the safety of all participants.
• Running is allowed but you will have to bear the risks.
• No pets allowed on the course. (Barefoot + Poop = Ewwwwwwwwww…)
• No bag deposit so please travel light!
• There is no parking available at the event site. Participants are recommended to use the parking facilities around Stadium Walk and Stadium MRT, and either proceed to the venue on foot or via the shuttle buses provided.

Check out the website for more details. See you there!

[Disclaimer]: This post is not paid for in cash or in kind.

I love rides and even more so when it’s challenging; so I was extremely glad to extend the invitation from MegaZip Adventure Park to a group of  bloggers and go along for the ride(s)!

Huge crowd at the waiting platform for the Sentosa Express

We arrived at the MegaZip Adventure Park after alighting at Imbiah Station (Sentosa Express) and walking past Sentosa’s attractions like the Tiger Sky Tower, Butterfly Park & Insect Kingdom & Sentosa 4D Magix. I don’t think it was a long walk but then again, my sense of distance is rather warped because of my hobby.

Apart from the heat, the weather was beach-perfect conditions; sunny with gusty winds to give moments of relief.

The staff at the MegaZip Adventure Park were a bunch of extremely friendly and upbeat people. Their smiles and positivity proved to be important as many participants needed much encouragement through the various obstacles the park has to offer.

MegaZip staff demonstrating what face you should make even when you are scared enough to piss your pants.

First up – ClimbMax!

“ClimbMax is Singapore’s premiere high ropes adventure course. 15 metre high Eucalyptus trees create a formidable course in the jungle hilltops of Sentosa.
3 LEVELS, 40 FOOT HIGH, THE ULTIMATE PHYSICAL CHALLENGE
The views are breathtaking, the thrills are endless and the well-drilled staff ensure that the experience is safe, efficient and highly addictive.”

ClimbMax Level 3 - 40 feet above the ground

Here's Mint attempting to navigate ClimbMax Level 2 with her eyes closed.

Looks easy but if you look closely at my right arm, you can tell that I was hanging on really tight.

Trixy navigated the ClimbMax like a female Tarzan and still had the capacity to camwhore!

This little girl who is barely taller than my waist went for ClimbMax Level 3!

I had to take a long breather after that particular stage in ClimbMax. It was unanimously voted as the toughest one.

Hayley needed some rescuing at the ClimbMax and we watched the staff weave himself expertly to her timely and got her down safely.

Derek - our hero for the day. When he wasn't lugging around the heavy Canon 5D plus 70-200mm lens, he spat on his palms and ran circles around the ClimbMax.

Alton was with Sarah, Ash, James and me on ClimbMax Level 3

ClimbMax Level 3 - Final stage; least effort with a dash of faith

I was drenched in sweat after completing ClimbMax Level 3. It was tough!

The ClimbMax was the toughest attraction of the MegaZip Adventure Park I tried that day. We could feel the ropes sway to the strong winds and even the structures seem to sway a little. It’s definitely still all in the mind, as we were all safely harnessed in the event of a misstep. The staff were very attentive and shouted out tips and words of encouragement if anyone got stuck at a certain obstacle. We were also witnesses to a real rescue that showcased how efficiently they can get to someone who got stuck or needed help.

There are 3 levels of difficulty in terms of height in total with slight variations to the obstacles. Definitely try out level 3 if you are game. The view is beautiful up there!

Next up – NorthFace!

Test yourself on this monster of a climbing wall! The 16 metre wall is one of the highest in Singapore, with three different routes to the top. Under the supervision of our climbing instructors you will be safely belayed all the way to the top. Find your own route, reach the summit, and then lean back, relax, and abseil back down the North Face.

Ruoxuan and Mint attempting to climb the NorthFace.

Only the two ladies in the picture above tried out the NorthFace as we were all spent from the ClimbMax. It’s something I’ll definitely go for on my next visit.

Next up – ParaJump!

At the ParaJump leap point, the views are amazing. Ocean, jungle, palms swaying in the breeze, white sand beaches… and a 50 foot drop to the family below!
A custom made safety wire and harness developed in the UK and controlled with clockwork efficiency by our experienced staff is a first for Singapore and allows you to replicate a freefall parachute jump – without the plane ride!

Here's another picture of Super Derek, scoffing at the 50-foot drop from the ParaJump as he cradles his mega-camera with one hand.

Trixy at her best. Jumping 50-feet off a ledge down to the ground while holding a camera on video mode aimed steadily at her face.

Sarah, my fellow Vibram Five Fingers wearer.

Jiaqi had the most style points coming down from the 50-foot drop.

Finale – MegaZip!

Asias most extreme zip line takes adrenaline junkies from the jungle canopy of Imbiah Hill to the white sands of Fox Finish Point.
75 METRES HIGH, 450 METRES LONG AT HEART POUNDING SPEEDS OF 50KMPH
Singapores first 3 wire zip tests friendships as you race your pals or parents to the finish line. Exhilarating, breathtaking, fast and furious… if you are going to go radical for a day, this is the way to do it.

Jiaqi & Hayley (Jay on the Hay) coming down the MegaZip in tandem.

I was the last to go down on the MegaZip and I was pointing at my crotch. The discomfort to my family jewels was well worth the awesome 450-metre ride down!

Posing for Ruoxuan's camera.

After completing the ClimbMax, ParaJump & NorthFace, the final ride is a cool zip line down Imbiah Hill and across the waters of Sentosa! The view is amazing and would be even cooler if I wasn’t uncontrollably swung around to have my back face the front most of the time. My tip for you is to find someone to go down in tandem if your combined weight does not exceed 140kg. You’ll definitely enjoy the ride more going down as fast as you possibly can!

The bloggers looking extremely cool with their harnesses and a beach backdrop.

Everyone had fun at the MegaZip Adventure Park!

I had so much fun that I am already trying to find a date to go back with KuKuNehNeh and more friends!

Prices for the attractions at the Megazip are as follows:

There’s also a 5% discount if you book online through their website at www.megazip.com.sg

Wear appropriate sports attire that cover your shoulders, waist & thighs to minimize discomfort from the harnesses. In the event that you are not wearing appropriate shoes or shorts that day, the Megazip folks will provide Crocs and shorts for you!

[Disclaimer]: This trip was sponsored by the good folks at MegaZip. All views on this posts are of my own and were made while sober.

Tucked away behind the busy Orchard Road is the lesser known sister of the Pan Pacific Hotel chains, the Pan Pacific Orchard. Now that I have tasted the great food at the signature restaurant, 10 at Claymore, I think the lesser known sister should have a chance to revel in the limelight.

After a little poking around the internet, it seems like 10 at Claymore has been quite popular for it’s buffet spread and so I was quite curious when I was invited down by Citibank and the 10 at Claymore folks to try out food from the à la carte menu. I was also joined by 7 other bloggers: Chester, Veron, Keropokman, James, Walter, Jeneen and Claudia.

Seeing that the restaurant expected us down, I won’t talk about the excellent service that the staff showed as there but without any biased opinions, the food served to us was great! Pardon me for not packing vocabulary like a food connoisseur does but you have to believe me when I say the food is great, considering that I hardly get excited over food much.

I forgot whose idea it was to share food around like Thanksgiving instead of ordering mains for each of ourselves but I think everyone enjoyed eating chunks and morsels of food from the variety that 10 at Claymore served us that night.

If you every make your way down, do try the Thai Beef Salad from the appetiser section and for mains, do try the delicious Oven-Roasted Bonito Cod.

Oven-Roasted Bonito Cod with Honshimeji Mushrooms, Pea Sprouts and a Garlic Shoyu Sauce ($29)

Now, if you have a fat wallet and/or has a thing for beef, I implore you to spend it on the Blackmore Wagyu Beef Tenderloin. It is 200g of Wagyu Beef goodness that stirs my gastric juices as I am typing out this blog post. Even Veron who isn’t much of a beef person, enjoyed the tenderloin of Marbling score 9+.

“What MARBLING SCORE?!?” you might ask? Well, I was clueless also and apparently, a benchmark marbling/marble score of 1 to 9+ is given to Wagyu beef which grades it on the amount of intramuscular fat that gives the famous Wagyu it’s famous juicy texture. Need I mention that the best grade is on the high side?

Blackmore Wagyu Beef Tenderloin (200g) 600 Days Grain Fed – Marbling Score 9+ ($100)

Yes. It costs $100 and I swear that I didn’t knew of the price until someone pointed it out to me on the menu. Truthfully, it’s not something that I would order if I had to pay because of the hefty price tag but it’s worth every cent! The meat was juicy and the generous portion is good enough for most folks. I had it medium-rare so as to fully savour the goodness of the meat but I think it’s also extremely delicious served medium. Anything more cooked than that and I’ll go over and kill you myself…. and eat the remainder of the Wagyu beef you ordered….

10 at Claymore has a few promotions if you are a Citibank card holder:

• Valid 1st Aug 2010 – 30th Sep 2010
  Get 1 complimentary THE CLAYMORE (which is a steak) with any order from the grill menu.
  Get a 2nd grilled item from the grill menu for $10 only, with any order from the grill menu.
• Valid till 31st Dec 2010
  • 15% off total bill

Pan Pacific Orchard
10 Claymore Road
Singapore 229540

[Disclaimer: Citibank is a client of my company and the food was kindly sponsored by the restaurant. My opinions of the food are of my own and are not influenced in any way or by anybody.]

Remember the Dove Go Fresh Challenge that I spoke of?

Help us vote for our entry and you may get a chance to bring someone down to the Dove sponsored private island getaway with us if we win!

Voting closes at the end of tomorrow (Friday) and so I need everyone to head down to the facebook page here and click on ‘Like’ to vote for us! VOTE VOTE VOTE! Thanks!

I know I am supposed to cough up a video for this challenge but at the very end of my work for it, my data for the flash file got corrupted. Any more unlucky and I’ll have 10,000 doves fly past and drown me in their poo.

Anyway, do support me and vote Vote VOTE!!!