k r i s a n d r o

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.

A Holland Village resident from Singapore called in to a radio station and asked uncultured heartlanders to stay clear of cultured Holland Village.

To aid a fellow Singaporean, I have helped her define the boundaries so that you uncultured, manner-less, loud-mouthed, Bugis Street cheap clothes wearing people from heartlands such as Ang Mo Kio, Yishun, Toa Payoh and Bukit Batok will understand her plight and keep to your zones.

Keep to your zones like you should people! Stop tainting Holland Village!

I had an interesting 15.5km long jog this morning.

There was this huge tree that had fallen from Bishan Park, right smack onto the pedestrian road on the park outskirts. Not sure when it fell but it was about 6am when I saw it and I hope nobody was hurt. It then started to rain pretty heavily about 4-5km into my run; the kind of rain that keeps pounding into my eyeballs, disrupting my vision and threatening to dislodge my contact lens. There was also this ghostly wail of a voice that made me jump out of my skin which turned out to be this stealthy cyclist with an umbrella trying to get me out of his way.

Dude, if you are reading this, please install a bicycle bell. I don’t get frightened easily but that was mighty scary. On another note, you have awesomely oiled gears. I had NO INKLING that you were behind me.

Despite dealing with the above, the jog was extremely comfortable. I risked not bringing any fluids along for such a long jog but I didn’t need any in the end. Not that I was drinking from the rain or the flooded drains like some savage but I didn’t sweat much due to the cold weather. Like an over-clocked CPU with good cooling, I guess my bodily engine also enjoyed the dropped temperatures and my timing and level of post-run-panting proved it.

I enjoyed the jog immensely and was reminded of how painful it was to jog/run long distances back in 2009 when I started it all. During runs, I would start to experience sharp jabs of pain from plantar fasciitis in my left sole, right knee aches and the biggest ailment any runner will face; the nagging mind telling me to stop.

“Stop. The pain is so sharp. Stop. Your legs are tired. Stop. Go home.”

So what changed?

3 things: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, training knowledge & Vibram Five Fingers.

The book gave me purpose and with purpose, comes joy. The knowledge allowed me to embrace safe & productive things like training in heart rate zones. The Vibram Five Fingers simply allowed me to run like how humans were made/designed to; pain free.

I may have started quite late on this journey and still have a lot to learn but I am pretty sure I have a long and enjoyable road ahead; preferably with bell equipped cyclists and upright trees.

My training has been smooth so far after making a full recovery from Pneumonia. Come tomorrow, I would have hit 146km for the past 37 days with about 420km to go before Sundown 2011 on 28th may, 2011.

Looking at my training data, I am very close to the peak of my fitness last year and the road ahead, beyond 240km, is pretty much uncharted waters for me as I have never ran this much before. Although I’ve been reading up on training, the journey of every training cycle is very much a learning process and an ongoing experiment on the limits of the human body. Single human body; my body to be exact.

History (for all of the past 2 years) has proven that I tend to hit a wall of bad health or injury before races but the same history also show that I push my boundaries of fitness each time I tried like the stubborn man I am. So with fingers crossed, I hope that I make it this time for a race and shatter the shameful personal best of 2 hrs 43mins for a 21km run in 2009.

On other news, my trusty pair of Vibram Five Fingers (VFF) KSO have accumulated 568km of mileage so far since I 1st wore them January last year.

Pic taken before I put another 5km in them

The rubber of the “toes” are worn off in quite a few spots where I land and push off during runs and I will have to retire them as soon as my socks show through. As minimalistic as I am, I don’t need holes in my socks. Despite the sadness of the inevitable parting with my very 1st pair of VFFs, the KSO has served me well and seeing that the recommended lifespan of regular shoes are between 500 – 800km, this pair of KSO has lived a pretty good life.

Stay strong my Vibram Five Fingers KSO! With any luck, you’ll live to see yourself break the 600km mark.