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Showing posts from December, 2014

A Climbing Gym - 30 Dec 2014

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Indoor climbing gym is so popular especially during the school holidays, coupled with a prolonged rainy season. Kudos for the kids to be brave enough to take on rock climbing, though just a 1-hour taster session. On second thot, I don't think they could last longer than an hour :) Testing yourself against your limits can give a boost to your ego. They came out with great sense of accomplishment. It's exciting and challenging, it allows the boys to be focus in the moment, but first, they've to overcome some physical and mental barriers..... 'What!! Tis is just a warm up wall!'   And the real climbing walls looked like these.....  Testing yourself against your limits! Very proud of the young ones especially! Coming down was more scary than going up...... Climbing is also a balancing act. The Itsy Bitsy Spider-Kids! Hang in there, brother! Lesson learnt : Don't look down. Peak experiences Don't kno

Kiwanis Youth Camp - 11-15 Dec 2014

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Posted by Xian Jin I joined the Kiwanis Youth Camp again this year, since last year's camp had been a truly great experience. The theme was 'Learn, Live & Lead Together.' What I like about these sort of camps is that I can try something new, not just physical and endurance activities but also learning how to live up to our full potential. This time, the campsite was in Dusun Eco Resort. Before we reached there, we visited a special needs centre.  I could see that the camp participants were trying to interact with them, even though most of them were not familiar with the special needs people. I was touched to see that there were no barriers between us and the special needs people. We played telematches and had fun with them. When I reached Dusun Eco Resort, I thought that it was very clean and spacious. I immediately felt at home. Some of us already knew each other so I just stuck around with the familiar faces. After we were divided into groups,

One week in Bangkok - 23 Dec 2014

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Bangkok has something for everyone. Whether it's exploring the city's shopping malls or the colourful traditional markets. Or you can go to palace or temples, cultural centres, animal parks, theme parks, or go for an eating spree. The list is really endless. We've enjoyed this trip very much though our favourite is the charming countryside. In Bangkok, we've taken a slower, more relaxed pace. A gem in the city. There're 3 floors to this museum - a good place to spend 1 - 2 hours. Plenty of shell exhibits and a good collection of snails too. Boys took time to draw and share a few of their favourites. We've discovered cone shells to be poisonous, how the shells pry open clams and oysters for food, how conch shells are used as horns and the differences of shells and snails. It's an interesting place, with very helpful staff, to spend time with kids. Shopping in Bangkok felt like in Singapore or Hong Kong. The malls are very well-co

Sunset at Amphawa - 20 Dec 2014

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  Boat ride at Mae Klong River  Beautiful sunset The boat stopped at the Amphawa jetty. We walked past the night market on the way to the floating market.  The Amphawa night floating market is only available in the evening from Friday to Sunday. The floating market has the atmosphere of a night market. There're more locals who came here for an eating spree.  Customers enjoying their grilled seafood, sitting on rows of narrow steps leading down to the water and food is brought directly from the boats to the tiny tables.   Along each side of the canal, there're old wooden shops selling all sorts of stuff. The narrow walkways in between the shops and canals were so crowded with people. We didn't stay long at the floating market cos it's just impossible to walk. The atmosphere was like a typical night market, and very different from the Damnoen Saduak experience. Maybe we got tired of so many market trips in a day! The bo

Bangkontee Off-the-Path - 20 Dec 2014

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My previous post - Coconut Grove @ Bangkontee led us to a beautiful and serene place with tall, elegant coconut palm trees in between many small canals. The green water ferns on the canals were captivating. We're so taken in by the view and wandered on and on into a farm. We met Mr Suchon, the owner of the farm, and meant to ask him for permission to take some pictures. Little did we know that this was just the start of our adventure. We're so privileged that he gave us a personal tour of the place without any hesitation. I have to admit that initially I thought he had wanted to sell us his goods. Not only he did not, but he was so friendly and hospitable. A demonstration of how the raw palm sugar was derived from the young coconut palm. The flower will be cut twice a day, and liquid sap will drip into a container. Sugar palm can only be harvested in trees of about 4 years old, and for the next 20 years they can continue to produce the raw sugar. If raw sugar is n