HPB Voices Reloaded

HPB Walking Enthusiasts

by Jesmyn Teo, (RDS)

You know how it goes... We’re so engrossed in working hard that when lunchtime comes, it just feels right to treat ourselves to something satisfying. After recent weeks of rich lunches with colleagues, I was feeling extremely guilty, and for being a ‘rogue’ employee of HPB!

So I jumped at the chance to burn some calories and turned up bright and early at Changi Ferry Terminal on the sunny Saturday morning of 25 November. A pleasant surprise awaited our cosy group of 15 as Mr Bernard Teo from Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) turned up on his day of rest to bring us around Pulau Ubin.

All smiles before boarding the ferry

After the “shiok” ferry ride from the jetty’s sparkling new Departure Hall, it was time to get down to some serious walking. Mr Teo guided the excited bunch along the Spice Trail on the East side of the island, showing us seldom-seen flora such as the betel nut tree and citronella plant. Walking briskly to outdo the noisy student groups approaching, we then proceeded to the West area.

Hark! What goes there?

We felt privileged to have access to this particular trail as it was OBS private property, inaccessible and unmarked on the map. It was more deserted and ‘natural’, being less disrupted by visitors. A few times rolling dark clouds and persistent thunder made us work harder, pushing our limits as we rushed onwards. Huddling against the drizzle and half-bent to creep through wild vegetation, we felt like castaways in an episode of Survivor: Pulau Ubin! It was much-needed relief when we finally stopped for lunch at the OBS canteen and had a tour of its facilities.

A much-needed tea-break at the friendly Ubin jetty coffeeshop

Although it was quite a torture we put ourselves through, we enjoyed it tremendously. We sighted enormous spiders, a sun-bathing iguana, a baby stingray with a mighty barb, a colourful jungle fowl and a reticent wild boar Papa (which, ahem, only yours truly was lucky enough to see). Everyone took in the fresh air and symphony of birds and cicadas, a welcomed break from stuffy air-conditioning and ringing phones.

A common weed with medicinal properties

We also met the kindest kampong folks, from the Ah Pek selling drinks from his run-down home in the middle of nowhere, to the Malay village chef who operated the first coffeeshop in the Ubin jetty. Even the dogs were happy and friendly, keeping to the side of the lane for us to pass first, unlike the unruly teenage cyclists who tore down it like maniacs.

The bond between staff got stronger as we encouraged and helped one another along the way, the toughest part were the steep rocky trails that were paved with broken tiles and bricks (ouch!). We were especially inspired by Mei Leng, a retired CS staff who, like a mini dynamo, consistently led the pack without seeming to even sweat or pant! The sight of her silver umbrella bobbing in the distance motivated us to buck up and persevere. Her constant bickering with Johnson Lau also cracked us up and made the journey seem much easier.

And guess what? We had covered a distance of almost 25 kilometres from 9am to 5pm, burning lots of calories in the process! Hooray!

Hmm. I think that deserved a reward of some Ben & Jerry’s… just kidding!