Shopping Shuttle Bus for JB Malls

Great approach by Causeway Link launching this bus service which is more geared toward S'pore shoppers. This bus brings you right to the malls doorstep(except Pelangi where driver alight u opposite). For those who are scared of taking JB buses, this service is a no brainer. This bus can be taken at the bus stop in front of CIQ. Just turn left & go down escalator just before linkway bridge to City Square.

Loop Route: JB Sentral->City Square(public bank bus stop)-> Plaza Pelangi->KSL Mall->Holiday Plaza->Danga City Mall->JB Sentral

Fare is:
JB Sentral to Plaza Pelangi: RM1.30
KSL Mall to JB Sentral: RM1.60

Timing is pretty accurate for the bus service as i've experienced.

Went to check out the newly opened KSL Mall since i'm there to recce a clinic nearby. KSL Mall with its repertoire of shops is mainly catered for women. Mall is bigger than City Square. A movie cost RM10 on weekdays & there's few people plus excellent cinema standards. Awesome value for $.

Are you sick of paying exorbitant rental component for the stuff/services in S'pore?
How much of your life are you throwing away in earning $ at work to pay those exorbitant rental part of stuff in S'pore?

Bike Storage

Old chapalang bike is kept outside. New bike kept in bedroom right beside the bed to save space since it doesn't matter much if 1 side of handlebar & a pedal 'protrudes' onto the bedside during sleep. An elastic strap is slinged over the saddle to prevent it from falling over.

I've seen people posting pics of how they store their multiple bikes at home & gosh it sure does take up much space especially in pigeon hole flats. Nowdays peoples' homes are more & more cluttered with posessions(including mine). The stuff that took up the most space for me are my books. Nowadays i seldom buy books unless the book is really good for reference otherwise i'll borrow from library. Is not so much of saving $ for books but more of space storage issue now.

Having too much things lying around usually mean more stuff to clean. At times when stuff are discarded away is as though i've cleared up 'mental' space in my mind.

SAF Sandals $13.30

Fantastic value for $ for a pair of sandals that's 'battletested' by tens of thousands of guys in national service. I bought the last pair for my size from Maju camp. Previous visits to emart Chevrons have always been out of stock except for extra big/extra small sizes. Have dropped by emart Mt Faber which is also out of stock. Popular places not easy to get which is usually where the crowd goes.

During my ride to Desaru i've come across a few cyclists wearing sandals. Why? So as to avoid wearing soggy wet shoes on the 2nd day back if it rain.

It even comes in a close-by-sling bag!

Bike Commuting- Getting used to Weird Reaction from Others

Had a night session of badminton at Gombak hall. As usual there's weird reaction from people when they see my helmet. Most likely thinking what poor guy cycle to play badminton. Especially when finished walked out & saw me unlocking my 'chapalang' old bike.

If i take mrt from Clementi to Gombak it'll be 9mins. Walking to station is around 10mins. Give around 1min of waiting & 2mins alight from Gombak & walk to hall. Total is around 22mins. My bike trip around 33mins. Forward trip on mrt highly likely crowded during rush hour with loads of people heading home which i rather avoid.

11mins longer by commuting which i treat as extra exercise. Fares saved i can treat myself to a hawker meal & support hawker instead of enriching the transport company.

Those weird reaction from others is something i've learnt to live with.

Polygon Helios F100

My new bike bought last month for $450(before 5% discount) at Rodalink. Polygon bikes are incredible value for money as has been mentioned in recommendations among cyclists in forums.




I used to own a Trek 2200 road bike a couple of years back which i used for commuting to work. It was stolen. Damn heart pain. Bike thefts have been on the rise over the years & they have gotten more audacious by climbing into porch to steal. Once bike is stolen is very very hard to recover cause the police won't waste their time recovering bikes.

So far i've done the eastern park connector loop, northern loop & exploring sentosa(darn small island which has gotten more artificial) Total distance so far is in low 300km+

Why did i choose this bike? Well i'm more of an avid recreational rider. I mostly commute for errands & exploring/sightseeing & then pitstopping at hawker centres for value for $ nice hawker food. F100 suits my budget for a roadie & with a flat bar which i'm more accustomed to. The dropbar series of road bikes start at $650.












Slim tires are a breeze riding on roads & park connectors compared to the amount of energy expended pedaling my old 'chapalang' bike which i still use at times to certain commuting locations due to fear of new bike stolen.

Ulu Pandan DISconnector

I often use the park connector behind to ride to Jurong library, IMM etc. Is muddy after rain & connector terminates before the railway track which is land owned by Msia. Unfortunately nparks barricaded the railway bridge citing safety reasons. Heck people have been using the abandoned railway bridge to cross over to the connector beside International Business park & continue on to Jurong.

Now then Msia have agreed to 60% share in some Marina prime area property in exchange for railway land, it makes little sense for nparks to fence it up instead of implementing interim measures to make the trail less muddy & a safer bridge.

People have complained about the DISconnector situation since 2007(thread in a cycling forum) & to nparks & nparks have not done anything.

I'm forced to use the road ever since the barricade.

View from Faber area:

Side to International Business Park:

Muddy trail to railway bridge after rain:

Eating Alone

NUS undergrads start campaign to tackle fear of eating alone. Fear of eating alone? I've eaten alone countless times & there's nothing to be afraid of. Upside of dining alone:

• Easier to find seat alone
• Eat what i want
• No need engage in needless small talk
• Choose where to go
• Often times i don't order drinks
• Solitary time

Seems like many of them are bunch of strawberries. Those who stigmatized those eating alone as losers are the real losers.

15¢ Curry Puff

Bought 6 for RM2 at an old shop selling malay pastry/cookies just a couple of steps ahead of the famous bus-stop in front of the public bank in Johor Bahru. That's around s'pore 15¢ each! Potato filling is reasonable. It also goes to show how ridiculous the rental component of a curry puff sold in S'pore is.

Curry Puff sold by Old Chang Kee? - that's overpriced in my opinion. For 1 Old Chang Kee curry puff($1.30) though is bigger i can buy 8 smaller ones in JB which more than makes up for it.

S'pore Time & Msian Time

Though both reside in same timezone, don't you feel time passes by slower once over at our northern neighbour? I mean the pace of life. People don't walk as fast, eat as fast. Over in S'pore time poverty is common among many. Technology is suppose to give us more time with automation but is the contrary for many.

Ever switch off your cellphone & be free for a while? Or keep your cellphone at home when going for exercise, stroll after dinner?