AMAZING RACE @ ESPLANADE

Okay. So this is the first activity we had after we reached Cairns. The first thing we noticed about the Esplanade is that it is called Esplanade. Just like Singapore. And that it has a really REALLY big SWIMMING POOL. And the sun is so big and strong and hot, hotter than in Singapore. And there are lots of people lying down to get sun tanned. Truly summer scene.

We had to do a few tasks, firstly going down to the water, but since we don't have towels, we just have to drip dry. Which is quite easy seeing how hot the sun is. Then we were asked to look for an Olympiad memorial thing and an anchor. So we found the memorial thing, and we asked for directions to go to the anchor. So we asked this guy sitting down looking at the sights (somewhere near the sea).

us: "excuse me sir, do you know if there is an anchor around this area?"
guy: "ahh yes. you walk straight, you'll pass by this place with lots of army stuff, you walk up somemore, and you'll find it."
us (very happy): "thank you. "

so we walked walked WALKED up and up and up, passing by the 'army stuff', passing by lots of trees, but we still can't find it. so we asked other teams if they found it. They said they don't know. Then we heard someone telling us that we're going the wrong way. The anchor is in the opposite direction.

Fine. So we walked all the way back. We walked till the place where there is lots of boats and ships (the place where we go on SeaStar for Great Barrier Reef). And we can't find it. Then Xingqi ran off in the direction of Shangri-la Hotel (even the hotel has the same name -.-) and shout back that he found it. Oh well, FINALLY. By the time we reach back to the swimming pool to get our next task, other teams have already FINISHED the whole race.

That is what happened if you get cheated by a guy with nice accents (Sam said he has a nice accent).

nah darling, you weren't cheated, the guy who gave you directions probably aint sure himself and just assumed u were looking for another anchor instead of THE anchor. hahah, but it was a good experience aye? now you know you have to ask more locals to find out where is the real thing and also learn that next time someone asks you for directions, double check and confirm you are giving the correct one.

and mr yeo was laughing at us lor.. he said on de paper said since de memorial is at the EAST (or west i forgot) then the anchor shld be at the WEST (or east..) and we kept walking one direction instead of the other.. haiz.. but we stilll got to see herons and pelicans =) rare sight of nature.. =)

lol, i saw pelicans too. and anyway, there WAS another anchor (my group went and found it). many locals also told us its that way. anyway, it was FUN!! ^_^

but dat anchor doesn't fit de description in de paper given.. its another date or some event lor..

haha omg i remembered! we were walking left to right and right to left looking many times for that anchor and in the end mr yeo came and told us that it was in the opposite direction! Anyway, we had fun taking pictures on the way back and also chatting with mr yeo and mr low. However, my group went a little slower and lagged behind. We seriously thought that you guys were all the way back at the mall and we had to walk there and back when mrs tan told us we were at the wrong place! Haha, anyway it was a fun experience that got us more familiar with the neighbourhood we were staying in in Cairns!

That was the first activity that really was an eye-opener.
It was my first time seeing a huge swimming pool right in front of an open ocean. At first i was wondering why dont they just swim in the ocean instead of the pool. but i guess there are always practical reasons to everything. haha.
Anyway i was walking along with mr low and mr yeo (got a few other people as well). Learn a lot of stuff about birds esp from mr low. he's such a knowledgable person. no wonder vp. haha. and first time i saw wild pelicans flying around! yucks! i hate pelicans cause i'm super scared of them and their beaks. haha. but i got to see so many diff species of birds that i thought i would only be able to see from the internet and books. the scene was just so beautiful, even more than those on the internet and in the books.
so yep, through amazing 'stroll', i got to see lots of stuff that probably many other people will only get to see in the bird park.
they will be sooo jealous. hahaha.
for my group we were basically strolling. i thought racing around will only let me miss out on lots of things. and really whle strolling, i got to enjoy the australian ocean breeze, the scenery, the fresh air, and of course not to forget the EXTREME uv. haha. but we didnt let one single factor spoil the whole fun, right?

haha. amazing stroll once again rocks.
yu ru

HAHAHAHA YURU AMAZING STROLL INDEED.

Amazing race was fantabulous. My team comprised of Zhi Xin, Wei Jie and I we are zui jia pai dang ok. Ya so first we were directed to the Esplanade Lagoon thingy. OMG the sight was breathtaking. I wanted to jump in there and then! Furthermore the sun was shining so brightly! Ok nvm out of point. So we had to answer some questions, take some photographs and get a stone from underwater. Kudos to Wei Jie for finding our stone so fast then we went to find the dunno wad memorial thing and the anchor! Super fast and fun. I felt like I was speedwalking throughout the whole race with my painful sandals which gave me blisters every time I wear them. Ok then I dunno where we went. Should be Woolworths or wdv you call that supermarket! And bought potato chips. I can still remember us looking back and making sure no one was following us. Hahaha so childish but wdv! ya then the last point was the Reef Teach location, where we took all the Reef Teach posters/logos/signboards we could cause we weren't sure which was the one Angela wanted. And YAY we managed to reach first, followed by our other group 3 sub-group, which comprised of Cheng Qian, Gillian, Cheryl and Steffi. Oh then we had some time before the Reef Teach started so we went to Woolworths again to buy stuff hehehe.

Ya but point is, prior to the very amazing Amazing Race, I was feeling super sleepy and lacked the strength to even walk briskly. But I told myself that since I'm already here and furthermore that was the very first real activity, I should go all out and do it properly! so our group managed to zi high and erm... chiong all the way lor

Moral of the story? Unleash your energy. You never know how much you can keep inside of you. Hahahaha. No la. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. So make it a point to challenge yourself at any phase of your life. Don't be comfortable with just something mediocre. Try to do more, and when you've done more, reflect and see if what you've done has been worthwhile and beneficial. Yay! I somehow get the feeling that I keep typing out of point so please pardon me. It's a lazy Sunday afternoon and I am still in half-awake mode.

wow.. didn't noe there were so much more stuff.. some of us stopped after finding de anchor =P hehe.. and yea!! its was an amazing stroll indeed.. so cool lor.. nature at its best..

erm, where shud i reply or post my reflections? abit blur but anyway, the amazingrace was HOT. UV extreme! but it was veh fulfilling when we reached our destination!! cnograts on those who finished it!