A trip to MacRitchie Reservoir (to go to the tree-top walk!)

It was quite a last minute decision last Sat when my friends and I decided to go to MacRitchie Reservoir with my friends to explore the tree-top walk. It was a rainy morning and rainy afternoon. We decided to cancel it at 12pm but then decided to make our way there at 1250 after the rain stopped.

We met up at 220pm at the bus stop and the weather was FABULOUS. Overcast, with the occasional peek of the sun out of its hiding place. And rather breezy. We have been to hike this area before, from Bt Timah Nature Reserve to MacRitchie (11km in all!) and this time, we took a totally different route by walking on the broad walk that bordered the reservoir for about 4km before entering the rainforest.

We climbed up onto a tower (see the pic where there were the 3 of us) and it happened to rain at that point in time! So took shelter and had a little picnic there for about 20mins before we continued. The rain pattered down hard and we needed to walk around with our umbrellas! It was such an adventure cuz the tree-top walk actually closes at 5pm! And we were still about 2km away at 415!

Hastened our speed and managed to make it to the tree-top walk which is actually a suspension bridge at 433pm! The time for the last entrance is at 445pm! It was raining hard still, and we made it amidst the wet and muddy grounds. One great thing that the rainy weather brought was the fewer number of visitors to the park. It was unlike the other Sunday walks that we used to do as the park was flooded with runners, families and walkers alike. It can really spoil the pristine tranquility as people chat too loudly.

It was a great hike and we would not have gone if one of the friends is not going off to Belgium for 6mths. Aww… Would miss her company on the future walks that we r going to do! :p I would certainly go back there again on a day when it’s dry and I would be able to see more animals. Actually, did not see any on that day at all. :p Too bad another friend could not make it with us. She’s going to be a teacher… Heh…

To define what do I mean by ‘Nature’, as requested by a friend. J Well, to put it simply, it’s anything that is not man-made. MacRitchie is where nature abounds, with the lush greenery and the many animals that inhabit the forest which are not easily spotted by the human eye. Galapagos Islands off Chile is where nature thrives too, with all the animals in their original environment untouched and protected from the prying hands of greedy Man. Closer to home, as long as there is abundant greenery(since there are no savannahs or bushlands or deserts or glaciers to talk about in Singapore here), there will surely be animals and insects found alongside. And that is what I termed Nature. Since it’s actually a patch of living area, anything that Man does to interfere with it will cause a disruption of the balance in it. Animists believe there are spirits living in the forests, water, mountains and they are what keep them(both Man and animals) alive and living, they worship Nature and do not dare to provoke it, for they fear repercussions. In a way, I may be considered half an animist? I don’t worship mountains, forests or the oceans, but I respect them for their powers. They calm me in a way that nothing else can. That’s why I love running into this area near my place which is not developed due to it being used for military purposes. A canal running through the place, I’ve seen kingfishers, egrets(during this migratory season from Oct to Mar), dogs(both alive and dead), water monitor, wild rabbits(most prob released by man), wild chickens (? They always scurry away whenever I approach), a dead snake, eagles flying overhead and numerous unidentifiable colorful birds throughout my many months in this special ‘relationship’ with this stretch of running route.

Being up in the mountains give me a sense of how tiny I am actually in this wide universe and out in the sea is something I love best. I dunno how to explain the feeling, but it’s something I’ve always enjoyed since young. Maybe it’s in the genes, since both my parents used to live by the sea when they were young. And the urbanized me, being deprived of this chance, treasures every single opportunity to be out there.

Hopefully I’ve provided an explanation of what Nature means to me. No need the help from a dictionary, just what I feel deep down in me.