::Tuas Grassland::
Wednesday, April 07, 2010 @ 3:13 AM
::5th Apr 10::
After visiting lots of Singapore nature trekkers' blogs, I wanted to have a nature excursion as well! To see the another "side" of Singapore. Not a concrete forest; but the actual greenery type. So I decided to go to Tuas Grassland to see pitcher plants growing in the wild :) I emailed to a couple of the nature trekkers. Some told me that the place was fenced up and not allowed for entry anymore. But there's one nature trekker, Siyang, told me how to get there. Thanks to him and Google Maps; I managed to get an idea on how to get there :P
I gathered my party members which is Edmund and XueNi; and we were ready to go! Yay! :) Had our lunch at 18Chefs; Tiong Bahru Plaza before making our way down to Tuas.
Edmund ate all the ice creams! xD
Looks like a giant mirror!
I gathered my party members which is Edmund and XueNi; and we were ready to go! Yay! :) Had our lunch at 18Chefs; Tiong Bahru Plaza before making our way down to Tuas.
Edmund ate all the ice creams! xD
We took bus192 to Raffles Marina; a building opposite the grassland. I have never been to this part of Singapore before! Pretty exciting, heh xD The weather was kinda gloomy; the lack of sun. Luckily it was only a drizzle; otherwise we have to cancel this trip :( With my cap on, we crossed the road to get to the opposite side.
One group picture before beginning our nature excursion~
Raffles Marina; and beside it was this huge piece of green nothingness!
I was told to look for an obvious opening in the fencing. We actually found it because it was... yea... obvious :\ But it was really flooded and we went to look for another alternative path. We found one and some bangala workers were walking up that path. & they kept staring at us. Looks like we can't take that path... Edmund went to take a look after the bangala workers walked further away.
Hope he doesn't get rape by them :X
One group picture before beginning our nature excursion~
Raffles Marina; and beside it was this huge piece of green nothingness!
I was told to look for an obvious opening in the fencing. We actually found it because it was... yea... obvious :\ But it was really flooded and we went to look for another alternative path. We found one and some bangala workers were walking up that path. & they kept staring at us. Looks like we can't take that path... Edmund went to take a look after the bangala workers walked further away.
Hope he doesn't get rape by them :X
Looks like it's still a no no. Apparently it is the path to some construction site. So we went back to the obvious opening and walked into the flooded grass area. Good thing that I wore my old converse shoes :D but my poor socks :( I don't like the feeling of wet socks.
Obviously obvious.
Obviously obvious.
After trying really hard to avoid those holes filled with water, our shoes still got wet instead. Well, except for Edmund who was wearing slippers!!! Dx So we couldn't be bothered anymore and just stepped into them. Like what's the point? It's not like our shoes still get even wetter. After walking for awhile, we noticed there's signs that people had been walking through the tall grasses at the side. And how we know? The grass were flatten; like not very obvious path but still a path. Get what I mean?
Like this.
Edmund checking out the area first... again xD
Happy... wet shoes?
This is how wet the main path is.
Well, actually it's much better than the murky side path.
Like this.
Edmund checking out the area first... again xD
And so, we decided to trek there. We weren't very sure where are the pitcher plants located. Actually, we didn't know at all. This is our first time here and with no directions at all. We just have to take our chances and just explore the place like a true blue explorers we are! :D Anyway, the tall grasses have pretty sharp blades and I'm wearing shorts! D: A little scratchy.
Just when we thought there was nothing there and was about to head back to the main grass path. We spotted them! The pitcher plants! :D And they were small; no wonder we didn't see them at first :O I imagined them to be bigger though... :X
This is how the side path looks like. Wetter.
They looked so happy even though their feet were wet xD
Maybe is because we finally found those pitcher plants or
maybe they were just smiling for the camera. xD
Pitcher plants~
Moar pitcher plants~
Just when we thought there was nothing there and was about to head back to the main grass path. We spotted them! The pitcher plants! :D And they were small; no wonder we didn't see them at first :O I imagined them to be bigger though... :X
This is how the side path looks like. Wetter.
They looked so happy even though their feet were wet xD
Maybe is because we finally found those pitcher plants or
maybe they were just smiling for the camera. xD
Pitcher plants~
Moar pitcher plants~
Soon we walked to a dead end and we had to walk back out to the main path. We carried on walking and walking. And we spotted more pitcher plants at the side! :D Pretty green ones this time. I totally ♥ them! :D
Pretty pretty :3
Taking a look inside...
A dead bee! xD
XueNi tried to take this shot as well but got frightened by a blade of grass because she thought it was an insect :\
Her screams and sudden jerk frightened me as well :( I almost dropped my camera into the watery depths of horror.
Moar with some slight redness on caps.
Feels like the wild grass are choking them though :\
Pretty pretty :3
Taking a look inside...
A dead bee! xD
XueNi tried to take this shot as well but got frightened by a blade of grass because she thought it was an insect :\
Her screams and sudden jerk frightened me as well :( I almost dropped my camera into the watery depths of horror.
Moar with some slight redness on caps.
Feels like the wild grass are choking them though :\
Happy... wet shoes?
This is how wet the main path is.
Well, actually it's much better than the murky side path.
After that, we saw a concrete path at the opposite! Our damp souls were lifted immediately and of course, we wanted to get there instantly. But first we have to pass through the tall grass in order to get there :( Murky path here we come. Btw, it's still drizzling...
1) The amount of grass we have to pass through.
1) The amount of grass we have to pass through.
2) Finally! On the proper path! :D
Group picture time!~
Group picture time!~
We continued up the concrete path; in search for bigger pitcher plants this time. Kinda scared that we might run into some bagala workers :\ But phew, it was clear. We were like the only ones there; far away from civilization. & we chanced upon this really beautiful scene...
Looks like a giant mirror!
We actually wanted to walk across it but we didn't know how deep it is and also whether it's an actual pond or a flooding made by the rain. But decided not to... because after taking a closer look at the surface of the water... there's lots of insects and water spiders!!! Fuck. I fking hate spiders :@
We walked around the "mirror pond" instead; to the huge green field up ahead.
We walked around the "mirror pond" instead; to the huge green field up ahead.
Found this sign and wondered what's there for the spectators to spectate.
Little did we know, that the field used to be for radio modellers/aircrafts!
It was a flying field!
It was a flying field!
We then walked across the field to a swampy area. And we found more pitcher plants there :D
Swampy pond. Yuck :\
Baby pitcher on the ground among the grass.
Moar baby pitcher plants! So cute xD
Big black ant :\
The explorers of Epsilon.
Time to go back to civilization~ We went back to the concrete path and we found an even shorter way out... through the gates of the fence. Even though it's chain locked, we were small/slim enough to fit through the gap! If we have known about that, we wouldn't have the chance to experience trekking through the flooded grass areas and such. So I'm actually glad we didn't know about the short cut :P Seriously.
With that, we have concluded our mission. Although we weren't able to find those big pitcher plants, at least we managed to find some and not go back empty-handed or should I say "empty-minded". I hope that I'm able to plan more of such nature trek excursion again in the near future :P Gonna look through more nature trekkers' blogs :D
Goodbye Tuas Grassland.
Thanks for the experience! :)
With that, we have concluded our mission. Although we weren't able to find those big pitcher plants, at least we managed to find some and not go back empty-handed or should I say "empty-minded". I hope that I'm able to plan more of such nature trek excursion again in the near future :P Gonna look through more nature trekkers' blogs :D
Slipping through~
Goodbye Tuas Grassland.
Thanks for the experience! :)
Labels: epsilon, excursion, nature trekking, plant
--xoxo,
Akira Star
Akira Star
nette
