Our cycling trip began a little later than had been planned as some of our group had lost their way to the meeting point. Nevertheless, it was a merry 19 people who departed from the Changi Point ferry terminal at 9am on Sunday, 15th June for the island of Pulau Ubin for a long awaited cycling trip.
Our ferry took us over swirling waves to the rustic island, whose jetty reminded one of a place that had grown too fast to keep up with itself. More bicycle shops lined the main road than I remember seeing two years ago. The friendly place selling tender coconuts was not so much a drink stall, but a full-fledged sea view seafood restaurant!
However, after we got past the bustle of the village, it was a different story. We entered the rural areas, most of us on the bicycle, a couple of the women on foot. Speeding across smooth roads, we finally came to the point where we would take a turn into a dirt and rutty road leading to Mamam beach. It was fun, riding along the bumps, and getting down to push the bikes when the road got too rough. Dheeraj, the smallest off the children was in a bit of a difficulty, as his bicycle, with training wheels, simply required far more effort than the smooth sailing mountain bikes of the others.
This part of the adventure brought us to Mamam beach where we admired the hundreds of wasps building their nests in sand and foraging for food (from a safe distance, of course) while we were happily eating chocolates and other snacks. Then began the hardest part of our journey to Chek Jawa.
The uphill road proved almost impossible for Dheeraj’s bike, which he had to push for most part. Even for the rest of us, there were long stretches when we were exhausted pushing the bicycles uphill. Finally we made it to Chek Jawa, only to discover that the place was totally different from what it had been the last time we were there two years ago. Two years ago, Chek Jawa had been a wild spot, one could walk along the intertidal zone to some exposed rocks and have lunch on those rocks. And if one stood absolutely still, the crabs would come out, one by one, out of their holes to play in the sand. And one movement, they would flee, faster than one would have imagined crabs to move, back into their little sand nests.
Now, the crabs were still there, only that they had to be viewed from the top of an observation boardwalk. It was a bit disappointing for some of us, who missed the rustic nature of Chek Jawa. However, the government’s effort to prevent over invasion of the flora and fauna of the intertidal zone is understandable. We made our way to the viewing tower, five storeys of steep stairs, after climbing which we were awarded with a breathtaking view of the forests of Ubin, mangroves, the sea and in the distance, Changi beach. A quick ride back to the jetty, a tender coconut, and we were ready to return to the mainland.
- Kiruthika
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