Had a very interesting day today. Took wife to see the Avengers in the cinema at Tebrau. Good show!!!!
Nice and clean. Popcorn so so but paid 28 RM in total. Citibank card holders can get tickets cheaper on week days and 1+1, etc. T&Cs apply.
The southern entrance to HH is opened!! Went back at around 10pm to SG to pay bills, etc. Saw it open and
so reminded myself to use it when going back. Its much faster now using the shortcut, on the way saw pretty spectacular lightning and then later passed legoland. Saw that they already putting up some lighting and some buildings have sprung up faster than before.
Had a super heavy storm in SG as i went to visit my inlaws and then brought my parents out for my favourite curry rice near Kovan. Its the Sin Ju Le Huan or something like that. Had a hurried one as always no parking in that area and the nearest MSCP is a long way away. So i let my folks out and swung around and around to get a spot.
Packed for wife and then took parents around Seletar dam area and to one of the favourite places of mine. The bridge near the Fokker hanger to Selatar North Link linking to Punggol. Used to go there for fishing when they first set up the place. Fishing was one of my key hobbies prior to moving out to HH. I gave it up when i let 4 barramundi out at the beach in Sembawang Park. Bought them from Sheng Shiong and they stayed for a very long time. Anglers nearby were aiming for the spot so i actually went into the water and shoed them away. Those were the days.
Ok, back to the storm, since army days, have never seen something so scary. Let my parents off to the shelter to their home and went back on the home journey at about 3am. Had to turn on all fog lights, front and back as well as the hazard lights, scary weather with little visibility. Most guys turned on their fog lights and one lady forgot to at AMK and i winded my windows down and gestured her lights were off. She was gracious and kind enough to wave back.
Found that the rain water limit my car speed and so to avoid the trees, i went in the middle but no joy. At BKE side, some cars to the left stopped as one seemed to be hit by a tree, i slowed down and saw the driver was ok, he waved to me and said he was ok so i drove off.
Shortly after, i myself saw branches coming off a tree just as i was driving and i had no choice but to go over it as there were cars behind me and i didn't want to do an ebrake.
Finally made it to Tuas, no one was at the counter and waited until the office came, he told me he just went through the mother of all storms and i told him where i came from when he asked. We chatted for a bit and he asked me where i was going so late, i told him home and HH. He told me he knew the place and said it was ok, i told him that there are lots of fun and good places besides HH as well.
Passed the Tuas customs and went without incident to the Malaysian customs, after breezing through it (no cars at this time plus MACS) continued on my way. Saw the weather letting up by then. Saw lots of lights turned on at the first stretch of the highway but past 313 exit, the stretch of lights were still off. Finally did 312 exit (Nusajaya) and took the shortcut back to HH. Took the Southern Entrance and turned in, only to see the guardhouse and a gantry. I alerted the guards and showed them my pass. For the benefit of folks here, i stopped halfway and asked, when is the official opening of this entrance. Guard lowered the gantry and slightly hit my boot but told me that officially it will open on the 12th. So this is good news for those commuting to and fro HH as it will shorten the journey back as once you go in via Southern Entrance, you are already in the midst of HH.
Saw some of the most spectacular lightning shows tonight, yellow, blue and purple. Some at close range, some from afar. Glad to have made it past the storm. Reporting (still alive) live from HH.
