Forest Adventure

At the end of last year, I came across an advertisement for a place that looked really different and fun: Forest Adventure.

What is Forest Adventure?

"Singapore's first and only tree top course.  Forest Adventure is an aerial course through the trees comprising ladders, bridges, swings, nets, trapezes and slides where participants move unaccompanied from tree to tree 5 metres above ground.  Unique to Forest Adventure are 4 zip lines (flying foxes!)...

All zip lines are built over water and measure between 125m and 200m!..."

Doesn't it sound great?!!  I couldn't wait to take the kids!

Friday August 8th was the start of Singapore's National Day Holiday, which is a bit like our American Fourth of July.  Jim took the day off so we could do something fun with the boys, and I quickly looked into and booked Forest Adventure.

We were told to arrive 15 minutes ahead of our scheduled time slot and to allow for the 10  minute walk from the car to the base camp.  The kids were not excited.

That's right.  Their reactions ranged from, "what are we doing?" to "I don't want to walk this far...when are we going to get there?"  "I'm hot!"  "I'm thirsty!"

Ugh.

Can we just call it Forest Frustration because it definitely started out that way!

Also, let me just say, "forest" is a bit of a misnomer.  It is adjacent to a large reservoir and it does have some trees, but not at all within a heavily forested area or anything like I was picturing.

We finally arrive at base camp only to find out that it won't quite work as I hoped.  I planned to have Jim and the 2 older boys do the adult course while I stayed with John on the kids course- if allowed (or I'd watch him safely from terra firma).  The older boys wouldn't accept this.  They didn't want to do the adult course with Dad and a guide.

We had to form plan B:  the three boys would do the kids' course together and we would watch.

Here's a quick photo after they got hooked into the safety equipment and in line to climb up.  We could help but laugh at the height differences between our kids and the local kids in line ahead of them.

The smaller Asian children ahead of our kids were quick.  Soon John was up the ladder and on to the first challenge:

 Unfortunately this isn't a close up of his face.  The poor kid was so excited and his excitement quickly turned to abject terror at the height!  He soldiered on and didn't want to be called out by his brothers.  This perspective also give you a semi-good look at the height.  They were up there!

 As soon as they finished with all the challenges, they ran to get in line again and do it all over. John was no longer afraid and was yelling because he didn't get to go first again.  The ticket allowed for two times on the course.  It's too bad they didn't enjoy themselves at all!   The zip line at the end of the course was the highlight.  Our camera ran out of battery by that time with all the photos we took of the ear to ear smiles.

We've already decided to return when we can and leave John with a friend so Mom and Dad can join in on the fun.  If you ever get a chance to try something similar, I think the boys would highly recommend it. :)

Return to Spore.

So I've done it.  I've finally called Singapore by it's more familiar nickname, Spore.  I've tried to pass it off as Sing to myself and even managed to make Sing the nickname of choice among my friends, but let's call a spade and spade.  Spore just fits so much more appropriately.

We're back from summer home leave.  I still won't say "we're home".  It's not home.   It never will be.  I came to that more clearly over the summer after about 2 weeks away from here and I decided I didn't want to come back.

????

What the .........?  I really, really liked it here last spring.  I really, truly enjoyed our time here in March, April and May.  I wasn't even sure I wanted to go home on summer leave!  I was enjoying myself too much.  I sincerely wonder if I would have chosen to go home at all if the majority of folks didn't already clear out every summer like clock-work.   But I did.  And I came to be so happy at home again.  One big ball of comfort and ease again.  Parking lots instead of parking decks.  A huge yard with forest creatures instead of slate and chlorine and mosquitos.  Target.  Need I say more???

I cried.  I got it out.  I had to put on my resolute face that I have to at least finish this out for one more year.  Then I can re-evaluate the situation.  

And here we are!

And I'm happy again!  The sky is annoyingly cheerful with sun!  The flowers are blooming everywhere and the palm trees are still in my front "yard"!  The kids and I have eaten lunch at the club twice this week and saw friends that I was so excited to see again!  I missed this!

Return to Spore.  It's much easier than I thought.