My First Lesson On Archery

A extremely loud noise awoken me "early" morning 11am today and I struggled to open my eyes and dragged my leg out of bed to pick up my hand phone.

"Hello!" My friend "C" called me

"Err...yah?" I sleeply replied as I tried to regain my conciousness

"You remember our appointment for the archery course?" He shouted at the other side..

"Arhh Ya ya...ok ok...meet where?"

We had arranged to meet at Bugis Junction and take bus 100 to reach the location near HarbourFront.

We managed to walk up the "100 steps" up the "hill" among the HDB flats up above the community centre.

Suddenly I felt like a ancient Chinese kung fu student going up the mountain seeking for knowledge and skills to become a real kung fu master.

Wind blew around us making it very windy day for us which is very tough for shooting arrows.

We thought we are late but in fact we are pretty early as we sat and watched the "seniors" practice their skills of "sniping" the targets using bow and arrows with impressive accuracy.

I am very very impressed with the modern version of the bows which looked more like a sophiscated weapons then guns!!

The most expensive model (estimated to be around $3000+) comes with light weight but strong frames, modern looking designs, high power, deadly accurate and even comes with sniping scopes!

There are even children as young as 10 years old learning how to shoot arrows!

When it's my turn to try, my instructor, Rick, corrected many of my mistakes and I managed to hit some of the targets but unfortunately I got slightly rope burned on my left hand haha.

My handling of the bow was very bad and need many adjustments to make it less hazardous to my skin, now there seems to be 2 small "hickys" at my arm that need some handy plus haha.

Overall, it's great fun and fullfilling afternoon streatching my arms and burn some muscles, it's great to have 4 lessons for $100 bucks.

I am thinking of joining the Singapore Archery Club and practice more, maybe I can excel in this but I am not sure...maybe maybe...it's just a great sport and hobby! :)

Brand New Day After Vertical Marathon!

The day after Sunday's Vertical Marathon (72 floors + 01 rooftop), I had suddenly got enlightened that anything is possible no matter how hard it seems to be.

Being slightly asthmatic, I had found myself lying on the ground at mid way of the vertical marathon of Swiss Hotel, Lying there almost giving up...but I tell myself that I had to finish the race...no matter what obstacles I faced!

On the last 20 floors to reach, one of the official offered water but told me if anyone take water won't be able to go up anymore as the water will make the body more difficult to go up.

The split second decision to skip the water drinking and carry on forward even if I am extremely thirsty and however one guy beside me went willingly to the door to have his final sip of water...probably ending his participation?

I was extremely exhausted and almost turned deathly pale due to my late night sleep and lack of water...there are one last video camera on the final 2 floor and I bet the guys below can see my death face up front...dragging myself up via the railings while 20+ fit individuals ran passed me without effort what so ever!

On the last few floors...there is one girl there cheering people on to go on!! I stopped and rested on the railing for dear life! And moved up more!

Step by step...my brain was totally blank...other then that numbing sensation on my legs and my eyes forced to focus on the next step...and another...and another.

It's like walking on the biggest desert with the oasis so near...yet I felt every minute was like years...

One more floor! The girl shouted!

What?!? I scream! And I saw the last flight of steps in front of me before reaching the roof top for the final crossing point...two more guy fly passed me like they were possessed and shouted at me to move aside.

"Go go go!!" I shouted and wave them on...while i cringed on the last railing before reaching the roof top!

I tried to jog towards the finishing line...with the SUN blazing onto my skin burning me, I wanted to scream but no sound came out of my mouth.

I crossed the line and met my friend Jimmy who started off with me but reached there much earlier.

Yo!! You made it! Jimmy shouted at me!

"......." I couldn't speak...and I had grabbed a cold mineral water out of nowhere...and was given a medallion looking thing...on my neck by someone angelic with bright sun rays shining everywhere...while I untie my shoelaces to get the "tag" out of my shoe.

I made a hasty retreat to a shaded staircase below and sat down heavily...still trying to catch my breath.

There was a minor problem for the certificate collection for the age 30 - 39 men and women category that delayed for at least 2 hours before collection was hastily issued out after a women shouted at the girl that unfortunately stand there at the wrong time and wrong place.

There seemed to be a screw up at the printing side that caused the major delay but there was no explanation to us but we were just too happy to bug out of the place as the sun was very relentless at 12pm.

That's my experience for the vertical marathon, what's yours?

What's that about Windows Mobile on the iPhone???

Using some innovative programming hack to the iphone...this Norwegian guy managed to start his iphone with window mobile OS!!

Norway have long winter and they have to do something...and they do programming!!

So now it's duo-boot for iphone!