End of Days

Everytime when XMJ and I visit Suntec City, we will always stop by the Candy Machine at the Entertainment Center and watch them play. We will always wonder how does these people win so many toys. And we will stay more than half hour each time to figure things out.

Once we could not resist the temptation and tried it ourselves. We limited our spendings to $10 and in the end we got no prize and only one bag (50 pieces) of candies. How utterly disappointed we are! And how we envied the others when they hit the jackpot and win big plush toys inside the machine.

Two weeks ago, we could not resist temptation again. However this time we had a plan and we executed it well, not with some hiccups in the beginning. Huh? You still don’t know what machine I am talking about?

Okay. Let me explained. First, you put a token in the machine. 5 tokens and you get 3 tries. There are 2 buttons. The first button is to scoop the candies that goes on a rotary conveyor. After scooping, the crane will return to its orignal position.  Next it is to press the second button to release the candies on the moving tray. The trays will move in and out push the candies towards the opening and at the opening there is contact. Once a candy hit the contact, it will add on a tab to the route to Jackpot. Altogether there are 21 tabs.

We took over from someone who had creeped halfway. We limit ourselves to $20 but that took us to 3-quarter mark only. So we decided to spend another $10. That goes away pretty fast. And I have to run to counter again. The lady besides us was doing the same thing too ans she already had 2 bags worth of toys.

As we play, we were literally swaying in tune with the tray and willing the tray to push a tiny bit further for candies to drop through the opening. I can understand the thrill in gambling. The anticipation of scooping a lot of candies, the joy in a successful scoop, the disappointment in a wasted try, the excitment when a lot of candies got push through the opening, all these ups and downs are thrills you can enjoy. Wonder if the game is addictive.

And finally at $45 dollars mark, We had our jackpot. We were practically too excited and we could not keep our grins off our face. We pick a Tweety bird as our jackpot. and we have 0.8kg worth of candies which we distribute them in our office.

We really have fun and we planned a trip every 2 months!

Chen Kee…

These are flashbacks of a traveller as he waited in an airport to fly home to Singapore. Pardon the bad English since these are actual thoughts. Pardon the errors in the timing as he is quite bewildered in the cause of all the action.

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7 PM:

Still got 4hours before flying. 2hours before checking in. Listen to my shuffle first. Hmm.. “Flowing”

8 PM:

Still got time. Later when the check-in sign comes out then go buy the cashew nuts for the office and pa. Then change all ruppees back to Sing. Hopefully can do that.

9 PM:

How come the check-in sign not out yet? A bit hungry leh….

930 PM:

Hmm… Why the row of lights above me was turn-off and back on again? Somethings not right. Check-in sign so long still not out yet?

940 PM:

How come the airport people running out?

Gather in that corner and stay low? Ok. We are in an emergency situation?

Hmm.. Got terrorist attack ah? Got calls for bomb in the plane ah?

Looks like those inside the gates are coming out too. Most lights are off.

Like that can go home or not? Wa! Why must they attack tonight? Damn unlucky. Next time must not say bad things before the trip.

10 PM:

Wa! Can still fly off at 12 (AM) meh? Hopefully can. Really want go home.

Are those gunshots I hear?

Gunshots! Gunshots! Better shift myself to behind my bags away from the glass. Should I flung myself to the ground like the rest?

Oh! That ah moh girl is crying! Should I go over and comfort her? Why am I still sitting cross-legged? Wa! Where is that guy running to?

Looks like have to wait again.

Terrorist attack airport is it? Neh! Security so tight already. Bomb? If bomb, hide also no use. Die? Die lo.

Little Hen! Love u ah!

1020PM:

Hmm… Nothing leh! No explosion leh!

Oii? Why is this soldier walking in huh? Maybe just checking us out? Walk out already!

Wa! Still can laugh. Must be common to them already.

Tsk! Tsk! Don’t think I don’t know you taking photograph. Maybe can upload to facebook.  Wa! Take video some more! Oops! Airport officials here to catch you photographers. Lucky you hide yours fast enough!

Huh? Got planes attack airport? Sure or not? I thought they almost finished the war? Maybe that’s why. Final struggle before death.  Should have no planes bah?

1040PM:

Finally! Emergency situation over. Everything in control?

Sigh! So what now? Have to wait ah? Can still go home or not? Check-in sign not out leh. I think can forget it.  No need to buy cashew anymore. Should I still change my ruppees? Can leave it for next time.

Let me sit on the chair. The ah moh girl look ok already. Hmm… Check-in sign not out. Wait bah.

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In the end, this traveller had his flight cancelled and stranded for a night. He was lucky enough to made it back the next day, though 14 hours later than planned. And he got to know all the details only the very next day after a good night rest.  Don’t worry. The above episode will be re-written in plain English with the aftermath.

Chen Kee……

How to survive a 50km walk?

Training.

Contrary to my team’s doubts, I did trained for the event. Though not as I planned. (My team walks regularly from MacRitchie Reservoir to Bukit Timah Hill, I have become a sleeping member.)

Initially, I planned my training in  such a way that I should at least complete a 50km before the actual event. But due to work, play and mostly plain laziness, I only managed to complete one 20km before the event. Altogether, I only managed to do six walks: one 5km, two 10km, two 15km and one 20km walk.  All on Saturdays morning.

I remember the first 10km walk was a killer. Walking from 11am to 1 pm in the hot sun, I nearly wanted to give up. Plus I was sweating like a pig. My legs are like iron bars. I was wondering why I was torturing myself. But I persevere and reached my girlfriend’s place and received a welcoming smile that made everything all right again.

Why my girlfriend’s place? Actually all my route would start from my house to her house. One of the most enjoyable thing to do for the walk is planning the training routes. Using Google maps and its distance measuring tools, I will design the route from my house to her house no matter the distance.

So I huffed and I puffed through my training walks. Listening to the birds sing or my brother’s I-shuffle or my handphone’s music,  watching the cars and pedestrians going by and the stares from the people at the bus-stop; enjoying the  sun, the breeze and the clouds and most importantly, receiving the homecoming smile from my beloved.  I did what I could for my training.  If not, I think I could not even complete 10km of the walk.

So now, I  am contemplating whether I should continue my training and prepare for the 100km walk next time round….. Maybe a bit too ambitious…..

Chen Kee

Happy Chinese New Year!

I completed a 50km walk. Yup! 50km!

It is an event organised by Raleigh Society and others called “Let’s Take a Walk 2008“. The walk is catergorised into 10km, 50km and 100km. The co-beneficiary is  MINDS.

Many of my friends asked me why donate money and torture myself.

I gave them these 3 reasons:

1) It is for charity.

2) It is healthy.  (You have to train for it.)

3) I like to walk.

Yup! Yup! That’s all for now! Watch out for more posts on the walk!

Happy Chinese NewYear!

Chen Kee