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Adventurous, observer,kind, compassionate, generous, Practical, quick learner and hard working.

Monday, December 5, 2011

My morning walks

As i  grew up in our small village in the Philippines, i spend lots of walking, because my family didnt own a car. Walking a great length is part of our daily exercises. As far as i can remember, my grandfather used to bring me along with my cousins to visit our relatives in a nearby village. We used the shortest route  if there is any  or else we have no choice but to follow the right path.

Our village lies in a massive rice plantation, so sometimes if we choose to go by the short route to our distination we go via  a rice field. I mastered to balance my step in a narrow path which about 10 inches wide. And if  i lost  my footing  i will difinitely fall on the rice plants which if its touch your skin it gets stingey because the rice itself and its leaf  is very rough.

The leaf  if you feel it  feels like a sand paper, quite rough if its rubbbed against your skin.
Me and my cousins sometimes  race along the rice fields, whoever walk slow could be pushed aside in the mud. The best thing about walking the fields is the opportunity to catch dragonflies or sometimes tree with ripe fruits. No one prohibited you to pick a fruit in our place. People are friendly and forgiving. Sometimes, farmers even  offer you thier vegetables or fruits as you pass by. I remember carrying  loads of sweet potato , string beans and tomatoes on our way home. My cousins sometimes moaned for it because it is really heavy. I am talking about a basket full of vegetable and fruits.
I rememberber growing up eating organic vegetables, farmers in our area does not always use fertiliser as the soil are already rich.

Ok back to our  long walks, yes it is  part of our growing up. When i was about 12 or 14 years old me and my cousin and children from our neighbour together with thier parents went to climb a mountain.
 We left very early, even before the sun rises because we aim to be on top of the mountain by  mid morning, so we can come back the same day. We did not tell our grandparents (who are our guardians that time ) that we are following our neighbour to the mountain.
We brought some water and food for the day. Hello, that time  phones are not heard  of so there is no way that my grandparents will know if something happen to us. But thank goodness we all came back safe aside from few mosquito and insect bites and a sunburn. And yes we brought home some fruits from the mountain and gave it to my grandparents, and for that we did not get any beating only scolding :-(

As a young kid i enjoy walking, and even now in my adult life.
Here in Singapore, it is one of my favorite past time. I have the previlege to do my walkies in the morning and also at night. I learned that if  i dont go for a walk my body will be aching for the whole day, but if i go for my usual walks i feel energized for the whole day and my mind is more active.

This is one of my favorite walkway, its a canal along sixth avenue beside Laurel rd. This is a very quite place esp in the evening, but i was told that there was a cobra sighting in this area so i avoided walking at night. Beside it, is a rain forest which is very serene and the smell of wild plants is heavenly. Aside from this place i love walking along holland road down to pandan valley then back to sixth avenue. Sound of the traffic didnt bother me, what i need is an earpiece and a good music from my ipod.
Back in my village my music used to be the chirp of birds and mooo from the cows, but as time changes it is more  hi tech and modern.

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