Read on if you dare! Muahaha!
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Thrill seekers out there looking for another round of exciting and chilling experience after Halloween, look no further. Cause, right in Singapore, on the Sentosa island, at the Beach station (to be exact) is Asia's first and only night expenditure on the Segway Personal Transporter. Organised by GoGreen Holdings and invited by Nuffnang, I'm super glad that I've got the chance to embark on this after-dark tour called "Haunting of Blakang Mati!" together with six other bloggers.
This Haunting of Blakang Mati night tour is a newly launched (went live on 31st October 2011) guided tour that took us on an unconventional routes that are less known and traveled on. We got to visit the magnificent gun emplacements, coastal trail and other landmarks such as the Dragon's Teeth Gate. All riders have to be 18 years of age though. Check out their website for more information.
One of the staffs at GoGreen who put on this scary make-up for the effect to welcome us at the registration counter.
Went through a safety video briefing which shows us how to get on, get off, move and some possible ways one could fall off from the Segway. I laughed *nervously* when the scene showed the animated stick-man falls down from the Segway. This afternoon, my colleague XW just told me how Jimi Heselden, the multi-millionaire owner of Segway Company died. He died in a freak accident while riding on his Segway X2 Adventure. He was trying to give way to someone from the opposite direction and reversed himself but accidentally fall off the cliff. Read news article here. I'm not putting this up to frighten anybody who wants to try and experience the Segway. The Segway is actually a very safe equipment but accident is inevitable at times, which could be due to unforeseen circumstances. Thus, the rider must be careful and ensure safety measures be in place too.
After the video, we went down for the real thing! The Segway is like a high tech version of the skate scooters. While one have to use one feet to kick and move the skate scooters, the Segway requires both feet on the equipment. So how does it moves? Amazingly, it's actually controlled by our body movement! To move forward or backward, one just leans slightly forward or backward. To turn left or right, one turns the handlebar in the direction wanted. It's an effortless and completely different way to move around.
Our friendly guides for the day. After we were geared up with our safety helmet, knee and elbow guards, they got us to balance and familiarize ourselves with the Segway first before warming up by going a few rounds at the GoGreen Fun Ride
circuit. My Segway started beeping after a few rounds as the battery was depleted. Exchanged it with one of the guide. Yes, this equipment needs to be fully charged for up to 12 hours.
Finally, after the warming up rounds, we were ready to go for our adventure! We were asked to move in a single file with the guides accompanying us. We stopped at a few spots and facts and stories were told to us by one of the guides. The first stop was at the pillbox. It's not a container for pills but rather a military pillbox built to defend Singapore from sea invasion during WWII. We also learnt about why Sentosa was called Pulau Blakang Mati. There's different version and stories to it so choose which you believe in. Next is a stop whereby we got a closer view across the water. As it was quite dark, I couldn't really see the view much but we were told the story of "Headhunters" here. The head hunters literally hunt heads! So scray. The guide also brought us to the Mount Imbiah battery.
Overall, it was a great experience, as we ride on our Segway I can actually feel how envious the passerby were of us. There are lots of curious tourists looking at us. I even overheard one of them asking if they could exchange walking by feet with our Segways. Upon completion of the tour, each and everyone of us received a certificate for memory. We all made it back alive (though I got into a minor accident halfway, but I'm glad I'm the 1% unfortunate person as it would help them to re-look at some of the routes and the current safety precautions) and learnt quite a fair bit of the history of Sentosa the fun and thrilling way.
Treated with some snacks and drinks at Coasters. Love the chicken wings and my frozen Lychee Margarita. Chilled as the live band played some of my favourite songs. Chatted and played some games too before heading back.
PS: Thanks to the caring peeps who helped and asked me how I was, sorry for making you guys worried. :)
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