My choice activity on Sunday mornings is undeniably sleeping in till the harsh rays of the sun bakes me off my bed. However a call from a good friend a few days earlier saw me trudging all the way to Upper Thomson to join some youths on a scenic walk through the Lower Pierce Reservoir Park’s Nature Trail jointly organised by NuLife Counselling and Buona Vista IAEC. The light drizzle which was quite literally a wet blanket did not douse my excitement at the prospect of an idyllic walk along the rustic forest. Anyway, it was high time I breathed in some quality fresh air.
Having lost my way to the meeting point, I was with the last batch of students who arrived at the park through shuttle service. I was pleased to see about 29 students from NuLife of varying ages from 7 to 17, all gathered, rearing to go. Though the drizzle threatened to burst into a full shower, the enthusiasm of all gathered there must have beckoned the sun to burst out in all its glory, warming us in its beauteous radiance.
We were first separated out into four groups. To get things rolling, we got to name our groups, and it was good to see the creative juices flowing with names such as 'Tupac' and 'Pierce Monkeys'. I am proud to declare that my group was named after one of our members, 'Melody' : )
The small size of the groups was ideal, and promoted bonding and learning as there was an adult attached to about four or five students each. It also allowed for the pacing out of groups through the length of the trail and was thus ideal for appreciating the rich beauty of the nature reserve up close and personal without disturbing the peace and tranquillity. I was also pleased to observe the older kids helping to look out for and guiding the younger ones along the trail.
The wooden boardwalk trail itself was unfortunately short though there were a few paths we could follow such as the Casuarina Trail, Cyathea Trail and the Bamboo Trail. However this allowed us to truly slow down and appreciate the flora and fauna around us, and the walk was not tiring. It definitely was short and sweet.
We first started off by traversing the boardwalk skirting the edge of the forest on one side and the reservoir catchment area on the other. The view across the water was splendid, and the boards built on the water surface, made it feel like we were actually walking on water, but we could have been as they were quite slippery due to the rain. Thankfully there were no mishaps. The drizzle was a blessing in disguise though, as pond skaters, snails, butterflies, terrapins and miniature squirrels seemed to have also welcomed the respite from the unforgiving sun, and were there to grace our path.
The informative signboards along the boardwalk trail helped to focus our attention to specific flora or fauna in the forest or streams, such as the rubber trees, bamboo plants, ferns, birds, and for the ophidiophobics among us, snakes. Participants were also introduced to interesting plants such as the Forget-Me-Nots, the South American plant/herb with its furry leaves, and informed about the Dumb Canes and their insidious property, thus bringing the Science lesson out of the confines of the walls of the classroom.
Though the trail led us to the heart of the forest at certain points, the canopy of the trees did permit enough light to pass through to guide our footsteps. The absence of guide rail along much of the undergrowth, though a safety oversight, made traversing the trail seem as authentic to trekking as possible. The yellow strips on steps definitely helped to prevent mishaps and missteps. The inclusion of rest stops which often also functioned as observatory points was thoughtful though we did not have much use for them as we were full of energy and life. Along the boardwalk, my group did come across a missing board and much after a huge gaping hole in the path, but these were minimal and the trail has been well kept and maintained in general.
When my group first spotted some monkeys along the trail, we were all so excited in having come so close to these mischievous creatures, but we were soon to find out that the monkeys were not that curious a sighting in these parts, as while we were walking along the road towards the end of the trail, we were almost besieged by an entire troop of monkeys. The monkeys were mainly Long-tailed Macaque (Macaca Fascicularis), which are quite common in Singapore’s secondary forests, such as the Lower Peirce Reservoir Park’s, it seems.
We had a good time teasing the intrepid 9 year old Maran about the monkeys most of the trail; and it was amusing to note that he was just as, if not more so, excited by the large turnout of monkeys towards the end. I am tempted to think that the monkeys were gathered in such large numbers to watch mighty wondrous creatures such as us walking by, though I wonder who really was watching who.
However logically, it has to be that these clever little critters were gathered in large numbers as they know where the best food are to be found, and the time was also fast approaching that time of day when most families finish their lazy Sunday morning breakfast. It is a much publicised fact that the monkeys can be quite a nuisance rummaging through dustbins, and even daring to trespass on the residents’ property, scavenging for food.
We were even bemused to see an elderly couple relaxing in their deck chairs on their wide open veranda, which was facing the reserve, waving at us good sportingly. They were one of the lucky residents who get to enjoy this serene natural greenery, as these houses line one length of the reserve. These man made structures were as interesting to observe as the natural habitats on the reserve. The juxtaposition of natural and man-made, separated by only a narrow road, was a ponderous sight.
Often along the trail our photographer cajoled us to smile for the lens along the trail, and it was good to know that he enjoyed the trail as much as we did, though he had quite a juggling act to perform, with his camera, lens, and umbrella. It was good to know that not only the students, but the adult helpers, and even the photographer got to enjoy the trail tremendously. One of the younger boys Ray Zhe also wondered whether he could come back again, which was a promising sign that he truly enjoyed the trail.
We ended the trail with some cool down exercises and relaxation activities. I found the relaxation activity useful as it taught me little things I could do in the urban jungle to calm myself when I am feeling tensed up. It was nice to see the young ones enjoying themselves at these activities too, as it reminded me of the innocence and carefree, blitheness of children. Till the food arrived, we played Dog and Bone, and it was a fun game, which engaged all. There is nothing like competition to wake up the senses.
The highlight of the day to some must have been McDelivery, as breakfast finally arrived, and we all had our McDonalds Breakfast. We were also presented a goodie bag each with various items such as a sporty handphone holder, M&M and Snicker chocolates and sticky notepad thrown in. To cap the fun filled day, we had ice cream sundaes before we parted ways. All in all, I have to say though that the true goodies of the day were definitely the re-acquaintance with Mother Nature and the new friends of NuLife & Buona Vista IAEC members, I made that day. They definitely rejuvenated my spirit.
Vernice Palai Velvizhi Trainee Teacher National Institute of Education
