Musings by Grace Chng

I was very sad when I’d to sell my SUV nearly 4 years ago. I like driving the car. It sat very high on the road, letting me see the road ahead. When it rained, water splashed from the other side of the road only reached the bonnet, not the wind screen. This is good because I could see the road.

But I decided to sell it because the high petrol prices was just getting too crazy. When I first bought the car, a full tank - 72 litres - cost about $80. By the time I sold it, a full tank was nearly $150. Plus every time I paid the road tax for the 3 litre car, my heart bled.

So for practical reasons, I switched to a 2 litre saloon car. It was smooth, quick pick-up, easy to part, drive etc. But I never fell in love with it. I still hankered after the SUV.

Three months ago, I decided to plunge in again. I put a downpayment for a SUV. This time it’s a 2 litre one. Hopefully, the petrol consumption would not be too bad.

Since my first car, over 20 years ago, I had bought Japanese. This time, I went for a continental car. Years ago, friends would tell me that continental cars would be just plain janes. It’s Japanese cars that would have nice trimmings. This has changed. Beemers, mercs and volkswagon have taken on new designs and looks. They are quite attractive on the road. When I was in Munich in February, I drooled over a BMX series 6 Tourer. Today, it’s called the X6 series and it’s really nice.

So I was sure that the Audi SUV would not disappoint. What I saw the showroom proved be right. Externally, the Q7 had always been attractive. But it was a monster of a SUV. Too big and too large a carbon footprint at 3.6litres. The Q5 on the other hand, was a good alternative. At 2 litre, it was smaller - and more affordable.

Audi sales was so good that I waited 3 months to get my car. Finally, last Friday I got my hands on the Q5. This time, it was a silver coloured car instead of my usual black. The most attractive about the car, the grill at the front of the car.

Of course, I love driving the car. But what features I like best …. read the next blog.

On every birthday, I do something out of the ordinary. One year, I hopped on to the hippo duck tour. That boat-truck like thing that can go into water and road. That was fun. It took me around the Padang area, before heading to the road next to Suntec City. It then curved into a dirt track in between the trees.

The dirt track ended in the water where the vehicle became a boat. It chugged along the water front towards the Fullerton area before turning back to the Suntec City where it started.

This year, I decided on the forest adventure located in Bedok Reservoir. It is an obstacle course up in the trees - not really very high, about a storey or two - with 4 stretches of flying fox thrown in. Unfortunately, on my birthday it was overcast with rain and lightning forecasted. The organisers said I could start but if the lightning siren went off, then I’d to stop and continue on another day.

I wanted an uninterrupted experience so I postponed it. Last Saturday, I went with 3 friends and boy, did we have a ball of a time.

It’s about $35 per head. I found the 30-minute safety course simple but thorough. We’re in a group with 5 “aunties” - very game of them to do this - and a couple. The course teaches you how to wear the harness and the safety process, how one has to be hooked on to a safety belt at all times.

Then off we went on the four-stage course. Each obstacle course has a difficulty level. Most were in-between easy and difficult. What did I have to do? I climbed up rope ladders and tree trunks, work like a trapeze artist on a high wire - only a story high and we’re secured to a safety line - scramble through a tunnel made of wooden slabs - this wasn’t comfy for my knees, so I’d to drag myself across it on my bump.

There were no tree top walks but there were small bridges across the trees at mid-level. There were of various types. One was made of rope netting in a V-shape. You walk on the sharp point of the V. Another was a bridge made up of wooden slabs. Some had wire or rope railings to guide you, others had overhead rope to do so.

The best was the flying fox. I thought I would be afraid especially those that went across a stretch of water. But the harness let you “sit” comfortably and you enjoy the rush of speed. Thing is I landed on my bump all the time. Thank goodness, I landed on a sand pit so it wasn’t painful. But one friend did well enough to land running on her feet 3 out of 4 times.

The organisers were good, I believe it’s a French firm behind this. The equipment is secure, the guides professional and encouraging. It’s very rustic, nothing very urban about it. For women the course is exciting but I’m sure for the men, they wouldn’t pay to do what they had gone through during NS.

The entire experience took about 2.5 hours and we really enjoyed it. There’s even a kids’ course. So if you’re looking to do something different, this would be a good physical challenge.

The last time I was in Helsinki in 2008, it’s autumn. It’s sunny with temperatures hovering between 14 and 16 degrees C.

I was there for the The Way We Live two-day event organised by Nokia and which focused on the things that could be done on cellphones. On the last afternoon when the seminar finished after lunch, I’d a couple of hours to kill before I headed to the airport.

I made my way to the city centre and looked for my caffeine fix. At Café Java which is next to one of the bigger shopping mall, called Forum, I had a café latte, sitting al fresco, enjoying the sunny day. That’s the beautiful thing about temperate countries. The sun is out but the cool temperature keeps the perspiration away.

On Monday, I was at Café Jave again. But this time, I was indoor. My thick overcoat and woollen scarf are draped over a chair as I enjoy my café lattte. Winter has arrived in Helsinki and with temperature at 2 degrees C, everyone is indoors.

I’m now in Helsinki again for the same Nokia event which was held between Nov 9 and 11.

On Tuesday, it was snowing. It’s like heavy drizzle except that instead of water, small specks of snow floated down in steady streams to blanket car tops, roads and pavements.

On the 20-minute drive to Nokia House, the trees, bushes and fields were covered with snow. Temperature had hit about -1 degree centigrade. Brrr, it’s cold even for me who enjoy cooler climes.

Sunlight is hardly seen. It’s a pity because the Espoo district where Nokia House, headquarters of the world’s largest cellphone maker, is located by a lake. The company occupies two buildings at this site. Neighbouring it are other buildings that house other multinational companies.

When I was here last year, I saw motorboats with powerful engines tied up on a small quay adjacent these buidlings. Apparently some workers use the motorboats to go to work instead of driving along the highways.

It was pleasant in autumn to do this but the weather in the last few days would have been too cold to do this. The scenary has also changed. Instead of green trees and bushes, all the leaves have fallen and the sheen of white has spread over the ground because of the snow.

The good news is that the day looked brighter because the white snow refracts light, making it look more cheerful than it really is.