Hiking - Medical Cutter Hike

Good Morning Blog,

Yesterday morning I got a kidney stone attack so was given a few days MC. I observed my condition as compared to my previous experience with kidney stones, this round seemed mild and manageable.

Since I got Free days off... LET'S GO FOR A HIKE!

So I thought through where should I explore? Since it was a weekday. Yes! I decided to explore somewhere quieter - Exploring the Woodcutter Trail and today it will be my Medical Cutter Trail - my healing hike.

Wearing something red to celebrate CNY eve for my hike today

Oh! Mr Sun! Good morning. Yeah! Mr Sun, I didn't go to my workplace because I was sick...

Will Mr Sun accompany me? :) Hey hey! Mr Sun. Where are you going? Are you trying to avoid me because my tee (Baymax tee) got two big black nipples?!

Alright alright. I removed it now.

Satisfied?

Let me fold it

There are some reasons why I love to hike during weekday somehow... Because lesser visitors which make the tranquillity of that park to self-heal.

No biker, hiker or jogger. Peaceful.

Come! Let's go!

Since it was in the moring timing

Let's go up to the tower for some sun rise moment.

It seemed like I am not alone up at the tower. There were visitors busy taking pictures here.

Managed to snap one picture of it

And one for myself to avoid giving them awkwardness in anyway

Time to proceed to my trail

This will be my third time of hiking here

Somehow I can't remember the trail that well

But I can remember how muddy it is!

I forgot... yesterday evening there was raining. Oh man...

Lucky it was not as muddy as last time...

I guess I need to do more of this trail to familiarise the place.

but I still can remember this warning sign, I could have been captured for entering. it seemed like I was not alone in this trail. There was a hiker hiked towards me and we greeted one another with a smile. It seemed like we shared the same interest :)

If the temperature was cooler, the dew will enhance the picture.

EI! I heard thunder sound, going to rain?! What?! Just keep on my journey.

Free clay pot anyone?

Second warning sign

I will confirm got captured and punished by them for sure. Time to stay low.

Shhh...

Just admire nature, observe my step and my kidney condition. I tried to drink up as my kidney started to feel a bit of sore.

STOP! No Entrance unit I drink up. LOL.

Let's go! Mr Sun. I should be alright.

Me-time and mosquitoes feeding moment

Lucky the trail is still visible if not, it will be a difficult hike. Somehow I can get lost my way if without a GPS

Treat me, Mr Sun. As long as I have GPS. The app that I am using will lead the way. What app am I using? google map? Nope. I am using OSM viewer. I found that is useful for me whereas Google Map doesn't show.

OSM Viewer gives a lot of confidence in the journey where I am heading or wandering around.

Yes, Mr Sun? What did you find? ooo! You are giving it some light? :)

I will move ahead, catch me later.

While waiting for Mr Sun to find me, I just wandered around and my imagination can run wild in this quiet place.

Ooo! There were still cyclists riding here. I guess same mind hobbyists gathered at the same place.

Anyway back to my wandering, I went and hunted for some plants and managed to find many Nepethenes aka Pitcher Plant. It was amazing to find wild Pitcher Plant in nature. Love them all.

Nep. Ampullaria - there are basal of them all over the ground! What a beautiful sight.

Nep. Gracilis - One of the common lowlander and unwanted pitcher plant through the collectors. But this one is special - it is red in colour while other common ones tend to be green. Black will be interesting.

Did you manage to spot a few of them here?

Water crossing time. Oh dear... How can I cross it without getting my shoes wet?

Oh! Someone put three tall pots here for hikers to cross it.

Thank you to whoever put it there, :) Really appreciate that!

I guess the storm sound was a fake one. LOL! Mr Sun was back. Come, let's go!

oh! Haha! Look at this one. Someone treated this vine like a rope. Hahah.

Here comes a cyclist again :)

In my previous trip (here) July 2020, this was how the bridge should be and now...

It was removed... not sure the reason.. perhaps too dangerous for cyclists so they removed it. Your memory will stay with me...

Hmmm... Something was wrong...

It looked like I was on a different path...

After checking OSM app, yes! it seemed like wandered out from the trail.

But it seemed like a new trail for me :D As long as I have that app, I will be safe.

Oh man! This place was so quiet... it is time to...

CALL OUT A SUPERHERO!

SUPERNERD!

Time to investigate why this place is so quiet!

Trying to use his NERDY senses, sensing the environment.

No dead body. No zombie. No animal besides mosquitoes. No bird. No people...

This is place is perfectly silent. We can call this... Silent Wood.

Enough investigation before any random hiker popped out from nowhere to find out my identity.

Further down will be the crossroad of Left trail (to Upper Selatar) or Right trail (to Upper Peirce) I guess I will return to this place to explore further. For now, I will take the right trail to upper Peirce,

WOOOOOOOOOOOW! Nep RAFFLESIANA! wow! Nice! Finally witnessed a wild one! And it was all over the place here. I only managed to recognise its leave but not many pitchers at all. That tells me that nep. Rafflesiana is a fussy and rather difficult lowlander nep to grow. Even in the wood, high humidity, undisturbed and full of potential nutrient around, it doesn't pitcher for every single leaf. perhaps I will buy a Rafflesiana and try.

Nice wooded bridge again :) Great to see it still serving others.

Wow! The water stream.

I wanted to drip in this cool water...

but I worried of leeches... Hmm... It seemed like they are hiding somewhere...

When I see this... I realised...

I forgot completely of it... The biggest fear that I had... RIP to my shoes...

Thanks goodness, there were new logs placed for hikers to cross

I need to be slow and steady.

Check out this one. I can imagine whoever did this, really spent a lot of effort to secure it while getting himself wet. The effort should be appreciated.

Thank you to our unsung hero. Spidernerd respect you!

Ended up... my shoes were dry and safe.

Thank you :)

Muddy ground was everwhere especially when there was rain before the day.

Sometimes not everywhere will have a bridge or stepping stones. Be appreciative and be prepared for the worst.

For me, I will do my best to remove debit which struck along the way. Hmmm.. I am not buff enough to remove this log. So sorry I tried... Only the muscular one can do it.

YIPPEE! CIVILISATION!

They placed some big logs to block the entrance. I guess it is one way to prevent any wanderer wander in.

But for me, It may hide the track but I know the location.

I guess I shall check upper Peirce and see its crowd during the day

Amazing. The visitors here during weekday noon was lesser than I expected.

Wanted to wear my spidey suit here but... some people were sitting there admiring the scenery, not to spoil by me.

Yes! indeed a beautiful scene

I will just have one picture with me in it. Snap and get lost from the scene!

Today Mr Sun seemed rather tired and moody. Hope you are well.

Oh yes! Check this staghorn out!

I can just lay down on the ground admiring this staghorn

They are majestic and how I wish mine can grow until that size

I found out that my right kidney got rather sore whenever I didn't drink water for a while. After I drank, it won't feel that sore. I guess I will stop my hike for now even though I wanted to explore thomson Park but shall skip it.

Just realised that they had installed a newer sign and this CCTV here. I guess we have to be mindful our movement here.

But it was a quiet day :)

Perfect for healing myself then tied on the bed.

Let's hurry back home and rest myself.

Some decent distance covered hike but I took too long. Hahaha...

YES! What a hike. I will explore again after CNY. Happy New year to my blog and Mr Sun.

Jeff