Trip - Marsiling Bunker and Tunnel

Hi Blog,

I thought my urbex life will end sooner because no one will bring me to those unique places... until Br told me that he was planning to visit Marsiling Bunker. Oh, Yes! I knew that place and hesitated to go for a few reasons. Later you will see it why.

Good morning sky. Thanks Miss Sky for a dry morning.

You can check this interesting visit and guide from Travelintern and they also have a YouTube video which I will leave it at the end of my post.

This is my first time, I need to wear a long tight and sleeves to protect myself while visiting the tunnel and bunker. Hmmm... I think I need to wear it like this because... I don't want to stain my precious trisuit! 😆 And also tried different outfits but to be honest, I started to feel the heat... and I will endure it for this time around.

How do I look? Ugly fat nerd!

Br said I will need to bring a torch (MUST) and I also brought my UV torch. But you know what... I forgot to bring the batteries...

If you have googled about the place, you are most likely already know that place is Mud Hell. I hate to get myself dirty especially in the mud because of the washing required. So since I needed to let go my beloved shoes which I bought in Taiwan; and wore a pair of torn socks. This will be the last picture of them.

I think I will get a blue tight and better top for future possible hikes in that or the time when I don't wear my trisuit anymore.

Br told me to meet here and lucky, now the new train transportation cut down my travelling timing from an hour + ride to less than 25 mins. Anyway, typically on weekend mornings, the parks will always flood with people of all ages especially demi gods who just jog shirtless and unintentionally flaunt their bodies; unlike this blob.

Yoh Br, we met again. Thanks for bringing this noob along this trip.

Oh! Now was low tide. I didn't know we can walk across the shore.

Br said that he wanted to recee a bit in the wood so we might be lost a bit. Hmm... I will start my own radar just in case.

Br was taking the lead and as usual, I will help to be the sweeper.

We need to cut through thick vegetation.

It's thickness includes the thick carpeted grass.

Just check how tall the grass had grown here

How nice of somebody to craft a handler to hold (but took over by the ants) and mini bamboo platform to step on (unstable now)

I dared not touch the handler bar because the ants will travel up to your bodies so we climbed up in caution

Here we are! Our first Bunker - Marsiling Bunker

Seemed well preserved and covered with a layer of moss

Br said this will be the easiest entrance unless we wanted to enter from the other entrances which are more challenging. So... SKIP! Go for the easiest one.

Beyond this dark passage... What is waiting for us? If you have nyctophobia (fear of dark spaces), I believe you might stand outside the bunker. For me, as long as, I have light, I will be able to step in.

I followed them from behind... is any wild animal waiting for us inside? Wild boar?

But we were greeted by many Asian Common Toads and there were many of them.

Thanks Br for lending his spare torch for an easy photo. This bunker was around 2m in height and somehow well preserved.

If not, I doubt I can continue to use my camera to capture pictures in the dark, Huawei phone maybe can.

Believe me, this bunker will heighten your fears! If you have herpetophobia (fears of reptiles) RUN! Personally, they are just adorable.

There are two tunnels leading from different openings. Let's named it as Left (narrow passage) and Right (bigger opening but got tighter as you climb nearer to the exit.)

Let's start with the Right. It may seem like a clear passage but in fact, it is a narrow passage in the end. We will need to get on our four to climb out. If you have claustrophobia (fears of confined space), it will raise your anxiety.

We tried the Left passage because we want to keep our bodies clean as long as possible. Claustrophobia thickened here.

Yippee! Finally, come out from the "birthday tunnel"!

From the top, I could see the stretch of the tunnel. It might be useful during war times when the enemies can't spot it easily.

As I looked back... Only temporary. Once the enemy found it, it is as good as game over. I guess, the purpose of this bunker, will prevent any incoming enemies from getting in from outside. You can defend yourself from the inside.

If we took the Right passage, we will end up here. Lucky, we didn't take this passage because I am too fat to squeeze through the entrance/exit here.

Next stop and the most exciting one - The Tunnel. Based on the awesome resource and studies from explorersg.com, those tunnels were used as a pre-WWII fuel reserve depot for the Royal Air Force which we will check it out ourselves later.

Quite well-preserved stairs spotted

And well-preserved mud! 😟 But lucky that I managed to avoid it.

Br, try to tie a new tape for the future explorers to track. Kind hearted Br.

The fungus species are quite unique here. I don't see this one as often.

Spotted another structure that we don't find any entrance to.

Wow! Check this out. There are many such leaves laying around. Next time I will bring one home, not today.

xxx

xxx

Are you arachnophobia (fears of spiders)? I am half as long as I don't require to have them on my body because I don't want to become a Deadman than Spiderman.

Nature surely has some creative ways to give life.

Br can't find a shortcut to the Tunnel so he suggested that we entered from the usual path, which will be easier.

Walking along this quiet road...

For easy access...

To get close to...

This legendary Tunnel! Based on my observation of the sand formation by the entrance and uphill slopes, Whoever (Government) was trying to bury this place with sands. As you can see the top of the entrance, there is like 30cm depth of sand. Because the entrance was not sealed (Shh....!) the sand (rain carried it) will flow into the opening and form a concave hence...

...becomes our playground of exploration! It is muddy so the rope is required for a safe descent and so NO WEARING of slippers here!

Let's explore what is inside.

Light, Camera and Action!

Welcome to Mud Hell! Are you rupophobia (fears of dirt/rubbish)? For me, I am not fear or it... I am just HATE it! 😂 I don't like the muddy feeling in my shoes... even though, I had prepared myself for this but just don't like!

I guess this mud was the result of sand mixed with rainwater, then flowing inwards to form a mud pool.

The mud went down the stairs so it is slippery. Anyway, it is time to trigger your nyctophobia and claustrophobia! I was triggered somehow and also overwhelmed by the muddy feeling, but the guys reminded me to embrace the moments. I took a deep breath and learned to get used to the feeling.

Will this wall of mud-graffiti trigger your graffitiphobia (fears of graffiti)?

I just took this moment to admire their bravery to play the mud with their palms. EEEE!!!

How is the feeling when you looked back... The darkness starts to creep in...

(Credit Br) The only moment for photos, so just pose like a model

When I said this is a Mud Hell...

I really meant it! If you want to play in a mud pool, here you can.

I can't imagine someone will visit this place alone.

Time to use my UV torch and yup! Only these lizards' eggs got to luminescence.

Another entrance was blocked by a landslide and this is a good example of what had happened at the entrance

Looking at the strong solid metal frame to hold the whole structure; for now, we won't know how this metal frame can hold the whole structure... So try to avoid this place during raining season.

As we went deeper... the muddy had consumed my shoes... my feeling of hate towards the mud had converted to acceptance since there is no turning back.

2

2

Based on research from Explorers.com, this place was used as a fuel reserve for the Royal Air Force. It seemed likely.

It can't be water storage or control.

(Credit Br) there are five valve chambers with a big label on the chamber wall.

Automysophobia (fear of being dirty) might have gotten to us. No one wants to touch the rusty pipe as we just wanted to stay away from it. For me, I just wanted to remain clean as long as I can.

Looking back at the tunnel... Just imagine the light off. BOOM! 😱

Ophidiophobia (fear of snakes) might be the reason to fear most people. Lucky it was a small lost snake which is trapped here... Too bad we don't have a container to save you out 😟

Sometimes I noticed the wall glowed mysteriously... I wondered what is it until I was able to create it. (it was a reflection from our torch on the muddy water)

Somewhere between the chamber 2 and 1, there is a hole which is quite deep, so need to be aware. Mudisphobia (fears of mud. Self-created word) really disgusted me. NOOOO!

I wondered where do these pipelines lead to... If it is a fuel reserve... That meant there is a "reservoir/tank" for it behind this?

Besides the snake, even this beetle was lost and trapped... Trigger your entomophobia (fears of insects)?

A long passage ahead. I can remember asking them to switch off the lights and keep quiet to listen to our surroundings... it was dead silent... the air was still and dense... all you can hear is the dripping of water.

When you breathe out, you can see the water vapour/steam under the light ray. 

Are you lost? Oh my... I can't believe they had so much fun with the mud. 😂

We came to the North entrance stair

And somehow less muddy

And found some nonsense drawing 😂

OOO... A sealed door. And it is sealed with bricks on another side. We won't know where it leads to... Based on the amount of mud here, it is either led to somewhere far away or not filled with sand outside.

(Credit Br) Oops, I forgot to snap one photo of this gate... So what is this shortie doing here? Go away!

The humidity is so high which caused this lamp to rust without water contact

Another somehow deep hole and after this...

The water level started to increase in depth

We came to a wider room where it might be the place to store a compressor and also the muddiest and most flooded place

There is a small opening and as you passed under it, above your head, there is a round tunnel. I doubt we will climb into it.

From the window and a missing brick which tells me that we were a ground level somewhere in the wood

Something interesting was found inside this pipe... and so many questions

Weirdly... The lamp is less corroded 

Check out this "Milo" water and to be honest, it was amazing. The water here is quite clean and the way how it flowed, is just like Jupiter Belt.

The water depth here took over whole feet and my shoes were officially drown

Moving to the East side tunnel where it is flooded but it does not stop us from moving forward and especially when I don't bother getting wet already.

It was Sealed.

(Credit Br) I guess it was amazing to know such a gem on this small island.

(Credit Br) I feel great to be able to stay in touch with some of the hidden histories in Singapore... It was like opening a book and experiencing as the story was told.

(Credit Br) Checking the list of phobias which I had listed out here... What to fear besides switching off your torch and feeling your way out. I guess my only fear will be nyctophobia (fears of dark) but as long as there is light, I will be able to move forward; just like my own darkness... As long as there is light ahead of me, I know I will be able to move forward to leave the darkness...

(Credit Br) Alright, time to go back

My shoes were do dead...

Walking back was quite easy for me as I know the place like my palm...

But I slipped and hit my fingers onto a hardened mud... bleed throughout while exiting... I could smell the rusty scent from my blood... Now checking my wound outside, it was mixed with mud... so painful...

Goodbye my shoes. You will be missed ever since Taiwan and now. I really can't find any shoes like you.

After washing up, I approached the Woodland North Station staff to request two plasters and thank you for sparing this

Thank you :)

You can check on this video of this bunker and tunnel.

Now if you asked me whether will I return to this tunnel again? I think I will and able to lead, as long as I have a pair of proper washable shoes. Alright... Time to rest my anxiety feelings from those phobias challenges.

Jeff