Day out with Anch

Went on a photography trip with Angela for her digital darkroom exercise. I was such a long time since I went on a trip, so I was eager to go and get some practice myself. It was nice to get some sunshine (anything for the sake of photography) and travelled quite a bit that day.

I wanted to find this abandoned house at Pungol that I saw last year where I filmed at with my internship company. But it's been a year and Pungol has been building that area up, so I wasn't sure if it'll still be around. It was worth a try. We walked one round but didn't see it. So we decided to take the LRT for fun, since I hadn't tried an LRT until last Sunday. Witnessed a cute sight of 2 men putting up white fences in a vast green field. It was like I was watching a children's storybook of Bob the Builder or something.

We saw the house on the LRT and got off to find it. Well, in a year, the house that used to have barren, dry ground surrounding it has now been changed to tall, perilous bushes that threatened us with red dragonflies (I tried to shoot it though), mysterious little streams, and wet soil. 

Well apparently I let Angela go first at being brave while I simply shot photos. haha. The long grass were mighty pokey. Lesson learnt: Never wear shorts to ULU places. Sadly, we gave up and journeyed on to our 2nd location.

On our way to Botanic Gardens, we passed by Killiney Road. Oh! My childhood neighbourhood where my granny used to stay. I wanted to show her where Mitre Hotel was/is. So we got off. I loved the instant spontaneity of our day. However, the hotel had been sold recently (think it was last year?) and the premise is now closed. We went to the surrounding area to check it out from a distance.

I remembered the first time I saw it was when my cousin drove us in on a dark and random night. It was hauntingly spooky from the outside. But no fears during the day. phew. It was a functioning hotel to its very last. yes, those are the windows to your 1-star hotel room. It now rests on a very prime area. It is so posh now that lining the road are beautiful condos that shouts grandeur all over. Makes me want to stay in one of those...

Anyway, since I was so near Lloyd road, I couldn't resist to peek. Apparently some of the old neighbours are still living there, but I doubt they'll recognise me... Nostalgia galore~ We saw this very ancient garden and the gate had been broken! So nothing stopped us from venturing in. It was a huge garden treasure that resembled a mini 'planted' forest... a fairy's playground.

After that I showed Anch where LKY's father stayed. Sorry no pictures for that. It was heavily guarded with standing soldiers on watch at the gates. 

Well, onward! Back to our botanic gardens.

We were initially spooked by this big gate we saw earlier but phew it wasn't through THAT gate. We walked on. Tucked behind our lovely touristy Botanic gardens is this gi-normous colonial building/mansion. We were told there were surveillance cameras. We didn't go into the house tho Anch's friends did once before. I seem to have lost my guts as I age. sigh. So yup, we didn't go in too and just stayed outside around the house. We only freaked out and left when we finally saw the giant surveillance camera that had 3 beeping red lights right above the main door. Yikes!

Well, so apparently it had been a day of old (colonial) houses, almost. But it was nice and something I was get tanned for. I've been wanting to work on my photography again so if any of you out there are going on a trip. BRING ME ALONG PLEASE?! hehe.