Finally the video is done.
After days, to weeks, to month of delays. its's done over a weekend.
But much preparation was to be made to compile this video.
5 days of video footage compress into a short 5 minutes video.
Anyway this is it...
The video of my trip to Sabah last September.
circumnavigating around Sabah in 5 days with the rideborneo.com operator
1157km of pure riding...
Enjoy the video now.
Details of my trip perhaps sometime when I'm free next.
Still got the photos to sort out.
By itself it will speak a thousand words.
and the video...
It'll speaks a million words...
Monday, December 13, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Conquering the Elevations of Sabah
Motorcycling around Sabah during my break is fun!
While since I'm there, why not add diving & trekking to the list.
And the result is a 4 months preparation for the conquest.
The depth, plain & altitude of Sabah.
Depth - The final dive spot wasn't my first choice. first the Layang-layang is off season. and the other popular destination like Labuan and Sipadan was practically out-of-reach for a single diver like me (according to the tour operator). The 'Min 2 to go' rules never helps.But I need to conquer the depth, otherwise I would not achieve what I set out to do. and thanks to Janet of Sabah Divers, I manage to pack with 2 stranger to Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. It's only 15mins ride from Kota Kinabalu. Nothing to shout about regarding the dives. Especially compare to my last dive at Qiandao Lake. The only worth watching are the 2 ladies diving with me...
Plain - Am I risking my life ? Here I am, only my 2nd time sitting on a moving bike on a public road after I got my license more than a year ago in Singapore. And now I'm going on a 1157km journey with a third of it off road and the other half on a unpaved road and in a foreign country! Sounds like an Adventure to me!
Altitude - Mount Kinabalu. it's about 15 years since I last intended to climb this mountain. And no thanks to the Indonesian forest fire then, the last trip was cancelled. But not this time. The highest peak in South-East-Asia (4095.2m) and being a South-East-Asian myself, I know I have to scale this at least once in my current lifetime. And yes, I've already scaled the highest peak in Singapore, Bukit Timah Hill at 166m.
and above all is made possible by these friendly operators
www.sabahdivers.com
www.rideborneo.com
www.adventure-quests.com
now straight to the videos...
While since I'm there, why not add diving & trekking to the list.
And the result is a 4 months preparation for the conquest.
The depth, plain & altitude of Sabah.
Depth - The final dive spot wasn't my first choice. first the Layang-layang is off season. and the other popular destination like Labuan and Sipadan was practically out-of-reach for a single diver like me (according to the tour operator). The 'Min 2 to go' rules never helps.But I need to conquer the depth, otherwise I would not achieve what I set out to do. and thanks to Janet of Sabah Divers, I manage to pack with 2 stranger to Tunku Abdul Rahman Park. It's only 15mins ride from Kota Kinabalu. Nothing to shout about regarding the dives. Especially compare to my last dive at Qiandao Lake. The only worth watching are the 2 ladies diving with me...
Plain - Am I risking my life ? Here I am, only my 2nd time sitting on a moving bike on a public road after I got my license more than a year ago in Singapore. And now I'm going on a 1157km journey with a third of it off road and the other half on a unpaved road and in a foreign country! Sounds like an Adventure to me!
Altitude - Mount Kinabalu. it's about 15 years since I last intended to climb this mountain. And no thanks to the Indonesian forest fire then, the last trip was cancelled. But not this time. The highest peak in South-East-Asia (4095.2m) and being a South-East-Asian myself, I know I have to scale this at least once in my current lifetime. And yes, I've already scaled the highest peak in Singapore, Bukit Timah Hill at 166m.
and above all is made possible by these friendly operators
www.sabahdivers.com
www.rideborneo.com
www.adventure-quests.com
now straight to the videos...
Monday, September 13, 2010
Diving into the sunken city
Finally I accomplished one of my mission - diving in Qiandao Lake (千岛湖).
I first learn about this dive when I first came to Shanghai, and in desperate search for diving trip, and this is one so excite me.
It will not only be diving in a freshwater lake, and also into a sunken city, Lion City. coincidentally the same sanskrit name for Singapore.
The trip was operated by Big-Blue (www.big-blue.cn).
With water temperature at the bottom at 10-12°C. A dry or semi-dry suit is required.
But we are given 2x 3mm wet suit which works fairly well.
I wore a single diving glove and my hands go numb at the bottom.
It's a very challenging dive and definitely not a fun dive.
The visibility was bad and it is worst than night diving I did in Pulau Aur in Malaysia.
But it's definitely worth the experience, one that I will never forget.
Especially where I have to abandon dive for the first time in my last and 3rd dive.
More on this maybe on my next post, when I can find the time.
For this trip I tested a new underwater goggle camera for this trip. Liquid Image HD320.
and here's the video...
I first learn about this dive when I first came to Shanghai, and in desperate search for diving trip, and this is one so excite me.
It will not only be diving in a freshwater lake, and also into a sunken city, Lion City. coincidentally the same sanskrit name for Singapore.
The trip was operated by Big-Blue (www.big-blue.cn).
With water temperature at the bottom at 10-12°C. A dry or semi-dry suit is required.
But we are given 2x 3mm wet suit which works fairly well.
I wore a single diving glove and my hands go numb at the bottom.
It's a very challenging dive and definitely not a fun dive.
The visibility was bad and it is worst than night diving I did in Pulau Aur in Malaysia.
But it's definitely worth the experience, one that I will never forget.
Especially where I have to abandon dive for the first time in my last and 3rd dive.
More on this maybe on my next post, when I can find the time.
For this trip I tested a new underwater goggle camera for this trip. Liquid Image HD320.
and here's the video...
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Time for a riding trip ?
Well.. while I'll wait for my riding theory test date.
it seems like my time to ride in China is still quite a long wait.
perhaps I could keep my enthusiasm by planning for a riding trip.
October have the longest holiday here in China. and last year I wasted a full 3 weeks in Singapore doing nothing but waiting for friends who are working during the day.
Well, I did have a good ride for 1 day in Johore.
This year, this will not happen again.
Browsing through the net I found many tours that I'm interested in.
mainly in Borneo and Vietnam/Laos/Cambodia region.
at least it's on my way down back to Singapore.
Yes, I will not be taking a direct flight but stopover at least 1 destination.
so far I found the www.rideborneo.com is relatively easier ride tour for me.
I've ridden off-road before, but don't consider myself experience enough.
as much a I'm interested in riding from Thailand border to Cambodia to see the Angkor Wat.
maybe I should get myself more riding hours before I make that rough trip.
Let's see...
it seems like my time to ride in China is still quite a long wait.
perhaps I could keep my enthusiasm by planning for a riding trip.
October have the longest holiday here in China. and last year I wasted a full 3 weeks in Singapore doing nothing but waiting for friends who are working during the day.
Well, I did have a good ride for 1 day in Johore.
This year, this will not happen again.
Browsing through the net I found many tours that I'm interested in.
mainly in Borneo and Vietnam/Laos/Cambodia region.
at least it's on my way down back to Singapore.
Yes, I will not be taking a direct flight but stopover at least 1 destination.
so far I found the www.rideborneo.com is relatively easier ride tour for me.
I've ridden off-road before, but don't consider myself experience enough.
as much a I'm interested in riding from Thailand border to Cambodia to see the Angkor Wat.
maybe I should get myself more riding hours before I make that rough trip.
Let's see...
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Quote of the Day
"Difficulties increases the nearer we approach the Goal"- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
CJ750 (长江750)
One obstacle after another..well at least it's back on track...
this will be my first bike - Chang Jiang 750 aka CJ750 (长江750）。
Well..according to the local authority. My Singapore Class 2B license just wasn't qualified to convert to the 'D' license which is required to ride this 3-wheeler.
If there's a will, there's always a way! (有志者事竟成）
and after some inquiry through local network and dealer. I will just need to take a bike lesson at the school specifically catered for sidecar.
and apparently foreigner and those from outside Shanghai are not allowed to take lesson here before April'2010. The restriction have just been lifted and I might possible be the first foreigner to take my D license through this route. The younger Chinese are more interested in BMWs than this old bike from the military. and it's obvious when I apply for the course at the school, the attendant are bewildered and her first respond to her colleague beside is "我今天中奖了！” （I struck a lottery today!)
Well..before I could kickstart my engine. I will need to pass my theory lesson ... in Chinese!
and you think the bad English translation theory test paper is bad enough! try Chinese.. in
All my years of MOE Chinese seems like a kindergarten text book.
Back to my study and before I complete my notes for today. Here's the introduction of CJ750.
The CJ750 motorcycle is based on the 1956 Soviet IMZ (Irbitski Mototsikletniy Zavod) M-72 which was derived from the 1938 BMW R71. Nearly all of them have sidecars. They are often erroneously referred to as BMW "replicas" when in fact, they are derivatives of the IMZ M-72.
Production began in the late 1950s or early 1960s. (Different sources cite different dates.) They were originally produced for the Chinese military and are powered by an air-cooled, four-stroke, opposed flat-twin engine displacing 746cc. The rear wheel is shaft-driven.
The most common models are:
The M1 which has a sidevalve (flathead) engine and a 6V electrical system. This model is a clone of the M72 and closely resembles the 1938 BMW R71.
The M1M is also a sidevalve, however it uses a 12V electrical system and is equipped with a reverse gear. It also has an electric starter where the M1 has only a kick-starter. All of these enhancements were designed by the Chinese.
The M1S (or "Super") uses an overhead-valve engine, 12V electrical system, electric starter and reverse gear. The OHV system is of Chinese design.
All three models use the same frame and sheet metal. The M1 and M1M are nearly identical in appearance, but they can be distinguished by observing certain details.
CJ technological history includes racing bikes, experimental engines and futile attempts at modernizing the appearance of a long obsolete machine. In the 1990s, China opened its markets to foreign motorcycle manufacturers which expedited the end of CJ750 mass production. Today, the marque is kept alive by interest from foreign hobbyists.
this will be my first bike - Chang Jiang 750 aka CJ750 (长江750）。
Well..according to the local authority. My Singapore Class 2B license just wasn't qualified to convert to the 'D' license which is required to ride this 3-wheeler.
If there's a will, there's always a way! (有志者事竟成）
and after some inquiry through local network and dealer. I will just need to take a bike lesson at the school specifically catered for sidecar.
and apparently foreigner and those from outside Shanghai are not allowed to take lesson here before April'2010. The restriction have just been lifted and I might possible be the first foreigner to take my D license through this route. The younger Chinese are more interested in BMWs than this old bike from the military. and it's obvious when I apply for the course at the school, the attendant are bewildered and her first respond to her colleague beside is "我今天中奖了！” （I struck a lottery today!)
Well..before I could kickstart my engine. I will need to pass my theory lesson ... in Chinese!
and you think the bad English translation theory test paper is bad enough! try Chinese.. in
All my years of MOE Chinese seems like a kindergarten text book.
Back to my study and before I complete my notes for today. Here's the introduction of CJ750.
Production began in the late 1950s or early 1960s. (Different sources cite different dates.) They were originally produced for the Chinese military and are powered by an air-cooled, four-stroke, opposed flat-twin engine displacing 746cc. The rear wheel is shaft-driven.
The most common models are:
The M1 which has a sidevalve (flathead) engine and a 6V electrical system. This model is a clone of the M72 and closely resembles the 1938 BMW R71.
The M1M is also a sidevalve, however it uses a 12V electrical system and is equipped with a reverse gear. It also has an electric starter where the M1 has only a kick-starter. All of these enhancements were designed by the Chinese.
The M1S (or "Super") uses an overhead-valve engine, 12V electrical system, electric starter and reverse gear. The OHV system is of Chinese design.
All three models use the same frame and sheet metal. The M1 and M1M are nearly identical in appearance, but they can be distinguished by observing certain details.
CJ technological history includes racing bikes, experimental engines and futile attempts at modernizing the appearance of a long obsolete machine. In the 1990s, China opened its markets to foreign motorcycle manufacturers which expedited the end of CJ750 mass production. Today, the marque is kept alive by interest from foreign hobbyists.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
VholdR ContourHD 1080P
Yup..that's the wearable camera I bought for my future planned trip (will keep you updated).
I first saw it on youtube and eventually manage to find it on sale on taobao.com
cost me about RMB2500 and it's well worth the money.
now can't wait to make my trip, but first I got to know the operation of this camera well enough.
and here's the spec...
Details
5 Megapixel Sensor
Codec: H.264 (AAC audio)
File Type: .mov
Audio
Internal Microphone
AAC Audio Compression
Lens
135° - 960p and 720p
110° - 1080p and WVGA
Memory
Removable MicroSD
SDHC compatible
Capacity: 16GB (2GB included)
Easy Edit Software
Compatible with:
Mac (10.4, 10.5, & 10.6)
Windows (XP, Vista, Windows 7)
Videos Download via USB 2.0
What’s In the Box
ContourHD Camera
MicroSD Card (2GB)
Goggle Mount
Flat Surface Mount
Rechargeable Battery (3hrs)
USB Cable
Battery & Power
Removable Lithium-Ion Battery
Record Time: Up to 3 hours
Chargia via USB to Computer
or chargers (sold seperately)
Charge Time: 4 hours (average)
Body
Water Resistant
Aluminum and Fiberglass Body
Compatible with TRail Mount System
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Lazy Saturday
darn..another weekend where I need to clean up some work in the office.
well..it's on the other side of Whampoa river.
might as well take a slooow ride there..and taking the opportunity to test my ContourHD camera for the 2nd time...
well..it's on the other side of Whampoa river.
might as well take a slooow ride there..and taking the opportunity to test my ContourHD camera for the 2nd time...
Sunday, June 6, 2010
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