Staff Car Rally

Had our very first Staff Car Rally this afternoon. CCAs were all scrapped or auto-run so that all staff can participate in this event. Was personally looking forward to it.

Our car for the event - a silver Toyota Corolla Altis. Wang got this car as a replacement while his Corolla is in the workshop for repair (his car rear got hit by another car.)

And my team - the Drift team, consisting (L to R) Val (encourager 1), Wang (the driver), Des (navigator), Danny (encourager 2), Stanley (official answer writer / asst navigator)

This, however, is my favourite car for the whole rally. Presenting......

a zhnged-up Lancer, belonging to Kel, the chiongster who hit 150km/h during the rally! Let's hope he doesn't get caught on the opposite side of the law!

The Ralliart team, consisting (L to R) Kel, Amy, Darren and Huijuan.

Mr. Ethan Tan announcing the arrival of the Rally Master...

...Mr. Lum Wai Kit with the starting flag, accompanied by Ethan's approximate singing of Vangelis' Chariots of Fire.

Mr. Harris, our Principal, flagging off the teams.

So off we go, on our little "Amazing Race" around Singapore. Everyone seemed to be driving faster than normal, including Wang - he was overtaking and cutting lanes more fiercely than I've ever seen him! Scary...

1st stop was to Kranji Dam, where we had to find the distance between the historical site and the dam...

... as well as the number of floodgates...

Frog Farm (along Lim Chu Kang Lane 6) was next. However, I can't seem to remember the questions... :( But here is a photo of the guys for posterity, for proof we've been there...

After that, took a fast smooth drive along KJE/BKE/SLE to The Animal Resort (T81 Seletar West Farmway 5), to find out what this "wading stork" feeds on...

After failed attempts of talking to it (yes, we were so desperate to get a quick answer), we found out from the shop assistant that it feeds on fish.

Our next stop was somewhere near The Animal Resort, but we took a long time to get there, as we didn't know we could actually enter the main entrance of Seletar Air Base to get into Picadilly Circus to get here....

We found out that they have a 9-hole golf course, and it cost $37.80 for members / $41 for non-members to enter the driving range on weekends and public holidays.

Next stop: Bottle Tree Park (81 Lorong Chencuya(sp?), off Sembawang Road). The SG had dinner there before, recommended by Dean during the 2004 SG Retreat at Orchid Country Club (the most memorable part of the dinner being that Charles complained about the weird-tasting chrysanthenum tea... )

We were supposed to find out how many roof huts there were along the fish pond.

Next was to Upper Peirce Reservoir, entering along Upper Thomson Road. We had to find out what time the gate automatically closes. And we found our answer below:

We had to drive all the way in, past the curious monkeys to find out the name of the alien fish in the reservoir:

We had to go the the NUS APEC Secretrait to find out the name of the structure and the quantity, but wasted a lot of time there as we were trying to answer questions of another checkpoint. :( But a photo for posterity...

Next stop is to Labrador Park to find out the name of the Minister for Transport and Communication who officially opened the Labrador Park Secret Tunnels and Cannons (Mr. Mah Bow Tan).

And on to The Olive, which is across the Secret Tunnels. (not next to, as said in the poster. *hmmph*)

Over at this restaurant, we had to find out the names of 2 cocktails that cost $16 each. I still have no idea. :(

Was taken by surprise that after all 8 checkpoints, there was a bonus checkpoint before we reach school. We could choose whether we wanted to go there, so as fun-loving people, we did - all the way up the Jurong Hill Look Out Tower.

Stanley at the Look Out Tower.

After that, Wang was tired, so I took over the wheel and drove us back to school.

Upon arrival back to school, we learnt we were the 7th team (out of 13) to arrive, and had one of the answers wrong (the number of roof huts at Bottletree Park - should be 4.) Mrs. Tan's team came in 1st, thanks to Mr. Seah's wonderful navigation skills; Kel's team came in 2nd; Karamjeet's 3rd. Mitsubushi owned the Rally - 1st place car was the Colt; 2nd and 3rd place cars were Lancers!

Went for a good supper with HB, Dee, Kel, Amy, Esther and Huijuan at Science Centre Macs, where we sat and talked for almost 3 hours. Had a good time laughing at one another's quirks during the rally.

Was happy that this Car Rally materialised - a good way to gel the staff together, and it's really all in good fun. Hope we can have this again next year. And I have reserved my ideal team - Mr. Seah to navigate, Kel to drive, I'll sit in the car and try to look pretty... (and calm!!!)

:p