Insights on Singapore (3 Nov 2024)

Here are some clips with insights on Singapore for your refreshing. Enjoy.

Click here for How To Upkeep A Scenic Paradise | Inside Our Gardens By The Bay | Full Episode

Click here for Searching Across The World For Trees For Singapore's Gardens By The Bay | ROOTS: A Greening Journey

Click here for Up Your Alley: Hidden gems around neighbourhoods in Singapore | Full series

Click here for 24 Hours Eating ONLY Michelin Restaurants in Singapore | $2 vs $276 Michelin BREAKFAST vs. DINNER 

Rail Corridor (ft. Trail from Buona Vista to Hillview)

With the cessation of the Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) train service in 2011 from Woodlands in the north to Tanjong Pagar in the south of Singapore, this 24 km stretch of railway corridor had since been re-purposed and described by the National Parks as "a continuous green passage that allows wildlife movement between major green spaces. It also serves as a recreational corridor for all members of the public."

The railway tracks and sleepers have been removed except for those along the truss bridges and Bukit Timah Railway Station (and, possibly, at Tanjong Pagar Station, which has been gazetted as a national monument and currently undergoing restoration for completion by 2026).

Click here for National Parks' map of the Railway Corridor and the various entry points for you to access and explore on foot or bicycle. As the terrain is relatively rough, roller blade and skateboard are ruled out. Pets are allowed though.

Here are some pictures of the trail from Buona Vista to Hillview and you will see why Rail Corridor is often labelled as 'Green Corridor'.

Take the MRT train and alight at Buona Vista station. 

Head for Exit C as follows:

Look for the following underpass and proceed through it.

Keep walking along this path and you will reach the Rail Corridor. 

Turn left in the direction of Woodlands for your Hillview destination. 

Keep left and enjoy the lush greenery along both sides of the pavement with a mindfulness nature-bath. Wear a hat for some shade, stay hydrated with bottled water, and bring along a brolly or poncho in case of rain. No need for any insect repellant.

A resident in its natural habitat.

Bukit Timah Railway Station

Bukit Timah Truss Bridge

Further along after Bukit Timah Railway Station, the path is coarser with pebbles and you can feel the crunch under your feet as you walk towards Upper Bukit Timah Truss Bridge.

Upper Bukit Timah Truss Bridge

After crossing the Upper Bukit Timah Truss Bridge, keep a lookout for an overhead bridge to your right which will bring you to Rail Mall and nearby Hillview MRT Station.

To chill after your walk, my recommendation would be for you to take the MRT train from Hillview Station to Beauty World Station, which is one-stop away. 

Alight at Beauty World Station and head towards Beauty World Centre (next to Beauty World Plaza) for a wide selection of food and drinks from various outlets, including a hawker centre at Level 4 rooftop for a unique experience. 

Rooftop (Level 4) Beauty World Food Centre

Click here for 15 Beauty World food gems to explore.

Thank you for reading Daily Refreshing.

You Can Be Happy In 2 Minutes

You know that how you think (in your mind) would trigger how you feel (in your body).  

Photo by Jametlene Reskp on Unsplash

When you feed your mind with happy thoughts or find a solution to your gnawing problem, you will reap the propensity to be happier than your status quo. So, set a guard on your brain factory to keep out the robbers of unhappiness and welcome the happy workers to work for you. 

What is lesser known and surprising is that if you change your physical body, you can also change the way you feel. From a neutral or negative state, you could then actually transition to a more powerful and happy state of well being as you re-direct your body.

For your refreshing, here are two exercises which you can do to feel happy in 2 minutes or less.

1. Change your body language

Strike a victory pose with arms raised in a V-shape like what a victorious athlete would do as he or she crosses the finishing line. You could do this in a private space, exercise arena, or even on your chair when you are taking a break. 

Hold on to this victorious moment for 2 minutes and experience the change in your physiology to a stronger state of being and becoming.

Click here for Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are | Amy Cuddy | TED.

2. Remember to smile

Stand in front of a mirror or use your mobile selfie mode to practice smiling and make it a habit to smile. If your smile appear fake, recalibrate your smile to what you like to see. If you have problem smiling, search online for smiling faces of people (yes, animals do smile, but you don't want to go there). 

Whenever you feel down, look at yourself in the mirror or phone and bring on a smile. Smiling is contagious. You are better off with a smile and it's free :).

Click here for The hidden power of smiling | Ron Gutman. 

Click here for Stanford professor who went to Bhutan to learn about ‘the key to human happiness’: My No. 1 takeaway from my big ‘aha moment’.

Click here for 10 Big Benefits of Smiling.

Thank you for reading Daily Refreshing.