Went for a 5km fun walk and run at the SWING KPE - an event to mark the completion of the Kallang Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) yesterday on 14 September 2008, Sunday.
It has been almost a year that I attended the last charity walk to mark the completion of the first 3km of the KPE! Now, its the full completion of another 9km. This expressway stretches from the East Coast Parkway (ECP) to the Tampines Expressway (TPE). Fully constructed, this 12km expressway will boost of being the longest (9km) underground vehicular tunnel in Southeast Asia. The project supposedly costs a whooping SGD $1.7 billion!
The KPE will be officially opened to motorists from 20 September 2008 and I was one of the eager participants waiting to step and make my mark on the newly completed expressway before any vehicles start moving on it yet ... ha cheap thrill! but that part of me was so excited to join the action and participate in the fun!
It has been almost a year that I attended the last charity walk to mark the completion of the first 3km of the KPE! Now, its the full completion of another 9km. This expressway stretches from the East Coast Parkway (ECP) to the Tampines Expressway (TPE). Fully constructed, this 12km expressway will boost of being the longest (9km) underground vehicular tunnel in Southeast Asia. The project supposedly costs a whooping SGD $1.7 billion!
The KPE will be officially opened to motorists from 20 September 2008 and I was one of the eager participants waiting to step and make my mark on the newly completed expressway before any vehicles start moving on it yet ... ha cheap thrill! but that part of me was so excited to join the action and participate in the fun!
Lo and behold, so the event on Sunday, 14 September 2008 saw almost 15,000 people involved! Dressed in yellow, orange, green and black sports shirts, the participants don the bright colours of the event walking in the tunnel after the Transport Minister, Ms Lim Hwee Hwa together with Minister Admiral Teo Chee Hian flagged off the event. There was a 5km fun walk and run, a 10km competitive run and also activities like car rally that day.
Briskly the walkers walk, the joggers ran and altogether suddenly the pack squeezed into the tunnel after the Ministers flagged off. The walk was pretty enjoyable and the most interesting part was after 1-2 km into the tunnel where all the lights in the tunnel were turned off, music was thundering and you see neon lights displaying messages of "Switch On Vehicle Headlights" to bring across the message to motorists to remember to turn on the headlights when driving in this part of the expressway. Well done, Land Transport Authority (LTA)!
While walking through this part of the tunnel, participants had to switch on their red light battery-operated lanterns to join in "The Guiness Book of Records for the Largest Lantern Parade"! Coincidentally, the 14 September 2008 also happens to be the 15th day of the 8th lunar month on the Chinese Lunar Calendar this year, which is also known as the "Mooncake Festival". Supposedly this day in the Chinese tradition is to indulge oneself with a piece of mooncake while sipping a cup of tea and to admire the bright full moonlight, carrying a lantern. Hence we were moonlighting in the tunnel carrying our little lanterns at the walk.
The walk was interesting but got a little hot in the tunnel at the end. Exhausted we completed the walk together with the many people... perspiring and hot! It was an enjoyable walk in the morning and for a good cause as the proceeds collected towards this event went towards the President's Challenge 2008!! Thanks to LTA!
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