I thought that we, my teammates (Deborah, Li Tong, Rasinah and Ting Ting); [Team Number: 5CO1] and I, could win this NYEC Race. Unfortunately, it wasn't as easy as we thought. Even the other group members: Esther, Jeremy, Rui Lin, Sirih and Zainab, didn't manage to win although they had finished each statio and even some other bonus stations! Except us! We didn't even finish the last station! Pathetic!

First thing's first. The competition was kinda unfair. Different teams can get to go to different places. Like the other team, Rui Lin's group, only need to go to five places where there are so nearby. The examples are like the Helix Bridge at Marina Bay, Esplanade, one of the ending points along Orchard Point, the Kallang Dragon Boat Association and Marina Barrage! These places are so near each other! OK, sort of because it's linked and connected in some sort of way! Unlike my group! Wanna know why? Take your time and read about it because I will be complaining and narrating my point of view on the ridiculous NYEC Race.

I had to wake up on a Saturday at 5.35a.m. Ain't that great? Wow. I gave Rasinah a wake up call (Hotel Room Service style) before I went to prepare myself to meet my friends at City Hall Interchange. Everyone arrived punctually except Ting Ting whom she last minute told me that she was coming after I have told everyone about the event't schedule. Ugh. Last minute... We waited for her more than fifteen minutes, missed four trains heading to Dhoby Ghout because of her. Since it was already 7a.m., we took the MRT without her. I guided her on the phone while she took the MRT to Farrer Park MRT Station herself. She should be happy that we at least waited for her at the MRT Station before heading to Citysquare Mall where we were supposed to assemble.

After registration, Linh, our group facilitator, smsed me to ask us to meet her upstairs. Ms Ng called me to wish all of us all the best for the race. We were given the clue for the frst ending point of the competition. It was a small paper containing codes that we were supposed to break or solve. We solved it in no time and it was: Kallang Dragon Boat Association.

Our group was kinda 'kiasu' in a good way. We immediately checked whereabout is the place on the Street Directory and how could we get there by MRT and bus because those were the only two transportation we could take besides walking.

My teammates and I were very enthusiastic at first. We were so eager to start the race and win it. We wanted to win it so badly. Therefore, we worked hard and cooperated with each other for the first few stations, not until the third station. BUT. Wait. I will tell you why later, now I shall tell about the interesting Dragon Boat experience.

We formed a team of three with two other groups, so we could take part in our first station: Dragon Boating! The guide taught us about the steps on Dragon Boating before we set off. It was a tiresome one as we had to row the boat from the centre to the halfway end of the Singapore river. Furthermore, the idiotic guide kept on splashing water at me and my friends, obviously taking advantage of us as we were sitting right in front. Just freaking annoying. All of us rowed in cooperation and finished it within five minutes! Yay! We broke the record that day!

We had the second clue and it showed a picture of a particular unknown MRT line that we had to solve. It took us a while but we knew it was the new Stadium MRT station, which was very near the centre. We went there quickly only to realise halfway that Deborah had left her Street Directory at the Dragon Boat Centre. Li Tong and I ran back to retrieve it while the rest of them waited for us.

We thought that the ending point for Station 2 was in or outside of Stadium MRT Station but we spent like so many times finding the game facilitators but to no avail. We wasted like fifteen minutes searching for them only to realise that they were opposite the MRT station. I was like 'What the Hell?!". If they are inside or outside the MRT station, they should at least give us the clue that it was near the MRT station right?

It started to pour when we played the following game which was to collect the soya beans from a small bowl without any of your parts crossing/touching the set line. It was a tough one. We used a plastic cap in the end to get the soya beans and created the word 'Pollution!' out of the beans.

We were soaked to the bones by the time we finished with the game and cheer. Our bags were so damp too. Furthermore, the idiotic ponchos wouldn't fit in properly. The third clue was so wet that it was on the verge of tearing into pieces. We could only see the paper after we reached the Stadium MRT station, which was the nearest sheltered area.

This was when the controversy started to boil. The third clue was East Coast Park, which was so far away from the Singapore Indoor Stadium! Li Tong and Rasinah knew how to go there so we followed them. We took the MRT to Eunos MRT Station and we were supposed to take the correct bus but Linh asked us to take another, which she said can also go to East Coast Park. Since she was our group facilitator, we trusted her and followed. Unfortunately, when we reached the end of the bus trip, we realised that it leads to no where near the venue. Li Tong grew very angry at Linh as she should have followed Li Tong's advice or else we wouldn't have to waste so much time to walk through the underpass to find Burger King or McDonalds.

Deborah and Ting Ting were also walking so slowly although we had reached the venue. We called them to hurry up but they still strolled on, like as if the race's over. Li Tong, Rasinah and I were like so fed up with the two of them, Linh and her friend particular the whole day because of that bus incident mistake!

The game was easy. Just tying everyone's legs together and we had to retrieve the alphabet boards that had to form the phrase 'Save Gaia Leh'.

We headed to Bedok Reservoir Park after we solved the fourth clue. We had to take a long bus journey to Bedok Interchange before taking another different bus there. We were quite familiar with this as we always go there for our annual school Cross-Country.

Four members out of five had to be blind-folded, while the other had to form alphabets using our hands without saying out loud what the alphabet is. Ting Ting was the one who formed the alphabets but I answered correctly for the whole alphabet combination 'Save Water'.

We re-created a cheer for our group because we wanted to get more bonus points. Here's how it goes.

Boom Boom Pow.

Gotta be GREEN

Boom Boom Pow.

Gotta Be GREEN

We have to save the Earth (clap along, sing twice)

Wooooooooooooooaaaaaahhhhhh

Save Gaia!

(Star-jump/slide sideways)

Haha. I know. It sounds weird but I like it.

We were so happy that we still have another last station to complete and that was the last clue: Marine Barrage. Rasinah and I called our parents to ask how we were supposed to go there from Bedok Interchange.

We arrived at Marina Bay MRT Station at about 2.30p.m. We waited for the bus for like 1/2 hour and yet it didn't arrived. We grew so frustrated that we decided to cheat. Well, sort of but we didn't manage to in the end.

We wanted to take a taxi. We hailed like so many taxis but the taxi drivers just wouldn't want to bring us there. LIKE COME ON! WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEM? MARINA BARRAGE IS SO NEAR FROM THE MRT STATION? WHY CAN'T THEY JUST FREAKING BRING US THERE? IT'S NOT LIKE AS IF WE DON'T HAVE MONEY TO PAY THEM! WE WILL PAY THEM, TRUST US!

ARGH! They just get onto my nerves! If they would have brought us there, we would have been able to finish our last station. If the bus would have come earlier, we would have finished everything! We has to go back after that as the deadline was 4.00p.m.

F*** THE TAXIS AND THAT PARTICULAR BUS!

All of us grew so irritated and our moods were definitely filled with sorrow. Life is so unfair! Not only was our group unable to complete the race on time, we were also given all the places that were so far apart from each other! We were obviously traveling from the North to the South, South to the West, West to the East of Singapore!

What's worst was this, we had stomach, leg and body cramps because of the race but do you know what did we get? Nothing! Not even a certificate of appreciation! Only a 'oh so wonderful goodie bag', which contained a recycled notebook, an outdated April Issue of Seventeen magazine, several cough lozenges, Axe Brand Oil and a humongous reusable bag.

Sigh... Nonetheless, eating my late lunch (Spaghetti Bolognese) at Coffee Bean and buying my book (Percy Jackson The Ultimate Guide) at Popular with my besties: Li Tong and Rasinah, cheered me up. Shopping with my parents along Orchard Road also made me happy.

You might think after I complained so much about this competition, you expect me not to join it again next year. LOL. You got it wrong! The same whole group will still be participating it next year. So, let's just hope that we can win this time!

Before the competition, we gotta be more familiarised with Singapore's transportation system and the country itself!

Better luck next time I hope.

P.S. Will not blog so often now as I will be going on my Malaysia holiday from this coming Friday to next, next Monday! So, I will miss you Readers loads! Will try to blog when I am there OK? Toodles for now! Happy Holidays!