Last week I took my parents over to Singapore for a little travel break. The last time they were in Singapore, it was 2013 and I couldn’t make it because the Laguna Phuket Triathlon was on that same weekend. So I decided to make some memories with them and revisit one of my favorite running grounds over there as well.
The thing is, traveling in Singapore requires a lot of walking and I usually rack up a gazillion steps on my Fitbit every time I visit. I was worried my parents would be wiped out by our commute. I was pleasantly surprised to be able to drag them all over the place on foot.
taking the train from Changi airport into the city — 3 transfers!
my mom and dad at the Helix Bridge
a selfie along the Marina Bay Sands boardwalk
durian ice cream sandwiches along Orchard Road
Chinatown
Deepavali decorations in Little India
post-breakfast stroll along the riverside at Clarke Quay
walking around the Kampong Glam area
Both of my parents are senior citizens already so I was super proud they were so spry during the trip. (Of course, every night we were all footsore and wiped out, but recovered by the next morning.)
I think I can credit this not just to good genes, but also to living a healthy and active lifestyle from their youth until now. Both regular gym-goers, my mom and dad walk briskly on the treadmill and lift machine-assisted weights. My mom also attends high-intensity dance aerobics classes. Aside from this they’re pretty active around the house taking care of my nephew when his parents are at work. My dad also spends time maintaining our cars. So you can see, their functional fitness is pretty good.
While public transport in Singapore is massively accessible to the physically challenged, it really helps if you’re ambulant on two feet because you can take the escalators and even walk up and down them to catch trains that are about to leave the platform. Walking is also the best way to go short distances.
There are some tourist sights and parks that require a little bit more fitness, though. I first visited Singapore in 2012 and stayed with a friend at their condo at the foot of Mount Faber. I’ve always wanted to go back to the running trail I’d tackled back then, so this time even with the threat of a thunderstorm I headed over to run across Henderson Waves again. More to come in Wednesday’s post because I want you to be able to run there as well!
my favorite photo from the trip
used my Nike Zoom Structure 20’s — review next week!
Of course, I logged this run in my Nike Run Club app as part of my two to three runs a week using the Get Started run plan. Even if it was a short run, it counts!
I like being fit not just because it allows me to do all these races and take home finisher medals. Actually, I like being fit more because it allows me to enjoy and engage in my passions, hobbies, and advocacies. I’m so happy that both my parents are fit and healthy because it means I can do more with them as well. It’s all about quality of life, folks, and being fit significantly elevates that. 🙂
Very good post!