Societal pressure on adults to own expensive mobile phones

I was momentarily taken aback when asked this question by the helpful saleslady, as I handed over SGD $656 (USD$475) for two Samsung A30S at a mall. "Are these for kids?"

Recovering my composure, I suggested that I was trying to avoid attention over a flashy phone in South America. I asked if adults these days didn't use such 'cheap phones'. The saleslady, who was in her late 20s said most adults purchased more expensive phones. She owns a S9+ which cost her SGD $1298, and admitted that as a salesperson, there was pressure if she did not buy one. It was maybe half her monthly salary, or close. I felt self conscious as I pulled out my SGD$50 Samsung J5 which was 3 years old.

She was helpful with testing the phone, and explaining the warranty was local, not global. She asked if I was overseas a lot. I didn't know what to say, so I said I was going to travel for a few years.

Why must an adult's phone cost 2 to 3 times the laptop Debbie and I are using? Whose perceptions are these, and what is the cost of such consumerism?

Sometimes it's the kids who use kids' phones who have not lost the simplicity of mind to dream. Or is it the other way around?

We leave in 2 weeks.

Written by Kelvin

Cardo Comm Set Sponsor: Chong Aik International Pte Ltd

We are super excited with Cardo Freecom4+ sponsorship by Chong Aik International Pte Ltd. These bluetooth comms sets allow communication in a Star Wars like manner up to 1.2km between riders with boom mikes tucked sleekly behind the helmets' chin guards and I can even make and receive calls while riding! I've never used voice activated commands to manage JBL audio equipment before, or communicate with my other half to co-ordinate navigation. Playing with these sets at their showroom made me realize what Debbie and I have missed out on these past years while technology for rider's gears have accelerated with gear like Cardo.

We also want to thank Steven for the unexpectedly good discounts on Debbie's new Shoei X14 Marquez4 and my Z7 Philosopher helmets at the point of sales, Dominic for going the extra mile in communicating with us and facilitating this collaboration, and Sze Min, Jerome, Deneyvi, and Shirley for their helpful and kind assistance in setting up our comms kit. We've been Shoei customers at Chong Aik for the past 10 years, and will continue to support their stores!

Written by Kelvin

A Final Visit to the Travel Clinic before trip departure

Today, we met up with Associate Professor Dr Lim Poh Lian for a final consultation at Tan Tock Seng Hospital's Travellers' Health & Vaccination Clinic before our trip that is starting in October.

Today's visit was mainly getting medical advice on how to deal with malaria and altitude sickness. Additionally, we also needed to get prescription and medication in a bid to combat these pesky ailments that do plaque travellers. When she was talking about the medical advice, I was beginning to face the reality of this trip head on. Undoubtedly, I was feeling really anxious. Everything is becoming real.

Dr Lim is indeed an amazing doctor who managed to discover Singapore's first case of monkeypox while she was on duty on 7 May 2019. Dr Lim is highly recommended among the motorcycling tourers in Singapore. The first Singaporean couple who travelled the world, Goh Mia Chun and Samantha, sought her advice before they travelled a decade ago. Our good friend, Juvena Huang aka The Wandering Wasp, also looked for Dr Lim before her epic solo tour from Singapore to Europe. A couple of other tourers in Singapore such as Charlie Tseng, Poh Yu Seung and Rosalind Ng also used her expertise before their travels overseas. Prof Lim is currently the head of the Travellers' clinic and a former Harvard graduate.

Do request for Dr Lim when you need advice for travel medicine. I believe she is the best doctor to consult in this area of expertise. We would highly recommend Dr Lim.

Written by Debbie

Puig/Tsubaki Parts Sponsor: Motovation Accessory Singapore

Tsubaki Alpha XRG-Sealed TX4-Ring Gold 520 chain

We would like to thank Alvin from Motovation Accessory Singapore who has generously provided us with aftermarket parts for our two motorcycles (two Honda CB500X that we have purchased and are collecting in USA) from Puig and Tsubaki.

We have received one Tsubaki Alpha XRG-Sealed TX4-Ring Gold 520 chain that boasts high performance and durability with its high tensile strength. We will be doing a comparison between this Made-in-Japan premium X-ring chain and the OEM chain. Therefore, one of our bikes will be running the Tsubaki chain while the other one will be running the stock chain under the same environmental conditions and maintenance. Stay tuned for a comparison review.

As for the Puig parts, we have received two sets of engine guards, two sets of hand guards, two sets of front fender extension and two touring screen at our friend's place in Denver, Colorado. We can't wait to dig our hands into these goodies. It will certainly feel like an early Christmas!

Thank you so much for your support!

Written by Debbie

Dainese Riding Jackets and Gloves Sponsor: JR Pte Ltd

JR Pte Ltd has graciously lent their support by sponsoring us with two Dainese Bora Air Tex Jacket, both equipped with Manis D1 G2 Back Protector Insert and Pro Armor Chest Protector for our upcoming tour. Additionally, they have also given us a pair of Dainese Bora Gloves.

The fresh edgy styled Dainese Bora Air Jacket certainly looks promising in protecting us with its CE level 1 rated Pro-Armor at the elbows and shoulders and its rugged fabric which can withstand abrasions. With the added Dainese Manis D1 G2 Back Protector Insert, it takes the jacket to another level of protection as it is a CE level 2 armor with 4 ways of stretch in this hard shell protector which allows for more movement and protection than similar back protectors on the market. Additionally, the Dainese Pro Armor Chest Protector uses an expanded nitrile rubber construction which conforms to the rider's shape allows for optimum comfort.

As for the Dainese Bora Gloves, they look like they are made for the biker riding in tropical climates. Its mesh fabric allows air flow which keeps our hands cool.

We can't wait to test these gear out and share our experiences with all of you.

JR Pte Ltd has been around for decades and it is currently owned by Singapore's largest motorcycle dealer, Mah Pte Ltd. We are certain that many riders in Singapore see JR Pte Ltd as Singapore's authorised distributor for Dainese. While this is true, this is not the only brand they carry. They do carry other premium motorcycle gears, apparels and accessories that will suit your motorcycle lifestyle. The following brands that they carry are Gaerne (which produces high-quality Italian boots), PMJ apparel, Stylmartin motorcycle shoes, Bull-It Jeans, Roland Sands Design, Inc apparel, Rouille motorcycle inspired accessories, Triumph motorcycle apparels, Ethen eyewear, RAM mounts, TechSpec, ROK straps and ESquad apparels. With so many brands on offer, we are sure you will be spoiled for choice.

A great selection of different brands

You will be spoiled for choice here!

A massive Dainese selection

Special thanks to Derrick Ang (Head of Operations) and Janice for your assistance!
- Written by Debbie

My tailbone is fractured!

I just received the radiology/X-ray report and discovered that I have a tailbone fracture just a month out from my trip. It is caused by my carelessness of not putting the side stand properly and the entire bike fell on top of me. I landed on my buttock on the hard ground at the Jurong Point Shopping Centre car park 2 weeks ago.

When something like this happens, it is all too easy to panic as our minds are too overwhelmed by the life situation and it is difficult to cognitively calm ourselves down and act rationally.

I chose to calm down while being confined to the ground and being unable to get up at that moment as I was pinned down by the bike. Swiftly, there was a kind & strong man who lifted the bike off me. Then, he proceeded to lift me up and place me on a chair that belonged to the car wash shop nearby.

The employee at the car wash shop fretted over my well being as well as the man who assisted me. At that moment, I felt so lucky to be surrounded by helpful people.

After a while, I was able to get back on my feet and walk normally again. Then, I proceeded to go up to the condominium that is located above the shopping centre to give tuition.

Throughout the rest of the day, I tried to focus on what I was supposed to do, and was able to carry on working as per normal and help with my students' impending national exams.

It is often far too easy to fall prey to our storytelling minds. Of course, I am not saying that we should ignore our pain. In fact, we should embrace them and know that they are there and seek medical intervention when needed. However, we should not allow our minds to continue to ruminate on all the possible scenarios and cloud our judgement.

Most certainly, I did seek medical attention and was told that the bone will heal on its own in 2-4 weeks' time. I have to ensure that I don't fall again and take Arcoxia for the next 2 weeks. Fingers crossed! Lol!

Written by Debbie

Thanks to Goh Mia Chun for being our HDB Power of Attorney

In the final month of preparations, we are glad to have Goh Mia Chun's help in being appointed our HDB Power Of Attorney.

Mia Chun and Samantha Pan are the first Singaporean couple to have travelled around the world in 2008 on a motorcycle, and have met us after their return to support us on our trip preparations.

Mia Chun currently runs CSK Landscape Services, the largest distributor of tree works equipment in Asean, managing and consulting for 30k+ trees with private, military and government agencies, with a social mission of improving industry safety standards and tree work equipment, and retaining knowledge and skills in the Singapore economy through its HR practices and being a subject matter expert for the judiciary system.

Do check out www.TreeStore.io if you're looking for tree works safety equipment and tools, and their showroom if you want to play with some tools!

Written by Kelvin

Resurgence Jeans Review

Perhaps our new vehicle choice?

The Resurgence jeans' key strength is its invisibility in protecting a rider. Many riders are embarrassed to wear protective gear such as external knee guards, and mesh riding pants do not help one blend in as well as regular looking jeans such as Resurgence.

One issue riders have to consider in Singapore's 32 celsius (90F) tropical weather is heat. If you have a high body mass index (BMI), you will likely sweat even if you wear T shirts, berms and slippers riding. In the 10 days, I have worn Resurgence for 5 to 10 hours riding to three or four locations every day in hot weather and with rain gear on when it rains, totalling an average daily 40 to 80km mileage for work. It could be partly because I maintain a BMI (body mass index) of 23 as a long term health goal that I found them acceptable, heat wise, although they feel slightly warmer than regular jeans. The Pekev armour under my outer jeans fabric is meant to withstand 23 seconds of road rash, so for that level of protection, it has reasonable weight and insulation. Stephanie, the retail manager did mention Ban Hock Hin has 17 seconds and 5 seconds models as they are more cooling and priced lower too. If your budget permits, I would urge you not to trade protection for price. Go for the 23 seconds model if you are used to wearing jeans in local weather. If you're overweight or perspire much, or ride like a despatch rider with 10+ destinations daily in city traffic with plenty of fast paced walking, then consider the lower level models for increased comfort and price reduction.

The D3O armour used in Resurgence is the same armour used by KLIM, has been around for years and exceeds the CE armour found in regular mesh pants. Debbie and I have placed our trust  in them to keep us safe for our upcoming trip, and I’m looking forward to wearing these jeans with armour on while riding, and with or without armour on while visiting tourist attractions.  Ban Hock Hin is Resurgence's Singapore retailer, and you’ve really got to try out their jeans at 6 Defu Lane 4, Singapore 539410.

Written by Kelvin

I got my tubes tied. Wait... what?

I am referring to this procedure called Laparoscopic Tubal Ligation Surgery. Many women would only choose to have this procedure after they have completed their families right after their C-Section or at a much later time.

Why did I do this procedure? I do not want to bear any children in my entire life, with or without the world trip. In fact, I made that decision when I was about 20 years old, way before I was sexually active and had a relationship. I am so serious about this that I revealed my stand at the very start of my relationship. If it is not agreeable, I would find another man who would agree with me. There was no way I would let a man change my mind on this.

I was cautious about not getting pregnant, so I had been on birth control pill for more than a decade now as I did not want to end up aborting a baby and end a life because of my carelessness. It is indeed an irony that abortions are easier to get than a tubal ligation surgery. Isn't the latter a more humane option?

Additionally, I did not want to worry about the effectiveness of my birth control pill if I suffer from severe diarrhoea or malaria during the upcoming world trip. Worse still, I did not want to worry about the authenticity of the birth control pills sold in more backward countries with its rampant counterfeit drugs.

Most certainly, this also means that I do not ever need to worry about cutting the trip short due to a sudden pregnancy news!

Why didn't I do this procedure earlier? I bet no doctor would take me seriously if I were in my 20s. They would think that I was probably an immature lass and that I would change my mind later on. Perhaps being in my mid 30s made the difference. The doctor at Singapore General Hospital, Dr Tan Hak Koon, agreed to perform the surgery without much resistance at all. Perhaps it helped that my husband was in the room with me.

However, there was one question that Dr Tan asked me, "Is your family complete without children?". I would say, "Yes!" Well, if one needs a child to make a marriage stronger, then the relationship has serious issues in the first place.

There is also another popular question that I have been asked, "Are you sure you won't regret your decision about not having children of your own?" I am sure that there are many parents out there who regret having children. Why is the spotlight not shone on them? The spotlight always shines on the childfree woman in particular.

This is disturbing to me. We are living in the 21st century and we, as women, can make a choice to be childfree and not be judged. After all, an adult's life can be full and enriching without children too.

Official Riding Pants Sponsor: Ban Hock Hin Motorsports

We are pleased to announce that Ban Hock Hin Motorsports has come on board as our riding pants sponsor with 4 pairs of Resurgence Jeans equipped with D3O Armours.

Motorcycling Safety

A long time ago, we were advocates of motorcycling safety. Back then we only had an old video camera. These are the days of Go Pro. I wonder what we can produce now, but more importantly, I think about championing for our pet causes, the things we did when we were younger because we believed in a cause.

Alan Lin (Spectrum), Alan Swee, Traffic Police Safety Branch CO (Simon) and me had met at the cafeteria in Traffic Police HQ at Ubi, talking about motorcycling safety in Singapore. It led to an attempt to form a civic society group, but that did not take off.  What was easier to accomplish was a simple video advocating the use of safety gears, not just for touring in Malaysia and Thailand, but for every day use.

Starring Endlessloop, HotMilo, Dynno DeBeast, Debbie Lim and Kelvin

Produced By Debbie Lim and Kelvin (Pplater)

Resources: Street Smart by Alan Lin

Panjang Garage: A trusty motorcycle repair shop for older model motorcycles up to 600cc

At Panjang Garage's shop front

28 May 2019

It is too easy to miss this shop out. Being sandwiched between units with eye-catching signboards makes his shop seem like the neglected sibling in a large family. It is a shop sans signboard which is located at Block 53, Paya Ubi Industrial Park at Level 3, #03-37.

Ah Peng, who is the man at the helm, is a lanky and sinewy figure (hence the name of the shop as 'panjang' in Malay means tall) walking around the shop with his cigarette in his right hand brooding over prevailing bike faults for solutions is a sight that many of his regulars are familiar with. His banter with his customers is a regular feature as well. Most importantly, there was never a time when he could never solve any pesky bike issues on our 2004 FZ6 as it had relatively simple electronics

Cool eh? Like a boss. Lol! (Pic taken from the Panjang Garage Facebook Page)

The shop is fuss free with its basic fixtures like its dangling white florescent lamps, slightly blackish flooring and its greasy tools strewn across the space. However, do not let that faze you. There is definitely order in that mess. You should definitely let your next visit to the mechanic be at Panjang Garage if you are riding an older model motorcycle without too many buttons and electrical functions. Panjang's mechanical servicing is reliable and priced competitively over other shops.

I have known Ah Peng for 11 years now, I have seen him progress in life from a chief mechanic at Planet Motorcycle Repair Shop to a boss of his very own shop.

It was 5 years ago that I started learning how to do bike maintenance in preparation for the upcoming trip. There was no course out there that I could sign up to learn. Hence, I started looking at YouTube videos, committed the steps that I had seen to memory and hoped for the best when I executed them.

Ha! There were many times I was stumped as the problems that I encountered differed totally from those video tutorials I had studied. Whenever I got stuck with a step, Ah Peng would point out my mistakes and I would improve. He has graciously lent a helping hand when others have totally ignored me.

After many years of cuts, bruises, burns, scars and toughened skin on my hands, I finally tasted the fruits of my labour and I could finally be accountable to myself that I gave it my all. I would not have been able to do these maintenance if not for Ah Peng's kindness. His gift to us will benefit us for life. 

Vaccinations - Frivolous or essential?

A collection of jab stamps

16 May 2019 (Written by Debbie)

Preparations would most likely be centered on destinations, route planning, budgeting, weather planning, gear, etc. Apart from the customary Yellow Fever vaccination (else you would be barred from entering the country), many travellers do not discuss the topic of vaccinations.

Health is an essential part of travel too. This cannot be sidestepped. "What?! This vaccine costs USD $180 (SGD $250) per person!" or "I don't think my luck has run out. Nah! I rather save the cash for other expenses." These remarks are all too commonly heard. You are right that these jabs are costly. Because they simply are. We already spent about USD $2k (SGD $2.7k) for 2 persons so far. However, we think that the money spent on these vaccinations is essential.

Our good buddy, Charlie Tseng, emphasized the importance of vaccinations and to leave ample time for all the shots. Start your jabs at least a year before departure.