serenity on the road

The lovely blue sky, the sparse, fluffy white clouds, the rustic charm evoked by the kilometres of greenery that roll past, almost effortlessly and imperceptibly, that it seems as if one is moving through a changing scenery in constant motion.

Cycling on the straight, narrow road leading to the main road, there is a serene feel to the tranquil atmosphere. The sun's rising fast to its mid-day position; the road is, for the most time, empty, flanked by closed vegetation and trees throughout the stretch; and from far, it seems as if the flat road continues forever. It's a comforting prospect.

Hands on the handlebar, i turn and look at the passing scenery on both sides, careful to enjoy the moment, as though once past it would elude me forever, dusted down into oblivion.

When we cycle past kids who live in kampung houses just along the roadside, they giggle and laugh heartily, waving eager hands at us, shouting excitedly to cheer us. These are no urban areas; often it's just a stretch of civilisation that spreads intermittently on either side of the road, with no modern-looking buildings or amenities in sight. The people must be living a simple life, and the kids most certainly live a different kind of childhood from ours: Theirs is a carefree and simple lifestyle, not without its fair share of problems, but untainted by competitive, stressful education.

Except for a small stretch where we cycled through relatively light rain, we were lucky not to be caught in any downpours while on the road. The roads are in good condition, the landscape scenic, the company a good bunch of people who share the same passion and who have a good many jokes to share. One really can't ask for more. One only hopes that this can be done more often, with the company of these great fellas who know what exactly it feels like to be riding a bike on the road, past scenery that is rare (at least in Singapore) but immensely delightful.