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This sparks our first series of walks around our Lioncity in search of luscious flora and family friendly activities. Such activities require one to break out in sweat without having to break the bank. And mind you, we did it with our friends and kids, and true enough, we had a blast on top of a good laugh all the way.
That was my first time there. I was never an adventuresome sort of person. However, going shopping every weekend was no longer fun. So I decided to give myself the opportunity to try this out.
We did not start out that early, I would say right after brunch. We took a good 1 to 2 hours to reach to the top. Mind you, we had children with us and a pram trudging along. The initial up slope was rather steep and definitely a good workout for us. For the inexperienced, you might feel a little faint spells along the way. Play caution. If you need a break, take it. Continue when you start feeling better.
By the time we reached the summit, breakfast was 'gone'. We had to re-coup our energy level for the way down. Luckily for us, the way down was so much easier than the going up although for me i did miss the good workout that we got while walking up. And yes, the path is pram friendly with the tar road for the initial steep slopes and clear mud free track for the remaining part of the walk.
For the lucky few, you would be able to spot some interesting creatures along the way. Do play safe. Steer clear of danger.
Some tips when bringing kids...
1. Carry plenty of water. Its tiring and we don't want them dehydrated midway.
2. Be prepapred for wet weather. A raincoat or poncho would come in handy.
3. Bring snacks. Healthy snacks like raisins, fruits would be more appropriate although a biscuit or two wouldn't hurt either.
4. Yes, you can bring along the pram. Just make sure, Daddy is okay with the lugging of stuffs too.
5. Be sun-safe. Make the kids wear caps and sun screen.
6. Be on the watch out for mozzies. If your kids have sensitive skin, remember to carry some insect repellent.
7. Dress for its purpose. Dress yourself and the kids with comfortable clothings.
8. Lastly, make it a fun day. After all, its a family outing.
Pictures courtesy of j.wahidjackson2010luv and bffw.oneduh2010
I remembered fondly having two such pets when i was a child. My earth-loving dad would place those greeny crawlies in a glass bottle covered in plastics with holes and my mum and us, which makes my brother and me would look at it intensely every day to awe in its progression.
Recently I had a chance to fall in love and in awe with the experiences again. My earth-loving dad had planted kaffir lime from seeds and it has happily grown into a 'handsome-looking teenage mini tree'. Its luscious green shoots had attracted some foreign visitors to make it a temporary home.
With its curled up leaves, I'm beginning to sense the presence of our new free bed and breakfast tourist. Not only one, but there were two. Initially, I was fine about letting the caterpillars roam and eat my young, luscious kaffir lime leaves. I began to panic, when I realised my poor plants, almost bald, as those two visitors made a wonderful daily buffet at those leaves.
I trimmed off the sections with both Caterpy A and Caterpy B in them and placed them in a plastic mini aquarium. By then, we have changed their diet to getting store bought old kaffir lime leaves. Both instantly went on a diet strike. One out of desperation continued to eat what was served.
About 3 days soon after, the caterpillar changed into a pupa. A mini worry mode set in as a friend of mine cautioned that at times due to changes in room temperature and other conditions, these pupa may fail to turn into butterflies. Praying hard, having good faith in Mother Nature and after another long week which for us an agonizing wait, they bloomed into gorgeous butterflies.
What I learnt from all these...
That Mother Nature and time go hand in hand. As human, we have the tendency to rush at things, forcing and insisting that we get whatever we want immediately and that very instant. The perils of modern technology. However, when we reflect on such simple experiences, sometimes what we want now may not be as fun as just waiting for things to unfold when the time is right.
And for kids, we are teaching them the life cycle of a butterfly popped right out of a textbook and experiencing it real life. After all, who says a pet needs to be only a cat or a dog.
Pictures courtesy of BFF-W.oneduh2010
