Serangoon Adventure at BINTAN !

The Aljunied Town Council organises a yearly Retreat for all their Town Councillors, staff and spouses at exotic "overseas" venues such as Batam (last year) and Bintan, this year.

10 councillors from Kampong Serangoon, plus yours truly (unk Dicko ) led by Chairman CCC Daisie Yip, joined the other adventures from the other component kampongs...nearly 2 busloads full.

Early that morning, our group met at Hougang street 21 Bus terminal where 2 private buses ferried us to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal.

I knew quite a few people from the other "kampongs" as I was with them at the Batam Retreat in 2007. Thus, it wasn't surprising that the very first thing that many of them asked me was," Hello unk Dicko ! Did you bring along your little BABY ? "

They were of course referring to my little UKULELE !

If I had said No, the smiles would have vanished.

Instead, I gently pulled out my ukulele and asked, " would you all like some sing a-long?"

Our busload of people were singing from Hougang to Changi, non-stop!

See...what a tiny little baby can do?

For those of you who would like to pick up ukulele playing...let me just say there is hardly any music school that offers such a thing, guitar yes..ukulele no.

So, in the world of the Ukulele...people such as myself are a rarity, especially in Kampong Singapore.

We boarded the ferry at Tanah Merah and settled down for the 1 hour journey to Bintan. Time was about 9 am plus.

Weather was perfect..a little hot.

On arrival, after clearing I and C at the Indonesian side, we arrived at Bintan Lagoon Resort where we were given a local, native WELCOME by this group of performers...with lots of kumpang drumming and other exotic musical items.