| SINGAPORE 70.3 - 2009 |
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Singapore 70.3, 22nd March 2009 I have learnt many lessons within the past 4-5days which I am about to share with you! My previous occupation of a pro squash player involved a lot more traveling than my current one of triathlon and was often filled with traveling mishaps and funny stories. This one I didn’t find so funny, in fact quite the opposite. I was due to leave Brisbane, Australia, Thursday 19th to fly to Singapore for the 70.3 race and was there two hours before, stood in line for 45mins to check in and all was going smoothly until the check in attendant used the word ‘excess’. I asked how much and she got her little calculator out (not a good sign as it usually means to big a number to compute in your head), to which she replied ‘$1000’ without flinching. My jaw dropping to the counter I tried to reckon with her that I was leaving with the same luggage I arrived with and was going from Singapore to the USA. She went on to explain that the weight limits had changed and I was only allowed one 20kg bag……my bike box was 32kg and my other bag was 28kg. I had misplaced my itinery to show I was leaving Singapore so they were legally not allowed to let me on the flight. We tried to print it out but their internet was conveniently not working. By this time the flight had closed and their next flight was on Saturday (race day Sunday). Fortunately my sister and her boyfriend were there to calm me down and try to nut out a plan. We decided the best option was to go to Qantas but same story on their weight limit (as of 3days earlier their mew weight law came into effect). We proceeded downstairs to the internet kiosk, booked a frequent flyer flight for the following day and I emptied out 90% of my belongings for my sister to keep in Australia. Checking in the next day with my little 10kg clothes/accessories bag and bike box (30kg) the Qantas check in person at first said the E word (excess) but then asked me to wait a minute. He returned with the news that because their new weight limits had only gone into effect less than a week ago, I could still fly with two 32kg bags and would not be charged for them!!! Frustrated …..just a little. Made it to Singapore on a nice smooth flight, great hotel (Roxy Mercure) and slept like a log. The following morning I met Michelle and Marian from Tri the World Travel in the lobby and I joined them for a pre race jog along the bike path. They have this bike path and a walking path that goes for 20km one way and about 5km the other way, it follows the coastline and is lined with beautiful greenery on the other. I road along it as I thought it would be safer than the road but after about 5mins realized that the freeway may have been a safer option! There are families riding bikes along the path (no helmets) and riding all over the place. Mixed into that roller bladers and cyclists coming the other way …..training wheels with the hire bikes would have been a good suggestion. One site I had to look twice at was a man riding a mountain bike with his rollerblades on….i guess you could class it as two workouts in one??? There was a cable ski park just off it with some great wake boarders taking full use of the jumps and rails they have in the water. It was great to see how much family/social time these people were spending with each other on a Saturday morning. That night Nick Munting and his wife showed me to the local hawker stalls (bringing back fond memories of squash days where a chicken foot was in the bottom of mine and my sister ’s chicken broth soup). I remembered Chicken/Pork rice was my favourite and ordered a plate for $3.50. It was still as good as I remembered it! Race morning began with lightening and thunder (delaying the swim start 10mins until it cleared), dark skies and a surprising short time of wind gusts which later became calm then a more consistent wind on the bike. The first few hundred metres of the swim, we swam through a clump of jelly fish which stung me on my shoulder, forearm and leg and lasted until late that night. I felt sluggish the entire day and this is where it began. I hoped each leg I would feel better and told myself so. Going the wrong way on the bike for about 3km at the start didn ’t exactly help but by the time I got into the run I realized it was going to be one of those days. However I did have brief moments of hope. I enjoyed the scenery and the crowd and just being able to give it what I had. After the race they had set up a huge tent for a post race buffet which had so much local cuisine to choose from and fortunately for me they had my favourite chicken rice dish. Race night, ANZA invited a bunch of people to their post race party downtown at Brewerks Brewery (who sponsor their tri/cycling team). I was starving and ordered their Mexicano burger as soon as we got there. It was the best burger I had had in a long time and the fries went down like a treat! The Brewerks/ANZA crew were great and did a little Q and A with the athletes they invited and made it rather comical. An early start for me to fly back to San Diego with a 6.50am flight ….i did ask Michelle to put me on the earliest/quickest flight home and once again had problems with that dreaded E word again. This time it was for $200. After much explanation on my behalf that I had checked with the airline prior to leaving Australia that I would not be charged to go to the US, I was. I am on the flight now and am just happy to be seeing Jeff is less than a day and sleeping in my own bed and catching up with friends. I would recommend IM 70.3 Singapore to do, it is a great location, race and the people are very friendly which make for a fun and pleasant time. If you can stay an extra day or two, there are short ferry trips to remote islands etc to do. Michelle and Marian are staying an extra few days to do some fun exploring by the sounds of things ….maybe next yearJ Thank you to Nick Munting and Graeham for helping me get there and organising some race wheels for me! |