What to do at Batam for short or long weekend getaway holiday and within your budget.

The people of Batam and Singapore has 1 similarity: they looked at unicycling as a form of circus clown act.

I hate it.

I have to find some other interesting things to do or interesting places to go at Batam.

These are the activities that I can indulge in at the Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall:

•     movie(cheap)
•     cafe, btw check out Broadband cafe with its nice deco & food
•     billiard
•     video game arcade, Time Zone (there is a big one on 3rd floor but people smoke in there. There is a smaller one @basement which is smoke-free most of the time.
•     karaoke
•     spa(cheap)
•     full body massage(cheap). Genko & 5-Star promo @ Rp80,000 per hour only
•     or try "CreamBath" (which is head/shoulder massage) after your hair cut
•     or foot reflexology after window-shopping for hours
•     naughty massage (use WeChat app, select "Discover"=> "People Nearby" Rp500k+-)
•     salon hair cut & treatment(cheap)
•     manicure & pedicure
•     nice and reasonably-priced man/woman fashion & shoes at Matahari dept store
•     traditional padang food
•     cooked pig blood, bak-kut-teh
•     eating dim sum(cheap, extra cheap during weekdays)
•     seafood *crab (cheap)
•     roast duck(cheap)
•     malang beef ball noodle(cheap), sio may
•     ayam penyet(fried chicken)
•     street hawker food
•     Korean fast food
•     Japanese resto
•     A&W for the waffle and root-beer float 
•     avocado with chocolate fruit shake
•     cheap medicine at Century pharmacy (different brand but same medicinal content)
•     cheep beer
•     cheap toiletries like shampoo, shower cream, face wash, toothpaste etc
•     cheap return ferry ticket @ basement money-changer shop, below ACE hardware
•     CD & DVD music & movie (must test on the spot)
•     hanging out at the cafe
•     cigar - Rp 45,000 or about S$4 for the mini roll, isn't that really affordable!
•     sweet clove-scented local cigarettes, huge variety and really cheap
•     tatoo
•     huge ACE hardware & home furnishing store
•     mobile phone/accessories heaven like those at Sim Lim square @your own risk
•     shopping in general.. (cheap & nice imitation watches & hand bag)
•     going to the gym
•     new classy and tastefully decorated food court, for non-smoker
•     swimming (i Hotel)
•     on the night of major public holiday eve -> fireworks / fire-cracker

I notice that many Singaporean smokers like to smoke Marlboro Ice Blast. 

Btw, all these activities can be found within the Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall. If you are visiting Batam, stay at the new Amaris Hotel next to the mall which is built in mid 2014.

http://amarishotel.com/batam

"At the Amaris, a simple and straightforward breakfast is included in the room charge." Quoted from the web site.

In short, I would describe the experience as "Cheap shopping, cheap holiday & fun ferry ride".

There is another hotel nearby, the iHotel.

http://www.ihotelbatam.com/index.php

There is the new Nagoya Hill Hotel. Check out great discount and compare hotels prices in this area @ https://www.tripadvisor.com
 or http://www.hotelcombined.com
 or www.trivago.com
 or www.traveloka.com


Taxi trip from Batam Centre Ferry Terminal to Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall is Rp 70,000. Come in group of 4-5 to share cost :)

Harbor Bay ferry terminal is nearer though.

Other activities elsewhere that had caught my attention are: bowling (BCS mall), swimming, golfing and playing ping pong.

If lucky, another activity that I enjoy is star-gazing. Many stars can be seen on a clear night sky

And so I have been searching the internet for some more ideas. And I found a few nice blogs:

http://coffeeluvs.blogspot.com/2013/01/blog-post.html

http://bongqiuqiu.blogspot.com/2014/01/batam-i-love.html

You have to visit the abandoned refugee camp left over from World War 2. It is run down and spooky, especially the old Catholic church which look like those in horror movie.

There is a big ferry wheel at Ocarina beach. About Rp15,000 ticket.

(to be continued...) 

Electric unicycle lifestyle rides .. click Here..

Hot stuffs and cool rides ... easy and relaxing way to explore Singapore. Big ego not required...

https://www.facebook.com/thewheelies?fref=nf

APUC 2015 is happening in Singapore [17th -19th July 2015]

Happening from 17th -19th July 2015

For more info, go to:

https://www.facebook.com/apuc2015

carousell app for selling of used unicycle and other items..

There is a mobile phone app to do that. If you enjoy shopping on your mobile phone,
u can get the app at
https://carousell.co/

or visit the facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/thecarousell

Unicycle on sale display at Marina Square

Saw this on 15 November 2014.

At Marina Square "fourskin" store.

How to kick unicycle addiction

I discover this by chance. The weather had been very hot for the past few months. There is huge forest fire in the neighboring country which make the situation worse. The fire churn out smoke which turn the whole region into a hazy and blurry wonderland.

The high temperature made all outdoor activities terrible.  The haze created breathing problem. As a result I avoid unicycling and choose other indoor activities: squash, karaoke and window shopping. The air-conditioning and cleaner air are really nice alternative.

I didn't realize I could kick unicycling addiction but now I know I can. The world become larger again.

Psss.. do not watch any unicycling video...

(Sometime in my dream, I will be riding my unicycle and having fun .. this thing is fun ..  i admit ..)

How to make your unicycle ride less tiring... for people with limited stamina.

:)

My usual bicycle rides is about 6 hours. It is a typical leisure ride with many rest stops. I lack stamina but cycling has the benefits of multiple gears and coasting capability. I can pace myself through coasting and paddling thus avoiding using too much strength. I can ride half the island on each ride!

But I get tired quickly when riding the unicycle. My typical unicycle ride is only about 2 hours. Can't ride too far.

In order to ride longer on my unicycle, I have to find ways to make riding less tiring.

Here are a few methods that I personally find effective and practical.

1. Sit in a relax manner and put most of your body weight on the seats/paddle while riding. In the past when I was learning to ride, I will tend to 'stand' on the paddle (to try to balance the body) and put most of my body weight on my legs, as a result my thighs will get tired quickly. So, try to shift your body weight from your legs to your bum.
2. Adjust your seat heights so that you can extend your legs fully while paddling. I learn this from my bicycle rides.
3. Pump your tyre to near max. psi indicated on your tyre. If the tyre is flat, the unicycle tyre will feel heavy and unwilling to roll and very tiring to ride. If you pump to max. the tyre will roll easily and you need lots of stamina to keep up with the increase in speed. I prefer to pump to about 80% of the max psi so that the tyre roll easily but the speed is not at its max. I can't handle high speed :)
4. Do lots of warm-up and stretching before your ride.
5. If your legs started to feel a burning sensation (building up of lactic acid) during your rides, take a rest so that the lactic acid can dispersed and won't build up and accumulate. But if you want to train for endurance, then ride on ...
6. Drink isotonic / alkaline-based drink to counter the acid.
7. Choose a flat land and avoid too much uphill.
8. Avoid riding in the hot afternoon sun.
9. If you are riding on pavement, use a thinner & smoother road tyre instead of fat, bulky off-roud, studded tyre.
10. Switch to a bigger tyre e.g. from 20" to 24" to 100"
11. Use a shorter crank.
12. Take creatine drinks to increase stamina.
13. Ride with attractive people from the opposite sex. They have the power to distract you from your body pain. And you will be motivated to impress them.

The ultimate solution - https://www.facebook.com/focusdesignsinc

Cool electric unicycle

Rolling (not riding) downhill .. equally fun but crazier ..

I enjoy riding down the gentle hill at the nearby park. Usually people only jog or cycle on the track. So the grassy slope is all mine. I thought I am the only nuts utilizing the grassy hill.

But I just found out that at another hill at a nearby reservoir, many old people had been practicing a rather unusual morning exercise for several years: Rolling Downhill.

Check out their video: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=663373440401193

***   ***   ***
Actually this other hill is higher than the one at the park. I tried to ride my bicycle up the hill but failed. Maybe you might want to challenge yourself to ride your unicycle up this hill???

Bait and Switch, unethical sales tactic by some sales people.

Would you like mocca (coffee) or cappuccino (flavored cigarettes) with your breakfast?

When a unicycle sales person brag about how high tech and wonderful their brand of unicycles are, and how lousy and cheapo are other brands of unicycle, the buyer (being a newcomer to this sports) should be made aware that the prices for "high-tech" unicycles are higher by 2 times, 3 times or even more.

Such comparison is not fair.

In many cases, the sales person would also sell low-tech and cheapo unicycle of the same brand.

....................................................................................

When a sales person entice a buyer (again, being a newcomer to this sports) to buy their particular brand of  unicycle in order to receive help (in learning to ride unicycle) by the community, this is another fallacy aka lies.

The sales person is subconsciously threatening the buyer that the opposite will happen if the buyer don't buy their brand of unicycle. The opposite being: everyone in the community will NOT help the buyer to learn unicycling if the buyer don't buy that specific brand of unicycle.

That is very unfair to the Singapore unicycle community. The community definitely does not discriminate riders due to the brand of the unicycle that a rider own.

Such indirect high-pressure sales tactic based on lies is purely unethical.

I find that the community is generally very welcoming of newcomers. They unconditionally share their experience with newcomers.

Unicyclist like uncle Chow, Tony, Larry, Wong, Faisal, Alice, Rachelle, Yi Hao, Serge, Robinson, Marvin, Jamie, Kee, GC, Kailun and many more are very willing to teach newcomers. So, be free to choose the unicycle that suit you and your budget, whatever brand it is. Don't be fooled by lies.

Curse or charm: unicycle has a magical way to attract people's attention

I saw a small, red unicycle in a window display. It caught my attention from a distance.

Did a witch put a curse on the unicycle during its creation so that it will be in the spotlight forever?

Singapore unicycle community facebook page

Singapore unicycle community facebook (official?) page
was formerly at https://www.facebook.com/groups/172712250620/

Some interesting numbers to ponder upon...

---------------
Meetup.com
---------------
From July 2013 to April 2014 (10 month periods), there are 27 new members in http://www.meetup.com/Singapore-Unicycle-Hockey-Unicycle-Meetup/

About 9 of the 27 members managed to learn to ride unicycle.
The pick-up rate is not too bad.

However, the facebook page which had been around as early as 2009, has only 19 members, as at 25 April 2014 (more than 4 year periods).

Why is the group not growing?

What are the push factors in the existing group which are repelling new riders away?

What pull factors are lacking there?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I want to stay politically correct ... let's just say ... unicycling is a pain at the crotch ...

(The membership has a sudden rapid increase to 26, by 25 May 2014. Did my blog accidentally promote the facebook page???)

I am unable to view this facebook page since 28 May 2014, I wonder what has happened. It is growing rapidly in the last 4 weeks, I hope nothing bad happened.

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

A local I.T.E. college has a unicycle club.  The facebook page
is https://www.facebook.com/groups/566663056712535/

As at 29 April 2014, its facebook membership is at 27, surpassing the former Singapore unicyclist facebook membership!!!

Nice brightly-colored unicycles in the photos. Hope this site remain independent and uncorrupted by commercial influence and pressure.

:)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)  :)

Here is another Singapore facebook page - West Unicyclist Singapore

I have no idea why it is not part of the above-mentioned Singapore Unicyclist facebook members .

https://www.facebook.com/west.unicyclistsingapore

?????????????????????????????????

In June I discover another "official" Singapore unicyclist facebook page. It was started in 30 May 2014. I guess it has replaced the previous facebook page which is experiencing stunt growth in the past 4 years or so.

This facebook page started with 1 simple posting.

From 30 May to 1 June (3 days period), this single posting has caused the facebook page to receive 42 "Likes".

The creation of this new facebook page is never discussed in the Singapore unicycle community forum .

How do you explain a 4 years old webpage that managed to only attract 19 members can be replaced overnight by another webpage that attract 42 supporter within 3 days with a single posting?

Is it that a gigantic obstacle that was formerly obstructing its growth had been lifted? Who is that obstacle?

This new facebook page leads to another older Singapore Unicyclist web site which only promote 1 local supplier (the supplier of "team-uni" brand* of unicycle and Qu-Ax unicycle) in Singapore.

*Isn't this private brand own by only 1 person?

You can obtain unicycle from other local sources too:
http://how-to-unicycle.blogspot.com/2014/01/buy-sell-unicycle-shop-in-singapore.html

Better option is to borrow for free while learning (in Singapore):
http://how-to-unicycle.blogspot.com/2014/04/buy-unicycle-beginners-option-b-c-d.html

The Singapore unicycle community forum had been around for a long time and provide richer resources than the facebook page.

Hope the new facebook page can focus on the joy of unicycling instead of becoming another tool to sell "team-uni" private brand of unicycle again.

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

http://how-to-unicycle.blogspot.com/2014/05/bait-and-switch-unethical-sales-tactic.html

Singapore and Taiwan unicycle video

Singapore scene
============
Muni
http://www.youtube.com/user/eagle88889999/videos

Freestyle
http://www.youtube.com/user/makrich7/videos

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOJ9PSs2sIrLW6NZBG2K0Jg/videos

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx5f-nVpRu849WJ5GuZRWlw/videos

Street busker
http://www.youtube.com/user/UniJolyon/videos



Taiwan scene
==========
see 4:40 mark in this video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEUF2lD3K80

http://www.youtube.com/user/colbuoret/videos

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Taroka+Muni

Terry's informative video on proper Protective riding gear

Different riding environment pose different kind of risk. You need different gears to protect different parts of your body. There are many good stuffs out there. You don't have to buy/wear all of them but at least be aware that they are available.

Terry's video will show you how you can protect yourself while unicycling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4ZBzQwbZac

For myself, I will wear high cut trekking shoe for ankle protection, knee guard, padded cycling shorts and baseball hat to prevent sweat/rain from going into my eyes (and to block sun glare). I will usually carry a pair of bikes gloves and soccer shin guard(the fear of pedal strike, once bitten twice shy) in my bag in case I need them. I don't wear helmet coz I am riding rather slowly and mostly at the neighborhood park.

~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

How time flies ... nowadays when I am fooling around on my unicycle at the store, I wear ... sandal ... and no protective gear. Lazy ... lazy ...

Where to buy new tyre for your unicycle?

I got this from the Singapore unicyclist forum. Thanks to Jia Hui ( sales rep from "team-uni" brand of unicycle.)

http://sgmtb.wordpress.com/tyres/

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
wow ... the BMX bikes are so attractive ...
http://sgbmx.wordpress.com/
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
You can also enquire at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Everythingbikezcom/282436625227758
Tel 6348 9727
 

Where to Sell (and buy) used unicycle on the internet

For unicyclist living in Singapore,
your best chance is to post your ads at the
Singapore unicyclist community forum at
https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!forum/singaporeunicyclists

You can also post a free ads at http://singapore.gumtree.sg

You may consider selling your used unicycle at "Cash Converter" stores. There is one near Bedok MRT / bus interchange.  There is another one near Jurong East MRT / bus interchange.

Other avenue ...

Look for the "Trading Post" thread at:
http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/

and ebay website.

For beginners who bought expensive beginner's unicycle, I wish you good luck.

Do you ride a cheapo uni?

Question: "Who is the brother of cheapo uni?"
Answer: "Zippo uni"

I skate, ride bicycle and racing bikes, play ping pong and used to practice Muay Thai kick-boxing. I derived joy from the act of doing these sports, not from owning expensive equipments.

I think a unicyclist who mocked fellow unicyclists for buying "cheapo uni" probably has serious inferiority complex and thus the need to buy expensive uni to cover up such weakness.

Please be kind to new unicyclist, especially the younger ones. They just want to experience the joy of riding a unicycle.

To new riders: if someone mocked your uni as cheapo uni, probably that person is trying to pressure you to buy a new, expensive uni from her/him. That person probably has sales target to meet. Let's just assume that she/he meant no harm.

.......................................
Sales people are genuinely helpful people?

Surprise, surprise .. the so-called "cheapo uni" can also be used for riding tough off-road and uphill. See the video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlZg4FSZ4bk

at 5:34 mark

You can get similar unicycle from:
EverythingBikez bicycle shop

Riding unicycle at the beach last weekend

I had an enjoyable ride with some friends from the Singapore unicycling community. Thanks to Rachelle (blue T-shirt) for organizing the trip.

Buy unicycle? Beginner's option A, B, C, D

Generally, the bigger the tyre of a unicycle, the harder it is to ride it. Thus a beginner's unicycle is typically small-wheeled, 20" or smaller. And a very basic one.

I often ride at a nearby park and a reservoir near that park. I rode a 24" unicycle. But the big, fat tyre turn it into a 26". The ride is relaxing and comfortable.

I once tried riding a 20" uni at the park. The amount of pedaling is unbelievable. A lot of pedaling. The ride is a pain. Even the ride from the park to my house was damn tiring.

So my opinion for people who want to learn unicycling (residing in Singapore) is:

Option A
=======
If you want to do tricks and stunts on a unicycle in the future, and have no interest to ride long distance at the park, then go ahead and buy a nice, new "Trial" unicycle. Learn to ride on it and later on learn whatever tricks that you fancy. You can find inspiration from youtube.

Option B
=======
Don't buy unicycle. The Bedok South group has many spare unicycles for beginners to use for free. Use them to learn riding weekly. When you can ride around the hockey court comfortably, then consider buying a 24" or bigger unicycle (used/new).

Option C
=======
If you feel that practicing once a week is not enough and hope to practice more often, or to practice at a more convenient location or during weekends. Then consider buying a used beginner's unicycle. Ask around at the forum. Many will sell them at very low price. Don't worry about the quality of the unicycle. Most of the time, beginners can't even pedal a full rotation. Even after the beginner can ride a few metres, the speed will be slow. Beginners simply lack the strength to destroy a unicycle. So don't worry too much about the durability of the unicycle.
After you can comfortably ride the unicycle, then consider buying bigger wheel unicycle (used/new).

Option D
=======
You want to play hockey with a 20" unicycle. You have plenty of storage space at home. You have lots of spare cash. You are a sentimental person who wish to keep your first unicycle. You feel that new unicycle is more hygienic. You wish to pass on the unicycle to your sibling, children, grand-children etc... By all means, buy a new 20" unicycle that please you. And get a bigger unicycle for the ride at the park or beach.
But just be aware that you will have to give a Big discount if you are going to sell it in future.

https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en#!forum/singaporeunicyclists

See my other post that list out the shops and suppliers in Singapore.

How not to catch a cold if you wish to ride on a windy day.

Ride on another day when it is not windy. Gotcha ...

Otherwise what I do is wear a quick-dry sports T-shirt as inner wear and wear a cotton T-shirt as outer wear. No more sneezing while riding and I get to enjoy the wind too :)

My unicycle wear branded clothing while traveling .. just kidding ;)

This is how I clothes my unicycle when I am traveling between Singapore and Batam. I worry that my unicycle will catch a cold otherwise.

I removed the seat post and the pedals and cover it with XXL T-shirt. The strap is from a guitar bag. I later discover that it is more sturdy when the crank is tied to the frame with a string.

The width of the fat wheel is 21" and it is 2.5" thick, only a huge T-shirt can accommodate the wheel.

Maybe I should buy a used unicycle. I am going to check out the forum for some cheap used unicycle that might be on offer from time to time.