Green Volunteers - July Update

July update

Hi

We have got some exciting trips and even a “hands-on” gardening session for those who want to learn more about gardening.

1) National Day: BINTAN TRIP (INDONESIA)
7th (Sat) to 9th August (Mon)

To take advantage of the National Day holiday we are planning a 3D/2N trip to Bintan Island. We leave Saturday 7th August in the morning and come back on the 9th evening.

Proposed activities:

Trekking Gunung Bintang (weather permitting) or elephant show and ecology study Mangrove tour by boat Traditional Kampong craft such as Pandan weaving and knife making School visit bring supplies and some shopping for traditional food like tempeh, keropok, Indonesian coffee/tea.

ACCOMMODATION:

Bintan Lodge, 2 to an aircon room, walking distance to Pasar Oleh Oleh town centre

PRICE:
$310 per person (twin sharing)

PRICE INCLUDES:

Ferry tickets to/from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal
All transport at Bintan
The above stated activities/tour
All meals 2B/3L/2 Dinners*
*Dinner at Bintan idol restaurant all other meals at makan centre (Pujasera)
Mineral water
Basic insurance
Local guides (and me) and
All tips and drivers/guides

EXCLUDED:
Visa fee (if required)
Alcohol and other beverages

PAYMENT:
$100 deposit when booking, balance $210 10 days before trip

NOTE
Ferry tickets and accommodation (in view of National Day holiday) expected to be sold out soon, so please book early. Limited places, first come first served basis


2) S.P.R.O.U.T.S./BASIC GARDENING

To further our S.P.R.O.U.T.S. programme, we are going to organise a “hands-on” gardening class for beginners. If you are interested and want to learn more about basic gardening please email me your name and mobile number. We also need weekend volunteers at our spice/herb garden at Pasir Ris park (Carpark “C”, near Pasir Ris MRT).


3) SINGAPORE GARDEN FESTIVAL 15th – 22nd July
Suntec City Convention Hall, Level 4

We have a booth (A04) come by and see us. SGF is held once every 2 years and if you like gardening, plants etc this is “must see” event.


4) JOGYAKARTA: INDONESIA 5D/4 Night

Planned for early September (School holidays) prices being worked out. Planned visits to:

• Borobudur Temple (Buddist) World heritage site
• Prambanan Temple (Hindu)
• Gunung Merapi
• Farm stay
• Bird market (Pasar Ngasem)
• Rafting
• Ramayana ballet
• Leather craft/or Indonesian cooking
• One “gudeg” meal (Traditional Javanese meal)
• Some shopping – batik, handicrafts etc

Jogjakarta is the artistic, spiritual and cultural heart of Java, it’s home to many Universities including Gadja Mahda University

5) KAMPUNG KUNING PRIMARY SCHOOL, BINTAN (KKPS)

The Green Volunteers have “adopted” KKPS and need the following supplies:

• Medicated soap
• Medicated shampoo
• Eye drops
• Vitamin C tablets

6) GREEN ACE INTERNATIONAL TRADING

Green Ace, a good supporter of The Green Volunteers (they sponsored our Birdbrains flyer) are purchasing used printer cartridges. Jerry pays top price for these cartridges so please give him a call to compare prices (his mobile 9060 8827).

7) FORT CANNING WALK 10th July

Free guided walk 10th July (Saturday) at 4 pm. Interested, please email your name, mobile and number of people attending.


8) CHIANGMAI DECEMBER TRIP

I am planning a super trip this late December to Chiangmai (cool season). We’ll visit elephants, hilltribes, go trekking, rafting and anything else we fancy! We will go to hilltribes that no tourists have ever visited and we go during the New Year’s season we can go to an authentic LAHU village to celebrate with them.

I intend to take a maximum of 10 people, prices are being worked out so if you’re interested let me know.

9) BLOWING OUR GREEN HORN

On 23rd June, I was the keynote speaker at The United World College’s “Round square conference”. There were about 200 students (13 to 17 years) from Singapore, Australia, Korea, Taiwan, India, Thailand, Malaysia and Bangladesh who attended this conference.

The theme was “OPEN EYES, OPEN MINDS and OPEN HEARTS”. My talk was to encourage students to be more proactive in protecting our fragile environment. I also encouraged the sponsors to also “open” their wallets to sponsor student projects.

Hope to see you at one of our trips or at the Singapore Garden Festival.


Cheers
Grant
Mobile: +65 968 40 950

“The dogs bark while the true soldiers march on”