2Fast 2Furious

On Friday, I was still grumbling to Hazelyn about how much I dreaded going for my counseling group outing on Saturday with a group of people whom I don’t really know. On normal days, it is really quite alright for me to go for group outing with a group of acquaintances and colleagues, but I guess my PMS mood was acting up on me.. But then again, it can’t be PMS - probably it’s just one of those days where I feel like hibernating and hiding my ugly self from the world.

However much I complained, I know I still have to go for it. Well, I can only console myself with the fact that the highlight of the trip is Go-Kart – a full-scale one which is used for the Asian’s Go-Karting competitions. Woo hoo…

[This is only about 1/2 of the actual size of the race course. Those people are here just to try Go-karting. I didn't know this place is so popular. They charges Rm30 for every10-min/per pax. I wonder how much it cost to book the whole course for one-hour booking.. probably we can have a "Harmoniser's Race".. Hehe..]

When we reached the race course, we were greeted by booming engines of the Go-Karts that were zipping round the race course. I was surprised when I noticed that some of the racers were wearing full racing suit and full-face helmet. Soon, I realized there was a competition organized by Alfa-Romeo going on. It was an eye-opener as the racers handle each bends with such ease. It seems so easy that my confidence starts to grow.. Scenes of Takumi drifting down Mt. Akina re-enacted in my mind.. Boy, I can finally try racing without getting my driving license. Yippeee…!!!

After much waiting, the competition finally ended and the race course was closed for our Company event. (My Company has booked the whole race course for 1 hour of racing fiesta. Hehe… though I thought 1 hour was a bit short.) About 33 of us were split into 3 groups (A, B and C) each. Due to time constraints, only the top 4 racers in each group would get into the last round of challenge. Each of the 3 groups was given 2 rounds of warm-up before competing in 4 rounds.

I was in Group A. So, I got to be the first group to go for the warm-up rounds. *Grin* When the assistant ignited my engine, I stepped hard on the fuel paddle and sped off… But little did I know that there is a bend right ahead! Seeing that, I refused to stepped on my brake and swerved round the bend and skidded 180 degrees… I released the fuel paddled and tried turning back and continued with my warm-up round as if nothing has happened. (Phew, it was round the corner, so nobody could see …. *embarrassed*)

Then, came the actual competition. I took back my trusty No. 11 Go-Kart and reminded myself to reduce my speed at the cornering so that I wouldn’t waste too much time stalling my engine and having to turn back to the course. When the competition started, everything went smoothly, but the speed devil in me got better of my rationality, and I started to increase my speed and overtaking the racers in front of me. Each successful turns and over-taking increased my confidence level tremendously. I feel like Takumi and told myself “Do not compete with others; it is yourself that you are challenging…” Soon, I lost track of the position I was holding and concentrated fully on the road. Woo hoo… Boy, this really works in increasing my concentration level. I managed to swerve round a sharp turn (that’s shaped liked a “U”) without braking and started to raise expectations of myself. When I got to the same turn again, I stepped on my fuel paddle to increase my speed, and try to make a last-min turn and banged right into the side walk piled up with tyres (for foolish people like me). I can’t wait to get the kart back on track, but the race course assistants waved a few karts pass and make sure that the track is clear before shifting my kart back on track while reminding me that I should reduce my speed at each sharp turning. To make up for the lost time, I stepped hard on the fuel again and zipped off, ignoring the assistant nagging in the background. Little did I know that it was my final round! And I sped passed the finishing point on the left lane. When I realized the commotion at the viewing gallery, I jam brake and realized what had happened. In the end, I got to do one more round. When I got back to the finishing line, I was grinning embarrassingly for the mistake. And I found that I made it for the Final round of competition (I was the fourth in line)! Woo hoo…!! I wasn’t disqualified for going one more round and I got another chance to free the speed demon in me.

During the Final round of competition, I had to go bare-footed as I was wearing slip-ons and the colleague who lent me her shoes previously got into the Final round as well. This was when a minor accident happens. I flung out of my kart when I made sharp turn round one of the corner. My poor toes suffered some minor scratches and got myself some bruises on my hip and back. Well, as the saying goes, “every good racer would get into an accident at least once”. Well, this is my first. Ha ha … (o_O)”!! (my typical Ah Q spirit)

The day was rounded up with a sumptuous seafood dinner by the sea.. with the beautiful sunset and night scene of Sembawang shipyard as the backdrop (I didn't know the night scene of Sembawang shipyard looks so beautiful..).