From Tuas to Changi in 15 hours: Group of friends journey across Singapore on foot

Singapore may be one of the smallest countries in the world, but walking from one end of the island to the other is certainly no easy feat. 

And especially not in this heat spell. 

Well, one American expat, who goes by the username Greg took to TikTok on Sunday (March 17) describing how he, together with a group of 12 friends, trekked from Tuas to Changi. 

"We walked across the entire country of Singapore, from west to east and it was an adventure," the video captioned.

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@certified_gmo/video/7347142999077440769?_r=1&_t=8kksjExdZhK[/embed] 

The software solutions consultant, who has been living in Singapore for the past eight years, told AsiaOne that they started their journey from Tuas Link MRT station at about 9pm on March 8.

The two-minute clip showed the group walking through areas such as Pandan Reservoir, Dempsey Hill, Rochor Road, Bedok Reservoir and Tampines, before reaching their destination at Changi Village.

Aware of the arduous journey, Greg told AsiaOne that they made sure to include a number of pitstops to recharge and refuel. He declined to reveal his full name and age. 

In the video, the group were seen having a meal at Springleaf Prata Place at West Coast Drive at 2am.

"We stopped at 7-Eleven for anyone who needed to buy drinks or snacks and had a few bathroom breaks as well," he added.

Four dropped out midway

Greg and his friends, who go on regular hikes around the island, said that they had wanted to take on a new challenge and hence decided to trek across Singapore. 

"Some of us in the group trekked Mount Rinjani in Lombok, Indonesia together last November and we really enjoyed the mental and physical challenge," he added. 

Greg said that the group started planning the Singapore route in January and finally settled on the walk in March. 

"We had a group chat of nearly 25 people, but in the end we had 13 brave souls who decided to take on the challenge," he added. 

Although 13 people joined the walk at the start, only four managed to complete the journey. 

Greg shared that many left due to blisters, knee pain and fatigue but no one suffered major injuries. 

"I was definitely feeling some soreness but thankfully, I had some knee ointment to help alleviate the soreness," he added. 

Conquering the whole island next

With the end goal in mind, Greg said that he and his friends were determined to finish the journey. 

"We didn't pit stop too much after that we were focused on getting to the finish," he added. 

Greg shared that some friends even joined in the last leg of their journey to motivate them. 

"They brought us some fresh energy that we were lacking," he said. 

Greg and his friends finally reached their destination at Changi Point at 12.30pm where they celebrated with a drink. 

The group clocked about 64km and 74,000 steps in all, taking a whopping 15 hours to complete their journey.

Despite the pain, Greg shared that he and his friends might consider doing another walk, possibly the 150km walk around Singapore's perimeter.

"During the walk some of us said we would never do it again, but afterwards you tend to forget the pain relatively quickly and start thinking about making the next adventure plan," he told AsiaOne. 

Greg's video has since garnered 457,000 views and 29,000 likes with many praising them for completing their walk from the west of Singapore to the east.  

One commented: "This is just so wholesome! Great job guys!"

Many also commented that they were keen to take up on the challenge and some expressed interest in joining Greg on their next walk. 

In response to the comments, Greg advised: "If you try, just make sure to do it safely and stay hydrated with good shoes."

Some TikTok users also gave suggestions for the group's next trek. 

However, a few commented that it wasn't wise to do such long distance walks especially in the scorching heat. 

Greg replied: "We did rest the day before the hike began, and then stop along the way. Anyone who was too tired could go home at any point. Free and easy."

ALSO READ: 'Sweat dripping into my eyeballs': Tourists walk 12 hours from Woodlands to MBS in the heat 'to see more of the country'

ashwini.balan@asiaone.com