To put the hump day out of its misery, the volunteers for YOG were invited to the Universal Studios to frolic in the waning rays of the evening sun. While I was prepared for the worst scenario (been told by a friend that entrance costs only $5 in the evening because the rides were not operational), I went ahead knowing that I will nonetheless meet up with many friends there.
Not only did I end up spending one great evening in the theme park unwinding on the thrill rides, all expenses paid, I also felt a transcendental connection made with the senses. Probably owing to how we explored the park in dimly-lit circumstances, with the theme songs from movies of yesteryear playing from hidden speakers, the city life that many have grown weary of had been suppressed even if it was for that fleeting moment inside the park. Especially fascinating was the exhibit where Hollywood revealed the behind-the-scenes of a filming set. The setting was a warehouse looking out towards New York City. On a television set in the warehouse, the weatherman was narrating the current situation to the audience. A thunderstorm was recreated with the aid of simulated rain to produce the aural illusion of pattering raindrops into the sea. Gales were created with fans, doors opened and shut by unseen mechanical setups played along as if the doors were indeed blown into motion by the winds. The invasive smell of kerosene penetrated the nose as the sea caught ablaze when a suspended speedboat fell and exploded. The finale was an earth-shattering collision from a humongous tanker into the stage where we were standing, sending tremours across the platform and buckling many knees.
The rides were a bonus for the night since I expected to just have a meal inside the theme park with like-minded friends who took it upon themselves to carry the 330-million-dollar Olympic torch project through its tour of Singapore. After a whole day in the office, it was amazingly therapeutic to have your bones momentarily jostled out of alignment from the jerks and bumps of the Mummy ride, not to mention an unobstructed view of the built-up Sentosa while suspended in mid-air and feet trailing precariously above the ground.
In retrospect, I am sure this inter-cultural exchange on a large scale between athletes from around the world and our very own volunteers must have helped promote Singapore’s image as an international city to participants at the very least. Indeed it is no minor feat to be host of the youth Olympics, screw-ups or not. I remember the warmth it brought when I asked this athlete from Tonga what she thought of Singapore, and her response was that it was a most beautiful city, and that she would like to come back. That from someone patriotic enough to paint her face with her country flag. It’s the heart of the people that made things run smoothly. And if you were part of it, this post is dedicated to you. We totally deserved the Universal Studios visit as domestic tourists of this vibrant city that is Singapore.
I remembered the initial reluctance to hunt down the training venue to listen to Alex Siew coach us on how to take photos. All the way to SP and find a hidden classroom in the rain! And the seemingly endless visits to Kay Siang to attend briefings and role-playing trainings were not particularly alluring. But all that came in useful when the flame eventually landed and set the gears into motion at the floating platform.
As photographers, the very first challenge we received was nothing related to pictures. Instead, it was how to read the training schedules that we received via email. With so many things happening at once, and athletes not sticking to their schedules, it was nearly impossible to track them down. With the dedication of each member, we did the best we could. Following the athletes on culture education programmes was more rewarding, as the people could be photographed at optimum proximity. Ubin was greatly preferred to Hort Park because there were more opportunities where athletes would engage in exciting activities thereby eliciting more varied expressions for their portraits to be painted digitally.
You may have benefitted in the most unlikely way. Maybe you learnt how to work with others better. You may have improved your eye for photography. You may have picked up a foreign language while interacting with the athletes/coaches. You may have gotten to hone certain skills through the various activities. You may have overcome your fear of thrill rides after the USS visit. You may have made someone beside you deaf when you screamed really loud on the thrill rides.
Whatever it was, this post serves to close the Singapore 2010 chapter with dignity. And together with that, lots of respect for all your hard work and late nights poured into the year’s worth of preparation. I am certain that we’ll cross paths again, one day.
