I licked my dry, chapped lips and cursed silently. Gathering my remaining strength, I started to paddel hard.

I did not expect to feel the discomfort when he told me that we were going to cycle from Yishun to Sembawang. He said it like it was just 10 blocks away. Boy was I ever wrong to assume that.

After cycling for more than five minutes, I could feel the strain on my arms and legs. I thought I was rather weak due to the fact that I have been lacking exercise since I got out of secondary school. I later realised it was because there were multiple slopes.

I can say I can cycle. But when it comes to cycling well and cycling on the road, I can be a total klutz. I end up banging into railings and trees and almost into people. Somehow, today, I felt like I was cycling in an automated mode. Sleep was still heavy on my eyelids as I tried to keep up with him who was way ahead of me.

After 30 mintues of non-stop slopes and sharp bends, what lay ahead of me was something my mind was trying hard to comprehend. A 50 metre long, rather steep slope was before my eyes and I had to blink twice to make sure it was not a mirage. It was real.

By then, I was panting rather heavily due to the fact that I have still yet to recover from a nasty cough. I got off my bike and started pushing it uphill.

Pant. Push. Pant. Push.

My legs felt wobbly. My arms felt as though they were being stretched to their maximum. My head throbbed and I bit my lips to hold back a shout of pain. My vision was getting foggy and I was afraid I was going to faint, knowing full well that I may just tumbled downhill.

Finally, at the top of the slope, my oasis was waiting for me—a bus stop. I limped towards it and flopped onto the bench like a ragdoll. I was totally exhausted.

I closed my eyes and breathed heavily, taking quick short gasps as my lungs tried to inhale every oxygen molecule it could get.

“Breathe slowly,” I heard him say. “Take deep breaths.”

I did just that. Slowly, I felt better.

“Are you okay?” he asked, rather worried.

I did not answer him. I felt as though I did not have the energy to even give a reply.

After some moments, I asked weakly, “How much farther is it?”

“Not much,” he replied. “Just up ahead. Do you think you can make it?”

Not wanting to give up, I said, “Sure.”

We cycled along the road and within 10 minutes, the familiar sight of Sembawang Campsite was in view. I did not know whether to feel happy, accomplished or plain exhausted when I reached the cookhouse. I thought I was going to collapse on my bike. Thankfully, I still had enough strength to dismount from my bike, but I fell onto the ground with a soft thud.

What happened next, I wasn’t quite sure. But I found myself on a bench with a cup of water beside me. I later found out that it was due to the hot noon sun that made me feel like I was about to faint.

To my horror, I found out that I had to cycle back to Yishun tomorrow.