2008-05-30 1 103

Fri 30 May 2008 in 1,103: 1.3227205, 103.7045834 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

About

1.3227205387098275, 103.7045834347042035

Jurong Industrial Estate in Singapore, across the AYE from Jurong BirdPark. To be precise, the spot is inside Caterpillar Asia Pte Ltd at 7 Tractor Road, off Jln Boon Lay / Jln Ahmad Ibrahim. Reachable by bus 194, 249, 251 or 252 from Boon Lay Interchange, plus a short walk.

This marks the first "accessible" geohash on land in Singapore since the algorithm was published in xkcd comic #426, and the first geohashing expedition in Singapore. (The coordinates for 2008-05-23 were on land, but inside a military training area so access was restricted.)

Expeditions

r0d3n7z

Expedition route on Google Maps

Don't have GPS, but was able to get within about 15-20 meters (50-65 feet) (loc) of the exact point using aerial photograph from Google Maps.

Reached the area by public transport at around 16:50 local time. Scouted out the Caterpillar Asia compound, found double-gated security at the main entrance, conspicuous warning signs, and lots of security cameras. Unable to gain access, I flanked south and made my way to the park connector (loc) (actually just a simple bicycle/running track) that runs along the west side of the compound, got there at around 17:00.

The southwest corner of the compound fence was reachable by climbing a short slope, it is adjacent to a small electrical substation (loc) on AYE / Jln Ahmad Ibrahim. Judging from Google Maps, the exact point is inside the southwest corner of the building.

After stumbling across a dead bird, I found a way to walk along the south side of the fence, which I thought would get me closer to the point. (I was wrong, just discovered I'd misread the aerial photography when rechecking the map online.) Left a mark (in the wrong place!) by propping a dead branch against the fence and placing a flower (loc) -- ought to attract the attention of any observant person poking around the place, the flower came from a tree (loc) 20 meters away.

At this point (17:15), I started getting attacked by mosquitoes and decided to beat a hasty retreat. Crossed the expressway by means of overhead bridge (loc), snapped a couple more pictures from across the road showing the Caterpillar building and electrical substation. Took a short rest at Jurong BirdPark, helped some tourists who needed directions, then hopped onto bus 194 (loc) back to Boon Lay.

• Pictures
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  East side of the Caterpillar Asia compound.

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  Conspicuous warning signs were posted, so another way had to be found.

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  Map posted at the start of Jurong Park Connector.

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  The southwest corner of the Caterpillar compound, as seen from the park connector.

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  This electrical substation is visible on google maps at 1.32235, 103.7045.

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  It's somewhere in this building...

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  Stumbled across a dead bird.

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  Hmm, a way to get closer to the actual spot? (Wrong!)

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  Yup, it's somewhere in there...

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  Left a marker, but it's in the wrong place. >_<;;

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  View from across the road showing relative location of the electrical substation.

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  The flower for my marker came from that tree you can see just behind the cab of the green truck.

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  Stopped by Jurong BirdPark on the way out.