Ahhh... The feeling of being under the shower after being deprived from taking clean baths was really amazing. After three days and two nights in
Day 1
I reached school around 2pm on Friday in a foul mood. I got scolded and lectured by my mum for packing my stuff last minute. I just wanted to put my shoes and a shirt in my bag. The result, I got lectured for doing everything last minute. Parents do think everything they do is right. Sometimes they are but what about all the other times? Angry and pissed of, I ignored my mum the whole way to school, grunting in response to whatever she asked. Shanny was already in school when I arrived. I wasn't mad for long. How could I? I couldn't help feeling excited eventhough it isn't my first camp.
I'll skip all the waiting for the bust to arrive and stuff and fast-forward to the time we arrived at our destination. I sat in the bus with Shanny. When we arrived, we had to walk for a short distance since the bus just dropped us off the road. Not the entrance. We gathered at the hall and we were given a short briefing. The atmosphere was really warm. I doubt you know what I meant. Everyone was in high spirits excited in undertaking all the activities. Each of us were given a torchlight, a notepad, batteries and a pen. There were 82 of us. 51 girls, 31 boys. Boys are on the verge of extinction. We got to put out bags in respective tents after that. I choose a tent that was under a tree among rocks. It was a small tent so there were only three of us in it. Shanny, Wan Juin and I. We had some games conducted by a facilitator named Abang Kai. He asked us not to call him bangkai. It was something like the
Around 7.30pm, we washed up and clean ourselves. The facilities in the toilet was really disdaining. Dinner wasn't that bad. The only flaw was that we had to eat using our own bare hands, just like the Malays. Farah taught me how the right way to eat using hands. One Chinese guy, Yang taught me too while I was waiting in line. Apparently his mum was Kelantanese so he knew. Trust me, it ain't easy. I still manage to eat anyway. For a first-timer, I wasn't that bad. It was actually fun since we get to learn something about the Malay's culture. There was a talk by a guy named Poknik. Weird name. The guys call him Pork-nik jokingly. His speech was useful and what he said was true. After it ended, we went back to our tents. The ground was really bumpy. We didn't exactly sleep. The three of us, Shanny, Juinny and I were talking and laughing in the tent. Peter suddenly called my phone and guess what? He and his 'gang' was high cause they ate Mamee. Mental. Yu kit, Kugen and another guy laughed non-stop and called each other names while Peter and I were talking. That is just the beginning. Suddenly, the phone switched hands and Yu Kit and I were talking cause Peter was laughing too hard to talk. He claimed that Kugen was only wearing his underwear!! [ I asked them later in the morning and it was true. Kugen admitted it. ] These guys are really wild. They asked me to find Pavitri but she was already asleep. I was laughing uncontrollably. Yu kit and I had a bet then. If he came to my tent, I would loan him my MP3 for three days throughout the camp and if i went to his tent, he would give me his SAMSUNG phone. The catch, the boys tent are in the open. The hall was there and their tents were in the field while the girls were on uneven terrain, among trees and rocks. Yu kit and Peter did come to my tent but I pretended to be asleep. Juiny, Shanny and I were stifling with laughter. We finally burst out laughing when the boys went away. We were talking for a short while when we finally fell asleep to some jazz music that was being played by someone. It was around 2 or 3 something in the morning.
Day 2/3
Later, we woke up to Pavitri shouting at 5.30am. She was shouting at us to wake up. Grudgingly, I shouted at her to stop shouting and to leave us alone as she claimed we had to gather at the hall at 6am. The actual time was 7am. She stopped shouting after she asked a girl nearby. Guess what? She started singing loudly instead. Would you believe it? Please do cause it's true. The three of us were groaning since we wanted to sleep. The whole night I woke up and slept, woke and slept. I remember kicking Shanny when I turned to the other side in my sleeping bag. The ground was really rocky. Finally we forced ourselves to get up. Reluctantly, we changed and got ready for morning exercise. The activities started after breakfast. We had 6 checkpoints and we had to go through it all. My group with Becky as the leader started from checkpoint 2. It was a game where we had to use a bottle to scoop water out from a pail and pour it in another bottle without using our hands. Only raffia stings. We manage to do it in a short period of time. The next game was loathed by all of us. We had to take 5 ping pong balls out from a long pipe filled with water. The pipe was filled with holes from the bottom to the top so we had to cover all the holes in order for the ping pong balls to rise. After trying for a few times, we got the gist of it. All or us were already wet then. We managed to get the water rise up to a really high level when out of a sudden, a lizard came out of the pipe. The girls went screaming of shock and let go of their hands. We laughed over it since it was really silly. The lizard was more afraid of us than we were of it. So we decided to try again. Kar Yun joked that we should ask the lizard to help us get the balls out. We failed to get the ball out. Turned out, only one group managed. It was one of the boys group. After two activities, we stopped for lunch.
My group resumed the activities with the Tarzan swing. I loved that the most. Its really fun. We had flying fox last. We had to wait for a some time. Eventhough my group was there waiting all along, another group from a different school went first. Waiting, oh joy. We finally got our turn and I was the first one in my group to go first. Becky said form 2 first since there weren’t any form 1 girls. What I’m going to tell you next will really make you go laughing non-stop. There are a few sections we have to go through before we reached the platform to do the flying fox. I was at the last section of the whole course when the guy asked me to stop. Guess what? I stood there, on the planks, suspended a few feet from the ground. I was standing on the platform but I couldn’t sit. So for the next 45 minutes, I stood there, looking down, freaking myself out. The people there were changing the ropes for the flying fox. Standing up there, I looked down and had a good look at the people on the ground. It seemed like I was stuck there for eternity. I had to help the guy unhook the string from one of the planks. I was seriously freaking out. Jee Yi, however you spell your name said that I could jump down. And what? Kill myself? I managed to calm myself down. After a while, I started enjoying the scenery. I got to see the view from above.
My waiting proved to be fruitful when I finally got the chance to go flying fox. I wasn’t scared at all as I thought I would be. It brings me back to the time when I went flying fox during primary school. That was really high. We had to climb up many flights of stairs. You’ll forget everything once you’re going down. We ‘flew’ past a really wide lake and we got our feet wet. That was totally awesome. I really miss primary school. Anyway, back to camp. We got to play in a river. Unfortunately, the boys got the upper part while we had to go to the lower part of the river. So all the dirt from the boys go to US, GIRLS. Nevertheless, it was still fun. We splashed one another. Everyone was soaked to the bone. Except for one or two girls who managed to avoid our splashing. Either than busy splashing one another, most of the guys took off their shirt so we were busy laughing. That very night, while waiting for a short briefing since we were going into the jungle later in the night, I saw a firefly. It was my first time seeing one. I was accompanying Shanny and Juiny to the toilet when I saw something shining. I went nearer and realized it was a firefly. I couldn’t believe it at first and thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Shanny and Juiny saw it so I couldn’t be. I tried to catch it with my bare hands but all I managed to do was feel the beating of its wings. Matthew and Chi Liang saw what I was doing and came over. He caught the firefly in his hand. He was about to pass it to me when it flew off. He claims that it hates me. I doubt it does anyway. Matthew loves to make fun of people. But he does very knowledgeable. Fireflies can create illusions in your mind. Did you know that? Matthew told me. It’s true. Suddenly, I kept seeing flashes of light but as I go near, there’s nothing there.
Around 9pm near 10pm, we went into the forest. One by one, we had to go in the jungle alone guided by the sound of the facilitator. I was a little scared but I didn’t allow that emotion to overcome me. I’ve survive worse. How could this be any scarier? I got a little lost and realized Shanny was right behind me so I waited for her and then we waited for Juiny. Hearing their voices, all the fear vanished from me. We spent hours in the jungle. I slept standing. Can you believe it? Sleep-standing. Shanny was staring right at my face and I was so shocked that I woke up right away only to myself drifting to Fantasyland. Can you blame me for it? So on the way hiking down, I was practically sleepwalking. I can’t remember how many times I’ve stumbled and drifted to sleep.
When we reached back to our camping site, we were led to a big muddy, filthy pond. Here’s the best part, we have to go right into the pond, soak ourselves and wet ourselves from head to toes. We were all freezing when we came out. I was thinking to myself that I wouldn’t be surprised if I caught pandemonium. I was already sick, and being soaked in the wee morning, while standing in the freezing wind. We just poured water over ourselves and stripped naked in the tent before changing to our clothes. It was already 5 something in the morning then.
Day 3
We had to gather at the canteen or was it so called hall at 8 in the morning. The effect= a sleepless, uncomfortable night. My hair was soaking wet. I went to sleep for 2 hours or so. My eyes could barely open. Neither could Shanny. We were going into the jungle again. The main purpose? To get a free mud bath. I’m not kidding. We had to go into a pond/river in the jungle. Filled of stinky, disgusting, sticky mud and who knows what else. As usual, we had to soak our whole body in it and ‘water’ managed to get into my mud. Yuck.
The best part= the waterfall. The majestic waterfall. Standing under it. I forgot everything and went into a trance of pure bliss. The water was freezing cold. The guys all sepakat carry one guy and dumped that person under the waterfall. Smart, hey? The time spent under the waterfall was the best and it brings me back to Survivor Camp. That was definitely amazing and unforgettable. The best part was making new friends and splashing one another. Not to forget, Aaron dropping Vicki. I still laugh whenever I think of it.* brawling like a hyena* All fun was spoilt when we had to leave. Thanks to Misha. Asking us to go back. I don’t even know why she come for. I practically drag myself all the way back. My feet hurt and ached cause I somehow managed to cut it. Something sharp did it. Grr…
During the majlis penutupan, Misha talked for a few minutes then left. Her purpose for coming? To waste her time? To talk? To--- I-don’t-give-a-damn. I liked the songs we sang. They were really touching. You cant help but cry when you sing them. This post is long enough so this is where I stop. I still haven’t mention the leech, the toilets, the facilitators, the bugs, the rocks, the—I better stop.
One thing is for sure, this camp might be horrible, terrible and vegetable? [lame] I still had a really fun time. I’ve been through stuff I never thought of. I know I’ve gone tougher and sicker since I’m coughing non-stop now. If there’s a chance, I’ll go back again.
p.p.s I could continue writing but I guess some of you fell asleep on the keyboard.
p.p.p.s I haven't even mention anything about KT's party.
p.p.p.p.s I think I've been to Rebutia camp before.
p.p.p.p.p.s I doubt any of you guys will actually read this. DONT. =]
p.p.p.p.p.p.s I wa-- better stop now.
