Yeah I'm back from OBS!! Alright, am not very happy about it though. 4 days zoom past just like that!! But I guess its all the fun we had that counts.
Went to OBS on Tues, thinking that I only know a few people and I'm gonna be the lonely soul floating around. At the same time, I was rather stereotypic as I actually have a mental image of people whom I'm gonna spend time with. You know, typical scholars. =x
Met Brian in the morning and went down to Punggol Jetty together. Was so grateful that I wasn't the only one who does not have the OBS form. Went into the OBS knowing a few people already, kinda glad for it. There were some dilly-dally here and there, so we sat under the Sun till the Insts finally got our groupings done in the most traditional way at ard 10am.
Started off with key-punch and the Zoom game which werent strangers to me at all (considering that i conduct these games to my cadets back in school -.-) went on with high ropes in the afternoon. All of us were busy packing our bag-packs at night, for the land expedition the next day. Gosh, I din know that 13 people can finish so much food!! and my bag is rather heavy coz of the pot and cans.
So we set off the next morning after learning all the basic stuff about orienteering. My group Inst literally asked me to shut up cause I was answering most of the questions he asked =x Yep so I lead the team along with Pei Yee and Yuting to the forbidden grounds of OBS and eventually out of it before we switch leaders. We went to a place whereby our Inst named it as the Shopping Centre, probably becoz there were many kinds of fruits grown there. Oh but before that, we actually went to another place and had our 'detour' thats why Brian's team waited for so long XD Pei Yee, Yuru, Shan and I were talking to the auntie who owns the 'shopping centre' during lunch time. She is such a brave woman, living on that big piece of land all along with only 2 dogs. Being an urban-liver, I really can't imagine how the auntie actually stayed there for decades with no form of entertainment other than her dogs. Really admire her..
We set off to puaka hill after that and I lead them up the hill to the top storey. The view was fabulous man, especially when the Sun shines down on the quarry and the water literally GLITTERS. It was so tempting for me to jump down into it at that point of time. Almost everyone was awed by the view and couldn't bear to go down. We soon left the hill and proceed to our camp-over ground which was the Jelutong Campsite. Haha not something alien to me too. So we went there, settled down, had some briefing and 'lights out'. Don't know why but I just cant seem to fall asleep before my sentry duty at 12.40am. Perhaps it was too stuffy in the tent bah. Went out for sentry duty till 1.15am when other team members took over, and went back to sleep. It was better this time round, got to sleep a little but woke up countless of times as well.
Third day was the sea expedition. Didn't volunteer myself this time round, was hoping to give others a chance as well as to not 'bring shit' to the entire cohort. Just to refresh you guys memories, the previous 2 times when I was the Sea-ex leader, it stormed for that 2 times. Yea so was wondering if I'm the suay one or what. Our macho man, Poh Shen, 'volunteer after much reluctance' to be the leader along with other 4 from different watches. We did a round of morning blessing before we set off. Apparently, 67 BLESSINGS couldnt fight with that ONE Blessing from our Inst. 'Cause whatever that he wished for (bad weather, low-tide swamp and storm) all came true and all ours couldnt win his. Yep so we had to waddle through the muddy swamp and brave the chompy sea + fierce storm. I have to say that this adds a new episode to my life. I mean how many people will actually get a chance to push your tri-yak through the swamp (over 100m??) with both your legs stuck in the knee-deep mud and entirely body covered with grey mud?? all 67 of us looked the same when we got out of the swamp, coz we all have the same colour >.< so after the swamp we finally embark on our return journey to OBS. well, I did sense the change in weather the moment we exit from the swamp but I din want to scare anyone, especially those who'd not tried kayaking before. So just as what I'd predicted, the storm came not long after we left the river and it was a fierce one. all of us had to retreat back to the river, while those who din make it in time had to seek shelter at a nearby shore. We set off again when the weather turned better, but I was so PISSED with the guy in front of me!! wah seriously a big slacker who knows nuts about kayaking yet complain so much about others. I bet Jeysthur would agree with me, boths hands and legs up!! Seriously no shame on sia!! I mean if the person sitting behide you is not someone whom u're very familiar with, will you lean backwards and comfortably lie down on tt person?!?!?!?! It was so irritating that I purposely knocked him with the shaft when i paddle, and splashed sea water on him. And he din just do it once, that was really bad. So being the only person who knows kayaking better, I had to force out every single bit of energy and transport the 3 of us back. Grrrr, irritated.
Went back, did some cleaning up, dinner, short debrief and went off to bed. next day was mainly on area cleaning, lots of sharing and the leap of faith (which i failed >.<) before we break camp.
frankly speaking, I'm really grateful for this group inst of ours - LJ!!! he's really the nicest one I've ever seen. no inst packs the store with the watch, but he did. No inst will be able to get so close to us, to the extent of patting our heads, but he did. No inst had inspired me that much, or trigger so much thoughts in me, but he did. This is the first OBS which made me teared during the last round of sharing. This is the first OBS which gave me the most wonderful memories of all - not because of the things we do, but because of the people who went through it with me throughout this 4D3N. Everything is all worthwhile. Though there were countless mozzie bites, cuts, lacerations and blue-blacks all over me, but I'll never regret going for this beautiful camp with the other 12team mates and 1 Instructor who forms up the perfect Kurt..
The Roll of Honour: (in no order of merit)
Instructor of Kurt - LJ
Members of Kurt
- Kaixin
- Diana
- Pei Yee
- Yuting
- Yuru
- Jemima
- Wei Shan
- Elizabeth
- Poh Shen
- Shao Xun
- Din
- Jeysthur
- ME
*A round of applause to all these wonderful people who helped build up the beautiful memories of the camp. It wouldn't have been possible without any one of you guys. A big big thank you! ^^
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