It was truly a very very unforgettable experience…I have learnt alot about myself and others and i know myself even better…..It was a 5 day course at pulau ubin where every Sec3 from SJI must attend unless they are going for OBS sabah or is medically unfit….surprisingly i m fit…..
Its a little bit messy…but bear with it…its friendster what do u expect…..
Day 1
Met lennon and others at choa chu kang mrt to go to punggol point jetty….the very "smart" lennon brought us the "very short way" and we reached punggol point jetty "very early"….."very little ppl" were there….and i was still enjoying my lollipop when i arrived in front of almost every1…was asked by 1 of the instructors there to try on a full body harness…..can fit into it but the instructor said a little too tight…diao….so he said i dont participate in any height activity…I was like yea….telling every1 bout it….they were all like "so good…..unfair…." so we waited for out turn to take the boat to pulau ubin….
Lazy bones caught on camera(at punggol point jetty)
On the boat
frm left to right: junkai,weijin,alwyn & Me
On the boat
frm left to right: zhixiong,nabhan,junjie & Thaddeus
we arrived at this OBS camp 2 which looks like a post world war II site….looks very old…was sorted out into watches(OBS term for groups) I belong to Raffles Watch…wah smart watch just like me….wahahaha..lol……
Raffles Watch (mobile)( the creme of the crop) wahahahaha…..
Top row (from left to right): Jun han a.k.a mong,weijian(chinaman),Ami,Karthi,Chen Xi,Me & Nathalie(the best instructor)
Bottom row(from left to right): Aloysius "the champ" (cough*** cough***),Marc (spiderman),Keenan,Amet,Pingshun,Nicholas,Ben(the idiot who won me in arm wrestling…damn…just kidding),Nabhan & Joel
Nothing much for the rest of the day except the usual introduction crap…collection of food( i call it rations )….the giving out of them…administrative matters…then it was pitching of tents around late afternoon….although it wasnt my 1st outdoor camp but being the usual slack person i m i still dont really know how to pitch a proper tent…till now after OBS..all the knots…curve hitch..and bla bla….still not very sure….I have to admit i m not good with ropes or rather knots la har…our 1st night campsite was in the very ulu ulu place….no lights and we were surrounded with trees…our campsite was very small can only contain 2 watches compared to other camp sites where can easily contain 6 or 7 watches…
pics of the ulu ulu campsite…..
After that was dinner….all can food…..there was baked beans,mushrooms,ikan bilis,curry chicken & peanuts with rice….quite sumptuous har??? surprisingly it tasted good…haha…i guess its th logic that when u are hungry everything taste heavenly…lol….
Picture of the sumptuous dinner we had on Day1
Although it was only Day 1 and we did nothing not like the other watches but we were all damn tired…i guess its the accumulated tiredness from last week where everyone diligently studied and mugged for their common test….and it was damn warm and humid….but i eventually fall asleep in the tent…..
Day 2
The first activity we had after breakfast was kayaking….it was very fun..but was very tiring….& my boat capsized thrice 3 times….2 was accidental….then mong and nabhan got hysterical and we capsized the third time deliberately….after that was the jetty jump…where we jumped from the jetty into the sea via a jumpboard…was shiok….i was like….i hope that there is enough water left for everyone then i jumped….lol…..it was cooling…being a water person..it was damn fun…but ahem..for others….the not so water ppl like amet…lol….he was like….bye….dont miss me….as though he was commiting suicide and jumping off a building lol…..when every1 was in the water…suddenly…alot of fishes started to jump on the surface of the sea….leaping across distances…it was a magnificent sight…some even went into my life jac…and i need to empty it….tried to grab it but it was too fast for me…then 1 person from Raleigh(another watch our partner watch) tasted seafood…the fish went into his mouth….yucks…his mouth must still be "smelling fishy" now …..lol….Being only the first activity we were all supposed to be still very energetic but straight after that everyone felt the strain and was damn shek(OBS term for tired) and lethargic….next comes the trail from Camp 2 to camp 1 with our big and extremely heavy bagpacks…though the road wasnt very long(2+km) but it felt as though it was like forever…the bags were so damn heavy and the weather unbearable…It felt as though it was impossible but i pulled through again….
Upon reaching camp 1 we saw how good the facilities were…and we all felt so unfair…camp 1 was like downtown east resort whereas camp2 was like post world war II abandoned site…but when we heard that the camp 1 ppl werent sleeping in bunks but bashars(they call it dog house)…we felt a little better but still…I was so exhausted it felt as though every ounce of energy in my body is sucked out..that i literally collapsed on the ground and fall asleep even to the extent of skipping lunch…me skipping lunch….u can imagine how tired i was back than…
After sufficient rest we started our heights course….which i was not suppose to participate in….but being the creme of the crop and having the best instructor nathalie who is so resourceful…she got me a full body harness that i could fit into and also got permission from higher authority…so fully equipped we started our climbing and belaying course…first up was the basic 1….
Raffles in action
….
Raleigh in action….
Mark on belay….
Amet showing the "yay" sign at the top….
The best ever belayer….ty ty….no need to clap…hahahaha….no need anchor….dont play play…no sweat ah….
After every1 was done with the basic one we went on to the intermediate one: the Inverse towers…..
the inverse tower
Facing the challenge
Taking a breather
Cooperation…… helping each other….. 
"Kissing" with victory….(amet & aloy)
It was especially challenging for me(inverse tower) but i faced the challenge and didnt gave up…although i didnt manage to reach the top but i felt happy and was proud of myself as i put in effort and tried my best and i have no regrets now….After pitching the tents was dinner time….yea…..fresh food….not rations…bcos we were in camp 1 the resort looking one…there was a canteen(cook house) where fresh food is being served….yummy..yummy….we all ate like hungry ghosts taking heaps and mountains of rice…I was surprised when many took more rice than i did….
in the cookhouse…enjoying our sumptuous dinner….
this ugly pic is supposed to feature me & nabhan with big mouths but my hand covered his mouth so ya…too bad…(i didnt realise my mouth is that big…lol)
Enjoying the food….yum yum….(keenan & amet)
Before sleep was the reflections at the pavillion above the sea….damn windy….damn shiok…we played the very fun animal game….where weijian was constantly kana suan/jacked by amet and the rest of us….haha….his reaction damn slow…damn funny….and i jacked nabhan too….lol…it was hilarious…
Day 3
Breakfast today was also at the cookhouse…yummy..yummy….beehoon with fried stuffs…..beats bread and biscuits(again)…after that was our first activity of the day rafting….which involves making use of barrels,pipes and ropes to make a raft that would be able to float on water….we had all done this before in ace camp last yr…but this time round it was more difficult and challenging as in ACE was still water now there are waves…..ACE 6 ppl on board OBS all 15 ppl(the whole watch) must be on board together……since we had already done it before we were expected to do well…but apparantly….raffles did not do that well…as usual our opponent/competitior was our dear partner watch Raleigh…..we were leading right from the beginning….i dont think we were fast..its just that raleigh is slow….lol…someone came up with a structure and we blindly followed it without considering the credibility of the structure….we finished way ahead of raleigh and was delighted with our "masterpiece"….went through the shake and kick test…up next was the water….when we were about to go into the water we saw Raleigh’s finished product…It looked solid..and pro…they lift it up…guess what??? Immediately one of the barrel came loose and was hanging down….this was even before they entered the water…lol…brimming with confidence we entered the water….being the one in the middle I got on first…then the others got on…then when keenan got on anf then off for some reason…something disastrous happened..one of the barrel floated up and the ropes loosen….shit….we tried to salvage by getting keenan to sit back up again but it wasnt helpful….in the end we had to bring it up first to let Raleigh take a try..so while we tried to fix our raft….Raleigh setted off…and they got further and further away…everyone was on board….we were shocked…it was unbelievable….we gave up in the end….while they continued to sail further….after we finished dissembling everything….raleigh came back…thye lifted their raft out of the water…all 4 barrels are saggy and sagged down..yet they could survive in the water…..must be their structure thingy….so Raffles went to bathe and had lunch….while Raleigh had to dissemble their raft…in the end Raleigh had no time to bathe….haha…losers….
After lunch was time for our land expedition….we were given 4 8-figure grid references….those are our checkpoints we have to go to before we can go to our campsite…we had an option of trading 2 checkpoints with 1 but that 1 is the highest point on pulau Ubin around 70 m high….so in the end we figured out that doing all 4 checkpoints would be better…and with the help of our wonderful and smart navigators Mong and Nic we setted off with our heavy backpacks….my backpak was 2 kg lighter than others as i found a victim to help me carry 1 of my waterbottle as my bag was strained from yesterday’s height activity….we cleared our checkpoints one by one soon(after like 4 hrs of walking) we reached our last and final checkpoint….surprisingly i didnt feel as tired as i did when i walked from camp2 to camp1..so weird right….4 hrs today and 20 mins yesterday…yet i felt more tired yesterday than today..unexplainable….
Nathalie our instructor posing for a shot…
pointing at main island of Spore…."this is home…truly….where my senses tell me…"featuring me and nabhan’s hand….
so we proceeded to our campsite for tonight….it was another about 2 km walk where we reached our campsite by the shore…..there was a huge gate and a fence that stretched for miles…Nat told us that was for prevention of illegal immigrants…and she told us that an instructor last night caught an illegal immigrant attempting to sneak into Pulau Ubin….i thought that only happens in drama serials…lol….as usual we were the first ones there…cant help it la…we creme of the crop ma…do everything also "chope chope" (fast)…cant help it lar…after we pitched our tents….Nat delivered a good news….since we did everything fast and we couldnt bathe as there were no toileting facilities at the campsite she is offering us an incentive….to take a dip in the QUARRY…..wow….we were all so delighted upon hearing that…. we changed into appropriate attire and went to the quarry….we jumped like how we jumped for the jetty jump….the water was deep and so so so so clean and refreshing….it was so nice to swim in a big pond of clean and clear water…..so shiok…..and we later realised that our hair became very smooth after the dip…a new analogy….QUARRY water makes ur hair smooth and fluffy…..wah..will definitely sell like hotcakes if made into products….I reckon its the minerals the water contains….Raleigh had a chance too but in the end after even my personal guarantee some of the dumbs dumbs still didnot want to go for a dip….damn dumb…in the end only 5 or 6 ppl went….damn dumb missed such a rare opportunity….the raleigh ppl who came back from the quarry later on thanked me….haha….lol…for my advice….see i m wise…lol….
We then started cooking…it was already like pitch dark when we just begun cooking…so we lit the surroundings with our big and small torches….suddenly….we saw many lightsticks in the sea…..and iskander came and said….one group of josephians met with a misfortune and needed help…immediately i rendered my service….so did many others….Josephian Spirit man…some were left cooking/eating while many of us (though we hadnt eat) went to help…..we shined the torchlights….we saw many muddy josephians….and many muddy paddles and canoes….so we formed 2 human chains one to bring up all the equipment…the other the bag and all the belongings….though we were all clean(just had dip) but we still helped to carry the dirty stuffs….I should have taken pics(but was too busy)….it was so touching…seeing everyone helping each other out…. we also cooked dinner for them….poor them….all cold and tired and dirty and muddy and smelly and hungry….later on we found out from the "victims" what actually happened….3 watches all residential was doing their sea expedition they got lost(the route was full with meanders and dead ends and they have to pass through swamps) and as they setted off late…when they were lost water level in the swamp went down rapidly and they were stuck…so in the end they have to get out of the canoe and drag their canoes in the mud….which was thigh-lenth deep….
quotted from yinglun’s website(1 of the victim’s personal encounter)(yinglun’s blog):
after kayaking for likr 5 km, SeaX leader Adam led us the wrong way and into a mangrove swamp and after paddling like 2 km into the swamp, Instuctor Lam told us that "There is no use paddling on, its a dead end" At that point of time, everyone was stunned. We were forced to back paddle with the kayak facing backwards, so many of the kayaks got stuck. Everyone went mad and started shouting vulgarities, asking the back to move on. But it was to no avail. In my kayak, me the SeaX leader, left sweeper with Ronney, watched the water level drop as the there was low tide out in the sea. It was just like a stream of water after 10 mins. We were forced to get out of our kayaks and start pushing it out. Many of us were expecting a helicopter to rescue us, or simply waiting for the tide to go high, so that the water level would rise. But that will take forever, so LAM told us to push the kayaks all the way. IT WAS TREMENDOUSLY muddy. I sank into the mud the moment i stepped out of my kayak. We were all praying to see the river soon, after every turn we made, pushing the kayaks. What we saw was just another stretch of mud. You would never know what is inside the mud. We got tens and thousands of cuts on our leg and hands. I felt a super sharp thing poking my foot when i stepped into the mud. After around 4 hours, we finally got out of the mud and now a much harder task, to carry the kayak OVER the mudhill. That was so tiring and finally we saw the remaining part of the river.
so poor thing right…..we had a briefing on OUR sea expedition which is tomorrow and we were told that we would be taking the SAME route as what the "victims" did….we were all like OMG…..I just pray that history wouldnt repeat itself…..and it didnt…..
To be continued……..in Part II
I know every 1 is anxious to read about OBS….so i will stop here for the time being…the remaining 2 days will be in Part II
So stay tune ya???
