Every year I don’t know why I look forward to the camp although this is my 5th year already. It just keeps me wanting more and hungry for more action. The camp just refreshes me every year and it gives me a break after a long and tiring year. No matter how tiring the activities are, I feel refreshed after that. Maybe only I feel like that while other people become dead tired after that. The camp keeps me craving for more each year. It is seriously addictive!!
The first day of camp it kills. I have to wake up at 5am because I have to be at National Museum at 7am. I get to meet all my friends that I only get to meet once a year. The camp is like a reunion for all the ex-participants. Getting to meet them is almost impossible except during camp and I am dying to meet some of them that are really close to me.
Then the buses leave at 8.30 to Perak. It takes about 3 hours to reach the camp site. I’m in the bus with half of them being strangers to me. The reason why I know the rest of the people is because I know them from previous camps. I only don’t know those new ones.
We reached the campsite and took group photo. All the ex-participants were making stupid jokes and the new ones were staring at us with blank face. I think they must be thinking that we all are crazy and noisy people. I still remember the first time I went for camp I was also thinking the same thing.
Next were ice breakers. We just play the usual ice breaking games. I was so sad that I wasn’t in the same group with any of them that I am close with but its ok lah. At least I have one of the guys in my group. His name is Teng Hoong.
After that was the time to pick the group leader. I asked everyone to vote against me because I’m tired of being a leader again. In the end, I was voted as assistant leader and I was like “I don’t want to be already lah”. Then Edmund and Wei Zheng said, “Aiyah, never mind lah. Last year you leader this year become assistant lah. Make sure you get Best Participant again ah”. I was like “No lah. This year cannot be Best Participant already leh”.
My group members were damn annoying especially those new people. Either they talk too much or they don’t talk at all. Some of them don’t even participate in discussions. I feel like slapping them and pulling their hair out because we all were struggling to make an awesome Warcry and they can just give the blank face. The flag making also the same story. They just don’t want to give any ideas.
Then it was dinner time. We can’t eat with whoever we like anymore because we have to sit in groups. So the group members have to wait for all 34 group members before they can eat. You will see 4 different groups of people start to eat at different times.
I can’t remember what we did at night. If I am not mistaken, we didn’t do anything and the instructors told us to go back to the dorm because it was quite late already. As usual, first day of camp is quite relaxed lah. So we all went back to the dorm and went to mandi and clean up.
In my dorm there were 23 people. The huge problem is there were only 4 showers! I could not tahan waiting for so long so I just went and bathe in the toilet with the hose. All the newbies look at me like some kind of weirdo. The looks on their faces were damn hilarious.
By the time I finish bathing it was almost 9. The water was so super cold and it is because the campsite is located at the hill with hutan surrounding it. From 9pm until 10.30 I was talking to some of my dorm mates and some of them from another dorm. We were laughing like crazy people. I really kesian those that were already sleeping. Obviously, making new friends was part of the process while we were talking and laughing. I even got a new name form one of them. We were all laughing and telling jokes like nobody’s business. I didn’t even know some of their names. Everyone in my dorm already knew my name because I was the dorm leader. This girl from the other dorm came over and was talking to us. Then suddenly she called me Esther. So that is my new name from her.
At 10.30 sharp the instructor came and asked us to go and sleep. So we all went back to our beds. When the instructor left, I was talking to my best friend, Cai Ping who was sleeping next to me. We had so many things to talk about because we only see each other once a year.
I woke up on the second day at 6. Some random girl woke me up. We were only supposed to wake up at 6.30. Got some of the crazy girls that wake up at 5.30!! Ok so I wore short pants and shirt. Oh ya, when I wanted to wear my shoes, there was a frog in my shoe! A FROG! IN MY NIKE SHOE! DAMN IT!
We had morning exercise at 7am. Then it was breakfast. We were split into three different age groups. My group was doing flying fox that morning. Since I have already done it so many times, it’s like nothing to me. Normally the instructors will do everything for you but those of us that have been in the camp for so long they let us do it by ourselves. Even the instructors tease me that if I hook wrongly and I die they don’t care. Haha.
After lunch we had Obstacle Course. I always love obstacle course for some reason. I never like Monkey Bar. The one at Eagle Ranch doesn’t have water below but this one has. So obviously I got wet. The best obstacle was the 10 feet wall. All the girls don’t dare to do it because they are so super scared that they guys will laugh at them. They won’t do it unless I am there helping and pushing them to get up. Seriously what difference does it make?? Sometimes I just can’t understand them. So I was the last girl to get up the wall and that happens every time I do that obstacle. The guys helped the other girls at the obstacles but when come to me they don’t care. They keep saying “Aiyah Sue Yi can do one lah. No need to help lah”
After finishing obstacle course, we played football in the muddy field. They all damn sexist man. The guys play first and then the girls all sit there and do nothing. They played for quite long and then the instructor said that it was the girls turn to play. Finally!! When we played all the ‘siew jie’ girls all stand there and do nothing. Like a block of wood only lah. A few instructors also joined us when we were playing. One of them shouted “Hold Sue Yi. Don’t let her go. You hold her then ok already. We sure win if we hold her” Sure enough, they hold me and don’t let me go!!
Once again, I mandi in the toilet using the hose and I seriously could not tahan the queue at the showers because I was so muddy. After dinner we did a motivational thing. It was quite useful but boring lah. We went back to the dorm and talk and talk again. Of course got people who sleep early but we all just continue laughing. I really feel sorry for them but don’t care lah. I think at that time they really feel like slapping me already. Haha. As usual I go to bed the latest.
The whole dorm woke up later on the third day after being told off by the instructor that we wake up too early. My group reached morning exercise the last and I was scolded by my leader. Haha. I said I can’t do anything because I have to do headcount of the whole dorm before we can leave. In the girls’ dorm, it is 2 groups in one dorm but for the boys in 1 group per dorm. When I went to put on my shoe, there was a frog in my shoe. Again. I guess my shoe became the frog’s permanent home. Ewww. I wonder if the frog peed there. Disgusting but I wore my shoe anyway.
After breakfast, we went jungle trekking. Everybody so scared of leaches and wore long pants. Mostly only my gang wear short pants. All the girls wore long except me. The guys got quite a few that wore shorts. You could smell the amount of insect repellent used because everyone was so scared of being bitten by insects and leaches. To be honest, I used quite a lot too.
We trekked the jungle, crossed rivers and continued doing that for about 2 hours. Those that wear long pants realized that wearing short pants is way better because long pants become heavy after crossing the river. Of course lah those that have been in the camp for so long know better. We smart already mah
The girls seriously damn Amoi lah. Little bit scratches cannot tahan and make such a big fuss about it. Got insects also screaming and shouting. They see leach also scream like they see ghost. I seriously cannot tahan them that time leh. Sometimes I feel like laughing because their reaction was so funny. The place that is a bit steep and muddy also they complain and need help. All the guys seriously got mental problem lah. When they see other girls, the hand already out ready to help them. Especially when they see Aileen everyone swarming to help her. Wah!!! When come to me can go and tease me some more. Vignesh said “Sue Yi you can do yourself right? This one no need to help lah very easy for you already. If you fall down I don’t know what to say lah”. Actually I don’t need help also can lah. The trek was so easy and the girls act like it’s so damn hard. Then I ask the guys “You ah, other girls all swarming to help them. When come to me the hand all keep inside the pocket already is it?” You know what is their reply? “Eh Sue Yi you where got girl lah? You hero what. Everything also can do mah. You close eye also can do lah. You can go change become guy also nobody know lah” I was like WHAT???????
We reach one place where it was seriously very steep. It was basically a small opening like a cave with water gushing out. Then Teng Hoong said, “Eh Sue Yi this time don’t try to be hero ah. You need my help one” Shaun said “Ya lah Sue Yi. Only for one second you be a girl lah” Sometimes I feel like punching them but sometimes they make me laugh like shit.
Halfway trekking, we stop by at the river and play with water. The minute I go inside the water everyone splash me like they never see me wet before. The water was freezing cold and they splash me so all I do is just wait for them to stop splashing me. Eesh they all really like to bully me lah.
We continue the trek back after the break at the river. After that we went back to the campsite and played tug of war. My group won. Yeah!!! After that we played surface slide. That was super FUN!!! Basically it was a big huge banner on the ground. On the banner got soap and water to make it slippery so that we can slide on. At the end of the ‘slide’ there were bottles that we had to knock down without using our hands. Try guessing what we were supposed to do. Yeap!! We run, run, run, take off and SLIDE!!!!!! Wheeeeee!!! Super fun!!!!! It was worth getting soapy and wet. The worst part was there wasn’t enough water to clean up after we went through the slide. So we ended up going back to our dorms with soap all over our body.
As usual, lunch then it’s the next activity. Next activity was slightly different and I have never done it before. It was the Wild WOW Race. It’s something like Amazing Race. It was super fun. There are 10 stations for you to complete. All the participants are flagged off at the same time. We can start from any station we want to and end at any station. Some stations need you to do it in pairs, some need three people and others you can do yourself. I was going around with Cai Ping. I had so much fun doing the race and lots of memories NEVER to forget!!
My dad flagged everyone off. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, GO!!!! RUN!!!!!! The first station the both of us went to was Finding Nemo. We had to find sweets in a basin of flour mix with water mix with oats. Messy!! Both of us got our passports stamped and ran to the next station. Both of us were running like mad people. After that we went to Obstacle Apek. That one is super easy to do. We had to fill plastic bags with water and we have to carry it with one had each while doing the swinging boards. Simple and fast to do
After that we went to the Mystery Dish station. That was also very easy. There were about 10 plates that were covered. Out of those 10 plates, we have to choose 2 of it and eat it. I had celery and onion. Makan makan then after that get the chop and run like mad dog again.
We had to walk all the way up the road just to do the Slippery Coaster. It was quite a long way up but we had no choice but to do it. This station was the easiest of all and the most fun one. It is basically a long long long long long line of banners (something like the Surface Slide just that it is longer) that is on the road which is super horizontally steep. At the end was a pool of water. From the top, we go SLIDING and then WHOOSH at the bottom!!! Something like Sunway Lagoon rides. I think I was the only one who made such a big splash at the end. Wei Zheng said, “Eh Sue Yi, this one is not Sunway Lagoon lah”. I saw Cai Ping doing it after me and she could not slide down. Even most of them could not slide down and had to push themselves. I was the total opposite; I want to stop myself from going too fast also so cannot. Haih.
So I was all wet and we went to the 3-Legged Commando station at the muddy football field. Something like a 3-legged race but this one we have to crawl commando style. In case you were wondering what commando style is, it is getting on your stomach and crawl. Your whole body have to touch the ground and you crawl. I was tied to Cai Ping and we started. Eeww…muddy muddy L I must admit that we cheated a bit. I lifted my body because I don’t want to get muddy. My dad realised and he sat on me. Haha. He said, “Go down lah, aiyoh!” I kept asking Cai Ping to hurry up and she kept saying that her pants is going to drop.
“Chong, my pants dropping!!”
“Aiyoh, hurry up lah. Let it drop lah. Faster lah auntie little bit more only!!”
That was certainly not easy to do. I ended up getting bruises on my elbow.
I complained to my dad, “Pa, why so muddy lah?”
“Good for you. Like that only then fun mah”
“Aiyah we should have gone for this one first then only the Slippery Coaster lah!” Cai Ping said.
My dad said, “Ah you see. You all didn’t plan strategy properly. Haha”
After that we went and queued at Messi Bowling. The line was so long. We were supposed to either kick a football under a chair or throw a coconut to hit a bottle. Each person is given 8 minutes. I can tell you that it is not easy! The line was so long and we had to queue for so long. After debating whether we should stay and wait or go do something else, we decided to move off. On the way, we went down the Slippery Coaster again to clean up. I was going so fast that at the end I landed in the pool of water and flipped off the barrier and landed on the road. Ouch, my ass hurt!!
We both went to the Padang Kawat where there were two stations; the Ping Pong Zoom and Jumble Jigsaw. Since we were so kiasu, each of us queued at either one of the stations. I was at the Jumble Jigsaw; Cai Ping was at the Ping Pong Zoom. In the end, Cai Ping was faster. The problem was, we need 3 people to do that station. I asked the people at the Padang Kawat that was queuing for the Jumble Jigsaw if they have done the Ping Pong Zoom. Unfortunately, I had no luck. Then suddenly, I saw my leader walking.
“Ryan!!! You do this already or not? Come, come you got no partner right? Join us lah” I shouted.
We had to use straws to transfer the ping pong ball from one point to another point. The first person has to walk up the chair and go down the chair with the ping pong ball. We cannot use our hands to hold the ping pong ball; only the straws can touch the ball. I was the first person so I started it. I passed the ball to Cai Ping and she had to walk a figure of eight around the chairs twice and she passed the ball to Ryan. Ryan had to do the exact same thing as me. At the end, there was a bowl of water. We had to make a ‘bridge’ with our straws so that the ball can travel from Ryan’s straw to the water. OMG!! It was so frustrating. It was so hard. When we finally did it, we shouted, “YEAH!!!!”
Once again, we were deciding which station to go next. We wanted to do the Jigsaw Jumble but there were too many people queuing up already. We decided to move to the Einstein Hunt. The queue there was also quite long but we don’t want to move around anymore because we made the conclusion that all the stations are the same. I asked Cai Ping to wait at the Einstein Hunt while I go and check which ever station is free and the queue is short. I was queuing at the Jumble Jigsaw while waiting.
“CHONG!!!” I heard someone calling me.
I ran to the Einstein Hunt station and it was almost our turn. Luckily Cai Ping could shout loud enough and I heard it if not I will be stuck at the other station. The first thing that we were asked was to do was unscramble the alphabets that is given and it would form an instructor’s name. It took us quite a while to do it. Next, was charades. Cai Ping was acting and I was guessing. I got the answer after a while. It was Spongebob Squarepants. Haha J After that, we were supposed to do all the 4 teams’ Warcry.
“Blue will, Blue will rock you. Blue will, blue will ROCK YOU!! Who are we? BLUE WHALE!!!”
“BUMBLEBEE, make some noise. Black and yellow. Black and yellow. Black and yellow. Black and yellow. Sting them baby. GO, GO, BUMBLEBEE!!!”
“Red bull, warcry! We got power, we got speed. We got everything we need. We are RED BULL. GO! GO! GO!”
“Green pythons show me your spirit! Go Green Pythons. Go Green Pythons! GOOOOO GREEN PYHTONS!! Hissssss..”
After that we were asked to sing a song and dance. That was seriously crazy. Both of us sang Bruno Mars, Just the Way You Are. Guess what dance we did. You won’t believe it. Both of us did ballroom dance. Haha. That was seriously crazy. After that we finally got our chops
WE ran back to the Jumble Jigsaw station. We had to wait for quite a while but it was better than waiting at other stations. Both of us completed the puzzle like it was a piece of cake and the others were struggling. The reason why we could do it so easily is because I already did it earlier. I did the exact same one earlier before the camp! Then Mark, one of the instructors was there.
He said, “No chop! Must put it nicely. You see all senget one! If not perfect, no chop”
“Where can like that one? “
“You all so old already should do better than all the younger ones lah. Faster do lah. Don’t complain”
“Too much lah you, Mark”
“I like or you like? I am the instructor mah”
After we completed it, we ran to the Kayak Rescue station. We are supposed to have two people in a kayak and find coloured bottles depending on the colour group you are in. It had a long long queue. Halfway queuing, it started to rain. They had to stop the kayaking because it is dangerous to kayak in the rain. Cai Ping and I didn’t want to wait any longer so we went straight up to the Messi Bowling at the football field again. It was raining so heavily and we had to walk up the super steep road.
After all our effort walking up, they gave us a free chop because it was raining. Luckily they were willing to give us free chop. After that, we went back down to the kayaking station. The instructor didn’t want to give us free chop. All the running back there for nothing!
We went to the so called pitstop and I finished in 36th place. Not bad but could be better. Went back to the dorm and took a long and good mandi. I finally got to use the proper shower instead of the toilet hose! Wah so happy. The water was so super cold!! Everytime I take a bath, I always go like “Ok, brace yourself. It’s going to be cold” I was so cold and wet from the rain. I was practically drenched from head to toe. Even my beautiful Nike shoes that were not supposed to be wet was banjir-ed all because of the rain. After taking the best shower that I had in camp.
We all went to eat dinner and we were told to put on our shoes because everyone was wearing slippers. We didn’t expect to have any activity after dinner but I guess the instructors decided to torture us a bit more. I put on my super wet Nike shoes and the same pair of socks. The feeling was so wet! I don’t like wet shoes bit I had to bear with it.
We had to do an activity blindfolded. Only one person is able to see and he has to give the instructions to the whole line of people who are blindfolded. It was kind of fun but I have done it before so it is nothing much la. We were all making stupid jokes especially Vignesh. He was making jokes about Indians. I don’t know why he kept making jokes about Indians when he himself is an Indian. That guy made me laugh until my stomach hurt and I think the rest of them also laughed until we cannot laugh anymore. There was one time when we were supposed to do duck walk for quite a long time and he made some stupid comment about it. While duck walking, my legs hurt and Vignesh made my stomach hurt too. Luckily I didn’t drop if not we would have been like dominos.
After that, we went back to our dorms. So we did what we always do best in the dorm. Talk. When it was lights off, we went to sleep lor.
Day four I woke up at 6.15. I woke my other group mates up. This time there was no frog in my shoe because I didn’t wear that shoe for morning exercise. I wore my white Reebok shoe and my clothes were what I wore last night. We were told during breakfast that we were having Up River Wading. It wasn’t in our timetable so we were caught by surprise. I went back to the dorm to change to my clothes. My pants was still wet but I didn’t care because it was going to be wet anyway. I wore my rubber shoes and wet sock.
Up river wading was so much fun!! We actually walked against the flow of the river. The water was so cold and refreshing at the same time. When we started, I was walking quite in front. Not long after that, I was helping everyone else together with two other guys. After helping everyone else, the three of us were last. I let the other two guys walk first because they wanted to go in front. After a while, I got frustrated because the fellas in front of me were walking so slowly. So I cut them and I think I cut a lot of people.
“Eh Sue Yi, why you suddenly so fast leh?” Shaun said.
“Cannot is it?”
“Eh yalor, I thought just now you were behind now you come here already leh” said Teng Hoong.
“You all don’t know is it? She hero mah. Everything also can do lah. We all struggling to walk and she’s like spiderman on the rocks acting like got no water only” Vignesh said.
“Eh blackie, you also not bad mah. No need other people’s help” I said.
“Ya lah I am not a girl that like to scream here, scream there. Arrghh. Got leach. Got water. Aiyoh so hard to do lah this thing. Crazy ah they all scream for no reason”
“Oi Vicky, you think you so hero is it? Sooner or later you will be asking Sue Yi for help lah” Shaun said.
“You also same lah, sheep!”
“Eh you all ah, same thing only lah. We all pro people no need others to help lah” I said.
After a while, we all took a break. We did a headcount and realised that someone was missing. After a while those that have been in the camp for a long time realised that it was fake. The name of the game was Don’t Lay Blame. So obviously it was fake. Those that knew kept it to ourselves and act like we didn’t know anything. Those that didn’t know anything were so panic and were wondering what happened.
Other than that thing, up river wading was awesome because I have never done it before. It was a totally different experience for me
We went back to the dorm to clean up and bathe. After lunch we were forced to sit through some lame magic show and the weather was so hot. I was sitting next to Aileen and she slept on my shoulder. Aiyoh I felt like sleeping also. My eyes were slowly closing but I didn’t sleep. After sitting there for what seemed like forever, finally it was done. We were then assigned to our respective classrooms to prepare for our talentime. We only had two hours to prepare a sketch which has 7 characters inside the sketch. Other than that, we there is a bonus character that we have to put in. The starting is given and the ending of it is given. We have to make the sketch last for 15 minutes. I can tell you that it is no easy task. I was in charge of writing the script and that was the most stressful 2 hours I have ever gone through. All the brainstorming and logical thinking and how to make the sketch funny and interesting was super hard. My leader scolded me for not doing it earlier. Haha I think this year I always kena scolded by my leader because I didn’t do what he wants. I guess I was like that also last year. I think last year I always scold my assistant so now I kena back. Haha.
It was so stressful! The other groups were done practicing their sketch but my group didn’t even get to practice. We just practiced scene by scene. So I was counting on my lucky stars to make it work. All the other groups seemed so confident after they practice while my group did not even run through the whole sketch. Even I myself didn’t know the story eventhough I was writing the script. The thing is, I was seriously cool about it. Ryan was freaking out more than me. I did not even care if we screwed it because I was confident that we won’t screw it so badly. Even if we did, we will not be the worst group. Somehow, I had that feeling that came over me.
I didn’t go back to bathe after that but I was rewriting the script because it was barely readable. You know how my handwriting is when I want to write things fast. So I had to write it again because the earlier one was just ‘lines and mountains’. It cost me a lot of time until I didn’t have time to bathe but I didn’t care.
After dinner, talentime started. Red group went first. Followed by Yellow, then Blue. My group was the last to perform. I seriously did not understand what the other groups were trying to tell. When it was our turn, I don’t think the other groups understood our story as well. This year talentime was a mess compared to other years. Talentime aside, now was the time for the peak of the camp and what everyone has been waiting for. *Drum rolls*
DISCO!!!! LET’S PARTY!!!!!! Enough said about it. I will just leave it to your imagination to imagine what crazy things we were doing there. We partied from 11pm until 1am. No details for this part. Sorry. Hehe.
After the music died at 1am, a few of us gathered around and started talking stuff. Something like a ‘yum cha’ session. Without us knowing, it was already 2am and then the instructors came and shoo us away. So we all went back to the dorm all sweaty and tired but still feeling very hyper. At the dorm, I talked some more with my dorm mates. Not long after that, the instructor came and asked us to off the lights and go to sleep. After that, I was still talking to Cai Ping until about 3am and I knocked off.
Woke up on the last day at 6.30am and I had to drag myself out of bed. I almost fell down on the way walking to the toilet because I was too sleepy. During morning exercise, everyone was so sleepy and only half awake. This time I wore the same shorts as last night but different shirt because my shirt was still sweaty. We had cross country I think about 2.8km according to my mum and I took 30 minutes to complete it. Haha. It’s because I was walking and talking all the way. I didn’t even break a sweat.
After breakfast, we all went back to the dorm to pack our stuff. Ah time pass so fast. Every year, I always wish for the camp to be longer. You think 5 days is long enough but when you come for the camp, 5 days only seem like 1 day. We exchanged our contacts and talked some more. We all went back to the hall and left our bags there. When we were there, we exchanged contact some more and talked even more.
Then came the closing ceremony. Yellow group got first place. My group was second. Red third and blue was last. It was kind of a surprise for me because I thought that my group was going to be last.
After that we ate our last lunch together and talked and laughed even more. After lunch, we boarded the bus and headed to the museum. In the bus, more talking was going on and before I knew it, we already reached the museum. Time to go back and say goodbye :’( I almost cried because this is the last year for Shaun, Edmund and Cai Ping. That means they won’t be coming for camp next year. We took tons of pictures and lots of hugging. We forged lots of promises that we will still each other and lepak together. Promises that we will still be coming for camp next year.
~.~
I can’t wait for camp next year!!! After two weeks, I still miss camp and most importantly, the people and the friends.
