Outward Bound Lumut Malaysia (10/5 – 19/5) Part II

I don’t know whether it’s indeed in my nature to be bold, or it’s the rebellious streak in me to do something I shouldn’t be doing…
but I kinda want to try everything. Like everything. Of course, the slight anxiety would be present, but more pumping through my bloodstream was adrenaline. =D

Rope climbing

Wanted to do it, but was afraid that the harness would cause too much impact on spine if I fall. So I tried letting go while hanging in air. After confirming that harm is unlikely, I went all the way up. Bit tired pulling myself up the ropes, but felt syok when reached the top.

Jungle trekking and group camping

Jungle trekking was probably the only activity I was against about since the beginning. ‘Cause it involves bringing a super heavy backpack full of camp equipments, food, water bottles etc and trekking up and down the steep slopes for 7-8 hours. It’s impossible for me.

So I skipped out and an instructor drove me to campsite and waited for my teammates to arrive. I guess it was bit of a pity ‘cause I'll be missing out on this experience.

Nevertheless, it’s better for everyone that I don’t risk myself doing it. 

 Jungle trekking team formation

What touched me was how accepting my teammates are of me and my condition. When I knew that they’ve finally arrived at the foot of the hill near the campsite, I got there in time to join their cheer. During our dinner in semi darkness, Amin thanked me for offering to carry some of the load in the van (which would otherwise be in their backpacks). I haven’t once felt any sign of disapproval or heard any cynic remarks for my special treatment.

Group pic after 7 hours of jungle trekking

 Cooking dinner the cavemen way

 Menu of the night - Sardin, telur goreng, and nasi dengan kicap!

 Eating together on tent sheets

Torch lights + gallon bottle = tada!! Night lamp

During the sharing session in the dark around the "night lamps", I felt a bit out-of-place as I listened about their difficult trekking and their emotions.
But Amin mentioned that I should’ve joined the trekking without the backpack as it was through the hardship that the team members bond.
Afendy also consoled me not to feel sad as I would have the chance to join another 2 expeditions later. I was almost tearing back then. 

 Milo in the morning before leaving.
That's Amin the parangman lol. (the 'trekker' of the team to open up pathways in the woods)

Rafting

So they taught us how to tie different secure knots using the ropes.

I jotted down, and immediately forgot how. Lol.
Tasya was fast in analyzing the possible formations of the pipes and tires and the empty barrels with Amin and Daren. So I decided to make myself useful in analyzing the positions of each teammate on the raft, according to their weight. 

As I wasn’t so sure about it, I kept quiet when they altered my arrangements. And our raft overturned like 2-3 times in the sea, lol. Then we tried my original position arrangements, and we succeeded.
Couldn’t resist from feeling proud deep inside. =P

 Luckily we didn't encounter any while inside the sea. 

Solo camping

 This isn't mine. Just to show you how it's like.

Luckily we weren’t placed that far from each other. In fact, just few feet away from mine was Ima’s camp. My site was a slope though, so I built my tent in a slanting position. After relentlessly adjusting, I thought it looked stable enough to withstand the night.
(Daren sneaked over to offer advice on how to stabilize it lol)
Then came the next challenge, the fire.

Tried different ways to stack the firewoods. And it lit up everytime.

Yet it died out soon after. urgh.

Starting fire wasn’t really difficult, maintaining it was the real challenge. After countless attempts, my candle was getting shorter and I was starting to feel frustrated. And a monkey came to Ima’s campsite and stole some of her food rations. Terrified, she called me for help.
Though we weren’t supposed to interact (note that it’s “solo” camping), I couldn’t ignore her desperate pleas. So armed with a long stick, I marched into her campsite and chased off the monkey. Not really. Just up the tree, back to where he belongs.  And repeated that for a few more times, until it was dark and it finally went home.

Curry chicken and mihun as dinner

Sleeping alone wasn’t a problem. But due to the slope that the tent was built on, I was stiff in the back and legs from trying not to slide off from my sleeping bag the whole night.
We were lucky that the night was kinda cooling after the rain earlier.
After trying hard to write my letter to myself in legible writing for awhile, I decided to continue it later and go to sleep.
Surprisingly, I slept much better than the previous group camping. 

Wall climbing

Very tempted to try, but decided not to take unjustified risk after witnessing someone swinging in midair hung by the harness after accidentally losing his foothold. Not worth it. So I didn’t. =(

(To be continued…)