Basically, it's a1 night survival camp. (or was it 3 days and 2 nights?)
They loaded us with knowledge on how to identify edible plant, how to make traps, how to dig the earth so that you can answer the call of nature and whatsnot the weeks prior to the survival camp. The classes are called kelas kraf hutan and were conducted among the trees on the hillslope facing the camp's pond ~ they sure tried to make it as authentic as possible.
On the day itself, packed with poncho, pots and pans, rucksack and some provision we set off to the site which is just 15 minutes walk away from camp.
But still, u are in the middle of jungle. Not thick one though, merely like Czech woods I must say.
First tasks were digging hole for toilet and trash, cutting out bamboo for poles and support for the tent etc.
It was very enjoyable.
Although I grew up going into and out of bushes with the cousins, I never dare to go near bamboos.
Spirits and snakes, enough to send me off that place.
However, it's scary no more when there are girls with parangs excited to show off some manly skills they possess.
Done propping up the tent, we went for a quick dip at the stream.
I mean, my family did this once in a while when I was small.
You know, those times when the water supply was interrupted and the well went dry and you would go for dip in the stream.
Having dip with friends are really nice, plus the surrounding trees (now, my description sounds scary but it's not, when you have tenths of screaming girls with you)
And then the nature decides to send me off the stream..
As I lift my hand to throw water, I saw it, a tiny, dark brown, glistening cylindrical thing, firmly fastened to my hand and since I didn't know what the hell was that and I am ever so disgusted by worms and snakes, I freaked out.
I was frantically shaking my hand to get that thing off and yelling, gone was the composure, who need that anyway in times like this.
A girl came, take a look at that thing and cooly took it off my hand and throw it away~in the water (-,-')
The tentmates
Lunch followed up next and we set our fire and painfully trying to open the cans using parang (mental note : must buy Swiss army knife when I go to Switzerland)
I opened the sardine can at the cost of my combat suit.
The sauce toppled over my wrist, staining it and left a rather strong perfume.
Going to scrub it at the stream is a big no-no, especially when I saw a black snake swam by when I was having a face tan under the sun.
Meet Cikgu Apai. He taught us Golf Romeo (Layman's term, grid reference)
We had a competition, making traps.
Because all of us were doing something else other than listening and making notes when we had survival class in camp, we decided to dig a trapping pit, and since digging hole is very hampering, we managed only a 20+ cm depth and decided to put some sharp=pointed bamboo.
The camp commandant didn't find it useful though but we told him, this would suffice for ayam hutan and mouse deer.
In the evening, we went into lines and they nicked the biggest two in each company.
We were supposed to find those 2.
Walking with torch in hand and the instructor with us with a warning, never shine the torch and see up the trees (yes, even in a big company, it's creepy and is strongly advised)
We went through quite some hurdles, visiting some mad men (who were unmistakeably some of the trainers themselves) dancing around the bonfire and by the time we reached our destination, our legs already aches from the long journey.
And we were supposed to locate those 2 girls in the middle of the pitch dark.
One was thrown somewhere near a bush, another was found on a tree branch.
I don't know how they went through that. For sure, I don't want to be in their position.
I'd rather sleep with an arm feeling like the mucles double their size and aching all night long from carrying those two girls from where we found them back to our campsite, of which I did.
I couldn't believe how another company got their girl back. They had the biggest and tallest girl.
Must have feel like losing an arm for two days I think.
The survival camp came to an end. We close the "toilet" and the trash pit, packed our tent and walked baxk to the camp.
The boys stole some boxes of mandarins from the vice camp commandant Mercedes and a latah girl cut a baby cobra into 5 pieces.
And I was feeling all great, despite the fact of 2 days with no shower in a combat suit stained with sardine sauce.
The camp has been fun and I enjoyed myself.
Credit : the photos are of my national service batch.credits go to feliw wira and wirawati who own them
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