If you're looking for a tale regarding food poisoning and sea sickness, sunburns bad enough to peel and millipede bites large enough to cause pain, capsizing and general bad luck in all areas of life, you're going to talk to Geordam, because I had a rather awesome time.
Our 25 day course, known as CC490, involved 5 people - the bromance, myself, Alora and Thomas. Alora is a 21-year-old Canadian whose been travelling around Indonesia since June, with a perpetual habit of being late, but has an intriguing view on life and a passion for the outdoors. Thomas is a 28-year-old lawyer from Kuala Lumpur, sent by his company, who doesn't participate in outdoor activities but is a total sweetheart. As a whole, the course could be considered rather tough - the general number of participants being 15, to encourage teamwork and leadership skills effectively.
There were 6 expeditions in total requiring overnight stays - a kayaking expedition (2 days, 1 night), a trekking expedition (same length), a whaler expedition (3 days, 2 nights), solo camp (same length) and the final expedition, know by instructors' and participants alike as 'Hell', which was 4 days and 3 nights.
The course didn't get off to a particuarly wonderful start - Alora, Adam and George all got food poisoning from the kitchen (not sure how considering we were eating the same food...), with Alora forced to spend a night in hospital. As it was, we had almost a week to gear up for our first XPDC, an easy kayak to a beach on Pangkor, the island opposite OB. Monkey's are clever bastards. You leave sugar crackers on the table, they will get them. Of course, the sudden convergence on our kayaks with the sugar crackers raining down upon them was rather amusing, especially when we found that one of them had gotten a tad excited and decided Alora's kayak was a bathroom.
The trekking XPDC went well on the first day, Thomas needing some encouragement but pushing through. We set up camp by a waterfall, meaning a much needed rinse down occurred. I was given a parang, which after 6 expeditions I can in fact wield efficiently when chopping wood. The first time was more of a 'miss and bleed' situation. The second day started well, despite our instructor Taufik's refusal to help us with navigating. And the singing. He really loves to sing. Unfortunately, we got lost, missing the junction which would have taken us to our final peak. We escaped without having to climb back up because dehydration was considered a risk - but we were forced to do a 'musical drama' as a penalty. I'll spare the details.
The Whaler Expedition for most appears to have been a gut-churning experience of exhaustion. I found it rather amusing. The IiT's joined us, as 8 people are required for rowing, and we were forced to row 30 km, gaining wind only 6km away from Rumbria Island. The next day was a 42km job, and while we did receive the luxury of wind - meaning I slept until 12 - it wasn't strong, and we were forced to row until the mother boat took pity on us and towed us the rest of the way. Once you get into the head space, the rowing isn't too bad - a little monotonous perhaps, but singing livens up the place remarkably.
Solo was a time for reflection and meditation, but the first day basically involved me avoiding making a fire, and sleeping the day away. Despite my fear that I would not be eating, I managed to make respectable fires, large enough for me to cook Maggi noodles (Beware: can cause kidney failure). So, if stranded, give me matches and a candle, and fire shall reign. The second day could be considered more of a reflective time, but it turned out to be time for talking, as we all converged on the water van for an hour. Oops.
And then, Hell. It was tough. I've been cut to pieces on the rocks, got tan lines that look like colour charts, leeches biting my ankles, and the final track of kayaking nearly reduced me to tears, but the feeling of achievement was astonishing. We kayaked around Pangkor island, landing at Sharwal beach. Alora and I were sharing a kayak for that section, and we took the time to enjoy the scenery, the others getting more and more frantic as the current increased. Adam bailed out his boat using Alora's water bottle at one point, while George and Thomas literally went over the edge. The second day was fun until 12, being in a kayak with Thomas ensuring I could sing Disney songs without being hit over the head. Unfortunately, Taufik (perpetual liar that he is) compelled us to head straight over to OB - just 1 hour away. 2 hours later, no food, OB still not in sight, and a failure to remember the water sloshing in the gallon can...I was considering capsizing because I felt like the world was ending.
BUT I DID NOT. Inspirational quote from George kiddies: 'the hardest thing to overcome is the human will to give in'.
Trekking forced me into navigation mode once more, something I was more confident in fortunately, and thus we trekked up hills, down hills, around rocks, through the sea (not necessary and dangerous due to coral, but I have a lack of personal safety apparently), and through a swamp. As Geordam got angrier and angrier, I was reminded of year 4 and mud pits, thus causing a great deal of muffled laughter as swearing filled the air. A low did occur when a fire could not be made, and we became a man down the next day when Thomas found himself unwell, but as we saw the blue jetty, light filled our eyes and we danced wildly (note: I lie, we slept).
Thus, the course came to an end. We painted a bench for our watch project, cleaned the dining hall for community service, and watched Anchorman at our barbecue instead of doing our presentation. But we achieved, and we achieved 'commendably' despite the lies Taufik tells us, and despite Geordam's continued insistence for ice cream.
On a side note, I had some today. IT WAS AWESOME.
Emily
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