Reflection from Lim Zhe Bin, Pei Chun Eagles

My Scouts Reflection

For Eco-Adventure 1st to 5th December 09

Day 1

Today I go to Pahang, Malaysia for my scout’s eco-adventure. I am going to sit a train to get there. The train is called the Timuran Express 14 and it is a malaysian train. I think that the Malaysian trains are too slow and are very uncomfortable. The train was going very slowly and there were no beds even though it was late at night. It was only my first trip but I already feel that I do not want to sit a malaysian train again.

Day 2

After today’s caving activities, I hope that there are more caving activities like the ones today. So far, the food is great and better than what I thought it would taste like. The breakfast was good too! I think that the night confidence walk was very important as it teaches us how to use all our senses to find our way through the dark. After having a night in the tent, I think that sleeping in tents is a good experience for me even though I did not get to set up one.

Day 3

Today I had my rock climbing and abseiling activity. I think that doing rock climbing and abseiling activities on natural environments will be so cool. But, only a few people got to try as it had started to rain. I think that I am unfortunate as I missed the rock climbing and abseiling activities because of the rain. I hope that in my future trips that rain will not stop the activities. We had a final challenge to get the best patrol award right at this moment. the challenge was a bodyline race. It was very tough but we learned about teamwork on the way.

Day 4

This morning I woke up to find a smiley-face on my cheek. I had been sabotaged! After finding out, I feel like giving the guy who did it a big punch on the face. If I find out who did it, I might even really do it! To get to the caves today we had to hike through a jungle full of muddy water. (Yummi water! ) I saw leeches and got bitten by one but I still think it is best to just leave them alone and not to kill them unless they give trouble. The cave was very tough to get through but inside the cave it was all very beautiful. We went back to Jerantut to do some shopping! We all bought some breakfast for the next day before eating dinner. I found the change of food strange after eating the food at the camp for so long.

Day5

I sat the train back to Singapore today. It was delayed so we had to take a longer time to get back. Overall, I think the trip is very exciting and educational. I hope to go to another trip again soon. HOME SWEET HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Written by:

Lim Zhe Bin, Pei Chun Public School, Primary 4D

A Reflection from Branson Chang from Poi Ching Falcons

REFLECTION OF MY TRIP TO PAHANG - WHAT HAVE I LEARN?

Day 1

Today we sat the train from singapore to Jerantut railway station.A boy vomited at the train and the teachers had to clean it out.Then we departed to Hotel Sr kim Yen.We had a bath at the hotel then we went for a sleep at about 2 h.I learned not to eat too much at the train as we might vomit if we had a full stomach while in motion in the train.

Day 2

It was morning!!! Today we ate breakfast at a coffe shop near the hotel.Then we checked out the hotel.We took a coach to Gunung Senyum. We visited about  3 caves.We saw owls flying around in the cave.After that we ate our chicken rice for our lunch.After that we sat the bus to Gua Kota Gelanggi.We took a rest for about 1 hour then we went for fishing.We were fishing when it was raining very heavilly halfway. We rushed back to our camp site.Then we ate our lunch and went for night confidence walk.We had a bath then we the slept in a tent.

Day 3

We woke up and took our brakfast at the campsite.We went for abseiling and rock climbing.I was in the abseiling group.When the 1^st person finished the abseiling, it rained so I had no chance to do abseiling and rock climing. Suddenly I found that I had a leech bite on my right leg and my teacher helped me to put on alcoho pad and plaster.We went back to the campsite.Then we ate our lunch.After that we played game and sang song. One of the games was to tie ourself to each other and then we walked up and down up and down in the small around stream. We then took a refreshing bath at the campsite toilet. We ate our dinner and then we lighted up our light stick and went for the campfire. After that, we went to sleep inside our tent.

Day 4

We took our breakfast as usual in the morning.then we went to 2 caves.The first cave was much harder to climb then the second cave because there were many slopes and obstacles. In the cave, we managed to see some carvings on the cave wall – e.g a picture of a Merlion and the couple married when we were resting at the cave outside. Suddenly, I saw another leech bite on my leg again. The teacher helped me to apply some first aid again. After that we proceeded to the cave. We also saw a lot of small owls.

After that we walked a certain distance to the campsite to eat our lunch. Then we took a bus back to Hotel Sri Kim Yen.

We have a nice bath at the hotel toilet then we went for some shopping. After shopping, we had a rest then we proceeded to a coffe shop to have our dinner. It was a very good dinner with nice dishes. Then we went to the hotel for a rest. After that our teacher brought us to KFC to have our supper.We had a closing ceromonay for this event by forming a horseshoe. Then we bought some food at a supermarket for the next day’s

breakfast.

Day 5

We waited for the train at 12.00 p.m. The train was being delayed from 1 a.m. till 2 a.m. So I slept at the train station for awhile.We sat the KTM sleeping seater back to Singapore.

REFLECTION

I  learnt to make friends with others and to cooperate with the other scouts from 2 other schools. I also learnt to climb caves and how to deal with leech bites.

Reflection from Miss Wiyah, dated 7 Dec 2009

Woke up at 3 am today. I guess I have enough sleep. Tats me..when I have enough sleep, I wil auto wake up. I returned from Pahang trip with the cub scouts. On the whole, the trip was stress free. We were well taken care. We arrived at Jerantut at 2.45 am on 2 Dec 2009. It was dark. We checked in the hotel for ard 3 to 4 hrs to have a quick change and supposedly to get few winks but to no avail. I didnt get much sleep on the train ride to Jerantut cuz of the bright lights in the train. I know without 24 hrs of sleep, I am gonna get eye bags for sure. The sacrifice. Then we proceeded to have our morning breakfast. Some 'villagers' were seen to have breakfast after they performed their Subuh prayers at the nearby surau, I guessed. A bus came and picked us up n off we went to our first caves @ Gunung Senyum.

The mitos goes like this..There was Tuk Long and a fairy pincess who fell in love n got married. Then Tuk Long missed his family and his home town. He promised the pincess (his wife) tat he will return in one month time. Tuk Long was so happy to be back to meet his family, had forgotten his promise to his wife that he wil return in one month time. Tuk Long has special magical powers..he can cure pple of any illness. So when he was back to in his village, he helped the villagers. After more than 1 month, Tuk Long remembered his promise to his wife. He then hurriedly return to Gunung Senyum but alas his wife xould not be find. He died a heartbroken man. In the Gunung Senyum lies his tomb. A sad end to a beautiful love story. The caves was where Tuk Long proposed to the princess (romantic), he praticed his silat and his tomb. I mentioned to Dza that wedding couples should come to the limestone caves where we set up the tents to have their wedding pictures taken. N true enough, we saw a wedding couple came and have their pictures taken. Heheheh..I then asked them for their permission to have our pictures taken with them. We then proceeded to explore more caves. Each caves is unique n a real challenge. On they way to to another cave, we have to walk on the mud in a forest, I was amazed that the guides could walk so cooly whereas we, Singaporeans were hanging on the tree branches so that we would not fall in the mud. I supposed they are used to it. I must say my appetite was good when i was in Pahang. Probably I was famished after caves exploration. I could not remember on which day...the fishing day, i was bitten by a secada and then on another day, my blood was 'sucked' by a leech. Our guide when we were in the base camp is known as Rambo..cuz he does things alone. He made for us a woggle made from rattan..Very cool. He also made the fishing rod out of oil plam branch.  On the whole the trip was fun, enriching and adventurous. to date, I am still amazed how Desmond can squeezed himself into the small cracks and cervices of the small opening in the caves.

For more pictures Upload..do visit FB: Cub Scout Eco Adventure Trip 2009, Pahang Malaysia

Click here to link:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=216797556527

Closing Note

That's Awesome...summed up the successful execution of this adventure trip..A total of 31 Cubs, 6 Scouts and 10 Adult Leaders from First Toa Payoh Primary, Pei Chun Public and Poi Ching Falcons, together with the team from TP Eagles participated in one of the "toughest and most challenging Scouting adventure" we ever had. Perseverance, teamwork and physical endurance were the characteristics of this eco-adventure challenge.  Scouts kept their Promise, "A Scout Has Courage In All Difficulties"  by challenging themselves to overcome every part of the obstacles they faced...and keeping their mental strength awake at all times.

Let's congratulate ourselves with a good pat on the back for a job well done.  To the Senior Scouts and Leaders, thank you for constantly providing the much-needed motivation and guidance to our fellow Cubs. And to our parents who may have tuned into the pictures herein, do continue to support and encourage your child to keep Scouting going and whenever we faced with a difficult task..with perseverance..they can succeed...Keep these memories alive for as long as you can...

For all Cubs, do send me your reflections note (by email to themeworks@singnet.com.sg) for me to upload to this blog.

As I signed off note.. let's keep our brotherhood and comradeship strong and alive...Do have a great Christmas holidays..

Happy Scouting,

Desmond Foo

Expedition Leader

Combined Cub Scouts Eco-Adventure, Pahang 2009

Day 4 - Alas...We Had Made It! Cheers...Yasaka...ka..ka..

Day 4 Final Conquer To Gua Gajah

Day 3 Campfire

Day 3 - Confidence & Team-Building Course