Personal - P5 Camping

Hi Blog,

Today was an excited one. Why so? Because I was invited to join our Dxmai P5 three days camping trip! Personally, what made it even more exciting due to two reasons.

1) I have not attended any camping trip since I was schooling, because only the selected ones got to go. I was not...
2) I always passed by this Adventure Camp during my hiking days and I always dream to enter this camp, and my wish was fulfilled!

Happy mood in the morning.

18th Jul 2019 (Thursday)Camera - Checked! Clothing - Checked! Sleeping bag - Checked! Small item bag - Checked!
I can't believe that I have four bags to carry over, hope I brought enough.

Reason why I was asked to go because... I need to take photos there. Sxxk though but it is the only way to go for FREE.

This was the place where we will camp together with the kids for three days.

Love this welcome quote: Always Do Your Best What You Plant Now.

The whole programme kicked off with a short video and energetic instructor

I learned a lot with them too. The Camp instructor was enthusiastic and youthful. Envy his energy.

IN this camp, the kids were taught how to be responsible with their actions and how they can exhibit their positive values in them and outward. 

Next, they were tasked to find their way to my favourite place from the campsite.

Do my own selfie with my own DSLR

Along their way, they were also tasked to look out for plants and creatures, and the instructor will share some information about it.

With my DSLR, the closeup of such shy creature is nearly impossible.

One thing special about their camp programme is, they actually separated their program and each group will cover some unique programme and some won't. Hmm... Sorry My English is bad in explaining. Let me give an example. Group A will be experiencing program 1, 3, 4 & 6; Group B will have program 2, 1, 5, 7; and then Group C will have program 6, 4, 1, 3. As you can see this path, we won't crash/meet with other groups at all. Thumb up for such detail planning.

Back to nature walk, the smell of ripe rambutan was heavenly. :3

The kids were sharp to spot some hidden creatures under/on top of the leaves.

There were also wild jackfruit hanging high up on the trees. Good feast for monkeys.

Too bad, an untoned guy spoiled the whole beautiful scenery.

Finally! They had arrived to my favourite place - Singapore Quarry.

Thanks goodness the sky was not sunny and it was quiet. :)

With DSLR, it can really show the texture of the quarry, it is amazing.

Looks like a Chinese Painting.

The kids were quite excited to see fishes in the quarry.

I think I am just a boring person. Hahaha

After our dinner, we were on our way out again to go for a night walk and star gazing. Oh my!

We spotted one rare animal - Flying Lemur! Too bad, I didn't bring my DSLR to have a good shot of it.

Where we will be heading?

ooooo! This route!

They were on their way to my second favourite place!

Let me test out Huawei camera and it turned out... AMAZING! It was quite dark actually with our naked eyes.

I bought my special torch - UV Convey 2+ along and check my shoes out!

It glowed in the dark! WAHAHAHAHA! The kids got very excited with my glowing shoes!

Dairy Farm Quarry! My second favourite place :) and I always want to visit here at night, now it was happening! Remember, I told you it was dark? On the left was taken by Huawei and on the right was normal camera.

Finding a way to gather everyone

Yes Smile for the camera. Proud of Huawei!

Other groups were also ready for star gazing.

Time for my next tool

To point the star with my laser pointer, and share with them the stories of constellation. :D

Just look how dark it gets here. Many kids were scared and we were not allowed to switch on our torch, as we might disturb/endanger some night creatures.

19th July 2019 (Friday) - We slept late because the kids were too hyper and making too much noise. Had to ensure them sleep before we do.

Oh! BTW, I finally got a good chance to capture this giant ant with DSLR. NEAT!

Feeling refreshing and excited for today event as what I had overheard from the instructor. So... What was it then?

All the kids were excited!

They will be doing High / Low Element Obstacle Course! I want to do it! but... They said need to be in long pant... I only brought one pair of long pant which I wore yesterday. WHY WHY WHY! I thought I see some people did those course in shorts too! Why?! Oh well... to calm down myself... I might be busy taking pictures, where got chance to engage such activity. It suxks...

Here we were! High / Low Element Obstacle Course!

We need to wear helmet in order to enter this zone.

So... Butterfly. WHERE IS YOUR HELMET THEN!?

Light weight structure to climb up to the top.

What a view from the top.

To be honest, it is not an easy task for kids to climb this high element course. There is a fear that we need to overcome.

Seeing them taking baby and yet bolder step to complete this course, was amazing and inspiring.

I can't show many of their pictures here, but you got the idea. Just look at the height.

Some might try out the Low Element which somehow quite challenging for them already. I had to encourage and ensure them to move forward. But the courage they displayed, is respectable.

Including this, believe me, many claimed to do a VL posture to descend, but it is not easy too.

I really want to try the high element but sigh...

No matter what, they are a star and have the star to shine in whatever they do. This is one of the themes for the whole programme.

For me, even though I can't do any high/low, rock or descending course... I shall do insect photography course.

Hmm... Feel like every time, I always got stuck on a web, due to some reasons which prevent me from moving forward.

OOO! There was another night walk again! :D Nice! So Excited to do that!

They had some reflection session with starry lights to replace real fire (reduce pollution which is a good approach!)

Meanwhile, I will check out the sky and tell myself the constellation stories. What constellation do you see in this picture? Too bad, not many share the same interest like me.

What do you know... In the dark, I spotted a firefly right in front of me! So sorry... I behaved like a child...

The UV torch really spiced up the curiosity of a kid. I was awed and excited most of the time.

Thank you to all teachers who stayed throughout the whole three days, taking care of the kids and gave support to one another.

I guessed... my snoring (cursed and I got too fat) got too serious... I was actually disturbed others in the bunk... One of the teachers gave me this nose thingy to try out. How it works! If not, they might blanket-party me.

20th July 2019 (Saturday) - The days at Camp were expiring and time to pack up.

Honestly, I had a great experience during this camp.

At least, I managed to bond with some kids :) And let have a group picture together!

Lastly, let have a mass group picture together.

We are a big giant star!

Hmm... Weird... How come I look at this star like my EasterEgg? Hahaha! Ah! I got it! I always want to be a star myself to shine, but no one bothers. I guess just like the double star which the kids were taught to make, the star that we need to shine, is within us. :)

For the better world, I may not able to change the whole world, but I can throw a stone in the lake and create ripples. I must begin with myself.

Thank you Heaven for today.

What an experience and let's do it again!

Jeff