NTU ODAC Magazine 2004 by NTU ODAC

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Hello and greetings one and all! Whether you are the intrepid adventurer of many hikes and expeditions or just one that is beginning to taste the challenge of the trail, it matters little. We at NTU ODAC thank you for taking the time to read this little collection of our stories and trips which we have completed in the past year, ln the days to come, perhaps you might join us on one of our trips or activities and then we would get to know each other better. lf someone were to ask me what ODAC meant to me, I would probably reply that it has been the sustenance to my soul here in NTU. lt is hard to describe the manytrips I have been to and the many more amazing sights I have seen. But I know lwould not have done so had it not been for this tiny adventure club which I joined. At the end of it all, what truly stands out, is the

friends and people I have met. To everybody who have lefi footprints, imprints and neo prints in my short time here in NTU, I thank you. Thank you for sharing

the journeywith me, forsharing the stars, forthe crazysinging sessions, forbeing my kayaking companion, for just,.,being there. Sometimes all we need is to get away from things for a while and a little companionship, in the woods, is all the company that's ever needed. Or perhaps, it is just gazing out at the wonder of nature around us, a gentle reminder of how small we really are in the scheme of things and how great it is to be truly.,,alive. Just breathe. For this and more, NTU 0DAC will continue to strive to bring the essence of adventure to everyone. From simple trips around Singapore to the far summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, we will have people who have the undying lust for adventure and a desire to just see beyond the next hill. I welcome you then, to come join us. All it takes is a small step, and sooner or later, we will see the new dawn break across yonder hills. Whilst I can show you the photos, its far better I share the moments with you.

Join us and come share with NTU ODAC. The footprints will fade and these pages will yellow but the memories always linger.

Ng Ming Teck Eugene President 8th Management Committee

Explore. Discover. Experience

EXPLORE the unknown, DISCOVER the secrets, EXPERIENCE the moments.

"'Time passes by most quickly when one is enjoying oneself' This saying is indeed true. lt seemed only a short while ago that I joined this closely knit and fun-loving family. The past year has been lived to the fullest with a group of people sharing a c;,lazy passion for the outdoors, constantly on the lookout for new challenges and adventures. lt has been great being part of this spontaneous group of peoplel This annual newsletter will highlight to you some of the numerous events we organised over the past year. Read on to find out more about what you might have missed out! Cheong LiweiVictoria Publications Officer

6t# $,llanr$cmcnt Cqmmittcc 2003/2004 President Vice-President Honorary General Secretary Treasurer Business Manager Webmistress Publications Officer Publicity Officers Logistics Officers Special Projects Officers (Adventure Sports) Special Projects Officers (F,0.0.T.) Special Projects Officers (Pumpfest)

Ng Ming Teck Eugene Goh Hanlin Lim Yingqi Sonya Chua Jianye Ghoo Zhihui Sim Lin Enid Gheong LiweiVictoria Lum Jiayi Ang Jit Khoon Nicholas Koh Soo Ghim Ghia Wei Zhong Linus Ang Kailing Michelle Tan Wei Li Jason Leong Wee Keat Song Siying Cheow Xin Yi Tan Keng Ghew

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"Wah....so cold!!!" Despite the cold waters, the sights of the majestic and magnificent waterfalls of Berkelah were more than enough to soothe the tired limbs of the 25 trekkers during the mid-semester trip from the 30 November -2 December 2003. Many on board the party of 25 were simply looking to get away from the

lectures, tutorials and assignments that were dreaded sights for the past 4 months. All of them got not just a breather but also an exhilarating and refreshing start to their break as well. Reaching Berkelah Falls on the morning of 1st December, all were in high spirits despite the long journey from Larkin Bus Terminal (Johor) the previous night. Even the looming dark clouds failed to take away the shine of the day. Having made a 30 minute trek up to base camp, we proceeded to set up our tents before taking a refreshing dip in the cool clear waters of the first

waterfall. Some of us took repeated dips and dives into the pool while others just laid around on the rocks for a suntan. After taking a short lunch, we proceeded to trek to the next waterfall for more eagerly anticipated dives and photo opportunities.

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When night came, we put our culinary skills to the test as we began cooking our wonderful dinner consisting of cheese omelettes, Japanese udon and beef stew. Unfortunately, our plans to stargaze

were squashed when rain started pelting down from the skies. We retreated to our tents but began singing songs. The rain had failed to damper our

spirits but instead brought us closer together.

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On the night of 28 February 2004, sixteen of us crossed the causeway to Malaysia to catch a night coach bound for Seremban, the capital of Negri Sembilan. After a simple breakfast at a local coffeeshop, we boarded a public bus heading towards Ulu Bendol Recreational Forest. We were on our way to challenge the slopes of Gunung Angsi. Gunung Angsi (825m) is located in the Ulu Bendol Recreational Forest about 20km from Seremban. The trek to the summit was moderately challenging on wide welldefined paths. Along the way, we encountered steep slopes which proved to be interesting for experienced trekkers and daunting for first-timers. At times, we were able to see the trail stretching for about '150m set on a 45 degree angled slope, Few places offer trails that are as mentally and physically challenging as Gunung Angsi.

The trek to the summit took us 3 hours and we were rewarded with a good view of Seremban. There, we were greeted by a jamboree of about fifty other trekkers, about half of whom were Singaporeans following an outdoor company. We had a nice

relaxing lunch under the protection of some trees and had a well deserved and much needed rest,

After about an hour on the summit, we started our descent to the foot of the mountain via a different route. The descent took us about two hours and we went by streams of trekkers who were heading towards the summit. Obviously, this is a popular mountain among locals. From the foot, we caught the local bus back to Seremban, where we had time to walk around and

experience the flavours of the busy town. After dinner, we boarded the evening coach back to Johor Bahru.

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Pumpfest 2004 came back with a punch this year, having secured its status as an annual national bouldering competition, Held at Youth Park with National Youth Council as the proud venue sponsor, we maintained the overall objective of promoting and raising the awareness of bouldering as a sport, particularly amongst youths and the non-climbing community in Singapore. Another objective achieved was the organising of sport climbing clinics over a span of 2 weeks for youths from various charitable organizations at Toa Payoh SAFRA club by the Pumpfest 2004 committee. As of previous years, this yea/s event was endorsed by Singapore Mountaineering Federation (SMF). ln addition, it was also included as part of the National Ranking Circuit for the Under-20 and Open categories. Running in its seventh year, Pumpfest 2004 has reached an unprecedented level of scale and prestige, attracting the support of Salomon, a well-known extreme adventure sports brand to be our official prize sponsor, sponsoring prizes of up to $1000 per category. Other main sponsors include Climb Asia and Fuji Xerox Printers, with Fuji Xerox Printers being our Official Printer, providing competitors of Pumpfest 2004 complimentary photos of them in action during

the competition. With increasing participation through the years, Pumpfest 2004 attracted a total of 245 participants. There were three brand new categories this year, namely lntermediate Men and NTU Closed (Men/Ladies). Pumpfest 2004 became the first ever climbing competition in Singapore to introduce an lntermediate Category. This is to cater to climbers who have competition experience but feel that they are not qualified enough for Open Men category. NTU closed categories were catered to students in NTU and NIE as part of the effort by NTU ODAC to promote rock climbing and bouldering to our own school population. Pumpfest 2004 kicked off at 1Oam on 27th May 2004 with the NTU closed (Ladies) Preliminaries category, followed by the NTU closed (Men) Preliminaries category. We completed the finals of both categories at about 6pm which concluded the first day of competition. The second day started with the Novice (Ladies) Preliminaries category, followed by Under-20 (Ladies) Preliminaries at 1pm and Under-20 (Men) Preliminaries by 4pm. However, due to bad weather conditions in the evening, the competition for Under-20 (Men) was stopped halfl,vay, To be fair to other climbers in this same ranking

category that had completed the climb, the whole Under-20 (Men) category was cancelled with advice from our Chief Judge. Climbers who did not manage to complete

the climb were given a refund. The third day proceeded with proper precautions for rainy weather at 8am sharp starting with the Novice (Men) Preliminaries. This was followed by the lntermediate (Men) Preliminaries, with the Open Categories in the afternoon starting with Open Ladies first. Experienced competitors of the sport participated in the Open categories and attracted the most onlookers who were captivated by their techniques, skength and precise manoeuvres on the difficult routes. At times, the audience crowding around the bouldering wall soared up to about 200 people, consisting of both climbers as well as curious bystanders. The last day of competition saw the finals for all public categories being held, culminating in the highlight of the event which was the Open (Men & Ladies) finals, The audience, very much enthralled by the gravity-defying moves of the finalists, could be heard cheering the competitors on as they tried to clear the most difficult routes of the event. The eventualwinnersforthe Open (Men & Ladies)categorieswere Mr. Muhd. Hatta and Ms. Chong Leng Hong respectively. PUMPFEST 2004 ended with a bang upon the prize presentation by Mr. Yum Shoen Keng, our prize-presenter and Guestof-Honour.

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Explore, experience and discover. These were the three objectives 55 freshmen had as they took part in ODAC's Freshmen Overseas Orientation Trip 2004 (FOOT 2004). Held from the Sth to 1Oth of July, the 55 freshmen were split into five groups - Ophir, Datuk, Angsi, Cameron and Stong. Activities such as night cycling, kayaking, rock climbing and canoe polo were lined up for the participants to explore, experience and discover. These activities not only provided hours of countless fun, through a series of competitions between the various orientation groups, but also challenged the participants both physically and mentally. FOOT 2004 was not just about skenuous activities. Team building games were also

included during the camp to foster friendships among participants. Most of these sessions were held in NTU and they helped to gradually orientate the freshmen around the university campus. F00T 2004 also had a "Food Factor" challenge and a "Two wheel" challenge which was a treasure hunt around the island which tested their

knowledge of famous landmarks. The highlight for F00T 2004 however, was the 3-day trekking trip to Pelepah Waterfalls at Kota Tinggi. For many of the 55 freshmen, the trek proved to be their flrst experience at trekking and many were excited about the wonderful scenery Pelepah Waterfalls promised. The first day of the overseas trek involved trekking up Gunung Mutahak, which is an abandoned tin mine. The trek up Gunung Mutahak was done at a relaxed pace as we had our full load with us. Once up Gunung Mutahak, the five groups broke up and set up their mini camping grounds and their own communal areas. They were also taught the basic outdoor ethics, camp craft, proper use of equipment and campsite management. Many also tried cooking outdoors for the very first time. Sumptuous dishes of Hainanese chicken rice, rosti and chicken curry were prepared with the aid of the group leaders and seniors attached.

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Through this camp, we also learnt to hreak out of our personal spaces and trust people around us with a sense of reassurance that can onlY arise from the experiences we shared."

Teh Zhiyu James,

Engineering Year 1 student

The second day of the overseas trip was the trek up to Pelepah Waterfalls. As there were a total of 55 participant and 54 seniors who were doing the trek, the group was split into two bodies which started the trek at different time intervals. Even though the trek was made slightly more slippery due to a downpour the previous night, many of the seniors and freshmen helped each other out during the trek by pointing out potential dangers to look out for. We passed through the first waterfall before meeting up at the spectacular second waterfall for lunch and relaxation in the cool waters. The freshmen and the seniors had a great tirn^ soaking and swimming in the cool waters. The enjoyable and fun time spent in the waters was cut short when dark clouds sta(ed to gather above us. We quickly decided to descend the waterfalls so as to reduce the risk of being caught in a flash flood. The drizzle then turned into a heavy downpour and the trek was made even more difficult and slippery. However, the bad conditions did not stop the seniors and the freshmen from looking out for each other. lnstead, many of us became more vigilant and took greater care in observing the well-being of our "buddies". During rest stops, many of us huddled together and started to sing loudly. The warmth and espirit de corps generated certainly helped reduced the risk of hypothermia and kept many of us alert. The rain slowed us down but it also brought many of us closer together. FOOT 2004 brought different people with varying experiences together to share their love for the outdoors. lt also represents how much ODAC has grown over the last few years. Despite the heavy rain and risk of flooding, it was certainly remarkable that we managed to deliver a safe but yet memorable trekking and outdoor experience for the 99 people at Pelepah Waterfalls.

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Ever heard of Desaru but never knew where it is? lt is actually along the South-Eastern coast of Johor. On 8 September 2003, 15 cyclists met up at Changi Village with their bikes. After the final tunings, we took a 50 min. bumboat ride over to Pengerang Jetty. We started on our journey through an old oil palm plantation, and then continued on an off-road trail. The numerous slopes we faced along the trail were a killer to some, but yet an exciting ride for others. The first stretch was quite a rough ride of about 18 km, but after a scrumptious lunch at Rengit town, we were recharged and ready to embark on the next phase of our journey to Desaru.

We took a leisurely ride along the coast, stopping occasionally for a picture or two. Then, came the endless slopes along the road to Desaru. lt was an energy draining ride but upon reaching the chalet, the unpolluted sandy white beach and the undisturbed peace away from the hectic city life made the effort all worthwhile. The mouthwatering BBQ dinner was an additional bonus to the long day of cycling. We spent the second day of our trip relaxing by the beach, playing volleyball and some other beach games. Later on in the day, we split up into smaller groups where we tried various activities such as Gokart, Allterrain vehicle, bike trail, etc. The evening was simple; some stayed up chatting with others were engrossed in playing games and teasers. On the last day, the return journey was much faster and simpler as we occupied ourselves with jokes and songs along the way. We made a last stop by Rengit town where we splurged our remaining Malaysian Ringgit on a seafood feast. We then made our way to the jetty where we reluctantly returned back to Singapore,

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Day 01 : 30 May 2004 Our plane arrived in Nairobi, Kenya and we boarded a bus for our land transfer to Moshi Town in Tanzania. What lay before us was two weeks of wild adventure, a journey to the wilderness of Africa. The bus ride took us pass Mt. Meru, an impressive but lesser known cousin of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Day 02: 31 May 2004 After meeting up with the owner of the tour operator and settling some administrative issues, we set off to Marangu for our day tour. There, we visited a blacksmith where we saw how skilfully they shaped metals into objects like bells, spear and knives. Later, we were brought to a cave which was being used as a shelter during some war time a long time ago. We also witnessed the way of life of the Chaggas, natives of the area in the village and the local markets. Finally, we were brought to the Kilasiya Waterfalls where we enjoyed the beauty of Mother Nature and were introduced to various native plants, fruits and flowers. Day 03 : 1 June 2004 As we reached the Machame Gate, we were welcomed by a light shower and a large group of porters who were supporting our expedition. The beginning of the climb brought us through the rainforest along a wet and muddy trail. lt wasa gentle ascend, as we made our way through the rainforest into more sparse vegetation. After about 6 hours, we arrived at Machame Camp (2980m) where we signed in and proceeded to our campsite, Our mess tent was already pitched for us and it was amazingly warm, with a table in the middle and foldable chairs by the side. We really felt welcomed and truly appreciated the effort made by the porters to make us feel comfortable. Day 04 : 2 June 2004

After a nice breakfast, we started our day trekking through vegetation lined with skinny trees and shrubs. After about an hour, we saw Mt. Meru emerging behind us and there in front of us was the snow capped Kibo Peak. As we continued our upward journey, we stopped frequently to admire the magnificent views, taking many photographs along the way. That was probably the reason why we ended up arriving at the campsite late almost every single day. We finally arrived at Shira Camp (3840m) and were greeted by a table with Africa's very own version of deep fried potato chips. We chatted and watched as the sun set behind the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro, painting the sky with amazing tones. Day 05 . 3 June 2004 As we began our trek, we could see Shira Plateau to our left and our trail winding endlessly in front of us until !t disappeared over the horizon. After lunch, we trekked past Lava Tower (4630m), and into Barranco Valley where we were able to observe frost for the first time during the trek and for some, for the first time in our lives.

The sky was constantly cloudless, letting the sun scorch our skin. However, temperatures were low, frequently hovering at four degrees celsius. 0ur camp that night was Barranco Camp (3950m). We arrived late as usual and most of us tired and exhausted and suffering from a mild headache after a long day's trek. Day 06 : 4 June 2004 The sun rose behind Kibo, slowly filling the land with life. From Barranco Camp, we could see over our very next obstacle - Barranco Wall. Slowly but surely, we scaled the greatwalland were soon over it. We continued our journey, tired and exhausted, but always looking fonvard as we trekked into Karanga Valley. Here, we were able to observe the glaciers of Kilimanjaro, slowly emptying itself into the streams that lead to the valley. Arriving at Barafu Camp (4550m)just before sunset, it was already freezing cold and we just couid not imagine how it would be like higher up. We took a much needed rest before our summit climb in a few hours.

Day 07 : 5 June 2004 We started our ascent at 11pm last night. lt was freezing and the wind howling into our ears did not make things any easier. The air was getting thinner with each step we took and it was getting more and more difficult to concentrate. The suffering seemed to last an eternity, but our target was clear, and it was getting closer with every small step we made. As the sun rose above Mawenzi Peak, Kilimanjaro's second highest Peak, we felt rejuvenated. We arrived at the crater rim at Stella Point at about 7:30am. We passed Hans Meyer Point and Elveda Point and soon saw the wooden signboard of the summit before of us, Everything felt so surreal. For me, I felt like I was walking towards an altar to make an offering to a mountain that I have always respected and looked upon in awe. As I took my final steps and put my hands on the wooden signboard that read "Congratulations, you are now at Uhuru Peak, Tanzania, 5985m. AMSL...', I punched my arms in the air. I had made it! I was on the Roof of Africa! Day 08 : 6 June 2004

From Mweka Camp, we took our last glimpse of the majestic peak and continued our descend of the mountain. After a short 3-hour trek, we arrived at the Mweka Gate where we checked out of the Kilimanjaro National Park and collected our summit certificates. Back at Moshi, we said our farewell to the helpful porters, cooks and guides who have been there for all along the way. The clouds around the region were clearing and from the town, we could see Mt Kilimanjaro in the distance. lt was difficult to imagine that we were standing on the very peak of that mountain just a day ago. Day 09 : 7 June 2004 This was the ninth day in Africa, we have conquered Mt Kilimanjaro two days ago and fulfilled our life long dream. Today was a well deserved rest day for us and we went souvenir hunting around Moshi Town and were all excited about beginning our safari the next day.

Day 10 : 8 June 2004 We arrived at Lake Manyara and began our game drive at about 3pm, For most of us, this was probably the first time we saw large wild animals roaming around freely. Lake Manyara is famous for housing millions of flamingoes. From where we were, all we could see was an entire horizon of pink! We could only imagine the number of flamingoes in the lake. The sight of elephants, zebras and giraffes grazing the lands overwhelmed us. Day 11: 9 June 2004

0n the way to Serengeti National Park, we stopped by a Maasai Village, also known as Maasai Boma. We were introduced to the Maasai culture and their way of life. Once in the park, we started our game drive on our safarijeeps. Almost immediately we could see so many animals roaming freely along the 4WD track. We were lucky enough to see lions and a leopard. We also saw a variety of other animals such as elephants, zebras, wildebeests, hippos, giraffes, gazelles, impalas, warthogs, baboons as well as a number of different birds. Day 12: 10 June 2004 We got up really early in the morning for a morning game drive and spotted vultures feeding on a dead zebra. We were also amazed that we spotted some lions just about 50 metres from our campsite and that the campsite had no fence around it. After breakfast, we drove to Ngorongoro Crater to continue our safari. Just like Mt. Kilimanjaro and Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater was also designated as a World Heritage Site and was formed after an ancient volcano collapsed after

an eruption. Here, we spotted jackals, hyenas, gazelles, buffalos, rhinos, lions, elephants, ostriches, flamingoes and crown cranes.

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Day 13 : 11 June 2004 We really learnt a lot in the three short days of safari - a priceless experience. We were very lucky to have spotted the African Big-five. The Big-five consists of the elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo and rhino, so named because they were the five most poached animals for their tusks, skin and horns. We packed up our campsite for the last time and drove to Arusha where we would stay for the night before departing for Nairobi for our flight back home. At Arusha, we visited the large

supermarket again and did what Singaporeans do best

Shopping!

Day 14 12 June2004 We visited the post office to purchase some stamps and other last minute souvenirs and checked out of our hotel. We had our last lunch together and boarded the shuttle bus heading for Nairobi. On the way back, our minds were nothing but memories of the events thit unfolded in the last two weeks. On one hand, we were missing home, yet on the other hand we were already missing Africa. Day 15: 13 June 2004 The entire day was spent travelling by plane. To be exact, we spent twelve hours on the plane and two hours in transit. When we arrived in-singapore, we said oui goodbyes and rushed off to meet our loved ones whom we have been missing for the last two weeks. This homecoming marked the end of a very exciting and eventful expedition.

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by Cheow Yin Yi, Ang Kailing Michelle, Lum Jiayi, Ang Jit Khoon Nicholas What awaited the 28 eager trekkers the next few days was well beyond expectations. What was initially thought to be a fun & leisurely trip up Gunung Stong turned out

to be more of an endurance trip. Starting on the trek of Somali Jungle on the mornin g ol 27 Dec, all were jovial and excited like little school children waiting to tread onto new and unexplored grounds. The vast wildness was beckoning us to step in to see, hear and feel the nature that is so tangible. Along the Somali trek, river streams, small waterfalls and plants such as the Rafflesia could be seen. The little waterfalls was just a prelude to what we were going to see at Stong. Before we reached the campsite at Stong, the sweet voices of the rushing waters was already audible, This made us quicken our pace and at long last, the waterfall was in sight. The view at the top of the waterfall was awesome. lt overlooked the

little villages and the winding roads. Further upstream was a smaller waterfall where we played with 'slides'. Sliding down the waterfalls was an unforgettable experience for many. There was a rush of adrenaline mixed with feelings of fear and anticipation. We also visited the seven pools where we submerged into a hole

filled with water and made a wish while we were

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Reaching the train station and having dinner there felt so good. We really appreciated a simple_meal of rice, fried chicken wing

and an egg after surviving on bread, chocolates and instant noodles for the past few days. Following that, we were on our journey back home.

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For the first time, NTU ODAC Adventure Sports organised a trip to Cable-ski Park at Waterfront City, Batam. Cable-skiing is an activity similar to wakeboarding, the only difference is the mode of pulling force; it is pulled by an overhanging cable instead of a boat. 0n this Saturday morning, 10 of us met up at Harbourfront and took a 50min ferry ride across the Singapore Straits.

As it was our first attempt at this new sport, many of us took quite a while before picking up the technique. We fell time after time, but ultimately, we had tremendous fun. After a day long of skiing, we spent the evening having a sumptuous dinner and chilling out at a local pub. Unlike most of the ODAC trips where we sleep in tents, we had the luxury of spending

the night at Holiday lnn, Batam this time round. lt was not surprising why many of us were reluctant to leave the comfortable beds of the hotel room. We spent the following morning relaxing by the hotel pool before making our way back to Singapore.

I,llouhlt r$ffirr, 1''f, feb- 1 ],llan 2004 Day 1. Prior to departure, the 17 of us were all excited about this Mt. Ophir trip and amongst us were many first-timers who had never trekked or camped outdoors before. Also, almost half of the party was our friends from People's Republic of China. Things did not start off on a good note for we soon found ourselves stuck at the traffic jam at Woodlands Checkpoint. Before we knew it, we had missed our 0830hr bus to Tangkat from Larkin Bus Terminal. Undaunted by this, we boarded the next available bus at 0930hr and arrived in Tangkat town 4 hours later. The trek up to the campsite at Checkpoint 4 (affectionately known as Square Pool although it isn't really square) was quite easy once we cleared the flight of steep steps in the initial stage. Upon reaching CP 4, tents were pitched and dinner was a quick and easy affair that followed soon after. This being the first night at Mt. Ophir, many of us were too excited to fall asleep so early, so we introduced some brain teaser games to our Chinese friends. lt was a session whereby the Singaporeans' command of Mandarin was tested and the Chinese were exposed

to the silly games/quizzes that we Singaporeans like to entertain ourselves with. Day 2. We awoke to the rude shock of discovering that 3 of our backpacks were missing! We susp:cted theft and our suspicions were confirmed when neighbouring campers told us that some intruders came roaming around our

campsite at 0300hr when all

of us were sound asleep. Sigh...

Some of us stayed at the campsite to look after the group's belongings; some

made their way down to the Range/s Station to make a loss report while the main party proceeded to trek to the summit. By 1330hr, the main party were taking in the sights at the summit. We took no chance of losing more belongings by taking turns to do sentry duty throughout the 2nd night. Day 3. All of us were dead beat by the time we made our way down and slumped into slumberland as soon as we boarded the bus, This Mt Ophir trip ended on a high note with what else, but a sumptuous dinner in Johor Bahru.

This Mt Ophir trip is truly a different trek from all the others that NTU OutdoorAdventure Club has done, Of course, the view from the summit of the mountain is still as splendid and we had a whale of a time cultural-exchanging. All would have been perfect if not marred by the theft incident that we encountered. Take it as a lesson well-learnt: never to leave belongings unattended, even when we think it's safe to do so.

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The early morning shower cleared the misty night air. The race was postponed to an hour later, but it failed to dampenlhe spirits of the participants who gathered orderly at the registration booth. Sponsor's banners and a huge black Adventure Trail ihallenge banner decorated the booths. Participants and organizers alike were in eager anticipation for the Adventure Trail Challenge- the FIRST adventure race organized by NTU ODAC catered for the amateurs. Teams were flagged off in three batches of 6. As the guest-of-honour Asst. Prof. C. Kunalan gave an encouraging speech to the participants, many were looking nervously at the big stop-clock, while some were clarifying their last minute doubts about

the race route. For many, especially the JC students, it was their first time participating in an adventure race. 5,4,3,zAND 1... As the horn gave a resounding "P0R", the teams took hurried footsteps and proceeded on their way. Two

members of the team started on the kayaking leg of the competition at the MacRitchie Reservoir, while the other two members ran the 3.2 km route before interchanging, After which, all members set off for the first station, the human pyramid station whereby they have to form a human pyramid to reach for food, testing their team work and group dynamics, gther stations included Bola Bola, a station that required participants to fill up their socks with sand and hook their socks on a tree and another station whereby participants were required to use a needle in water to make a compass. At the Dairy farm

loop, teams had

to use sling shots to shoot

down targets before they can continue with the race,

The adrenaline rush gushing through the veins of the participants can be witnessed as they grabbed their bicycles to begin their nonstop trail cycling from the Rifle Range Road to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Abseiling was carried out at the Bukit Batok Fire station. lnstead of being carried out at the usual rock wall, the participants get a taste of what's it's like to be a fireman for once. As the clock ticked 3:25:12, the team "Ma Ma Ling Mong" from NTU reached the end point at Bukit Batok Nature Park. Hand in hand, the four members of the team made their last lap of the race victoriously up the slope. Around forty minutes later, CJC ODAC Team 4 came in with a timing of 4:06:52 to clinch the champion for the inter-JC category. All that starts well always ends well. All participants came back safely with no casualties. The prize ceremony marked the end of the race yet it also a marked the starting of many other adventure races yet to come.

My hostel friends and I signed up for Adventure Tiail Challenge because we wanted to challenge ourselves and have some fun. lt was a tough race butwith my team-mates cheering one other on, we managed to overcome all fhe obstacles and complete the race.

Amusttry for everyone! -

Anthony Guo, hostelite from Hall of Residence 15

K#aE SEk Na'trqnal

Fark, 2h'1fi flcCI 200&

The prayer flags fluttered in the wind on the tip of the bow of the long-boat, as we raced through the calm waters of Cheow Lan Lake, lined by massive limestone outcrops, ln our minds was nothing but fond memories of how we spent our last four days together. We didn't talk much, but each one of us knew that the person beside was also captivated by the peacefulness and serenity of the lake. Once total strangers, we have become the closest of friends.

0ur journey begun four days ago in Johor Bahru where we took a fourteen hour bus ride to HattYai, had a quick meal and were off for another six hour long ride in a van. After a gruelling twenty hour land journey - by far the longest in NTU ODAC History battled but still alive, we finally reached Khao Sok National Park in the afternoon of 23rd December 2003.

We quickly settled into our accommodation and went for a quick hike around the area and chanced upon a cave behind the resort. We were greeted by a monk who told us that the cave was the resting ground of a holy person who turned into rock after death. He also mentioned that the water collected inside the cave was holy a couple of us just could not resist a quick dip. Later in the evening, we went back to the resort to view long-tailed macaques at the monkey swimming hole. Apparently thes"e monkeys would jump if food was thrown into the water.

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The next morning, we headed straight for the National Park Headquarters and chose to take the Sok River Trail which led us to Wing Hin Waterfall as well as Wang Yaow, a swimming hole 3.3km from the Park Headquarters, where we had a cool and refreshing dip into the clear water. After lunch, we went for our canoeing trip, We originally thought that canoeing was done by ourselves but instead we just sat on the canoes, chauffeured by the guides, perhaps similar to what Thai Royalty dld hundreds of years ago. However, by doing so, we were able to spot more wildlife along the river. That night, we had attended a Christmas barbecue. lt was then that we really got to know each other as we played various games, humiliated each other and had a ball of a time, getting high on some local cocktail. Early yesterday morning, we came to Cheow Lan Lake, which

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is the main attraction of the National Park. To explore the Lake, we had to take a long-boat ride. Huge limestone utcrops, known as karst, rose directly from the lake's edge to elevations of up to 960m!After two hours in the blistering heat, we finally arrived at Tone Teuy Floating Raft House. lmmediately after lunch, lead by our every so cheerful guide, we took the nearby Cave Trail and trekked to Namtaloo Cave. ln the cave, we spotted various species of cave animals, observed intriguing cave formations as well as had the chance

to waddle and swim through the river running through the cave. That night, we took the long-boat for a night safari and

saw numerous hornbills perched on the highest trees We woke up early this morning and searched the shores of the lake for wildlife, while the rest of the day in the raft house was spent relaxing, playing cards, swimming and canoeing. lt was total luxury for us - a total escape from the hectic Singaporean lifestyle that we are so familiar with, lt was only in the later part of the afternoon when we took this long-boat bounded for the

resort again. We would be leaving tomorrow for HattYai where all the food, shopping, massages and cabaret shows were awaiting us. However, I find that there is this part of me that has become attached to this place and does not want to leave.

As I look as those beside me, I know that I was not the only one touched by the beauty of Khao Sok National Park. As the setting sun glowed ever so red on the horizon, I thought to myself, "lt is easy for anyone to be in awe of the grandeur and antiquity of great achievements - like Angkor Wat in Cambodia, yet as we explored Khao Sok's topical rainforests, we are reminded that this in Nature's greatest achievement - it's 200,000 times older than Angkor Wat, and more importantly, its still alive, functioning and evolving". This was what Mother Nature wanted to tell me all along. And the prayer flags fluttered in the wind on the tip of the bow of the long-boat, sending a different kind of message.

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Titiwangsa. The name itself has got a nice ring to it and I have heard many fascinating stories about this peculiar trek. The just had to idea of loing on an expedition wis never a dount in my head, it was just a question of time. Somehow I knew I see this for myself. The Titiwangsa Traverse is a 5 day trail that winds through the main range of Peninsular Malaysia. The hike begins in the tea plantations 6f Cameron Highlands-and brings through ths2nd, 3rd and 4th highest peaks along Peninsula Malaysia. Ascending ind descending along the lange, we would icquain[ourselves better with Gunung Yong Blar (2181m), Gunung Gayong (2173n) and Gunung Korbu (2183m). Our expedition team of 10 members, 2 ladies and 8 strapping lads spent a day on Cam_eron Highlands resting and relaxing before embarking on the trail ahead. Coming from an arduous overnight bus ride from Singapore, this was a welcome relief for all. We spent bay "Zero" walking and exploring the many attractions of Cameron Highla'nds, from tea plantations to strawberry parks, rose garOens to fruit markets. The air was crisp and the weather was just perfect. Ending the day with a-nice steamboat, we eagerly iwaited the start of the expedition tomorrow, Sleeping on our hotel mattress proved to be very fulfilling, Our litfle walk in the woods begun after a short 4WD ride through a tea plantation and an old logging trail, From he.re on, we physically were on a slow but steady asc6nt to our first campsite, the summit of Gunung Yong Blar. Although the climb was pace than a slower We moved at climate. mountain cool the crisp enjoyed we thoroughly and were nign strenuous, our spirits permitted, for we stopped and space Where time us. around fauna floia and the gave appreciate us timeio normal and this we eventually and the longest to last was expected 1st day hike on the The and snacks. pictures and litle-breaks of chocolaies made it to our campsite on Yong Blar at 9pm. Tired, worn out and hungry, we made ourselves a warm meal before settling in for the night. Temperatures on the summit dropped below 20 degrees Celsius but thankfully, it did not rain.

The 2nd Day of the hike was mostly spent descending to a ravine campsite where a good water source was available. We were able to catch glimpses of the mountains and suriounding foothills as we traversed down from Yong Blar. Looking at the faraway hills and g[en'laden scenery gave me a sense of serenity and calmness. This was what I truly needed, away from Jacket the everyday dreiry routine of tutorials ind assignments. However, we were unfortunate to meet a few territorial Yellow good thing was a lt on his head! stung poor even was member One stings, us suffered wasps *nin O.r..i',ding and many of rice and chicken meal of a sumptuous dip and refreshing have a to was able we reached our campsiie early an-d everybody mushrooms, Our 3rd Day proved to be another challenging one as we had a long arduous trek ahead. The trail was also made worse by just to move on! Our pace was falling trees dnd overgro6h. There were repeated times where we had to crawl on our bellies spot for the night' The suitable find a however We did slowind we were unible to reach the summit of Gunung Gayong. about. weather was still wonderful and though tired, none of us had much to complain Today marked the most beautiful and scenic portion of our hike. As we traversed past Gunung Gayong and then Gunung Korbu, *Lr. repeatedly treated to the incredible sights of the Malaysian rainforest. Far off in the distance we could barely make could out the town of lpo'h and all around us were lush vegetation and the grand immensity of the rainforest. Looking back, we across and shouted make out the range we traversed on our way here and no camera was spared. We cheered each other on litle ravines at eaih other. Eventually we stopped for a nice and relaxing muesli lunch on Gunung Korbu. From here on, it was

mostly downhill and we were looking forward to getting out again. The last day of the hike was merely enjoying the stroll out to civilization. We had a few river crossings and spots where we could refresh ourselves before finaily r6abning an old logging trail and durian plantation. From here on, it was a merely a short ride away to lpoh where our bus wai waiting to deliver us back to Singapore. All in all, the trail was thoroughly enjoyable and pristine. inis was truly a memorable and wonderful journey. Clear weather on all days simply made everything a joy.

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