NIKE JOURNAL

24th December:

Time now is 12.45 am, and I'm writing down this Journal during an expedition.

I guess you could say I wanted to keep my memory fresh as it is,

so there is no better time to log down everything that happened,

than on the night of the day itself..

Just before one closes his eyes, and prepares his mind for the very next day,

he gotta look at what happened today, and reflect on everything that happened..

So lets start all the way to the very morning of today:

I woke up, around eight and started packing my stuff for the expedition..

Booties, SealineBag, Whistle, Hammock, Clothes, Hat & everything else I could think of..

I went through the list over and over again, making sure I'm not forgetting anything.

And once everything was nicely packed, I grab a slice of cake and left my house..

Looking at the time then, I was quite shocked..

For its one of the rare occasions, I'm actually early instead of being late like I usually do..

But alas, when I'm finally early, all my friends turned out late.. Well, not all, but most..

Sometimes it sets me thinking, if this is a trial from god..

Maybe its time I start getting use to being early, so that one day it will all pay off.. =D

Okay, after waiting for quite some time, we eventually decided to cab down to PM..

Since its less troublesome, saves time, plus it was raining heavily by that time..

Once we reached poly marina, the rain just keep getting worse and worse..

But for us, a little rain is not going to stop us.. The preparation has to be done..

Things might be a little messy then, but with a little initiative from everyone,

everything went according to schedule and we managed to set off as planned.. =D

From PM, we separated into 3 groups and set off for Sembawang via different route..

Grp1: Went to Sembawang with the lorry, which carried all kayaks and equipments.

Grp2: Went to Sembawang via the powerboats.

Grp3: Went to Sembawang, while making a huge detour to get food and some other stuffs..

Well, needless to say, I went with the third group, along with 3 other friends..

We first walked to West Coast Sheng Siong to buy the motivational foods..

Then, we took a bus to Clem. MRT and transferred to train, all the way to Sem. MRT

Once there, we walked around the area and purchased food at different coffee shops..

And when all the orders are checked, we went to the interchange and waited for the bus.

The bus brought us all the way to the entrance of Sem. Park,

but we still have to walk quite a distance in to our campsite..

At Sembawang Park, Grp 1 was the first to reach. By the time we arrive,

all the equipments have been unloaded and most of them were already resting..

I thought we could rest a while as well before Grp 2 arrives,

but it was not more than 5 min before we received a call from them..

I knew then, its was time for the next Job..

We spent the next hour or so, pushing and pulling before bringing all the boats ashore..

Thereafter, I spent much time alone, looking after the boats, enjoying the winds..

Started cooking my dinner around seven and finished eating at eight..

Plain old maggie mee, with mushroom seasoning, plus a can of prickled lettuce..

After dinner, I set up my hammock across two trees and started slacking..

Bath time was a little after that, and it was more slacking that follows..

Managed to get a few calls across, and I knew this was gonna fuel me for the next few days to come.. Signing off now, at 3 am..

-Ok, here come the dumb part.. After the first night, I was too damm tired to write down the Journal on the Second and Third night, so what ever there is gonna be logged down might not be as freshed.. But regardless, I'm still gonna do it, lest my memory fails me-

25th December

Woke up from my short sleep, and start to pack my stuff..

Keep the hammock, brush my teeth, pack my SealineBag..

Thereafter, I started packing the equipments for the boats..

In the mean time, a few people took turns and brought breakfast down to me..

Really thankful for their efforts, and appreciative..

Breakfast was French Toast, something we don't usually have for expedition..

Just tell me how much efforts they really put into planning the food..

After breakfast, time to get serious..

In the next hour or so, we did a couple of things, fast and efficiently..

Pushed the boats back into the sea, and load it..

Prepared our kayaks, and launched it..

Get into formation, and we were all set and ready to go..

Non stop paddling, and chatting all the way to Changi..

Okay, maybe a little break in between now and then.. =D

Well, my partner for the day was Guo Shu,

A chinese girl, my senior by 3 yrs, lesser relative experience, but full of spirit..

Well, at least I wasnt bored kayaking with her..

Anyway, we finished that day worth of paddling pretty soon,

and then it was time to set up camp at Changi..

We unloaded all the things from the boat,

set up a few hanging lines and the three tents we brought along..

Those who have hammock went on with their stuff and tied them up..

Thereafter, it was time for bathing and sleeping..

Nothing much that night and sentry was carried out as per normal..

26th December

Woke up and did practically nothing..

Had pancakes for breakfast which was also awesomely prepared by the food com..

Then, we were separated into 3 groups again..

Grp1: Set off for round ubin, with all the kayaks, and only 1 power boats..

Grp2: Sef off for the nearest super market and bought bbq food..

Grp3: Land support, assigned to look after stufss.. Practically sleeping..

Well, as of day 1, I fell into grp 3.. and really did nothing..

I continue eating breakfast until I finish the pancake mix..

And then I tied a hammock in the hut and started sleeping.. zZzzZzzzZ

Well, everything was fine at the start..

Communication was on with the Sea Side, and the weather was fine..

Then, we start to lose communication, and phone was also on and off connection..

And after bout a hour or so, the weather start to turn bad.. really bad..

Before it rained, I managed to keep all the laundry that was hanged up the previous day..

I shifted a little equipments, and brought one blue tarp over from the boat side..

And just before we starting building a make shift shelter,

It started raining.. The cold wind accompanied by the needle-like rain drops..

Though we managed to build a temporary shelter, it wasnt blocking any of that..

Basically, I screw up when it got cold, and wasnt thinking straight..

And it took me a while before I decided to change the shelter to another type..

Tsk, man.. What happened to all that preparedness and urgency..

I think I'm rusty le bah.. Really really need to set my mind back on track..

Just a short while after the shelter was rebuilt, me and cs left to collect more food..

We took bus, drenched from head to toe, with strong air con, to tampines..

Walked to cs's mom and dad store, collected all the necessary stuff and left..

This time, we took a taxi back to Changi..

On the way back, we were so cold and hungry that we ended up eating the food we collected..

Bee hon, mock duck, mock pork, mock everything..

We just kept on eating and eating..

By the time we reached back at Changi, 10% of the food was gone.. LOL..

But it was still okay, Since most of it was just vege food..

And there was alot more for meat eaters.. tsk..

After we reached back, the drizzle continues for a while more till the Sea Side returned..

We helped them unloaded, and sent them all to bath..

I stayed behind to look after the boats for them..

And went on to bath when the juniors return..

Dinner later on was the bbq, and alot of dumb stuff happens..

Main point: Regardless of any unhappiness, everything was worth it when everyone was having fun in the end, food was sufficient.. Hola!!

Night time: Juniors sentry, seniors all sleep.. After all, tml they all boat..

Oh yea, this time I slept on the floor because I was too lazy to tie a hammock. =D

27th December

Woke up, brushed, washed my face, and shitted, all at different toilets..

Went back after all that was done and then I start helping out with breakfast..

Sandwich with egg, cucumber, tomato and cheese.. A little mayo as well..

All the sandwich was packed nicely into small packets.. With a little sticker..

Well, this is really the first time I've eaten something like this for a expedition..

Really the becoming the best food com ever in the history of SPA.. LOL..

After breakfast, we started packing everything..

Boats were pushed in and loaded with equipments..

Kayaks were allocated and people started disembarking..

And then, comes the next few hours of hell..

The distance generally wasn't the problem... It lies with the tide and waves..

The side current caused us a lot of problems by constantly pushing us to the wrong directions..

I started to get pissed, but I slowly clam my self down..

In the end, I still used alot of brute strength..

And my partner of that day was VERONICA!!

Haha, not say she is a bad partner, she was paddling just as much as I did..

Well, at least i got another person who would talk with me.. And keep me entertained.. =D

The bad news was that the fark-tup current stayed with us all the way till ECP..

And when we saw the beach, we were really happy,

like when u finally saw the end of the light in a tunnel, you've been crawling in for 10 yrs..

At ECP, we start unloading the kayaks and boats of everything that wasnt needed..

Then we started carrying all the stuff to the lorry, which was some distance away..

Loaded them all up the lorry the same we did when it was transported to Sem. Park.

This time, we were split into 2 groups only..

Grp1: Went with the boat travel to pm via sea..

Grp2: Went with the lorry travel to pm via land..

Well, I went with grp2, sat on the lorry with a bunch of alums, and talk cock all the way..

We shared experience, no.. They shared their experience with us mostly..

And I was just listening most of the time.. Opens me up to another point of view in life..

Anyway, we reached pm pretty fast and started unloading the stuffs..

Once down, we started washing what ever we could immediately..

Firstly was kayaks, then paddles, then PFDS and then Skirts..

Just when those were about done, Grp 1 arrives..

The second wave of washing thus begun..

We washed the boats, messtins, groudsheets, tents, blue tarp and everything else..

Took us a long long long long time, and by the time everyone was washed as well,

it was about 7 to 8.. And we slowly make our way to the bus-stop..

I guess NIKE was officially over after the debrief somewhere before we bath,

and thereafter people started to leave one by one..

Well, we didnt have the usual gathering after an expedition,

but I assume it was just because everyone was tired..

Hmmm, just glad that everyone was willingly to spend this few days of the holidays,

to make this NIKE a success, for our SAW YAO SHENG, who did so much..

Hey buddy, good job.. Cheers..

Signing off after so much typing, for those who read, please tag me..
I'll be really glad..

-cont-