The Woods Camp - from both sides ...

ok--I really don't know where to begin. Guess I'll just write my opinion and the behind-the-scene parts.So I'll just start with  the ups and down sides. 

The Ups 

1) The Committee members --unlike the last camp, I wanted you all to RUN the whole activities with as little supervision as possible---AND YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB !

I would like to give a special  mention to Asraf here--he did a great job in being the pillar of strength at the camp. He ran  things professionally and yet never forget to consult me before any decision-making , options, problem or changing factors. He never assumed situations never take thing for granted.There were many situations where he and I actually sat down, discussed and decided . I actually get to see sides of him which I wouldn't know if it had been classroom conditions only.

Rodhi was involved right from the beginning and took it upon himself to keep me up to date about planning of the activities. Before the camp we were regularly in touch through the phones regarding many camp-related matter. And , being a good sport he was , didnt mind getting involved being a CM as well as a team member to make the crowd.

Kim and Afif and the others are are the silent heroes. They are there on camping days to make things work. Kim is loud and up-front and we can see him running the activities effectively ! But Afif is the quiet one who does his jobs and always there when you need him !

Wahida, Sharifa and Atiqah - thanks also for being there. They work silently in the background and were reliable throughout the camp ! Seeing them at the first collection point at Sri Rampai with pails, boxes and hampers, plus their own personal belongings certainly put a smile and confidence on my face. 

Oh --and a special mention here for Salina of class 23-24 for the poster and being chased by me until it was ready. In fact she was the FIRST student to contribute to the success of the camp. Thanks Salina.

I hope campers realise and appreciate how much of their time they spent preparing for all this !

Thank you --all of you !

2) The streams --- I could stay all day  (which I did ) and though I tried to fight it, I was the first to get in the water ! You get various type of streams, the pool, the 'rapids' the deep end and so on.

3)The clearings with tall trees being allowed to grow--it certainly gave the 'woods' effect !

4)The campers --who were all so sporting and took in all the set-backs (were there any?) in good spirit.

5)One particular camper (I will not mentioned the name but the person would know it), who, inspite of many reasons for the month of April , decided to come. And she had no friends at all. I sawher  sitting all alone nearly all the time on the first day . I encouraged her to move about , get to know people and kept her company whenever I see her alone. On the second day. I felt so good to see her having friends around her and she didn't sit on a rock alone with a diary and pencil by the stream  anymore !

6.The mood and spirit of the camp---the camaraderie spirit !

7) I should mentioned that Hari has been very entertaining at this camp. How could I ever forget his dance movement st the goggle football match, running to the wrong side to score a goal, kicking the air, running with that funny posture, . Man! Hari---this side of you I didn't see at all in the class ! In the college , you were so proper, well-behaved and obedient ! You certainly play a part to light up the camp !

8) Rodhi too is one who light up the camp - so very sporting and fun !

9) there were others who were just like the above and all of you contributed to make it fun and successful. Please forgive me if I didn't mention your name.

10) The transport . The bus driver is one which is reliable . (Its difficult to find such a driver) . He kept to his time and promise. On Saturday, at 7.10am I received an sms from him telling me that he was getting the bus started and would soon be on the way.  We agreed to meet at Sri Rampai at 7.45am and he was right there on the dot ! When he told me that he would be early on Sunday evening to pick us up, he arrived at 4.30pm although the agreed time was 5.00pm. He said that if we leave late, there would be a massive jam as picnickers would also be leaving for home. ( During Rock Camp--it took us one hour just to get to Batu Caves). That was why I wanted the exchanging of gifts and the closing ceremony to be short because we WERE running out of time as I promised the driver .

The Down-side

1) The heat ! aaaaarrrggghhhhh! It was unbearable to me. It seems to get right into your body and you feel like a barbequed meat !

2)The chalet --it was SO DUSTY  that it triggered my sinus . Everything I touched was dusty. I used my palm and hit the matteress a few time to test it and it was awful  awful awful. I could write a telephone number on the table  with my finger.(The last I felt that way was when I visited the Boa Tea Factory in Cameron Highland where the fine tea dust knocked me out for a few says.) I could take my medication but that would make me feel drowsy and I wouldn't be able to know whats happening. Although Kim said that I stayed too long in the water on the first day, he obviously didnt know at the last camp I stayed twice as long if not longer in the water. We even stayed in the muddy water in the  heavy rain for an hour before we went back !

3) The monkey 'shit' ---another aaarrrggghhhhh! . While the campers were 'pocopocoing' on Sunday morning I saw those stuff at the back of the hall where we used to sit the night before !

4)That I couldn't get 50 camper to complete the package and I couldn't fulfil the Jungle Trekking which I 'promised' campers when I was 'marketing' the event !

5) The huge 'lizard' -if you can call it that which gave me a shock and almost attacked me in the chalet on Saturday. The creature was about 1.5 meters and the width of the stomach was about 75 cm . In the evening I went in the bathroom of the chalet and I heard a 'thud thud' sound like someone hitting the wall. I thought it was Atif--when suddenly it jumped down from the ceiling and started running wild all over the bath-room. It wanted to get out but couldn't because I was standing at the door ! So I quickly moved back. It ran into the room and scrambled all ovet the bed and hitting the closed window trying to get out. I was scared out of my skin as it might attacked me either by biting me or hitting me with its massive tail  which I believe could break your bone if it did. It finall got out through the gap between the wall and the ceiling. I didn't tell anyone this as I didn't want to scare anyone -- not even to Atif or Suresh !

But , the next evening , Atif was telling me how he was walking to his chalet at 6.00am in the morning when he saw this massive creature outside my chalet. he wanted to take a photo but became scared when the craeture started to move like I described above. Only then did I tell him my experience too.

6) Of course the monkey in my chalet which was discovered by helas ! You have to ask him what happened. 

I guess all in all ---another great event ! I'll write more if I remember later.

By the way ---:::.alL aBoUt mY LiFe n iTs mY LiFe.::: --thanks for that gift - the book entitled 'Father's Wit " It was very sweet of you and I never expected it ! I started reading it while the enchanging of gifts was going on. Thanks again !