Saturday, August 09, 2008
♥ 9:25 PM
just came back from tekong. another out field to look forward this coming week from thursday to sat. sigh very SIAN ah!!!!!!!! don't really want to hear field camp this 2 words anymore and also must add in shell scrap.
had ippt the day before field camp started. manage to maintain my standard and cont to improve on my running time by slashing another min off my previous timing. soon abt to hit my personal best already. just to prepare for my 2.4 went to run 20 rounds around my company line non-stop. shall make it a habit to do this each time before ippt.
did rear scout on the first day of our field camp. i think being rear scout during route march quite fun because you can go on your own pace and also get to interact with your sergeant. got to know my sergeant better during this whole route march on the first day. but i must say is a killer this 8 click route march. withe extra items quite tiring. first time feel my left hand went numb during the march.
straight after the route march a few mins of rest we started setting up our tents. very troublesome and i think probably my platoon was the last one to finish setting up. first day can say a bit shiong.
2nd day we had our movement drills. this day quite relaxing. after lesson we were break up to platoon level then to section level. basically we jus carry out our movement drills. basically we just sit down under the tree hide under the shade and just talk to our sergeant who is really a very nice guy. when night time came we had our night test which i think everybody pass.
3rd day was just more movement drill and also carry out urban operation. also quite a relaxing day sit inside the building have lunch talk to sergeant and rest. on this day my friends and myself we did something which cannot be revealed. bring a little thrill into your life but also put fear in your life also. if ever caught thats it for us. we will be hanged haha.
however 4th day we needed to pack up and move to another camp site. the tactical route march is a killer. the order of move for that day was platoon 1, 2, 3 and lastly 4. as the last platoon, we were proning down for probably an hour, high kneel for 30 mins run 2.4 with our rifle and LBV just waiting for the front platoon to move.
probably half way there we were finally allowed to break from the company and just tactical march in platoon level. in between we were given rest and time to fill up our bottle. everybody was totally tired because as the last platoon we got to wait for signal before we move off. by the then the platoons in front will be already walking so far front we have to double up jus to keep up with them. thank God our OC is a nice person who really take care of the recruits here.
rested a bit at the new camp site before we started on our fresh ration before we start our shell scrap (not sure is this spelling). well is super tough no wonder grave digger earn alot i guess. started at about 2.20 finished it in 4 hours. but not very standard needed to touch up a bit here and there. this 4 hours under the blazing sun is a killer. many times you will feel like just giving up and not cont. but the thought of no place to sleep in keep spurring me to cont with my digging. rewarded myself with a can of ice latte of course is not chill.
when night fall i was so tired went to change immediately and sleep in my shell scrap. that day had to wake up at 4am to do sentry duty. nth much to guard quite slack also.
5th day of field camp i was the enemy during our movement test. had 400 blank rounds at my disposal. quite fun to be enemy but also because the commanders in charge of the station make my life easy also as compared to some of my friends. the test took very long!!! i only manage to finish mine like close to 5 i think. by then it was starting to drizzle. quickly make my way back to camp site because i was feeling dehydrated. suddenly it started to pour very heavily.
thank God for good buddy. my malay buddy help me to candy wrap my field pack while i was still making my way back to camp site. this day was really really really very bad. instructions were not pass down well. at the end of the day i was soaking wet very wet. OC made the decision to leave the camp site for a new camp site to turn in the for the day.
upon arrving at the new camp site we were told to lay down the groundsheet cause we are sleeping there we no shelter. there were lightning still. we were told to change out powder bath and jus prepare for RO and slp. the next thing we know we were told to pack up cause there is a change of camp site again. quite frustrating! move over to the next camp site lay down ground sheet. by then i was already very tired and i see no point in changing out and also i have no more dry clothes.
upon reaching there took out my boots change to sandals i went to sleep. probably 30 - 45 mins i was ask to wake up and prepare to fall in for RO and water parade. after this i was back lying down preparing to slp when i got news that they are planning to shift camp site again. by then it was like 10 already.
news came and it was confirmed we are going back to company line to slp. rush to change back and leave the camp site. started pouring heavily again. soaking wet again! upon reaching company line i was already very tired and very angry. RO was fast and by 2310 i guess i was already lying down preparing to slp with my dirty muddy uniform.
that night probably is the worst time to slp. the whole place was so cold. woke up in the middle of the night to look for my gortex jacket. even with that on, my hands were shaking my teeth were clattering. remind me when i was in japan for hol.
when dawn came everybody was happy because that was the last day of field camp and we will be booking out. last day had only BIC to look forward to. the course was tough had to leopard crawl back crawl. thank God i manage to finish it.
spend the whole day in company line cleaning up the store items and cleaning my rifle. another frustrating time because all of us were looking forward to go and bathe after 6 days of no bathing. but we were made to rush like mad to get ready to leave rocky hill. some of my friends did not even manage to bathe while i caught a quick shower before falling in for last parade.
generally i think for me this is the first time camping out. i am not those very outdoor type of person. but i must really thank God that i manage to finish this 6 days. first camp site everyday i wake up with a very sore back ache as the ground was uneven and rocky. last day at the first camp site 3 ppl sleep in one tent. is really a nice exp to get down and dirty and actually sleep at your own shell scrap and thinking i actually dig this whole thing up myself.
also during my 6 days there i think or rather i am very sure my platoon is the most bless because we did not get much tekan from our commanders. listening to stories like how tough and fierce your commanders will be during field camp really will bring some fear. but i think my field camp is quite easy. all those times when i was tired out was because of the activities and not because of any tekan from my commanders. looking at other platoon i thank God that i am in platoon 4.
also during my stay there my malay buddy very good. despite diff religion he always respect me when i ask him that can i pray and all that. other then all the rash, brusies, injuries God really protected me there.
the combat ration is really wow cannot make it except for the porridge. this 6 days camp lose abt 3-4kg. becoming more and more skinnier like some POW like that.
reached back home abt 9 plus. had dinner rest up a bit before deciding to catch mummy 3 with ch, gordon and van. wanted to catch the 1.45am show at cathay but could not. end up watching the 3am show at cineleisure.
i must say this movie is not very fantastic as compare to the first 2. quite dry the story line. ch was already sleeping. shut my eyes during the yeti fight. tired out by the field camp. well the only redeeming point of the whole movie is probably at the end where the fighting took place.
after movie play a few rounds of bridge in the car before we made our way to bugis mcdonald for breakfast follow by some more bridge and dai dee. kindda enjoy the fellowship even though i was extremely tired. hard to like find ppl go out for late night movie and then stay back for breakfast and just fellowship.
by the time i reached home it was close to 8 decide not to slp. read the papers and surf the net. abt 10.30 i was out of my hse again to go run errands with my mom for family dinner. at the same time had lunch with her and my twin bro. went down to orchard area to get everything.
aft that went down to tiong bahru to get lunch for my big bro and dad. from there made our way back. was behind the wheel the whole day. on my part i knew i was very tired. but i did not sound out. so at about shenton area nearing ecp entrance my eyes shut and i lost focus. ram into the curb almost ram into the side railing. that woke me up. first time such thing happen. thank God that the car behind was quite far and after that i was fast to quickly drive off.
Thank God nth serious happen to my mom or brother. really thank God for HIs protection. thank God also never damage the car as well. upon reaching home went to take a nap. woke up at abt 7 for dinner together with my family.
looking back the years i think my family really bonded alot as me and my brothers got older. even though we have our own plan and all that but we try to make it for family gathering when there is one. kindda weird to say this but i find that as the year goes by we are becoming more and more like a family shld be!
had plans to run after dinner but upon looking at my feet, realise my feets are bleeding. got foot rot, still thinking whether anot to book in tmrw anot or go get mc.
looks like now also not much good movie. i think the next few book out i won't be spending much time in the cinema unless there are good movies.
need to mention this..happy birthday Ryan Tay Chai Huat! will make it up to you. nowadays in camp hard to find time to spend your birthday. hope you have a great belated birthday!
well if can wake up early tmrw shall go and jog before i attend the 10am svc.
i must say this movie is not very fantastic as compare to the first 2. quite dry the story line. ch was already sleeping. shut my eyes during the yeti fight. tired out by the field camp. well the only redeeming point of the whole movie is probably at the end where the fighting took place.