___3GRACE'08 Taman Negara Experience & Reflections + Information about Taman Negara

In the morning, we had field cooking. It was a first time experience for many, but the class managed to cook a healthy and hearty breakfast for themselves. The breakfast included 4 pieces of bread, 4 hotdogs, 4 eggs, and some butter and kaya for the bread. It wasn't what we would have deemed as a scrumptious breakfast, but it did at the very least last us through the morning. =D All of us had fun preparing our own breakfast and it might also be the first time for many blessed PHS students!

when will you be ready to fill our stomachs???

aiyo, what happened to the mess tins??

hmm, looks edible but not the chaota part...

looks quite delicious...

the breakfast looks appetizing?

great that we still have roti to save

the breakfast that was ruined..

After an hour or so of eating and washing up, the first activity of the day began. Our group, consisting of 3 classes, was split into 2. The first group went for caving, while the other went for abseiling. Our group got to go for abseiling first, and it sure was a hair-raising experience!

it's time to clean up!

Some of the 'brave' students decided to go first, so they put on their harness and helmet. Then, they were led up a very, very steep slope. Many slipped while climbing up the slope, due to the damp soil. So, in order to minimize the chances of us rolling down the slope, we had to hold on to skinny tree trunks and some rope that was tied to them. We helped each other along the way and realised the hidden "gentlemen-ness" of the guys in our class!:D

briefing given by the instructors on how to wear the harness & helmet

After managing to climb up the rope, we were greeted by some huge boulders and 2 trainers/instructors. Mosquitoes were aplenty in the area, and we had to wait for our turn to abseil down. The trainers/instructors were very friendly and helpful, and never failed to encourage us to press on. On top of that, we also had our fellow classmates cheering and waiting for us at the base of the cliff! Minor accidents did happen on the way, but everybody managed to finish the activity safe and sound.

all ready to set off!!

cheering our classmates on!

yay! congrats on successful landing!

For lunch, we had a balanced meal and everybody was satisfied. Our next activity was caving, so we went to change into the proper attire. In order to reach the caves, we had to trek a distance through the jungle. Luckily, a path was already 'carved out' for us, and everybody followed in an orderly manner to the cave entrance.

Upon entering, we had to make our way through a 'hole' at the side of the cave. The first thing that some of us managed to touch was mud, as the cave was moist and damp. After a while of crawling and careful walking, we were greeted by a beautiful scenery. It was truly a sight to behold, as it was something that you would only be able to see if you went there.

Then, after some time of walking, it was time to leave the cave. However, it was a long way down, as we had to slide and trek VERY carefully through the cave, as it was very steep and slippery. Some had bruises and cuts on their hands, but nobody was seriously injured. There was a student with a sprained ankle, who even managed to go through the whole activity. Kudos to him!

One thing that did manage to surprise us though, was the smell and sight of bat guano. The floor was littered with bat guano in this area, and we had to shine our torches on the floor to make sure that we weren't stepping on bat guano. Also, some people got bitten by leeches on their legs and hands, and some even on their torso, but these were easily taken care of by the teachers and trainers.

After exiting the cave, we had to trek the same route back and walk back to the camp site.
It was pretty tiring, but we felt that it was a worthwhile experience as we saw and learnt many new things.

The Scenery!

other parts of the caves..

As the sun started to set, we quickly went back to the caves to pack our belongings and got ready to board the bus to the hostel. Then, out of the blue, it started to rain. Luckily for us, there were shelters around the area, and the classes huddled together to prevent themselves from getting wet from the rain. Now that's what i call class spirit. =D

yay! we've reached the Tekkam Plantation Resort!

After the short journey to the hostel, we started to unpack everything and checked out the area. It was a pretty decent place, and there were double-deck beds for us to sleep on. 16 people shared a bunk, and there were 8 double-deck beds in it. Wardrobes were also provided, but not many used them, as they thought that it was too much of a hassle to take out their things and pack them again 2 days later.

here're the boys' bunks!

The girls were lucky and they got to stay in chalets due to a shortage of bunks. The boys were rather jealous and couldn't stop whining! Not long after, they decided to give up as their whining was not getting them anywhere!

listening attentively to the piece of good news!

Yipee! we've got chalets!

hooray! our chalets!

So, very soon, we had dinner in a canteen, and then the preparation for rafting which was on the next day. We learnt how to tie a clove hitch, which hopefully, will come in useful the next day!

demonstrating how to tie a clove hitch...

Lights out was around 11, and so we quickly showered. The bathrooms weren't exactly usable, as many things were broken. Only 2 cubicles had shower heads, and 1 of them was clogged. Others decided to use the 'basins' of water located near the taps, and you had to use a scoop to pour water onto your body.

It was a pretty tiring day for us, but everybody was happy that they would be able to sleep on a proper bed for the night.

And here, it ended the second day of our Taman Negara Trip 2008...