A Camping Trip

It was Sunday morning at the campsite. The Science Society had embarked on a 2
days and 1 night outdoor experience camp at Santubong Cocurriculum Headquater. I had
butterflies in my stomach as we were sorted into two big groups and my good friends and I
were all separated. This was no wonder as we were supposed to mix around with our
schoolmates while we appreciate the beauty of nature and at the same time to learn more
about the flora and fauna species found there.
After the introductions and briefing of the camp, we started off with some real good
outdoor experience which the whole society members were waiting for. My toes were
tingling, wondering how it would go. Some of the first daring schoolmates did flying foxes
from such a great height of 3 storeys. The rest of us cheered for every single one of them
whenever they flew down the rope as if like a flying fox indeed! Following that, we did
some lower elemental rope courses and I managed to complete some of them. Although my
arms were aching, I was pushed on by all my group mates and I persevered till the very
end. My efforts were not in vain. Although I was not a good sport, my coat of awkwardness
eventually fell away.
In the late afternoon, we were assigned in groups to build a raft from 4 barrels and 6
poles and carried it out to sea. My group rafting was a success as twelve members could sit
on the raft, floating on the sea without fail. I had never seen my entire group members so
bonded before; everyone did their part faithfully with enthusiasm. Shouts and tears of
laughter and joy filled the surroundings though our tired faces showed otherwise. As dusk
appeared, we had a night activity. All of us were blindfolded, following one another through
obstacles such as climbing down the stairs and crawling under tables. We lost contact a few
times, being tugged forward and backward at the same time and I almost got strangled. It
seemed that by the time it was lights out, we were so tired to even think about the next day.
The next morning, the sun was shining brightly and the sweet tune of birds chirping
merrily greeted us as we went for jungle trekking. This activity not only gave the rush of
adrenaline but also built our stamina. All of us were fascinated at seeing the wild animals,
plants and rich biodiversity found in Malaysia. The flora and fauna were very beautiful and
colourful. My friend, Aishah, screamed as she saw a huge millipede. We all burst into tears
and decided to take photographs of this unique experience. It was cool and refreshing to be
in the vegetation. The fresh air that surrounds the area was good for us to recover from the
hustle and bustle of the city of life. It is a pity this vegetation is facing greater danger of
being at lost to development. Many people do not realize that it is a real gem in the jungle.
We returned to the campsite in the late afternoon to pack and go back home.
I had mixed feelings when I realized I was going to miss everything about this camp. A
part of me wanted to at least stay for one more day while another part of me decided to go
home. Before we left, we cleaned up the campsite and once our jobs were complete, we
bade farewell to one another. As the darkness started to roll in, I looked at the campsite for
the last time with fondness of the memories and enriching experiences full of good values I
had and headed home. It was such a memorable trip that I would never forget.