yes, i'm back.. and with my badge!! (thank goodness).. outta the 104, only 55 managed to get it.. this makes it even more precious.. the previous frame that went for the jungle confidence course managed to acheive a 100% pass.. wow.. gotta say, this trip wasn't an easy one.. made me discover lots about myself and the people around me.. during the Escape and Evasion phase of the JCC, my detail spent a couple of days walking in a river.. really memorable.. kinda like those war movie scenes u sometimes see on tv.. from ankle deep water to that exceeding human height, we've braved them all.. we spent 4 days out in the wilderness, before we finally made it to the extraction site.. one of the most exhilarating part was when i came face to face with a full grown female Wagler's pit viper.. it was beautiful! my friend just stepped over it without realising it was there.. i was just behind him when i slithered out of the undergrowth.. i just sat there and glanced at me.. i motioned the other guys to bypass it from the side while i keep the snake busy.. one bite from this little bugger and things would become rather unpleasent.. although the venom is rarely deadly, a bite would definitly require us to call for a heli-evacuation.. during Ex Chillhermit, the survival phase of the JCC, i decided to keep a journal.. Chillhermit provided me with an avenue for self discovery.. here goes..
Ex Chillhermit Day 1, 141204
Started work at about 9 am. Spent the entire day building my 'A' frame. Chopped down lots of timber. Vines were quite hard to find but i guess i was luckier than the guys around me. Managed to get hold of some of the thick and good ones. Been outfield for so many days (Ex Chillbone), starting to miss home and civilisation. Haven't eaten much at all, less than 01 x 24hr ration for the past 5 days plus a few cups of milo during the transition window. 5 more days to go before the end of JCC. Can't wait for it to end. Rained at about 4pm all the way into the wee hours of the morning. No shelter up yet on my 'A' frame. Can't complain. At least i don't have to sleep on the floor like some of the slower dudes. Wet and cold. So cold.. Shivered uncontrollably through the night. I want to go home..
Ex Chillhermit Day 2, 151204
Woke up wet and cold at about 5.30am. Didn't want to do any work. =( the effects of hunger are getting to me. A week without a proper meal does alot to one. Tired, lazy. But i can't ust stone e day away. Tml's reward day. Gotta build enough structures to earn a little bit of makan (hopefully sweet potato, tapioca and yam). Hope that i doesn't rain tonight. As for now, e shelter's half thatched. lots more work to do. =(... Ok.. finally finished the roof of my 'A' frame. Was racing against time as the rainclouds approached.. Edgar spent the night at my 'A' frame coz he didn't have a shelter to hide under. Spent much of the night talking about home, food and fun. Miss civilisation. I want to go home.. =( Rained the whole darn night. thank god for my shelter..
Ex Chillhermit Day 3, 161204
Rewards day. The instructors wre expected to come at 12pm. Spent the whole morning rushing my bird trap and monitor lizard trap. The instructors finally came a 2pm. Was rewarded with some fern, half a tapioca, a slice of sweet potato and a slice of yam. Spent the entire afternoon cooking my meal. It was frustrating getting the fire to start. The food tasted ok, considering that i haven't eaten for ages. Didn't eat much though.. gonna be a long day tml.. Must finish up my firplace, improve my traps and make a step for my 'A' frame.. At least.. Want to make sure i get this badge. So far, close to 50% of the pple had been chopped.. shucks.. depressing but true.. i'm not gonna let all this effort go down the drain.. miss home lots.. no way am i gonna ever come to brunei for a holiday.. =( I WANT REAL FOOD!! Gonna slack the rest of the night away. i know i can secure a pass for my JCC le.. not that i'm being cocky or complacent.. i'll do as much as i can tml.. just need 9.5% more to pass, which means 19/100 for Chillhermit. i think i've attained that already. This notebook and pen are my only companion now. Just sitting here in my 'A' frame, drizzling outside. hope that it doesn't get any heavier. =( hope it stops altogether. i've had enough of being wet. i've been so for the past 8 days. if its gonna rain till day 11, i'm gonna flip! Argh! Darn rain! My feet/hands are covered with scratches, insect bites and other wounds. i've slept in mud, in rain, in cold, with leeches, ants and sandflies.. argh.. -_-" sometimes i ask myself if this is all worth it.. making myself suffer like this. Dump me here for weeks, i can take it.. but i just don't want to.. tml's day 4 of Chillhermit, a full day of work. Day 5, final assessment and tearing down of everything except for my 'A' frame. Day 5 night, sleep in my 'A' frame till Day 6 morning, after which i destroy my 'A' frame and proceed for my combat swim across Sungei Batu Apoi.. JCC graduation's on that day too.. 20th Dec, admin, 21st Dec, rest and recreation + flight home at 5 am on 22nd! can't wait.. i want to go home.. i want to bathe and shave too..
Ex Chillhermit Day 4, 171204
Got to be one of the worst day in hermit. Been feeling real week and stuff. Almost fainted when i bent down to pick up a stick. Lucky i was next to my 'A' frame or i would have fallen to the ground. Feeling darn crappy now.. can hear thunder in the distance. Sigh. No mood to write.
Ex Chillhermit Day 5, 181204
feeling abit better after a night's rest. A sense of paranoia shrouded me. Now i'm having doubts about even getting 20 points for Chillhermit. Don't know why.. Whatever it is, as long as i qualify fot the badge, i'm happy.. just looked myself in my pocket mirror.. haggard and thin.. facial hair overgrown.. never had it so long before.. look like a vagrant.. Assessment day today.. fingers crossed. After e assessment can slack the whole day le.. gotta be up extra early tml to tear down my 'A' frame before i got for combat swim and then return to Lakiun Camp. Dread the admin that we've got to attend to.. rush, rush, rush.. It's 181204 today.. tml's combat swim + graduation ceremony, 20th is admin, 21st is R&R, 22nd go home!! I haven't had a warm night for a long time. All these days sleeping outfield's been miserably cold and wet. i've learnt to appreciate so many things that i've taken for granted all my life.. like food.. miss my family, friends and all possessions that i have in my comfy civilian life. down here, i live with the bare minimum, maybe even less.. the ropes i use to tie my structures are all vines. everything that i've used came from the forest and are 100% biodegradable.. wow.. nature provides but its diffcult nonetheless.. thank goodness its ending.. these couple of weeks away from home feels like eternity.. wonder how i'd feel when i step off the plane at changi airport.bet its gonna be great..
waiting for my turn to be inspected now.. feel kinda non-chalant about it now.. what is done, is done.. just waiting to be judged and graded. not hoping for much.. just pass can le.. once e assessor's done, can relax and rest for e entire day.. bleah.. 3 days before i head home!!
Assessment over le.. went ok i guess.. LTA Tiger came to judge.. thank goodness its not some Lakiun camp instructor.. 15 mins before i can drink my water.. Puritab takes 30mins to render e stream water i've just collected drinkable.. boots darn muddy. starting to pack up now.. gotta be at extrication point by 6am tml morning for combat swim.. at last.. Chillhermit's over.. looks like i'd most likely get my JCC badge.. fingers crossed.. JCC gonna end loh!!
chiyu
