XSeed Combined Camp 2009

4 – 6 December 2009

My experience at SMUX Xseed Combined Camp 09/10 was good fun at a good price. The $250 each participant has to pay was reasonable for transport, accommodation and all the activities that were listed.

The ‘Pain(t)-Ball’ arena was spacious and appropriate for our group, and it was good fun coordinating together, trying to capture the flag from the other team and all of us enjoyed the paintball session.

The next activity was Wind tunneling at Genting Highlands. I never knew such a sport existed till the Combined Camp. The instructors at the site were able to teach us the skills to wind tunneling in a short time. I started my first try at wind tunneling cautiously, focused on trying to balance myself against the high speed wind. With guidance from the instructor, we were able to perform maneuvers inside the wind tunneling chamber after awhile. It was an excellent first time experience.

On the second day, we arrived at Sunway Lagoon for the Go-Kart session. Since we had a full pass at Sunway Lagoon, we were able to explore the Adventure park and tried out different stations like the ‘Flying Fox’ and ‘Reverse Bungee’ as the Go-Kart station could only not accommodate all 30 of us at a go.

Our last stop for the trip was the fabulous dinner at a seafood restaurant located in JB. The food was naturally cheaper as compared to Singapore, we ordered dish after dish as though it was buffet-like and had a sumptuous meal which consisted of different cooking styles of crabs, and other seafood delicacies.

I must thank SMUX and the Organising Committee for the Combined Camp. Without the Organising Committee, the event would not have been such a success, and without the SMUX XSeed Team, there wouldn’t be alternative adventure sports catered for the SMU Community!

Written by:
Chua Kim Yong
Participant
XSeed Combined Camp 09/10

Gunung Lambak

8^th December 2009

ICs: Lee Meng Yong, Rachel Wong, Lee Hui Ling

On the 8^th December 2009, 23 of us went to Gunung Lambak, located at Kluang Johor Bahru for a day trek. After we crossed the customs, we went for breakfast at Johor before heading to Gunuug Lambak itself.

It was a 2 hour ride from the breakfast place to the starting point of the 510m Gunung Lambak.

We all carried our small daypacks with our day supply of water and our lunches. The weather was fine the whole time, as the afternoon sun was shining intensely at us.

After doing our warm-up exercises, spraying our insect repellants and applying sun-screen lotion, we finally began our climb together.  This trek was relatively difficult to some of us as there were quite a lot of steep slopes which we had to climb. Thankfully, there were neither leeches nor mud to accompany us for this trek.

After about 1 and a half hour of climbing, we reached the peak!

Everyone happily settled down at the pavilion for their picnic lunch. Since the sun was scorching hot, we preferred to stay in the pavilion instead of spreading our groundsheets on the camp site.

A variety ranging from home-made sandwiches, healthy fruits, sausages, sushi and the very typical energy bars were brought for this trek. With everyone sharing their food and chatting together, indeed it was a nice moment to remember.

We then satisfied our desire of taking pictures, by taking pictures with the beautiful view of Kluang village from the peak.

The walk down was not difficult as there were trees nearby to hold on. Eventually, we reached the base of Gunung Lambak and we all boarded the mini-buses to head for our greatly anticipated SEAFOOD DINNER @ Taman Sentosa Market. After our sumptuous meal, we headed back for home.

Written by:
Rachel Wong
Trek Organizer
Gunung Lambuk 2009

Gunung Yong Yap

11th-15th dec 2009
ICs: Warren Tuan, Kenneth Tan, Alan Yong, Lee Hui Ling

Day 1 & 2
We gathered at Kranji MRT at 1800 and headed towards Larkin Bus station, ate our dinner there and finally left for Ipoh in our bus at 10.15pm. We only reached Ipoh in the next morning at 4.45am.
After having our super early breakfast at the nearby McDonald’s we took the bus all the way to Lasah town, where we boarded the two 4WD waiting for us. The ride from Lasah to Kuala Mu is incredibly bumpy and if it’s raining you will feel cold. There is a risk of the 4WD overturning as well.
We reached Kuala Mu at about 1145 and had lunch and used our last proper toilet for the next 3 days. We set off on the trek at about 1230 in high spirits. The trek is accompanied by plenty of thorny plants, bamboo deadfalls, with trails of heavily overgrown vegetation.
The rest of the trek to the first campsite was more normal jungle terrain, albeit much of it overgrown and we waited for the guides to clear it before we could pass. Finally, we reached the campsite within 5 hours. The campsite is big enough for 4 or 5 tents to fit in comfortably. There is a knee-deep stream near the campsite.

Day 3

The next day we woke up at 630am and started off at 815am to continue our climb up to the peak. We aimed to reach the peak by 3pm. At Around 1pm we had a water break, while some of us headed down a super steep slope to refill our bottles from a ‘nearby’ river.

Some parts of the trek have a nice Lord of the Rings feel to it, with all the mossy forest and light streaming through the forest.

We finally reached the summit and started cam-whoring with the beautiful view, set up the basha, tents and we managed to finish cooking dinner before nightfall. Night brought on freezing winds and shooting stars. The night sky was a beautiful sight indeed, but most of us were freezing due to the inappropriate jackets we brought for the trek.

Day 4

We woke up early at 430 with the aim of leaving the summit at 6. The route down was very steep and we made fairly slow progress as some did not bring along headlamps. The trek downhill to Kuala Mu was tiring and even painful for some. It started to rain during the last half an hour of the trek. It also made us realize how lucky we were that there was no rain till the very last part of the trek.

When we finally reached Kuala Mu at about 430, we were thoroughly soaked, shagged and longed for civilization. First though, we had to take the 3-hour hell ride again. The rain made the logging path even worse and we were told that another 4-wheel drive had overturned earlier. We were also told to jump out if we felt that our vehicle was about to overturn.

Luckily, no accidents occurred and we made it back to Lasah at about 730pm safe and sound, albeit shivering and suffering from leg cramps after the ride. The school bus appeared shortly after and sent us on our way to Ipoh. We negotiated with the bus driver to send us to our dinner place and then to send us to our hotel. We ate at a chicken and tau geh restaurant at the junction of Jalan Sehala and Jalan Yau Tet Sin. After that we headed towards our hotel, The Majestic.

Day 5

In the morning, we had breakfast at the hotel before heading for the train station. The train is significantly slower than the bus but there is more space to chat and even play saboteur. There are also packets of rice sold during the journey which are the only food you can procure during the train ride as the stops are too short to safely run out and buy stuff from the stores at the train stations.

We reached Johor station at about 2030 and proceeded to City Square to have dinner. Some actually wanted to catch a movie but fatigue and the possibility of missing the last bus back to Singapore meant that we left after dinner and split up at Singapore customs.

Reflection of the trek

Training

After the trek, it is easy to see that our training helped us tremendously. Without the stairs training and overnight walk, we would not be in proper shape to tackle Yong Yap. Our regimen could have been improved though; to have really been prepared we should have committed ourselves and trained even during the study week. As it was, the two weeks of inactivity meant that we weren’t as fit as we should have been. The intensity which we had during our training could have been upped as well; less break time and more repetitions.

Another aspect of training that was neglected was training for descending. Many of us had a lot of trouble going down because our knees weren’t strong enough. One way to solve this could be to train at Bukit Timah. To sum it up, my impression that were prepared for Yong Yap was wrong; we weren’t fully prepared and what seniors said was true: you can never over train for a G7 trek.

Conclusion

Yong Yap was a great eye opener for me. I had a taste of what a G7 trek was like and despite all that I said during and immediately after the trek, I’m game for more. It is a good first G7 experience and most importantly, I made great friends through this trek. Good luck to future expeditions!

Written by:
Warren Tuan
Trek IC
Gunung Yong Yap 2009

Biking 103

The Biking 103 session was conceived by the 5^th Biking Exco as we saw the need for the team to have a better knowledge of the various bicycle components and able to DIY basic maintenance procedures. This is in line with our exco objectives for 2010- to evolve internally through acquiring of knowledge and skills.

Our Training Executive, Kelvin Liew, came up with the syllabus for the Biking 103 session. He liaised with the biking store Rodalink to have an experienced member of their staff to hold a 1-day course for us. On the morning of 23^rd December 2010, the entire exco made our way to the Rodalink store at Jurong where we met our friendly instructor for the day- Najib.

We proceeded straight into the programmes, where Najib introduced us to the different types of bicycles, namely the road bikes, time-trial bikes, mountain bikes and the hybrid models. He showed us the major differences between the bikes and how to identify them. He also explained the mechanisms of the bikes and how they are suited for their various functions. We learnt how the suspension system of the bicycle works and how it helps to absorb the impact of bumpy roads to provide a smooth ride for us. To the surprise of a few of us, we also found out that some higher-end bikes have rear suspension systems too, which provides greater comfort and ease of riding.

Next, we dived into the detailed explanation for the components of the bicycle, such as the frame, the gear shifters, the front and rear brakes, the chain and chain rings, the front and rear derailleur. This was to ensure that we could identify each part of the bicycle clearly, which will help us in identifying any problems with bicycles and in its maintenance.

Following which, Najib demonstrated to us the maintenance of the bike. Firstly, he taught us how to change the inner tube of the bike. This is an essential skill to all bikers as puncturing of the inner tube is not uncommon and knowing how to change it yourself can save you time and money. All of us then had the chance to try changing the inner tube ourselves. It was indeed an experience for the first-timers as we did our best to complete the task quickly, but we learnt quickly and were rather proficient by the end of the day.

Secondly, we were taught basic skills such as adjusting the brakes to achieve its maximum braking ability and also how to clean the bikes using the correct types of lubricants. These are important knowledge to have as they concern our safety and durability of our bikes.
Thirdly, Najib explained to us the mechanics of tuning a bicycle. It was a complex process that certainly requires frequent practice to master. However, some of the more experienced bikers such as Kelvin and Gerald were able to catch on quickly and tried it on their own bicycles.
Finally, at the end of the session, our Training Executive, Kelvin, took us around the store to point out essential apparels like the helmet, gloves and jersey. In addition, safety items such as the front and rear light, mini-tools and tire levers were shown to us.
Overall, I felt that the Biking 103 session was a success as it introduced us to the basics of biking, allowing us to learn from the experts with hand-on practices. This session equipped the entire exco with the knowledge of basic bike maintenance, which we can pass on to our fellow team members. It is definitely a first step towards achieving our objective of evolving internally and externally.

Written By:
Hwang Shih Haur
Assets Executive
5th Biking Team Exco

Skating Clinic 2010

Skate Clinic 2010

The annual Skate Clinic is back! A new year in 2010 heralds an even greater drive for the skating team to bring Skate Clinic to a higher level to spread the love of the sport. We have once again attracted an overwhelming response from the SMU student body. The SMUX Skating Team and 40 participants brought their interest for skating out of SMU to East Coast Park on 8^th Jan to enjoy skating in a natural terrain. In order to ensure that participants gain the most out of this event, participants were grouped according to their skating skill levels. With the help of SMUX senior and junior skaters, who were tasked with the role of Group Leaders, participants were taught various skating techniques. Even beginner skaters managed to learn the sport fast. Despite an occasional drizzle and a slight shower near the end of the event, the participants and the SMUX Skaters did not allow the rain to dampen their spirits and went on to skate around East Coast Park and also to Bedok jetty. SMUX Skating Team can indeed look forward to more new skaters in the coming weeks since many participants have expressed interest in joining future skating events after having enjoyed Skate Clinic 2010!

Skating Beyond Borders

Skating Beyond Borders is an annual event organized by SMUX Skating Team. This year’s event started on 06 December 09 and lasted for 11 days till 16 December 09. It consisted of an Overseas Community Service Project to Batam and a weekend getaway for the participants in Batam. There were 22 volunteers in total and 4 who joined us during the weekend for recreational activities.

We were attached to a school (Taman Belajar Gembala Baik) through our beneficiary, Yayasan Citramas. The two main objectives of Skating Beyond Borders are to educate the children and improve their study environment. The children, aged 4-6 years, are taught English, Mathematics and Art & Craft. The volunteers also painted the school and cleaned up its surroundings.

Here are some pictures of our volunteers teaching and interacting with the children:

Skating Beyond Borders has achieved its objectives successfully and this is in no part thanks to the help from Yayasan Citramas, the support and guidance from OCS and all the hard work put into this event from the organizing committee and volunteers.

Intro Urban Skate 09

Intro Urban Skating gives SMU students opportunities to experience Urban Skating. Skaters will visit various places around the campus such as Esplanade, the Fullerton and the Merlion. They will be led by senior GL skaters who will look after for safety. The GLs also teach basic skills of Urban Skating. The event also aims to promote skating as a healthy, recreational and most importantly fun sport. It is also to help them build confidence in their skating skills by exposing them to various obstacles of urban settings. Urban Skating is another way to improve proficiency of skaters.

Redang 09

At the jetty, waiting for the boat to come.
Everyone’s feeling groggy after 10 hrs bus ride.

And we’re here!

At our resort, preparing for first dive!

Off we go! First dive of the trip: Shore dive
what an experience! The tank is FREAKING heavy.

Under the seaaa,

Under the seaaa~

Happy people after dive!

The things we do…

1)      Drive the speedboat

2)      Act cool

3)      Fight on ship wrecks

4)      Then descend into the black unknown of the ship wreck.

5)      Take photos at the big lovely heart at the More More Inn

6)      Discover cute diving quotes

7)      Left our mark at Redang (spot the sticker)

Not to mention all the eating that we did.

Finally, time to go home.

Till the next dive!

SMUX Camp 09

Over 3 hectic days beginning from 09 July 09 all the way to 11 Jul 09, 122 freshmen were put through their paces experiencing many of the outdoor activities SMUXtremists had to offer as the outdoor activity arm of SMU. The camp started with a morning of registration and finding out more about SMUX through the corporate videos of the various SMUX teams, speeches and not forgetting icebreaker games to energize everyone on a beautiful morning in SMU. The rest of the day proceeded with a trek from Bukit Timah to Clementi through a densely vegetated disused railway line. The day ended with a bicycle ride from ECP to Marina Barrage through the CBD area, allowing the freshmen to take in the awesome sights of Singapore from a different perspective that biking on the streets provides.

On the next day, the freshmen were out through a programme that allowed them to experience scuba diving, underwater hockey, a skating clinic and a new outdoor activity known as jumping jacks. Jumping jacks is done by strapping a contraption to our legs, very much akin to a cross between a pogo stick and a stilt, that is strapped to our legs, allowing people to take really huge strides and jump really high. The day ended with a food trail around SMU where everyone was introduced to the great places around SMU to unwind with great company and good food.

On the last day, the freshmen were put through a kayaking orientation programme with a healthy dose of sun, sand and sea on the eastern shores of Singapore. After a draining day in the sun, sand and sea, everyone was gathered back in SMU to be presented with their name tents as a badge of honour to have survived SMUX Camp. A video was also compiled specially to recap the activities held over the past 3 days. Despite the high level of fatigue, many of the freshmen got so bonded to their groups that many decided to have dinner together rather than heading back home straight after the camp was officially over.

Last but not least, SMUX Camp 2009 was arguably one of the most well organized and enjoyable camps on the SMU calendar and it is in no small part due to the hard work put in by the dedicated organizing committee, energetic GLs, a well-equipped SMUX Crew and not forgetting the helpers who tirelessly helped us and helped ensure the success of the camp. We look forward to another awesome SMUX Camp in 2010!

Jeremy Say Gui Yong
SMUXtremists Camp ‘09
OIC