For the year of 2010

let's see what I have achieved from my list =)

1) Gotten my PADI diving license!
2) Went to Krabi as graduation trip!
3) Organized Rock climbing as my fund-raising project! (not Batu cave rock climb thou)
4) Went to Hot Air Ball0on Fiesta! ( not riding on it thou but contented by just being there =) )
5) Joined Raleigh Expedition!
6) Experienced white water rafting in Gopeng!
7) Went to Cameron Highland for the Irau hike!

Soon-to-be-done
1) Conquering Mount. Kinabalu in July!

Those not in the list but I'm glad and proud of
1) Graduated in July!
2) Gotten my Kayak Star 1 course!
3) Conquered Gunung Irau! ( the 9th highest mountain in Peninsular Malaysia, 2100m)
4) Organized & volunteered at the Zoo Negara!

And now my new resolution would be to blog on these 10 adventures I had asap before my memories fade away. I love the year of 2010 where it turns out to be a real fruitful year for me. Everything is POSSIBLE as long as you determine enough to make it happen! =)

So, live your life with no regrets!

Knock knock!

Right after the Raleigh Introduction Weekend it didnt end it there. We were supposed to organize a Post IW projects where we will focus more on the community or environmental activities. Initially the Awesome Alpha suggested that we should do a trip to JB for the Save Our Seahorses Project. It sounded really cool and I started to make calls and emails to the PIC. But we had eventually changed our PIW to organize Zooriffic 6 instead due to some factors that disallow us to proceed with SOS.

Then, we had our first meeting in Midvalley where we discussed on the availability of dates and how we should fund raise for the project. Within the two hours meeting, we've decided to do some old newspaper collecting and maybe some cookies selling as well. Very efficiently, the Awesome Alpha started our very first mission - collecting old newspapers the very same week!

We started off at 10am on the first day. Initially we had quite a hard time to approach the neighbours and it took us long to explain the purpose of us doing all these. Hong Liang, especially, took the effort of explaining the whole Raleigh and Expedition thingy to the uncles and aunties. Lol =p

It was very encouraging when people that we met were very kind and supportive to our projects. Most of them were so willing to help and some even treated us some drinks and snacks! Awww.. we've met all the best people in the world during the newspaper collecting!

Richard the strong boy

This was how we collect.

And the karang guni car

We had so much fun collecting though it was quite tired and energy consuming. We walked under the sun and rain. We laughed we crapped we enjoyed so much ; even we were trapped in the lift (pic above)!. I love how all of us enjoyed the process that we didnt even mind the tiredness of walking around asking for newspapers for two days. =)

Look at the amount of newspapers we collected! That was only part of the collection as many others were taken off by the karang guni man. We've collected even magazines, old computer and keyboard, books, bottles & etc. The two days of hard work was paid with the exchange of RM510 in total! Imagine tonnes of papers that we had collected! Weee wee =))

Many thanks to the Awesome Alpha and coordinators that had came and helped us! It was really an AWESOME project and I dont mind do it again with you guys! Hu-Wa! =))

Let's Get Real Muddy!

I came across this activity through an invitation from Facebook. Then I started to do more google search on it and found out it was actually quite fun and interesting from blogs and pictures. And I contacted the PIC and registered! =) I did invited some of friends to join and expectedly non was interested in this. So as when I've decided to go alone, WeeNee sent me a message saying that she and her boyfriend were keen of going together! This is what people always say ; things happen unexpectedly and what you expected it wouldnt come. I certainly didn't expect to join the mangrove thingy and didn't expect soneone will approach me and join me. However, the companion of WeeNee and her bf and bro did bright up the day thou! =)

We gathered at the A&W outlet in Taman Jaya before we set off to Pulau Indah. I thought that we have to take a boat ride to that island but to our disappointment the so-called Pulau Indah is just some random location off the road. Nowhere close to the water at all. Duh!

This programme was organised by the government in collaboration with Eco Warriors Malaysia. Approx. 150 people took part in this which attended by students, officers, eco warriors' members and some local villagers. Lunch and T-shirt were provided. After the breakfast we were briefed on how and what we were supposed to do with the other volunteers.

Before we get dirty

At first they didn't allow those with sandals to go into the mud for safety purpose. I wore my sport shoe but in the end most of us took off the shoes as the shoes keep sinking into the mud and slowed down our work. However, it was indeed better to move without the shoes and I can even run on the mud =p We were divided into groups and baby mangroves were passed front the first person until the desired location to plant. We planted it in zig-zag way and digged a hole before placing the baby mangrove into the mud.

After all the planting were done, it was time for mud war! Dirty, sticky and smelly mud! I love the fun of getting dirty and I don't mind to dirty myself in exchange of some cool experiences and fun! =)

It was my first time to do mangrove tree planting and I kinda love it! But I'm not sure if I will do it again not thou. Because sometimes, some thing will remain at its best when that was the only thing you have. =)

Broga Hill

Too many people are talking about the beautiful scenery of Broga Bill these days. And from what I googled, it indeed is BEAUTIFUL and I couldnt wait to witness it myself anymore! Hence, one fine Wednesday, us ; Sunny, Francis, Kelvin, Raymond, Ktee, GorGor, Pauline, CheeKei, KimV and I went to Broga Hill in two cars. We set off as early as 4.30am and reached the oil palm estate at about 5.45am. It was completely dark and we had to torch right till the top of the hill.

It took about 45 minutes to reach the top and the trail was easy but steep at times. It was still dark when we reached the top. While waiting for the sun to rise we snapped alot! All kinds! =p

This human evolution picture was my idea. Lolx. Coz we were standing on this big steep rock and we simply just love snapping! It came out cool thou! =)) And we managed to capture the sunrise view too. The weather was just nice for us to hang around longer.

And the BEST part was we actually saw the FULL rainbow too!! My! It was so huge that even the camera lens counldnt capture it all. The day was perfect with cooling weather, sun ray, rainbow, blue sky, white clouds and great friends!!

The scenery of Broga Hill was indeed very breathtaking with its landscape full of tall lalang. Oh right! When we went to Broga that day, it was only us at the hill, not crowded, no jam, only us with another group of UKM students. This was something to be grateful about because from the blogs I read, Broga Hill is always crowded as it is getting popular now. We just snapped wherever and whenever we like without having to wait for our turn (if it's too packed with people). The hill was truly ours! Geez! =)

Acquaintances that we met

It was another striked-off-activity in my to do list =) Glad that I have this bunch of friend that willing to do this together with me. But now i'm asking for more ; to overnight at Broga Hill next time - to witness the sunrise and sunset at one go! =p

30-Hour Famine 2009

After 2 years experiences as participant and volunteer in the famine camp, I was the organiser this year instead. In the name of UTAR, we organised the DIY 30 Hour Famine 2009. But this camp was held in such a time when A(H1N1) was a hit in the country. Initially we were quite worried if the camp would be canceled due to this. However, regardless of the problem, the camp was successfully carried out and 80% of the participants turned out which sum up to a total of 130 pax! We wore mask, we measured the body temperature, we took safety precautions ; just to make sure everyone and everything was fine =)

It was such great achievement when people were complimenting the camp and it was so much better compared to the year before. Improvement has been made and it was the efforts from everybody that was involved. Participants enjoyed themselves and informative messages were brought across to them appropriately. It managed to give them a better view of poverty and not to take things for granted in life as there are always people that are less fortunate than we are in the other corner of the world. Be thankful people!

Personally I always prefer and enjoy the most when all of us are to gather and do the final countdown together in Bukit Jalil. It is so thrilling when you get to see and know people from all over the nation are passionate on the same thing and working to achieve it. I LOVE it when everyone cheers together and it is so emotional to see such scene!

This year, Ah-Mei served as the ambassador for the famine camp and her appearance had made a big hype among the participants where everyone was so mesmerized by her stage performance! Everyone had forgotten their hunger for the moment and was on their feet to dance and cheer! Woo!

The committees that made this camp a success

Group photo

What's next for famine 2010? =)

Saya, PM 6204237 Soo Yee Hui

At first I wanted to join the National Service Programme but I wasn't chosen. Then, I heard of Askar Wataniah during my diploma days, but I was not courageous enough to take part. And finally this year, the guts got into me and I actually signed up for AW alone! But it did really took me quite a long time to make this decision. I was worried about something that it might not even cross other people's mind. I actually worried more of ah piao than anything else!

Before recruiting us as the members of AW, we were to go through some body check ups and physical training where we had our blood tested, x-rayed and eye checked. As for the physical training, we ran for 18 rounds (slightly bigger than a basketball court) and had push-ups and star jumps in between! It was crazy! I almost gave up joining AW because of this as i really hate to run! After knowing that I was enlisted, I wasn't as thrilled. I was quite confused in fact; whether to take it or not. I backed out a little. But still I wanted to give it a try as I was more afraid of regretting than to running. Then I did some shopping in Carrefour where I spent about RM200 for the stuffs I needed in the camp. Socks, shoes, shirts, towel, hairbands, pants, toiletries, stationaries, watch, hankerchief, baju kurung and list goes on. Only to know that I didn't not have those things when I needed them. I proclaimed these stuffs as my investment then.

It was really tough during the first two weeks of training. Physical training every morning which include of endless sit ups and push ups, runnings, rollings, jumpings, etc etc. Though it was only 45 minutes of training, it seemed ages! And not forgetting the marching session where we marched under the scorching sun and rainy days. The Latihan Tembakan was something awesome too! How many people in their life hold and shoot a M16 with real bullets? But I did! And we spent 4 days 3 nights in the oil palm where we slept in the tent we built ourselves (but flooded), cooked our own meals, fighted the enemies, soaked in dirty ponds, poo-ed and pee-ed in the open toilet, climbed and rolled, walked for miles, had no bath at all and tortures from the trainers. It wasn't easy, really.

I remember how we used to pant so badly after each run and those huge drops of sweat, how we used to give encouragement to each other and helps and concerns showered. We cried and we laughed. Tears and blood flowed simultaneously. But still, we've pulled it through! There were so many tough times we had together. If it wasn't for friends and self-discipline, I wouldn't have made it to the end by myself. I'm so glad that I've made some good friends in there who I can really depend on. They're like my pillar and supported me in all ways. Friends have no boundaries, right?I'm so loving them!

This one month training has bring me to another stage of life where I grew again; to be able to look at the world and people from different perspectives. Besides, through this camp it has proven right again that mental toughness is something so powerful that keeps me going all this while. I think nothing beats me for now even darkness! =)

Me & the Turtles

Here comes the long pending post on Chagar Hutang Trip (18-25 April 2009). We had this planned for like a year prior. And we finally managed to squeeze ourselves in to the Marine Turtle Volunteer Program for a good 7 days experience. We took a plane to Kuala Terengganu where we stayed a night there.

We were to do beach patrolling day and night, releasing baby turtles, nests measuring and keeping the beach clean. But there were plenty of leisure time though, where we hammock-ing quite alot during the day time, played games/cards, taking pictures, snorkeling, laughing and having real great times. There was not a single network coverage or electricity (except for the fridge and solar powered bulbs) The life there was simply simple and at ease. No interruptions from the outside world and the place is free of any pollution you can name. Body and mind are totally at the maximum of relaxing state. You can never get this experience elsewhere I promise!

.....Up in the sky we flew....

.... We conquered the mountain...

... and the sea!..

..I witnessed the hatchling of baby turtles...

... and the process of egg laying...

I have all the best things in the world during the 7 days stay! What else can you ask for a life like this? I'm so glad and grateful for be able to reach out to this amazing program. =) This is such a place that one should visit at least once in a lifetime! Seriously!