" How did i even convince you guys that this was going to be fun?"

this is how we looked most of the time.
Terrain for most parts of the climb
The Team. They can smile because we're going downhill
Bodies thrown in all direction.Team Building@ its best
the elusive peak

It's been 10 days since we got back. I think i really miss the training sessions. So does my growing tummy. I ran 6km with kevin from my place to Punggol Jetty. After Ophir, i feel anything is quite possible. I even agreed to do the half marathon in 06 with kev, bernard, winz and david. There's this wonderful feeling after a run. Was quite worried when my left knee gave way this morning. The right one's bruised from volleyball with the SPE gang.

Back to Ophir. It was tiring, especially during the initial phase. I felt that nothing we did during training could prepare us for those first 15 hellish minutes. At one of the restpoints, i said," How did i even convince you guys that this was going to be fun?"

I think i was a little disappointed at not making the summit. A little only. I thought the CP4 with all the streams could be quite fun. It actually came true. We camped there hoping to make the 2nd ascent@ 3am, but the rain came at 1am. I didn't see too much disappointment then. Most were trying to just gain some leg space in the tent. I was just glad the rain didn't seep in.

Climbing Mt Ophir is like revisiting the NS days. Especially the camping bit. It was deja vu to see people using eye power, 5 fellows trying to tell 1 guy how to do something, the chao keng one, the one with high self-preservation index, the whiner and the guy who would ask people to pass him the jack knife when it's faster if he gets it himself.I'm guilty at many points too. Been there, done that.

But there are those who show OCS potential: The Do-ers, the ones who take instructions and echo them down. Those who break out from stonning and actually try to find something to do. Those who know how to follow. Those who bath last, eat last, talk last, but do first. Herein lies the joy of camping with youths.

We might try again. Not everyone i'm quite sure. It was fun lah. But for some, once will be enough.