This time, the difference is that this is not a church retreat – this was a father and children camp which was held in the Kota Tinggi Kota Rainforest Resort. We were supposed to rough it out but I guess the organisers decided to spare us the pain (itch?) of mozzie attacks and stiff backs and put us in air-conditioned rooms with attached bathrooms. Not bad at all, we thought, until we got to the rooms. It was terrible but that’s a different story.
It was not the first time that I was going into Malaysia with two of my sons (without Elisa and Samuel). The first time I went was in 2007 when I went to Malaysia with Elkan and Elias for a church retreat (or advance?).
Anyway, we had a fun time getting there. We left Singapore at about 1 pm and we crossed the causeway with nary a bat of the eyelid. We just went to the customs window and went through. In the meantime, we had picked up my friend Vincent and his daughter Marienne, who were also going for the camp and then linked up with Heng Yeow and his two daughters who were going there too! He was familiar with JB and was able to lead us to some great makan places there.
Actually, I did not really know the place but we took our time, had a scrumptious claypot lunch and some kaya with butter bread buns there. We also tried out the rojak which was just yummy. We enjoyed lunch so much that by the time we got to the camp, it was 4:30pm, just in time for the 5 pm deadline they set until we realized that the first activity was to start at 3:30 pm! [Note by Elisa : this would never have happened if the mothers were there…] Not much was lost because fortunately for us, that was merely a walkabout in the campsite so not much was lost.
To get from the accommodation to the teambuilding site, we needed to cross a rope bridge which has a bad habit of swinging about. The wider you walk with your legs apart, the more the bridge will swing. So it was quite an experience. If you haven’t been on this kind of bridge before, chances are that after you have crossed, you will literally feel the earth move under your feet! Vincent is a sailor so I guess he does not feel it so much or he recovers faster than the rest of us, but I kind of like the feeling!
Dinner was noodles cooked by daddies for their children, using our trusty mess tins and solid fuel. The instructors made fun of us when we called it Maggie mee. They pointed out that the packet says Sedap mee, “where got Maggie?” The boys enjoyed the dinner and I think the noodles were well done. I may not claim to be a chef but Maggie noodles are my forte! [Note by Elisa: Elias said that the noodles were delicious and Daddy was a very good cook, and we should let him cook more often. Well done, Daddy!]
Vincent brought a frying pan even and was able to fry eggs and stuff! This was army days relived and we had fun with the cooking and the eating. The washing was another matter altogether, with insufficient washing points and people who insisted on removing ALL the blackened areas of their mess tins.
The site is a little run down and not surprisingly so because it was opened by Dr Chua Soi Lek in 2006. It was the mismanagement that was a bit surprising. Our rooms were not ready even after dinner and we went to the firefly trip first before getting into our rooms. Even the firefly trip was not managed well, with the resort conveniently forgetting to get transport for the group to get there and as a result, 7 cars followed the last trip there. We had to go in batches and when we finally returned, it was late. We slept past midnight and you cannot imagine the difficulty in trying to get Elias up in the morning.
In the morning, the key to the auditorium was missing and we were stranded outside for a while.
 |
| Edmund, the most excellent army cook hard at work! |
Then we were taught how to start a fire, how to bake chickens, bake fish and make cinnamon apples. It was fun making the fire and we cooked for 20 people when there were only 15 in our group. So we literally feasted! It was a day of plenty.
 |
| Whee!! |
In the afternoon, we did our resort activities. Elkan wanted the flying fox activity but Elias did not. So he and I went to the side to watch Elkan “fly” down.
We witnessed instead a kid who was stranded in the middle of the fly line in the middle of the lake! He was stuck for an hour and was finally rescued by Uncle Vincent, who incidentally became famous when he was identified by a little girl in a three persons canoe as the “uncle who made us capsize!”
[The girls were in canoe and looked like they were trying to capsize but not succeeding when Vincent cheekily asked if they needed help to capsize. At the very next moment, the canoe capsized and that girl bumped her head! So she was mighty cross at the uncle who ”made” them capsize. It was hilarious! It was a good thing that Elias and I was there to vouch for his innocence!]
 |
| So handsome! |
After that, Elias wanted to do the Indiana Jones adventure which required the participants to cross a series of floating pontoons. Elkan was already there having gone down the flying fox and he was soaked through. His socks and shoes were sandy and he was quite a sight. Elias followed suit and got drenched. [Note by Elisa: Yeeks… That is why this is a FATHER child camp. I would NOT have wanted to get wet…]
 |
| Mr Andj, whom the water dearly love! |
The one who made the headlines was Andj – he fell about FOUR times trying to cross the pontoons and at some point he just laid on the pontoon as if he had given up and slid into the water again! I was happy to stay clean! Priscilla partnered Andj for the canoe and FELL into the water before she got into the canoe. We started suspecting it had to do with her partner and his affinity to water…
Dinner was cooked by the resort, although I think we cooked better. The food was largely forgettable. At night was the campfire followed by the father’s show. That was pressure with a capital P. Well, to get the campfire going, they were supposed to shoot arrows into the fire. Unfortunately, the fire arrows kept getting put out once fired! It took more than 5 attempts, starting from far out to nearer and nearer so it was a matter of time that it would work. It looks like Hollywood has cheated us again or reality. Flaming arrows indeed. Hmmph!
The night ended with all fathers reading out the letter to their children which they had written before. It was not easy – first writing the letter, and then having to read it out aloud! I guess we fathers are the silent types who would rather let their action speak louder than words, not action their words out loud. So I guess there were some initial awkwardness at first but later I got over it. I do wonder if the rest had the same struggle I had. I had to read two letter – one for Elkan and one for Elias. The moment was nice! I am sure the children will remember this night. I sure will.
The next day, we had some time of father and children team telematch where fathers had to team up with their children to complete strange tasks, telematch style. Expect flour, water bombs and the sorts and I think you understand what I mean. One especially meaningful game we played was one of guidance by voice, where the fathers will shout and children will try to discern the voice and come to them. After that, the role was reversed and this time the fathers and children’s role will be reversed! I guess this is harder because the fathers all had the same name – dad, pop, pa etc all sounded alike in the din! All these only helped us build up to the moment we were all waiting for – THE WATERBOMB FIGHT!
EPIC CLASH!
The battle lines were drawn, the “soldiers“ brave.
Their hands were full, and their shouts were rave.
When the battle began, the fathers moved forward
To the clamour of “blood”, from their tiny wards.
The shrill, the squeals, the laughter the joy!
What a sight! Watch out, boy!
Splash! It came, without a thought!
And whoosh! Flew back the one that was caught!
By the end of the period, which seemed like eternity,
The fight was over, oh what a pity!
Though some refuse to end but instead
Dumped a pail-ful on others’ heads.
Finally, all water, had drained to the soil
We return
All smiling
With happy recalls!
The day ended with the retreat and we bade the camp farewell. Till next year, if the time is favourable, we will return. ~ Edmund
