Sunday, May 29, 2011
Mount Ophir Trip - 27th May to 29th May 2011 (This entry is also dedicated to the late Mr Rohaizam Tumadi)
I've arrived safely back from Mt Ophir after a tiring three day overseas trip with my students. It is easy to dimiss the mountain as an easy one to climb after hearing so many stories about it. However, the lack of respect to Mother Nature and complacency will always come back to haunt individuals who fall into this category. There is not only the new found respect for mountains but this climb had also made me realize first hand that no matter how advance technology can be, we're all under the mercy of Mother Nature. Mt Ophir is no Everest but many Singaporeans have lost their lives while attemping to scale the it. Tree falls, swept away by sudden flash floods in the waterfalls and slips have all resulted in deadly consequences.
In terms of bringing students out for overseas expeditions/trips, I'm pretty lucky and thankful to be given a headstart as compared to my classmates. It's going to be a pretty short 2 days rest before I embarked on another overseas journey with the whole Sec 3 cohort to the Northern part of Bintan for their camp. Going overseas with friends is alot different as compared to bringing students along. The additional responsibilities is a heavy burden because their safety is our main concern. It is tempting to go shopping or to buy food with the rest of the teachers but at the back of your mind, you're thinking what are they up to the moment your back is turned.
I approached the trek/climb with a very solemn attitude because of how tough the conditions can be. Students complain that the climb up Bt Timah Nature Reserve is is already tiring but that's a walk in the park for Malaysian students studying in the nearby town of Tangkat. Going to Mt Ophir is probably part of their PE lessons and they climb it weekly should their schedule allow. Then it is pretty common for them to have a good soak in the waterfall (with its cold waters and fishes) to soothe the tiring back. I can imagine laughing at the Singaporean students should I be one of those Malaysians (local rangers and students). They are dressed to the bare minimals and take each step as a stride in the park. There's so much I can learn from the locals.
Traffic conditions were rather smooth on the journey back but I missed the laid back style of life back in Tangkat. The fast pace of life back in Singapore is something that I never liked and with the influx of foreigners, it only make me want to head overseas once again. I've taken nothing but photographs and left Gunung Ledang with beautiful memories.
