My Survival Camp Experience... By: The Boss No comments

This year is my first year joining the Royal Rangers. I’ve always liked the outdoors since I don’t know when. Survival camp is my chance to get out from my comfort zone, into the jungle and just have fun. It’s like a break away from everything at home. I was a little worried at first, knowing that I have to slaughter a still breathing chicken and the thought that the fella’s blood might just splatter all over my face. EWWW!!

When we had to live in a jungle with nothing but survival kit n the leeches family for a night, we learned to help each other. And that was the first time I’ve ever seen so MANY leeches in my life n even on my feet. But I sort of overcame the fear of leeches after a while. That’s one of the many things I get from this camp. The thought to feed the leeches with the chicken’s blood crossed my mind.

Anyway, we managed to build a shelter, slaughter the little feathery fella, cooked it and survived through the night with some help from the cmdrs. I was actually hoping to see a wild boar or any wild animal in the jungle. It’ll make the camp more interesting. But sadly, none came. Also, I actually have no idea how I managed to go through the murdering chicken part without puking. Seriously!

Sherlyn (first from left) proudly posing with her headless chicken...what a sight!

After that night in the jungle, it was Lepak camp. Before this, I didn’t really know what they mean by Lepak camp. But now I know that Lepak camp really mean Lepak camp cause all we do is lepak. I’ve never been to a Lepak camp before. Well, the best part about Lepak camp for me is that I get to go fishing! Yays!! I’ve always wanted to try fishing.


Overall, it was really fun. I really enjoyed it. I also get to know the other rangers who I didn’t already know. And I definitely got closer to some of the rangers. Just wanna thank God for keeping us safe throughout the whole camp. And for this lifetime experience that money cannot buy.



Written by,
Sherlyn Wong

Sherlyn Wong loves the outdoors, and this is her first camp as a Royal Ranger...and what an experience its been for her! She's also an aspiring student who's currently enjoying her time and freedom. Her next plan is to go to college and pursue a degree in engineering. We wish her all the best!

Survival & Lepak Camp - Story time... By: The Boss No comments

Para hadirin sekalian, rangers, friends and foes...pinjam me your telinga!

As you all know by now, 18 of us had a really fantabulous and whacky-licious time in the Survival & Lepak Camp, almost 2 weeks ago...man, the scars are still fresh on my feet and hands! Haha...quite literally! I'm sure each of you carry your own battle scars that will forever be etched in our bodies, to serve as a reminder that we're all SURVIVORS. Each of us have our own stories and tales to tell...but tonight, the honour's all mine. As your toastmaster (not the guy who always go around tables during weddings and toasting-toasting with glass in one hand and bottle in the other), allow me to share with you my very own version of the famous story we all know as 'Survivor Series '08...

Even in the dark, I can safely tell you that Su Vien's the one holding the candle. And as you can see, she DOES NOT glow in the dark...just like me...:)

"Common...how come she never sms me wan??? How could she do this to me?" Daniel mutters out loud...


Kelly-welly-belly, together with all 28 teeth, shining brightly as ever in the morning! Its always good to have someone as spunky as her in camps...dont ever lose that 28-teeth-smile ok? Err..not too sure how many were plucked out! :)

"Hi! I'm Su Vien...this is what I'm good at. Posing. I was born with this gift. And it developed over the years. Noticed how big my are eyes and lubang hidung??? Beat that!"

Suddenly...she had a severe shortage of sugar-rush and went into sleep mode. Looks kinda' fake though. But its a good tactic to have more of your pics taken, rite? :)

Like so many others, Grace was one of those who believed that they were actually on a 2-hour long van ride from Laman Bistari to The Woods. :) In reality, it took them only 10 mins. Hahah...imagine their blurr faces when they were just about to fall asleep, and next thing they know...they have arrived at the destination! Haha...

"I'm gonna' catch me a big, nice whale...a mermaid would be good too!" Daniel here seen playing with his fishing toys. And just like every good 'fisherman', he left the camp with more that just fishes that swim in water...*hint*hint*

Our rides...that went through mud, rocks, and dirt road to get us to where we needed to be...*ouch*

Here's my favourite part of the story...As you all know by now, this is our dear Cmdr. Kenny Chin...member of the famous 5-horsemen: Vincent Chin, Kenny Chin, Kevin Chin, Collin Chin, and Botak Chin. All related. Here we see him doing his "I'm hot and macho" pose...check out the facial expression. It doesn't get any more comical than that...

Well, that didn't last too long. Sr Cmdr ordered him to carry his 'Everyday' milk box to the campsite. So wat do to? When the Boss order you around, have to do lor. Haha...And so, realizing that the camera is focused on him, this was his moment of gaya and display of macho-ness.

Here we go. First, gotta do the pants' folding tactic. Its all part of the scare tactic. Make sure they're evenly folded. If not, surely look like an Ah Piah (like in the previous shot). Many spectators around...better not disappoint the crowd.

Before performing the Everyday-box-lift, Daniel decided to show some love and Kenny responded back romantically...offering him a kiss. Its like the princess kissing the frog fairytale...thanks for the good showmanship, boys. Wait till your mamas see this...

He tried...struggled...and finally, he managed to lift the box (just one side). Seems like today aint' going to be a good day to lift Everyday. What do you do then? Call for help, of course!!

And so, in came Daniel 'Anand' Raj. Every single day, I gave him a new name...just to bring out the Indian in him. On thurs, it was 'Prem'. On Friday, it was 'Anand'. And on saturday, it was Karthik. Thank God the camp ended on saturday...anyway, 2 is better than 1. Amen! And so...up the box went!

See? Negara muhibah. Indian help the Chinese fella...while the Chindian fella tells the story. That's what we call berkerjasama and national unity.

Check out the boys...especially Cmdr. William! Not only did he eat his chocolate bar...he ended up licking every bit of melted chocolate stuck to the plastic wrapper! Sedap gileerrr....:)

The girls setting up their tents. Everyone got their shelter up pretty quick this time. The campsite was gorgeous and neat, made everything so much easier!

Kevin Chin holding the frame of his house while waiting for...err...not too sure what he's waiting for actually. Ohh...maybe his tent mates...who gladly abandoned him to help out the girls next door.

Hmm...here's Su Vien with her traditional dance moves, upon completion of setting up her tent! After every peg is pinned in the ground, she does this dance step...

Ikan masin, anyone? Sherlyn hanging out the sotong kering and salted fish to sunbathe for a while...brings out the natural saltiness and preserves the original flavour. Not that I'm going to try and taste it...Ewwww!!

Cmdr. Reuben and Daniel Ng working hard on their mini chippewa kitchen. Its kinda confusing to have a total of three (3) Daniels in one camp. You call one, and the other 2 responds...sweet!

Here's Peter getting absorbed into the kitchen-making industry...and that's Cmdr Kenny in the background. His pants gave him away...:)

And so, after spending the morn setting up camp and fixing up our home furnitures, it was time to take a well-deserved break in the nearby stream...which was like totally gorgeous and cool! Extremely refreshing, just sitting and chillin' and talking about the good ol' days...Here's aunty Sheila and Grace giving young Melissa words of advice about life...

Hey, boys also wanna have fun! Kevin Chin and William (busy soap-ing his head) spending some quality guy-time with the rest of the boys...

Bet you saw this coming eh...when all the boys get together, it was time for the tops to go! Presenting you, Planet of the Apes....oooo aaaa oooo aaaaa (monkey sounds)! Such good looking men...

"Oh Su Vien, show us the way...be our guiding light in this world of darkness, a beacon of hope for all man-kind (and woman-kind...just in-case you all start calling me a sexist!)." And with a gentle and assuring voice, she replies, "Lights will guide you home..." And then Coldplay started to play in the background...

Now, who wants to fish? Yeap...we had a lil' fishing session this time with the rest of the rangers. And as you might have guessed, we all left the place with our clean sheet record still intact. :) Kelly learning a thing or two from man they call 'The Iban'.

Nothing much to say....just admire her full set of teeth also. Thank God we took the camera away from her as soon as possible. If not, everything would be about her face and teeth.

Hey hey...guess who decided to drop by our campsite! Its our little greenish-browny lizard friend! Instant celebrity, I'm telling you...

Yeap...that's Cmdr Reuben in the background! Just love this shot...man vs wild!

Message written in the sand..."Grace & Mel & Dan was here". How true!

Ok friends and rangers-rangies sekalian. I think its about time I got back to work and do what I'm paid to do. Stay tuned for the next part of the SC & LC story-telling session by yours truly. Hopefully it'll be out by tomorrow yea? Till then, work hard, study hard...and dont forget to play hard! Got this saying from the radio in the morning...

"Its not the years in your life that count...but its the life in your years that really matters!"

And the crowd goes, "Woooooow...."

God bless you!

Unending Love, Amazing Grace... By: The Boss No comments

Greetings rangers!

What a weekend its been eh? Good Friday and Easter celebrations, followed by a true Super Super-Duper Sunday clash of EPL titans and pretenders to the throne...:) Well, as for me personally, everything went according to plan! I'm sure some Arsenal fans and the complaining Scousers might disagree with me...but hey, that's why we love this game! leaving football behind for a while...how was your weekend? I pray that this special weekend was made all the more meaningful with all the joyous celebrations of Resurrection Sunday and left an impact in our lives.

The theme chosen for this year's holy week was aptly named 'Amazing Grace...'. And that's the core and basis of our Christian faith. The foundation that our very beliefs are laid upon. The very purpose Christ came down to earth and endured the cross. The same reason we hope and look forward to spending an eternity with the One who created us...and today, we want to remember the familiar lines of that famous song..."I once was lost, but now am found..was blind but now I see"...the song echoes the cries of thousands who searched for hope and endured the suffering, a story of a man transformed who fought for what is right and just, and a nation that finally found their freedom.

To understand the words of that famous song, is to know the story and heart of its writer. Do enjoy the video below and God bless!

For by Grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God...
Ephesians 2:8 (ASV)

God bless, and as William Wilberforce would say..."May the Force be with you..."

ER Survival Camp 2008 - Part 2 By: The Boss No comments

Hello rangers, friends and Easter bunnies...

Yeap, even as we draw close to Easter Sunday, let's not forget the very purpose we call ourselves Christians. Stay tuned for a very special Easter post, hopefully by tomorrow night. I pray that the message of Easter Sunday will resonate so strongly within us that we cant help but tell the world about Him...about the One who came and gave His life, so that we may live...

Carrying on from where I left...yup, Part 2 of Survival Camp! As promised, this post will contain some interesting and candid videos of scenes from the survival camp. Please be warned that some of the videos might contain 'violent scenes' and 'brutality towards chickens'. Definitely not for those with a weak heart...and stomach. Haha...be warned, friends!

Anyway, these videos are meant to give you a glimpse into the fun and experience that we all had during the survival camp...the camp that forever changed our lives, and the way we see chickens...:) Have fun viewing!

Here's a lil' glimpse into the camp surroundings...as you can see, its pretty wet generally, and that only made life tougher for the trainees. But hey, being rangers...everyone stuck to it, carried on with their tasks and worked together despite the tough conditions...

Here we see the faces of the trainees and trainers for this year's survival camp. Generally a happy bunch...most can't seem to stop talking, while the other generally loved driving the leaders mad...:)

Here we see one of our blood sucking friend that just wouldn't leave us alone...and in this vid, its casually making its way up to little' Elena...no worries, big daddy Cmdr Gid was on standby and gladly ate up the leech for tea time...:) Nothing like fresh sushi from the wild!

In our lives, we all tend to find silly things to make us happy and amuse ourselevs with. But for the E-Rangers, we have finally found something that's a part of us...and this new movement is called the 'Su Vien Clap'. Really hillarious if you can watch it live...but anyway, this time it was kinda 'lame'....hehe! Next time yea, Su vien? :)

This is probably the video of the year...I mean, I've seen loads of videos over in Youtube, but none really compares this this. When others first saw this video, many went "Oh my Godddd....", some went "What in the world???" and a few almost puked and didn't have the heart to watch this...but hey, at least now we all know what a chicken goes thru before it ends up on your dinner plate! Ahhh...the wonders of Survival Camp! Comments, please....:) Oh btw, dont forget to check out Kelly in the video. She's officially my 'Mother Nature'...:)

Main casts: Su Vien (the butcher), Melissa (the strangler) and Sherlyn (the wing clamps)...:)

Ok folks...time for the old man to finally call it a night. As you know, age is catching up...not as energetic as I used to be 30 years ago. Gotta' take my pills, rub some yoko-yoko, stick some white plasters on my aching body before I crash into my bed...:)

Goodnight world...

ER Survival Camp 2008 - Part 1 By: The Boss No comments

Hello friends, rangers, and of course...survivors!!!

Yes yes...finally, after many nights of preparation and hours of suffering, a total of 10 new E-rangers finally earned the mini-bragging rights to be officially called 'Survivors'. Yeap...Survival Camp 2008! Boy oh boy...what fun and drama we had this time around. I can still remember the last camp we had way back in 2005...I'm telling you, every camp has its own share of drama mamas, talking points, and crazy points! This one definitely goes into my favourite book shelf collection!

From the 13th - 15th of March, the Expedition Rangers of Selangor #6 organized a Survival & Lepak Camp, which was attended by 10 rangers and 8 commanders in total. A 3-days & 2-nights camp to fully test the limits of the rangers...one was for endurance, and the other... have fun till you pop! But hey...since there's so much to write about, I'm going to split this up into a 4-part series...hmm, maybe 5 if you're lucky. For part 1, its gonna be all about the Survival Camp. Trust me...its gonna be good (as always!). I'm gonna' share the story with you thru pics for this part. Videos will be up in the next post, so stay tuned!

So sit back, grab some peanuts, and enjoy the story! Photos are courtesy of Cmdr Reuben, Daniel Seliong and Sheila Yong! If you wanna see the entire collection, give them a buzz...:)

Everyone gathered anxiously in church by 8.30am, not knowing the fun and surprises that was in store for them. And as usual, the commanders came slightly late...like MBs and VIPs. :) Well, after loading up our essentials and given a short briefing by Outpost cmdr, we were good to go. Cmdr Gideon prayed for the team, asking God to give them the time of their lives! :) And so, we finally made our way to the camp...but of course, this camp wouldn't be complete without our customary Survival Camp 'Last Supper' scene...

Just like the previous camp, its a usual custom to have a good, hearty breakfast at the BBK mamak (formerly known as Restaurant I Love You). Yes, I agree...what a cheesy name! And so, the rangers began to stuff themselves down with all the roti canai the shop could offer. Some went the extra mile and treated themselves with Nasi Lemak and ayam goreng...man, I'm beginning to feel hungry thinking about it! Well, just like an old saying...these guys and girls ate like there's no tomorrow! Especially Su Vien, Daniel Seliong and David Wong...

Here's the ladies looking all happy and ready for a testing time ahead! Its like one of those days where you dont really know what to expect...so the only thing to do was to eat!

There's nothing like a hot roti canai 'empat segi' and a cup of milo ais to get you going!

Here's the trainers having a good time too. Just in case our own cooking doesn't work out, its better to play safe and stuff ourselves too with food to last us the night. Dan, William, Reuben and Kevin...the veterans!

Dan (Mamak) and Dan (Iban). And the Daniels doesn't stop here...there's one more!

We arrived at Kem Laman Bistari, KKB at around 11.30am, and after unloading all our belongings, it was finally time to officially begin the Survival Camp. The commanders then carried out a body search and pouch inspection on the rangers...you never know what these rangers are up to these days eh? Mixing pepper with their salt, hiding that extra chocolate bar, can drink, or even a burger in their clothes...:) Just kidding. Cmdr Kevin then gave them a short briefing on shelter building, and explained to them the vital points for making a good and solid shelter. After that, off we went into the forest! And low and behold...we had some 'friends' waiting for us...anxiously and hungrily....

Ahhhhhh!!! LEECHES!!! My goodness, these little fellas were EVERYWHERE! You look here, there's a few. You look behind, there's 10 more. You look to the left, there's 15 of them. And then you look at your feet, you know its time to run when you see almost 20 of them on your feet! Oh boy...I never had this much fun removing leeches and roasting them with my lighter! Did you know these little dudes are pretty die-hard and fire-proof? Their body composition is almost 90% fluid, and these guys surely take some time to burn and fry! Trust me...I tried it. :) But of course, we thank them for the fun and freaky moments we had during our close encounter!

Here's Peter, Kok Foong and Daniel in the process of gathering the essentials to survive the night...

Here's what their shelter looked like upon completion...and I must say, it looks pretty impressive! It even has a back door in case you wanna do your....erhmm...pee pee. :)

Here's Melissa and Kelly (left) testing out the air in their shelter. This time around, its big and spacious...

Kelly giving us that 'Dont-mess-with-me' look...:)

Sherlyn, as seen from the back of the shelter, via the back door entrance....just when we're about to have a house-warming ceremony, the rain came and cooled our party...

But then, fear not! Presenting you, the whacko...Su Vien!

When she realized that part of her brain was falling out, good thing she held it in place...:)

Her hey...guess who's in da house!!? Yup...the Lee's are in town! Led by the natural jungleman, Cmdr Gideon Lee!! Look how happy he is being one with nature...its like coming home to 'tanah tumpahnya darahku'.

Aww...isn't she simply adorable??? Elena dropped by to say hi too!

Here's some of our survivors together with Serena and Elisa! Man...they look really cute in their multicoloured ponchos!

The boys and the man...

Everyone kept their heads high, never lost heart, maintained a good team spirit throughout the camp, which I was particularly proud of. Despite our difficult circumstances, we made it through.

The best time of the day: Chicken Slaughter House!! Here's Cmdr William (seen here with his headless friend), leading the way and giving us some interesting tips on how to cut and clean the birds. Interestingly (or rather unfortunately), 3 out of 5 chickens died during the journey to the camp. What a waste!! A live bird would have provided us with more points laugh about at night...

Here's David Wong and Jordan doing a tag-team on the chicken...cut, slice, pull!

Ta daaaa! Once you've beheaded the poor fella, its time to go for the guts! Now that's some really nasty stuff, I'm telling you...not for the weak-hearted!

David Wong getting the 'spare-parts' party started, using his brand new survival knife...that makes Rambo look like an amatuer...

Up next, it was time for the ladies...here we have Dorothy, Kelly and Melissa! All 3 were waiting anxiously for their turn to do some beheading...

Melissa, Sherlyn and Su Vien...these 3 girls...they gave me the most memorable time ever! Once Part 2 of this camp story is out, do make sure to check out their chicken-slaughter video....you'll definitely feel sorry for the chicken...and its head.

The Body, Head and the Blade. Nice combination...Su Vien looks as thought she's gonna puke at any moment....

A gorgeous night scene shot at their survival shelter. Looks kinda' cosy, eh? There's nothing like spending time in the forest, and having a small flame next to you to light up the night...gives you that warm feeling inside...

Here's Su Vien playing hide-and-seek in the dark with herself.

Day or night...rain or shine, that's not going to stop the ladies from posing for the cam! Cmdr Sheila with the ladies...

Oh...that candle is for the leaders, btw. Gladly, we slept at the nearby meeting hall...far, far away from the Survivors...and everything else that wants to eat us alive! :)

A beautiful shot of the morning scenery at Laman Bistari. There's cmdr william, in isolation. Probably shaving his leg hair...

And so, after a totally exhausting day and a cold, humid night, it was finally time for the Survivors to come out from the forest and get some much-needed sleep. Everyone did well and earned their right to be called Survivors.

Silent night...

Holy night...

All is calm...all is bright...Many thanks to Su Vien for the orchestra show! She played the Concerto in B minor excellently...

I absolutely love the morning mist and scenery...being surrounded by lush green forest...just gives you that peaceful feeling!

Time for some food...glorious food! Prepared with love by Cmdr Kenny, Sheila and Grace (I think...). She looked busy around the kitchen area...but not sure if she cooked anything at all. But I did see her do lots of food testing and tasting....:) And as usual, get the one and only camper who looks like a mamak fella to make the drinks! Thanks, Dan Raj!

When you're hungry...everything looks gourgeous to eat! Su Vien showing off her 15th round of sausage...

We should love animals...they taste good! :) Thank God the survivors didn't bump into this cat during the night...if not, surely Cat steak was on the menu...

Now that everyone's stuffed with sausages, egg, bread and milo...all can smile happily for the camera!

And if you ate more than enough, you'll be smiling even more!

Pity the boys...they still look so stoned even after breakfast. And here we see Daniel Raj giving himself a good dose of vitamin D. Or was it E? Ahh...either one la.

Man...the girls just couldn't stop posing for the cam. Its like...they can sense when there's a lense pointing at them! And instantly they line up for the pose...

See what I mean? Anyway, from left (back row to the front)...Kelly, Grace, SV, Sherlyn, Melissa and Cmdr Sheila.

And so, after a fun night of surviving and going through all the hardship and mud and leeches and rain and bugs, it was time for the rangers to pack and move on to our LEPAK CAMP! Woo hooo!! After a tough time, everyone deserves a break...and as rangers, we certainly know how to have a good time in the outdoors!

Lesson & Reflection of the day:

Everything we need to survive the night can be found in the jungle. This is, after all, God's creation...which is perfect and complete. All we need to do is to stop, think and look around, and we'll realize that everything we need is right there before our eyes. God's creation is simply magnificent and beautiful, and without a doubt...perfect.

We thank God for helping us through the night, and most of all...for keeping each one of us safe...both trainees and commanders! Its been a memorable night for all...

God bless and stay tuned for Part 2...