Nostalgia

Can someone tell me what to do with a drawer full of these?

CDs of yesteryears, when JPop wave hit us. Speed, Max, DaPump, Arashi, Kinki Kids...remember them?

For reasons purely sentimental, I have kept these over the years depite the space constraints. I believe that one day if I'm suddenly feeling bored or sad, I can put these CDs on and reminisce the good old times.

But more than 10 years down, they are still in the cupbaord, untouched, collecting dust, taking up space. Maybe I should really think about disposing them. Tsk, but a part of me don't want to do it, since they have defined my teenage years and are synonymous of that very significant and memorable phase of my life.

How?

Another bout of nostalgia hit me this year when I finally jumped out of NPCC back to Girl Guides. Now this is where I truely belong! I guess it's true when they say once a Guide, always a Guide. I didn't have to get enrolled during the Guiders Training Course! The Guides' House, Baden Powell, Be Prepared, Thinking Day, Badges, WAGGS, it's like digging up a part of me that had been forgottten. Welcome back to Guiding!

Went through the 3 dyas Basic Training Camp [BTC] (or what my friend said, Basic Torture Camp) on Monday-Wednesday at Camp Christine. Boy, it was bittersweet. I was telling my patrolmates that this is one of the toughest camps I've been to since secondary school. Even the longer NPCC OBTC camp I attended 2 years ago seemed mild as compared to this. I guess age is really catching up with us. The activities were fun, and the things we learnt were very relevant to our role as a Guider, but still it was both mentally and more so physically draining for many of us. I thank God that I have very nice patrol mates, very encouraging and positive, and all that made the three days a little more bearable. Here are some pics!

Our theme for this camp is Robin Hood and his Merry Men, and our patrol was Will Scarlet (frankly speaking, I only know Robin Hood). Will Scarlet likes to wear red stockings, so we concluded that he was vain, and therefore, we made a pretty bow as our patrol identity. If it sounds smoky, that's because it really is.

Sweet and pretty as the bows are, they look like birds on our heads.

Making of our patrol flag!

Simple but outstanding! (Too bad I didn't take pictures of other patrols' flags. Some were really good!

Will Scarlet Patrol!

Coming up with activities for use during the Guides' camp in the future.

Our shelter for two nights! This canvas tent, reported costing $5k, can house 8 men, is extremely sturdy, but unfortunately traps heat too well. All of us could not sleep at night as it was too hot. We woke up in our pool of sweat. I went to sleep after shower and my hair didn't dry overnight...yikes.

Gadget making! Remember your knots and lashings? I realised how half-baked my skills were as the trainer went through the various ways of tying the poles. We had ruled the world with the clove hitch and square lash for ALL gadgets, which shouldn't be the case. Now I know better...but I also know that if everything else fails, I can still rely on " clove hitch and square lash" for they work pretty well enough haha...

Next up, everyone's favourite outdoor cooking!

Marinating of the chicken.

By the way babes, does this place look familiar to you?

It's the very place where we did our "Sandwich Making Competition" and swept the Top Three prizes! Mai Siao Siao, that was definitely one of the official highlights of our CCA.

 

Smoke gets in your eyes!

The yummilious chicken waiting to be smoked.

It may all look very fun, but there were many downs in the camp. First, there were no tables and chairs for us, so during meals, we have to form a circle called the "meal ring" and sit on the floor or grass, with an imaginary table in the middle which no one can step on. So, our food and drinks had to be put on the ground.

Also, it rained heavily on days one and two. It rained when we were doing patrol cooking too. Drenched our fire and spirit. Our food was mixed with rainwater, sweat, dirt, and possibly detergent. Still, they tasted pretty good and nope, nobody got diarrhea. Too bad, I was too tired and hungry to take any pictures.

We had to combat with ants too.

Our nights were plagued with stupid insects. Bit us like nobody's business. We all had difficulty sleeping because the mozzies were buzzing at our ears. I zipped up by sleeping bag and put mosquito patch, but still I got this:

Siah Lah it's like getting hives all over again. Very sad...they look like they are going to stay for a long while.

So yup, that's my camp. Quite an experience that I wouldn't want to go through again!

Gonna make good use of what's left of the one-week break by resting a lot hoho...and doing things that I like doing, and oh! source for a hotel for my big day! Not to mention, spending time with the little cutie!

See you babes on Sat!

~ goh