I’ve always liked the idea of being in nature and adventure since I was little…
It all started when dad told me about how he was a scout and the interesting activities he would take part in. I stayed a scout the whole of primary and secondary school, went for camps and jamborees, and really enjoyed the experience!
I recently went camping with a group of friends at Lata Makau, Kuala Kubu Bharu. It took 1.5 hours to reach our destination. We trekked in mud, crossed a river, and mud again to the camping ground. It was a little challenging to go against current while crossing thigh-high waters with camping supplies to carry.
We arrived at the campsite within 15 minutes and picked a flat, higher ground that had trees (for hammocks) by the river. Different tasks were delegated to the campers, such as setting up the tents, putting up rain covers over tents, erecting a station for cooking, getting food out of the cooler to thaw, and clearing the ground to make space to start a fire.
After unpacking, some stayed at the campsite to chat, whipping up a crockpot meal with the handy camp stove, while some jumped right into the river to cool off in the early afternoon. Shortly after lunch, my friends and I gathered and hiked up to the waterfall. The long drizzle earlier had resulted in wet grounds and humid air. We marched through muddy grounds and shallow creeks and turned ourselves into a ‘feast’ for leeches on the way up.
It was a 5-hour hike to the waterfall and back to our campsite. After the hike, we went for a quick dip in the river by our campsite to refresh ourselves after getting all sticky and sweaty.
Soon after, we started a fire right before sundown and sat around to cook dinner while chatting. A variety of meat, corn, sweet potato and mushrooms were on the barbeque menu. Oh, and marshmallows for dessert! It was a great time bonding over delicious food.
After dinner, we were divided into groups of three for night-watch duty before everyone called it a day. Drivers were given the priority to take the first shift so they could enjoy uninterrupted sleep. It rained in the wee hours when everyone was knocked out, while another three diligently took charge of the night watch.
The next day, I rose early for breakfast duty. It was one of the best feelings – waking up to chilly air, the chirping of birds, and the soothing sounds of river waters.
That morning, we bonded over banana pancake and coffee, sausages and garlic toast. Everybody played a part in preparing, washing up utensils and gobbling up left overs. After breakfast, we packed up and left for home.
It was fun foregoing gadgets and getting connected with people the old-school way, in nature!
The experience was refreshing and I look forward to another camp!