OPA Father & Sons Camp

Well done to OPA for organizing Father & Sons camp this year. I remember they had similar program several years ago camping on a private island in Johor but this time we camped at Kem Hutlista, Ulu Yam not far from Batu Dam. The organizer lead by OP Sany had done a good job to ensure the program runs smoothly. We gathered at OPA building, Saujana Subang before leaving to Kem Hutlista riding behind two 3-tonners. There were nearly 50 people joined the program and half of the fathers were my batch mates in RMC. Our batch already planning to do another camping next year so that we can bring our daughters, wives and girlfriends to join.

First day, travel in 3 tonner & setup tent

 After we reached the destination, we had a short briefing and distribution of ponchos, mess tins, water bottles and army rations for our meal. It has been so many years since the last time I had my army ration in RMC. I can say, the rations have been improvised so much better now. I think I can still eat the rations for several day now, unlike annual camp in RMC where I puked after continue eating this smelly food for 2 weeks. But we still bring some other instant food just in case my boys can't eat the ration. Yeah, they were so pampered by me. I even bought a dome tent, so that we don't have to cut down trees to setup a tent using ponchos like I used to do it in RMC.

First solo night walk for the kids

 We did several activities during the first night including solo walk in pitch black night in the jungle. Probably it was a scary thing to young boys but all of them survived the test without any incident. Ian & Dmi had no trouble sleeping in the tent on the first night.

More photos

On second day after breakfast we went out for jungle tracking to a waterfall. Along the way there were challenges like, learn how to start-up fire, how to cook tapiocas and how to build a table from bamboo. Since it is rainy season, we had countless encounter with leeches. So many of them everywhere along the way.

Second day - Jungle tracking & jungle challenge

  After completed all the challenges we tracked through a small stream to get to the waterfall. I was so busy cooking for the lunch, I forgot to take photo of the waterfall. After lunch, we tracked back to base camp via different path and we did river crossing.

Picnic at waterfall & river crossing

 On the second night the facilitators conducted a motivational talk for the kids while fathers sitting at the back looking at their kids behave. After the talk we had a BBQ dinner and then lights off.

BBQ on second night

 Final day comes with the most exciting activity.... paint ball game. They had their first experience playing war games. A real physical activity unlike playing video games. And yes, they had to run, crawl and duck from the bullets with dirt & mud all over their body. Paint ball is pretty dangerous if you don't follow the safety precaution and it is very painful if you got shot. Well, a boy must experience all these to become a man. But the most important thing is we had so much fun !!!

They fight like grown up men!

 I'm so proud my boys, they could handle outdoor activities easily. I think it's in the genes... their great great grandfather was a warrior killing the British troops, their great grandfather was a soldier killing the Japanese army, their grandfather was a commando killing the Communist insurgents and their father was a soldier boy killing the ants & cockroaches... hahaha. I guess they are ready to join RMC in the future. Serve to Lead !

We were happy to be together :)