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recent

• Survival
• Enough booze
• Where am I headed?
• Eye boogers
• Geranium robertianum
• Please don't make me go back
• Deceptive weather

Amazing how everything works out so well. I canceled my survival training here, and then Tomoe canceled her trip to Malaysia. Since I will now be in Malaysia (where I have a two week layover on my way back to Tokyo) alone for some time (other times I will be visiting a classmate in Kuala Lumpur), I have decided to take my survival training there instead. Now, certainly the training in northern Sweden would be a little closer to what would help me if I am ever in a survival situation in Japan or Michigan, but the jungle training sure sounds like a lot of fun. And the best thing is.... get this... it only costs $118 US, compared to about $500 for the Sweden training.

Below is the run-down of what I get for that $118.

Pre-Day/Nite 1

Meet up with UBAT representative at the Police Counter located INSIDE Pudu Raya bus station 30 mins B4 departure of 930pm. Departure using a Taiping Holidays Express Bus heading towards Changkat Jering on the North-South Highway. Arrival Base Camp(BC) in Kg Ulu Cheh@1-30am - immediate distribution of equipment and food rations Male and female participants sleep in separate quarters!

NOTE ; For private groups, departure will be discussed.

First Day/Nite

Wake up call@7-00am – light breakfast provided - Trek begins @8-30am passing village houses, rubber plantations, fruit orchards and secondary forests.

The following PRACTICAL lessons to be taught are;

1. Making water bottles from Bamboo
2. Identifying/collection of edible & medicinal plant material – 7 types
3. Fashioning ropes from “ Barok “ and “ Kelemedu “ tree barks to secure the bamboo water bottle
4. Identifying drinkable wild vines “ Mengkait “ and “ Mempelas “

There will several fixed rest stops along the trail B4 stopping at CheckPoint Lima 1

The next PRACTICAL class will be starting fires using available natural resources . Participants are to start and maintain their own for signaling and lunch preparation (they’re to prepare cooking/boiling some food supplies provided) PRACTICAL skills in cooking/packing rice for dinner using wild leaves secured by wild vines will also be taught.

Immediate departure for the first camp Bravo 1 Camp (BC 1) - all litter should be carried forward to BC 1 and all fires be put out B4 leaving CheckPoint 1 – CP1. Participants are to carry water as there is no water supply in BC 1. The trail enters into the wild "Bertam" forest. PRACTICAL skills in setting up shelters & natural torches using “ Bertam “ fronds, leaves & fibres. Participants to set up their own shelters & spend 12 hours alone in the jungles. PRACTICAL skills in cooking & preserving canned food for several weeks & predicting weather will be taught. Lectures on perceiving & understanding dangers in nighttime will also be organized as well as signaling methods in the nite. Instructors will make regular shelter site inspection every few hours unannounced.

Second Day/Nite

Wake up call from Gibbons & Co @7-00am – PRACTICAL classes resume ;

1. Digging for food from the wild “ Bertam “ palm.
2. Collection of “ Damar “ or dried saps from the “ Meranti “ tree as fuel and medicine
3. Collection of dried wood to carry forward to the next camp. i.e. Kilo Camp(KC)
4. Trail making skills through “ Bertam “ forest
5. PRACTICAL familiarisation of poisonous plants

Departure for KC @ 1230 noon with a stopover at CP2 for a short 15 minutes break. A class on identifying poisonous vines and plants will be done along the trail. There will be a stopover to see possible blooming Rafflesias!

Collection of edible “ kulim “ fruits along the trail to KC.

Possible arrival KC @4-00pm with an immediate set up of the shelters, collection of firewood and starting/maintaining of fires organized by participants. KC is flanked by two running mountain streams with excellent washing and bathing areas. The waters are extremely clean, fit for washing and drinking.

For dinner, UBAT educators will provide hot porridge and bread whilst participants are to boil their own drink. There will be a discussion on the previous 32 hours’ activities.

Third Day/Nite

Wake up call from Gibbons & Co @7-00am - UBAT educators will provide coffee only – the following practical classes will be organised@9-00am;

1. Primitive Jungle Navigation without using any modern navigation equipment
2. Trail making in lowland & upper primary jungle.
3. Signaling methods in the daytime
4. Further procurement of edible plants
5. Weapon making for self protection
6. Practical Ground 2 Air & Ground 2 Ground signal & rescue procedures
7. Emergency shelter construction without using machetes.

Overnite at KC with participants to collectively prepare their own meals. UBAT instructors will only provide hot drinks. A further discussion on the day’s activities will commence immediately after dinner.

Forth & Final day

Wake up call by Gibbons & Co @ 730am – light breakfast provided – break camp - depart back for BC@9-00am and expected arrival@1-30 noon with light refreshments provided.

Depart back for KL @4-20pm - Arrival KL@8-30pm

NOTE ; Where and when possible, we will try to add in more practical subjects depending on the participants’ responsive attitude.

Yeah yeah, too many photos of people most of you don't know. Well.... suck it up! I like these photos. I realize I have some really photogenic friends. Especially that guy leaning against the wall. What a stud.

The other photos are Roya. Of course she would kill me when she sees them... if she could reach me in Tokyo. I have to say though, that Roya was one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. I worked with her on a project in the beginning of the year and thought "never, NEVER will I work with her again!" Little did I know that I would spend the last half of the year working with her on the thesis project... even less did I know that I would have a great time. One of the best friends of the year, and one of the people I would definitely volunteer to work with again.

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