welcome to mainland

back from tekong! whoo! I have never missed home this much before.

2 weeks in tekong, and im glad to say im onLY 7 weeks away from PoP! it doesnt feel that close away.

I got posted to G company. It stands for Gryphon, not Gay. Platoon 2, section 1, bed 3.

My two weeks in tekong weren't that bad. It's not that bad a place, really. Nice island, i really love the coastal route. Just that we never have the time and luxury to stroll along and enjoy it. The weather is nice and warm, an average of 1 degree hotter than Singapore, which isn't hot enough. Erratic weather changes from bright hot and sunny to dark gloomy and happy really make our day, and we start chanting " Cat 1 Cat 1 Cat 1.. ". Rain and thunderstorms usually ensue, and a monotonous computer generated voice echoes our chant, "Cat 1.. Cat 1.. Cat 1..". And then all outdoor activities are cancelled and we happily make our way back to our bunks.

The food is really not bad, and for now im not really sick of it yet. Fruits are provided every meal, and there are always syrup drinks, or special milo-like drinks like vico-coco. Ice cream is a luxury treat which we get once every week, rocks! The only sad thing is that, even if the food is nice, it has to be in the stomach by 10-15 minutes, which means we never get to savour what we eat. Oh we get stuff like greenbean/redbean/barley soup too.

Training is... quite alright. Not very shiong, not very slack either. Only dumb thing is that they throw us physically demanding activities one after another, day after day. Our bodies dont even get a chance to recover, how to improve like that? Once the fatigue builds up our morale goes down and we cant really give our best effort anymore. They say progressive training, which is quite bullshit. In our first PT, we couldnt even complete 50% of what we were asked to do. The intensity of the physical sessions we have are the same, even if we have two back to back, as if we would be as fresh as we were before we started the first session. They expect everyone to be conditioned just because we are the enhanced leadership batch, which is quite rubbish.

And the worst part of training is that we have no courtyard outside our company, only a semi-barren field. That means that all our physical activities are conducted on it. Lying down on the ground really sucks, our sweaty clothes get dirty everytime when all the mud and leaves get stuck to it, and becomes we have to wash clothes quite often. One day i left my clothes soaked in soap water for a day, and the next day they all stank like mad. So yeah never soak your clothes in washing powder water.

Oh yes we had Cover and Concealment lessons, which meant going outfield to gather twigs and leaves to stuff on yourself so you look like a tree as much as possible. That was quite fun, except that where i lay had two ant trails. Luckily they didnt bite. One of my platoon mates got red ants. hahaha. Thankfully not the big one though.

Our uniform really camouflages quite well. At least good enough to trick the birds. One day when we were in our files, two Sun birds came and flew in between us, damn cute haha. Den our sergeant was like "it thinks you are trees! haha" That malay sergeant is very funny btw. When we were doing our crunches lying on the field, he comes to each of us and, standing over us against the backdrop of the blue tekong sky, he asks, "do i look like an angel?" hahah.

Discipline is not that strict yet, because it is only our adjustment period, my commanders are quite friendly. As of now.. We are allowed to use the softdrink vending machine outside our bunks! Rocks

My platoon/section mates are all nice people. For those that i already know, there's samuel lim from hc/ac, Julian Tay ac, colin hc, reuben lim ac. At company level there's Melvin from nj.

I was happy when i went in, but subsequently after the first few days i started getting damn sian already. I went in all garang and pysched up, ready to chiong and get tekan, but i was disappointed when there was really nothing much to do, and the commanders were so laxed. Nothing to chiong. My phone died on the second day, and i was cut off from friends. My radio never worked at all, and i was totally deprived of music. I got back injury on the third day, and got excused from all activities for the next three days. Back pain never recovered, and together with muscle fatigue from the activities i was no longer anywhere near fighting fit, I really couldn't chiong sua anymore. When i couldn't chiong, it's like there's really no motivation for anything anymore, and morale all disappear. So now im quite sian, i hope the back pain goes away, gonna see doc on monday. So sad =( And i dislocated my arm during the monkey bar thing of the soc.

On a brighter note i was bored during my status period, and came out with a sketch for company T-shirt. My Platoon commander liked it and now i need to come out with a proper design for it. =D. I wasn't shortlisted for medicine, but i got shortlisted for architecture! Aptitude test is tomorrow, and i hope i do well.

So that's it for now, i have much of civilian life to enjoy. In camp i dreamt of food everyday. Last night after i booked out i had Ben and Jerrys, and then my bro and cousin brought me to cafe cartel where i had waffle ice cream and a berrie smoothie. Whoaa heavenly :)

Okay i have to answer my Call of Duty 3 now. Field camp next week. till the week after.. bye!

BMT!!!

ARMY ARMY! Wooooooooo!

Hair gone, phone downgraded, psyched up and ready to go! =D

I'm so excited, arent youu?

Chiong sua!

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

hmm

3 more days before being deported to tekong. Trying to 'pack up my feelings' (chinese) and prep up for army.

Been playing war games, and watching war films. Everything is working fine, really getting psyched up for army now. I'm really getting excited about it. Not really looking forward to it, but I dont mind army. I figured it'd be fun. The brotherhood, the outdoors, guns.. everything macho. Yeahp no girls, but that's quite a good thing, back to good old all-guy-fun and jokes. Provided the company I have are nice. I hope i dont start thinking about girls, don't think i will either, being so tied up with all the army stuff.

Fitness is down, tried to revive it, but to not much results. Ive just been too lazy to do much exercise.

I'd type more when I'm in the mood to. In quite a shock


So, you got attached.

Ouch, that hurts some.


But Im fine, id be happy and occupied in tekong.
Hope i'd have nice people in my band of brothers

Driving Eutopia

Almost crashed into some bugger during driving a few days ago, and i swear it had nothing to do with me. He was on the lefter lane turning right, and he turned so close to me he was almost gonna cut into my lane as though i wasnt there.

Somebody ought to rethink Singapore's driving system, there are enough irresponsible/blur/hopeless drivers out there, just waiting for accidents to happen. Ive been to bangkok enough times to know that e drivers there have much quicker reflexes, and definitely 2000X more patience than Singapore drives. Only problem is that they like to get drunk more than we do.

Driving centers should teach us more practical skills, rather than just how to pass our practical tests. In reality, really got ppl use engine brake all the time, really got ppl turn the head over so exaggeratedly to check blind sport, really got keep to miserable speed limit. Okay statistics show that accident rates have dropped and have been quite constantly low these few years, but i have a plan that might just bring it even lower. heheh

May i present to you..


THE AWX EUTOPIAN DRIVING SYSTEM

The idea of this programme is to train up drivers in a more realistic environment, one that is akin to that of the real world. Drivees would be subjected to conditions and circumstances in the circuit that are prevalent in singapore - reckless driving, chiong redlight, jaywalk, suddenly stop car, swerve anyhow - and are expected to react immediately and appropriately. Drivees are thus expected to improve their reflexes and judgemental skills, and execute counter-accident maneuvers with precision.

To acquire a driving certificate, drivees are required to complete the 1km AWX Reflex Course (AWXRC) safely and alife, in 1:45min, ie an average speed of 85kmh. By placing candidates under conditions of real danger, they are taught that driving is not a game, and that the dangers of reckless driving are real and could cost them their lives.

Concurrently, inadept drivers would be removed before they become potential disasters waiting to happen.

Below are the main concepts of AWXRC

1. Random boards depicting various creatures would spring out of the ground at any random time during the drivee's exam. Candidates are expected to swerve away to avoid the boards, and not knock any down. Fines would be imposed on the candidate if he/she fails to avoid them, ranging from $500-$5,000, depending on the severity of the crash, and the status of the board - human/dog/monster. Boards are not intended to kill.

2. Solid machinery placed before red lights are able to pop out of the ground anytime, to simulate cars that are fond of sudden brakings. Crashes may result in death.

3. Boulders in the shape of parked cars may reverse/drive out, and drivers are expected to stay clear of them.
4. A Car shaped boulder would be propelled across the traffic junction anytime during the exam, simulating cars that beat redlight. Drivees are expected to look left and right even when the traffic light has turned green.

5. Sirens blare out ambient noises, and the intermittent ultra-loud blares of car horns, which are intended to scare or shock the candidates. They are expected to get use to the often random horning of impatient Singaporeans, but at the meantime be able to discern whether it is a real horn or not. Horns may sound right before 3,4 or 6 are activated.

6. In a tropical region, lightning strikes are common, and falling trees help to train up reflexes as well.

7. Posters or banners depicting sexualcontent/sale/discount would be displayed on the side of the course. Drivees are expected not to be distracted by them, and place full concentration on the road ahead, for the sake of their lives.


At any one time, no 2 or more obstacles would be activated such that the candidate has no sure way of passing through. AWXRC is also not the sole criteria for a driving license. Parking would be tested separately.