This post is specially dedicated to the 10 heroes and heroines from Nanyang Polytechnic
Day 1
Arrived at Taoyuan International Airport where we were greeted by our OBT instructors Eddie and Hardy. Eddie introduced himself as Ed, and he's Hardy (Ed Hardy perfume), but we didn't get it so he just stuck with Eddie. Weather was cool with a bit of sunrays, we were told those few days were the best weather in a week, but will turn for the worse in a couple of days' time. One of the highlights of OBT has to be the food! Almost every breakfast and dinner is cooked and it's always yummy!
Highlight: The dinner!
Arrival at Outward Bound Taiwan
Raising of the ROC, OBT and Blue Peter flags to signify the start of a journey
Using tent pitching as a team building activity
Good to know OBS is 3000km away
The path to the camping ground
High elements
Entrance to OBT
Day 2
Started the day with basic orienteering as a morning game, followed by low and high elements. After dinner we started preparing for the expedition ahead and packed our bags.
Highlight: Seeing someone at the high elements challenging himself for such a long time.
With the OBT instructors minus Hardy
The belay team focusing on the climber
Expedition food packing
Measuring the amount of spaghetti to bring for expedition
Day 3
Took a long (4-5hr) van ride to the trailhead of Mount Silvia（雪山）. Weather has indeed become worse and it rained the whole day. Met Taiwanese tourists at the trailhead who looked at us in amazement as we (including 10 teenagers from Singapore) were carrying heavy backpacks and preparing to trek up the mountain in the rain. First day was a short trek (2km) to Qika Cabin, took 2hrs.
Thank God for mountain cabins, we were able to get warm and dry inside the cabins. There are lights, toilets, bedroom and kitchen, not forgetting wooden bunk beds. There weren't other campers that night so we had the whole room to ourselves.
Highlight: Sleeping in the van and sleeping in Qika hut at night.
Getting ready to leave the comfort of OBT
At the trailhead (before)
Start of the trek
Working hard up the slope
Having fun at Qika hut
Cooking dinner on the mountain
Day 4
Summit Day! The trek was a 3km trek to East Peak (3201m) and 3km back to Qika. We couldn't proceed to the main peak (3886m) as it was covered in snow and we weren't trained in snow trekking. It was raining as well, but i was glad it wasn't like the heavy downpour that happened the night before while we were sleeping. The trek up to East Peak took 4hrs, longer than expected as one of us was having difficulty coping with the cold air and altitude as she was already been sick for a week. Step by step, cold and wet, we eventually made it to the top.
Finally at the East Peak
The trek down took 3hrs, which was also longer than expected. Important thing was everyone got back safely and before 4pm. Once back at Qika we immediately changed out of our wet clothes and keep warm. Some hid in the big fluffy sleeping bags, some went to make hot water and cook.
Highlights: Other than the summit itself, I was very amazed by the determination of 2 girls, Han Ying and Sherry. They made it to the summit and back despite battling with cough and altitude, or pain in both knees. The wet and cold also brought me out of my comfort zone, hands were freezing especially during every stop.
Day 5
Raining as well, but it was only a 2km trek down to the trailhead, which took 1.5hrs, shorter than expected! After that it was another 4hr van ride back to OBT base.
Highlight: The cherry blossoms after we got down.
At the trailhead (after)
Cherry blossoms!
Day 6
This was the longest trekking day from OBT to Jianshi Junior High School in another town, covering a distance of 24km. The weather was warmer and it finally stopped raining, we had a fun trek through Guanxi old town taking in the sights and smells. I felt like a happy tourist walking through the countryside, taking pictures of tea plantations, beautiful wall murals and old neglected buildings.
Highlight: Must be the long trek (10hrs) and blisters for the pax, especially for Marcus who had to endure (pre-existing) sunburnt shoulders and multiple blisters on both feet. Nice to see him finally relenting to let others carry his load. By acknowledging your limits, you have become stronger.
Personally for me though, the highlight was walking through the countryside, seeing a side of Taiwan most tourists (in cars) do not see. Snapped many pictures along the way.
Start of the 24km trek
Wall mural at Guanxi showing the highlights of the town
Love how the Taiwanese recycle their stuff
Make love (not war)
The trek started to get tough after 15km as everyone was tired, with blisters starting to form. Soon it started raining again and the sky grew darker and darker. With the perseverance of the mountain experience, we managed to press on until we finally reached Jianshi Junior High at 630pm. We were supposed to pitch tents on the grass field but since it was flooded, we were allowed to sleep along the dry corridor of the school. That was the happiest news of the day! Another happy piece of information was that there was a hot water dispenser along the corridor, and I had sachets of coffee with me. And a Starbucks insulated coffee mug bought from HK International Airport!
Highlight: Sleeping along the corridor and the hot water dispenser.
Nice cosy cafés lined the road
Group hug upon reaching the destination
Getting a good stretch after the long trek
Day 7
If day 6 was the happiest day then day 7 was the most fun day! We were doing river tracing at a nearby (6.5km from Jianshi Jnr High) stream. Water temperature was significantly warmer and volume less than a couple of days ago, due to the drier and warmer weather of the last 2 days. I was happily taking videos with my Gopro strapped to my chest, hopefully I'll be able to upload a good action video for you to view.
Highlight: River tracing was so much fun! It's like bouldering up a rocky cliff with cold water gushing at you.
Murals showing the history of the town, which belonged to tribal Taiwanese natives（原住民）
At the hot spring resort, where we start our icy cold river tracing??!!
Swag!
Hand in hand, we will overcome
Lending a helping hand
What I'm doing while they are challenging themselves
Hoo-yeah!
Day 8
Day 8 was Service Learning Day at Guanxi town. I like how OBT instructor Hardy integrated place-based learning (economic, cultural and environment), service learning and a sense of urban adventure into this activity. We were split into 3 groups and I was grouped with OBT instructor WuPing, who lived in Guanxi so was very familiar with the town. I like Wuping's sense of humour and pursuit of adventure learning when he's conducting programmes. It amazing that we are about the same age but he's so much more experienced in the outdoors, especially in mountain climbing. He belongs to the elite group of mountaineers who's climbed 100 of pre-selected peaks in Taiwan (called 百岳in Taiwan). And he's climbed them alone! And he's going to do more.
Highlight: Getting to know Guanxi town, we literally walked around a few times!
Spider web activity as a lead up to the city adventure
Smelly toufu auntie and stall
Tastes good actually
Cleaning service at a bread shop
The day ended with the students having their solo night, each of them sleeping alone in a small tent with pen, paper and cards to do reflections.
Day 9
Clearing of gears and final debrief, the highlight of the day has to be the certificate presentation. The longest cert presentation I ever seen, but it was meaningful as every pax had to get personal feedback from all their team members before getting the cert. kind of like a "hot seat" cum cert presentation.
Day 10
Final day, sad and happy to be back. Thanks for the memories!
Thanks to all the OBT instructors, you guys taught me a lot especially your soft skills, programme design and reminding me what an Outward Bound course is about.
Yuting: Thanks for all the fun and laughter, hope you continue to grow in the outdoors.
Eddie: At 22, your maturity and forward-thinking amazes me. You will bring OBT to greater heights!
Wu Ping: At "around-my-age", your energy and drive to do more and pursue the outdoors earns my respect. Hope you continue climbing mountains outside Taiwan.
Hardy: I truly learned a lot from you; your patience, gentle yet firm, humour, guiding others to reflect rather than telling and your willingness to learn more. Hope to see you in Singapore.
To Serve, To Strive, And Not To Yield!
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