Asianshark Adventures: My OB Australia Journey – Rising of the Blue Peter flag

I’ve been quite lucky when it comes to participating in Outward Bound programmes. First OB experience was as a RSAF pilot trainee where we went through about 5 days of intensive “shag you out” programme in OBS, conducted by my mentors Edwin Siew and David Lim, 20 years ago in 1996. I was 19 years old then. Second time in OBS was with the PESS PE teacher trainees in 2002 for a 7-9 day programme. Then came along my first overseas OB experience in OB Korea where I went as a teacher liaison officer for then Hwa Chong JC. Probably inspired by the experience, I became an OBS instructor in 2006 and went through the OBS 21-day Classic Challenge as a rite of passage for trainee instructors. 5^th experience was after I left and re-joined OBS in 2013 and went through the 3-day OBS induction programme for People’s Association new staff. These more than made up for missing OBS when I was in secondary school.

So after 10 years in the outdoor industry, I’m leaving for my 6^th OB course in Australia as a participant. OB Australia programmes are known to be one of the “purest” Outward Bound programmes in the world, where they stick with traditional OB philosophies and methodology, thus I’m looking forward to it. Besides, it’s been a 3-year hiatus since I last attended Outward Bound as a participant.

The destination is Outward Bound Australia – Uki base. It’s located in Gold Coast, but don’t think it’s all sandy beaches and tourists sun tanning. In fact we won’t get to see any beach at all, but lots of rivers and forests. The programme is the 14-day Scenic Rim to River, brief description of it was lots of trekking, lots of mountain biking and lots of river canoeing. Plus it’s going to be 11 OBS staff and 4 Aussies, sounds like fun!

Send off at the airport was grander than usual. There were colleagues from various departments and even our Executive Director was there to send us off. Well, it was the first time OBS sent that many staff on an overseas programme/attachment, and we were the lucky 11.

Don't you get injured ah!

Big send-off!

Once we arrived in Gold Coast airport, we were received by OBA staff as programme participants, no chance to R&R or acclimatize before the commencement of the programme. We met the 4 Aussie blokes that we’ll be spending the next 14 days with: Con, Dan, Nathan and Lui. Con is 33, the rest were in their very early 20s. Felt awkward to be meeting strangers, young enough to be my OBS participants, different nationality and race, and we were watch-mates.

Awesome weather greets us

Highlight of the day – raising the Blue Peter flag, which in the olden days it was a signal that a ship is leaving the harbour on an extended sea voyage. And so it has begun, our 2-week Outward Bound Australia journey, followed by 4 days of OBA attachment and 2 days of R&R at Surfers’ Paradise.