Monday, August 28, 2006

After Hellweek, everything changed. Now I am officially a Lance Corporal! Okay, it is nothing great but hey, I am finally promoted. Haha. Than the instructors are a little bit nicer and we gained a little bit of respect. Furthermore, the week was termed as Heaven Week where there are no physical training, no punishment and we get to wear scandals around camp. Than what did we do you may ask. Well, we had lectures and lectures and still lectures on demolition. Wow. Actually it is kind of sian as firstly, it made me feel like I am back in JC and secondly, we had to stayed SEVEN days in camp with NO liberty. And without the liberty, my cabin had a famine… so basically I felt I was confined and left helpless.

Kind of admire my 14 other batch mates who was taken out to embark on a crash course in diving. Because of their good results or they have shown excellent leadership potential, they are selected to go for OCS or Platoon Sergeant (PS) course. So before their OCS or PS course, they have to finish their diving course. Furthermore, they HAD liberty, book out on Friday and basically they were free to go anywhere after training. They had lesser restrictions and more good deals than us but provided they can catch up with the pace of the course which I heard is damn fast. Good luck guys.

Anyway, the week has passed and I am back in the comfort of my beloved home. Oh ya, we went over to SAFTI Demolition Range over the weekend (the reason why we didn’t book out on Friday). Range was sian as we had a lot of waiting time but it is sure fun to set up explosives and blew them up. Can’t reveal what we do as it is confidential but more are coming up. Furthermore, diving lessons start this week. Fishes here I come!

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Hellweeker

26th Batch!

Hooya!

Hellweek is finally over and i made it... barely. Haha. All thanks to my Boatcrew who don't give up on me. Thanks guys! You guys are the best!

Lots of things to say but don't know where to start...
Was damn sad when one of our Batch mate went OOC... just because the doc gave him 2 days MC. Can see that he wanted to go through Hellweek as even though he is on MC, he still report back on sunday with us. But due to safety reason, the MO decided to pull him out. That hurts. Furthermore, he was my previous Boatmate and my cabin mate. Ouch.

So, 71 of us went into Hellweek and another blow came when another Batchmate, Sherman Ho went OOC on the second day, all because the MO feel that his hip injury is threatening enough and he can't endure it through 5 days, no matter how much he suck it up. Just the second day and we lost 2 man.

Than subsequently, due to injuries here and there, many more are either on drip or sent to Medical Centre for observation. Luckily, they came back. I remember how hard we fought for one of our Batchmate to join back our class. He contacted sore eyes on the second day and in every way, he was on his way to OOC. But he recovered soon enough to be fit to join us on the 3rd or 4th day. So the Sirs decided to give us a task to fulfill and if we managed to do it, he will be back with us. While we were away for lunch, the instructors decided to mess up our stuff. Our task? To get everything sorted out within a certain time frame. That incident show everyone that once everyone coopoerate and listen to the leaders who came up with plans and put in their effort, the task can be done. And yes, we done it and he is back with us. Hooya!

For me, i have been a burden to my boat. I am prone to injuries and i guess i have visited the Medical Tent for don't know how many times. My injuries was concentrated on my knees and hips and most of the time after some activity, i would visit the tent to get painkillers. This has made one of the Sirs angry and he threatened to put me OOC. Since then, i decided to suck it up and with the support of my boatcrew, i made it. Thanks guys! I really can't thank you guys enough!

Due to confidential reasons, i can't tell you what we do in Hellweek. But it is definitely a week where you realised that mind always matter over body. If your mind says you can do it, you CAN and WILL do it. We have seen examples of how although weak physically, if he has that mental strength, he can overcome the training. As time pass, everyone is gettting more and more tired from the lack of sleep and temper and selfishness start to sink in. The ability to control is just another test of mental strength and i am glad everyone of us has overcome this obstacle.

Hellweek is definitely a week where the spirit of 26th Batch is demonstrated, where everyone help each other, push each other on and developed a bond strong enough for everyone to realise that no man shall be left behind. I am especially touched by this that towards the end, every song we sing is enough to make me tear.

I have lots to say but somehow words just fail me. I just can't find the words to express my feelings. But one thing is for sure that we, helpful 26th Batch, has made it!

72 man went into Hellweek, either 69 or 70 went out as Hellweeker.

Helpful 26th Batch Hellweekers,

HOOYA!

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Well, the time has come for me to pack up and enter through the gates of hell. Hellweek is starting soon. If you will to see any updates after this post, this show i am still surviving. =)

Slack throughout my whole block leave. Do not want to subject my body to any physical activity in hope that i will enter hell with a fresh and recharged body. Right now, i am nervous and that tiny feeling of fear is hanging around.

Just hope that everything is fine...

Thursday, August 10, 2006

Hellweek is fast approaching. In fact, it will start this sunday. Wow. Somehow, a part of me is saying, "Bring it on!" while another part of me is hoping against hope that i can skip it. That feeling of contradiction is uncomfortable and i like don't a bit of it at all. However, the fact that i have to go through Hellweek is something no one can change and i guess the only way is to accept it with a positive mind. After all, quoting 19th Batch of NDU combat divers Hellweek tee shirt, "I know I am bound for Heaven cause i have been through Hell." Damn right they are.

Anyway, i am having my block leave now. Block leave again?! Yes, block leave again. But this block leave has a different meaning. The thought that Hellweek will start on the day we book in don't seem to be very pleasant. But heck! Since there is block leave, don't waste it! Been out everyday since tuesday and caught two movies aside from playing pool and arcade.

First up, Click.



Well, i am not convinced that it is a comedy. Really. Rather it is a heartwarming show that send across to us a very clear message. Nothing is this world is more important than your family and never ever neglect them. Nice show and highly recommended.

Next is Dragon Tiger Gate(龙虎门),



Nice show. When 甄子丹 is the action director, he definitely delivers. Normally when a movie is based on some novels or comic series, expectations are high. Think along the lines of Lord Of The Rings and The DaVinci Code. Well, speaking in the shoes of a person who has never see before the comic, i think it is a rather good movie in terms of action. Storyline and plot... well, a bit typical of Hong Kong movies. Anyway, it has been a while since such power-packed fighting is show on screen. Everyone, no, every male love to see some real fighting, especially when there is blood involved. If not, tell me why Tom Yum Goong is so popular despite it being a Thai movie? So if you are looking to relive the feeling of seeing power-packed fighting on screen, go catch 龙虎门.

I guess i should stop going out and stay at home. Spending more time with my family is important and at the same time recharge my battery so that i will enter Hellweek refreshed and none of my body parts giving any problems. Hope my thighs and knees can take it and not suffer any injuries...

Sunday, August 06, 2006

The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift

Just watched The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift at 12am in the morning.



A rather nice show with a simple storyline. Plot is definitely not needed here as the main attractions are the scantily-clad babes and the cars and the show delivers it well. Throughout the show, the audience, especially the male audience, is treated to a parade of hot babes and fancy cars, not to mention the high-pace scenes of cars racing through different terrain. It is so damn cool to see cars drifting everywhere, inside multi-storey carparks, on treacherous mountain road, through all sort of junctions and the best of all, through a crowd of people. Wow. Plus the high-pace music in the background, the whole feeling is damn 爽.

However, as the show ends, i have a feeling that i have just watched Jay Chou's Initial D, Hollywood-style. There are many similarities but at the end of the day, it don't really matter. By the end of both movies, you are simply too amazed, too fascinated by drifting that what really matters to you is seeing cars drifting. As of now, what i can remember from Initial D is seeing Takumi(Jay Chou's character in Initial D) drift on the mountain road. And for Tokyo Drift, the part where one of the character drift through a multi-storey carpark and how three cars drift through a crowd of people is what i remember.

Both show rocks and they truely celebrate one skill that the Japs racers are good at, Drifting.

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Hellweek is fast approaching and i am definitely not prepared for it, especially after Hellday. This week was a low-key week as most training has been toned down. The only highlight was Hellday, a simulation of a day in Hellweek.

Well, Hellday wasn't difficult. We had the usual, wacking session, Boat, Static and Swim PT, Chow Run and Boat Paddling. The only difficult part was trying to keep awake throughout the 24 hours and that is why i say i am not prepared for Hellweek. When night falls, i am starting my war with the Z monster and the war gets more and more intense as the time reach the 3-4 am mark. If i am struggling already for just one day, how the hell am i supposed to survive through 120 hours of non-stop physical training and zero hours of sleep?

Anyway, shall not let my mind be occupied by Hellweek. Now i shall concentrate on resting. The break before Hellweek has finally come. It is time for me to rest my tired body after all that intense training over the previous weeks and enter Hellweek with a fully recharged body. Just hope my thighs and knees can recover in time...