The True Account of The Ophir Expedition is here......finally.
Read on and be inspired to just do it next June.
(Wilderness Camp June '98)
Finally, the day came for the first of 2 teams from Zion YF to scale the heights of Mount Ophir since 1994. After months of anticipation, thorough preparation and "intensive" training, the teams were ready to conquer "little Everest".
At the Tanjong Pagar train station on 8th June, Elder Wee was there to say a prayer for the team before they left aboard a night train to Segamat. The 11-person team was made up of Siow Lon, Dawei, Ben, AB, Kelvin Chan, Huiqing, June Quek, Karen, Xinyan, and Lon's two army friends, Alex and Zhaojie. They returned safe and sound on the day the second group departed for a similar experience of a life time. (For their story, talk to them)
For the second trip….
Led by the garang AB and BEAN (their second trip consecutively! - are they mad??!!!), 15 people left for Segamat on Friday (12th) night to pit a challenge against Gunung Ledang (Mt. Ophir). The entourage comprised of Hong Swee, Ravi, Peigang, Alvin Lee, Fabian, Zhiyong, Daryl, Pearl, Wei Fang, Cheryl, Yanhao, Wendy Heng, Alicia, and two saad saad Asian Americans (Fabian's frens) Jill and Catherine.
Our first night of "rest", upon reaching Segamat, was on the hard, cold floor of the train station. There the girls had to put up with the relentless terrorists - kamikaze monster winged-ants, and the guys had to put up with the constant squeals from the girls terrorized by kamikaze monster winged-ants. Gallant Hong Swee, in particular, was kept awake defending hapless damsels from kamikaze monster winged-ants. And all had to try to sleep with a constant drone from certain blocked nostrils and the occasional thunderous noise from arriving trains.
Gunung Ledang was a magnificent mountain from afar, but became a little unfriendly as we tried to overcome it. The first hurdle to clear for all of us, still fresh and eager, was a series of steps cut into the rocks. They seemed neverending, and robbed the breath and color from our lips. Thoughts of giving up filled my mind as I pushed my pampered body forward. I verbalized my surrender countless of times, yet met with only encouragements: "you can do it!" And so, miraculously, all of us pressed on towards our goal.
The climb put all our muscle groups to brutal test. Not only did we have to strain our calves and knees to climb the giant natural steps, our arms were tormented having to hoist ourselves up - and all the while our luggage was threatening to break our backs and eat our shoulders.
Along the way, some guys' bags grew heavier as some girls' grew lighter. These "men" used their muscles well to render help to the fairer gender.
As we had only two days to climb up and down and get back to town, we were practically being forced to go Express. Unlike the first group who had more time to stop and smell the roses, we were pushed quite mercilessly to "carry on", and "stop only at the next clearing." But we knew the tough medicine was necessary and truthfully, we were not tested beyond what we could bear.
To make it to Botak Hill, a plateau very near summit, we had to climb an almost vertical rock surface one by one with the help of only one rope to hang on to for dear life. This was the scariest and the thought of it now is enough to make my palms sweat again.
It was another 30 minutes or so to the very top. Short as it may be, compared to what we had gone through, the encroaching darkness made it somewhat more challenging. At the height of 4000ft above sea-level, our ears were constantly getting blocked up, cramps and fatigue were also setting in. The environment had also changed drastically, from dense tropical rainforest to vegetation that comprised mainly of giant bonsai-like trees and shrubs with their typical curvy and stunted features. We groped frantically in last light, made worse due to the canopy of leaves and branches; helped along only by the raw rock outcrops and the buttress roots. Panic gripped the team as we encountered what sounded like a wild boar. Famous words of Fabian recounting that particular incident were "aiyah! Wild boar also scared." Even though he was seen hiding in the rear of the pact supposedly guarding the rear. It is rumoured that he asked Zhiyong to go in front…need I say more? Joy and a sense of accomplishment replaced our tiredness when we made the final assault on Ophir's tip. A gaze at the mist that shrouded the entire peak (actually not what we had liked to have because it shielded us from the beautiful sunset) was more than enough to make us heave a sign of relief and jump for joy. Boy, how we wished all of you people back home could have joined us in this celebration of God's creation. As you would have expected, the journey back to Botak Hill was slightly more treacherous due to nightfall.
We pitched tents on Botak Hill and had a hearty dinner before hitting the sacks. The cold breezes lulled us easily into sleep, except for a certain drone and 'pooo-poops' in the guys' tents. A couple of the hyperactive chaps stayed up to chit-chat and play taiti before concussing on the cold hard ground, literally braving the elements. The night was tranquil with only the howl of the wind and the occasional unusual sleeping sounds of the campers (no mention of names here), and rodents who were picking up the leftovers. What more could one ask for? A roof over our heads; the sky, bedding to lie on; the cosy sleeping bags, and most of all a God who was looking over each and every one of us as we laboured or as we rested. This was the life!
Just before first light, some of us scampered out of our hiding places and positioned ourselves for a good glimpse of the sunrise which was truly amazing for those who managed to catch it. Alvin Lee and Hong Swee made up for the missed trip to the summit before everyone was up. They had stayed back the previous day to help set up base camp. The hustle and bustle of morning activity and breakfast soon set in except for one or two sleepy heads who for some reason or another found it hard to get up. Ground sheets were laid out nicely in the shade as we prepared for a time of singspiration and scripture reading and prayer led by Hong Swee. That was truly refreshing, something we badly needed to spur us on the descent. It was easier but nevertheless required some acrobatic skills to "drop" ourselves down those giant steps we had previously conquered. Our legs stiffened from the previous day's arduous trek soon turned wobbly. We were going as if we had a plane to catch - we overtook at least three groups!. Come to think of it we really had a bus to catch. The last bus to Segamat town, where we planned to spend the night before moving on to church, would stop by at the foot of Mount Ophir round about 5pm everyday. Missing that bus would mean either wasting precious ringgit on chartering a minibus or coach, or extending our stay on the mountain for another day. We stopped by a couple of times for rest and for put-put (again, we will not mention any names…actually there was only one girl K…from the first trip). Nevertheless, by 430pm, we were at the foot of the mountain, gratefiully gulping down bottle after bottle of COKE, PEPSI, SARSI, 100PLUS….etc. Aaahhhh the trip - with all the hardship and lack of toilet facilities (you must experience it to believe it) - was worth it after all. Our heartfelt thanks be to our GREAT SHEPHERD Who watched over us and provided for us all the way.
To all those who missed it, what's happened? Till next June, listen up for the next chance of a lifetime! Cheers!
