B L O G P A S T O R

the jewels of Nepal

After watching a Sunday channel news asia program titled “Pursuits” about an entrepreneur who sold his business and became an adventurer, I felt it was time to go back Nepal on a mini photo vacation. This was the result! (Photo credits: Rachel Roque, Celine Koh.)

Jewels of Nepal from Blogpastor on Vimeo.

Add comment November 27th, 2008

adventure caving in Mulu

Just the park alone is about the size of Singapore. The sights were spectacular, stunning, unforgettable and so were the sounds. This trek was a feast. Ten of us had a delightful and healthy holiday in a trip planned early in the year to take advantage of AirAsia’s fierce fares. For about S$500 for the whole trip, it was a steal. We flew from Senai airport and stayed overnight in sleepy oil town Miri. Then we caught a MAS Fokker propellor plane and reached Mulu National Park, Sarawak, in 30 minutes. The alternative was upriver on motor boats for an unthinkable 10 hours. The park hq had adequate, satisfactory accomodations and sedap Malaysian food. One of the few highlights for many of us was adventure caving. Park guides accompanied us and equipped with park supplied helmets and lights we made our way into the unlit, dark Lagangs Cave.

We trekked on wooden planks for about less than an hour and reached the entrance of the cave. When we entered, we caught sight of stalactites (’c’ for from the ceiling) and stalagmites(’g’ on the ground)  as we walked by with our lights on, and as we got used to the darkness. It was wet and muddy in some places and we used our hands too, and scrambled over boulders, and squeezed and contorted through crevices and gaps on several occasions, but for the most part it was plain walking in a cool cave instead of a humid rainforest. It dripped here and there and there was a stream running throughout the cave.

There were several creatures of the dark in the cave and we spotted or heard swiftlets, bats, spiders, white river crabs and a snake (click on thumbnails for pop-ups). There were no mosquitoes! The bats ensured that.

It took about an hour or more through the cave and when it ended we felt good because our fears of the mystery that the dark world held, and our ideas of what caving required of us, were unfounded. Our fears were imagined and they evaporated as we refused to cave in to fear, and just do it a step at a time with a trustworthy guide.

2 comments September 26th, 2008

bat exodus at Mulu, Sarawak

One of the great highlights of my recent vacation with my trekkie friends was to witness and video the incredible bat exodus from the Deer Cave in the Mulu National Park, in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. It was a stunning and spectacular sight to behold. Creation sings his praises and stills our complaining voices with His great wonders! Let all that have breath praise the Lord!

7 comments September 24th, 2008

namaste! Nepal

Yes its been almost a year since I went with my trekkie friends on the Ghorepani-Ghandruk trails in the Annapura range.  These guys love trekking together, and I try to join them once a year. This year it will be Sarawak. And I am now beginning to look forward to it.

Last year, I didn’t know how to do a picture slide and post it online. I just learned it early this year. So I found myself reliving the feel and sights and mood of the whole vacation, as I did the slides today. It was fun and therapeutic to do, especially so on my day off. Its good to have hobbies to keep yourself from breaking apart.

Namaste! Nepal from Blogpastor on Vimeo.

6 comments September 8th, 2008

Mt Kinabalu Youth Adventure 3 (March 7-11, 2008)

3 comments March 25th, 2008

step by step together

The first thing Sam the tour guide told me was, “It has been raining everyday this past week.” It confirmed what we had checked on the internet. Peter had informed us to pray, and hearing him made us anxious and made us pray further. God was gracious and he heard the cry of his children. He answered our prayers beyond all we could ask or imagine. The day before our climb it rained. The day on our climb it did not rain but was misty even at noon beyond Layang Layang when the vegetation changed to montane. From the Laban Rata resthouse, the sunset was spectacular. At 2am the next morning the sky was clear and we could see the stars; and the weather became wonderfully clear and bright. The sunrise was calm and accompanied by beautiful clouds and we were praising God aloud and unashamedly. Descending the mountain, there was an occasional misty drizzle or two, thats all.

The hallmark of our MKYA 3 was this: we stayed together throughout the climb- both the swift and the slow stayed together. The speedy were held back and it helped them to conserve energy and adjust to the altitude. The slow were encouraged and strengthened as they could see they were not far, far behind from others. Together and in unity we moved up. We began at about 8.30am and reached Laban Rata at about 3.30 pm.

The early morning ascent to the summit, we naturally broke up into two groups as the path was too narrow and there were too many others trekking up at about the same time in the early hour of 2.30am. The swift, mainly the youths, reached Low’s Peak at about 5.45am led by our overall leader Peter Lim, and climb leaders Gabriel and Zephaniah. The other group, mainly adults, reached there about 6.20am, with Daniel in front and me in the rearguard. This group stayed together and helped each other- great teamwork. Without it some may not have made it. It was a real lesson in the power of teamwork.

I am thankful to Peter Lim for leading this adventure; and to climb leaders Daniel Chew, Gabriel Soo and assistant climb leader Zephaniah; and admin assistance Magdalene Chan for so ably helping him. Their efforts made it a successful and satisfying learning experience for all.

Add comment March 14th, 2008

Low’s Peak - the summit of Mt Kinabalu

1 comment March 12th, 2008

five hours trek

It was a tiring 5 hour trek. We started from Bukit Timah Hill at about 9am and ended at the MacRitchie Reservoir at about 3pm including an hour for rest and refreshments. We wanted to simulate the feeling of walking hours without end but could not replicate the upward incline of Mt Kinabalu. At the end of it we were all bushed; we took off our shoes at the canteen, and the iced sprite tasted heavenly. At home, it was the bath and the bed! Enjoy the pics (click for pop-ups; rest cursor for titles)!

3 comments February 29th, 2008

pushing the climbers

Yesterday, Peter and I pushed the Kinabalu 3 climbers as time is running out and there are only about 3 training sessions left before March 7-11. To be prepared is of utmost importance and though at this time, the forced marches up and down the steps of Dairy Farm and Jungle Fall may not be appreciated, they will later understand why we are stretching them. Their strength and stamina have improved since they first started.

Perhaps this 8 minute video of the challenges that lie ahead will motivate them to train between Sundays too.

Add comment February 11th, 2008

mt kinabalu youth adventure 3 - the climbers

Several parents and teenagers are going on this adventure 3 to Mt Kinabalu, S.E. Asia’s highest mountain. They are Darren and dad Eliam; Pastor Thomas and son second-timer Zeph (asst climb leader) ; twins Ivfy and Ka Kit and dad Benson; and Magdalene (admin leader) and daughter Rachel(click on pic for pop-up). Doing something together is a great bonding activity; and doing something great together is a great bonding activity, particularly for men. Training sessions, makan sessions, the drives, buying equipment, rooming together and going through hardships together all give rise to natural opportunities for talking, caring, and uploading memories that our sons and daughters will carry even into their adult lives, and these precious moments will even be stories for the next generation. I have seen the bonds deepen so many times in the past and it is gratifying.

Daniel Chew is climbing the second time and is now a climb leader. Dr Sharon Sim, who climbed the mountain when she was in ODAC, will be with us, so now we do not have to worry about assessing or treating altitude illness. Rachel and Samantha Sin are very fun and close cousins. Then there are Kenneth Poh(left) and Gabriel Soo(right) . Gabriel was so fit that in the last climb, he reached Low’s Peak first, took photos, and then went down to help others up. That’s why he is a climb leader too. The overall leader Peter Lim (below) enjoys physical challenges like marathons; and he works well with youths in such situations, making men out of boys. Add me in as advisor, and we have 16, the targetted number of trekkers we wanted, with a few waiting in the wings for more beds at Laban Rata.

Add comment February 5th, 2008