Conquering Mt Ophir

Conquering Mt Ophir

Walking vertically up 1.2km (approx) is very different from walking horizontally across.

From the sources, it's said u have to be very very fit to climb it.

I guess, I'm only just fit? still fit afterall.. muahahaha

The climb is tougher than expected. I thought there will be nice pathways for me to trek.. but there's nothing. Wat i met the soils, roots, sandbags, big rocks, fat logs, narrow paths, steep rocks (almost vertical), irritating bees.. but occasionally, we were rewarded with the view of the waterfalls, cute-looking plants and insects and breathtaking scenery (esp at the summit and bosai trees area).

Yes, I had reached the summit. But there were times when I really wanted to give up. There were also times when I felt so insecure that felt like crying and i succumbed to tears when everyone has slept and while doing the final stretch of descent in that heavy downpour. Hmmm..the main reason i cried in the end is because I felt myself so foolish to have taken comforts for granted and couldn't wait to complete the adventure.

Overall, I think it tastes like NS experience. Maybe not up to tekan standards. But definitely can match cheong sua standards ba. So, I felt very thankful that I can choose not to experience it again. hahaha...

I had also surprised myself for being able to complete every challenges that come along the way (i dun have a choice anyway). That steep repelling down the tall rock with rope and bare hands (okay, my worried bro gave me his gloves but i forgot to take it with me okay? :( ), hanging in the mid air with rope and hands, crossing that slippery rocks at night, going over the big fat log at night and in the rain, climbing up and down the KFC - killer field climb (dun ask me to eat kfc again okay).... everything is unforgetable..

Many things had happened.. they are unplanned for and quite memorable so I shall blog it all since, none, except 2 of them know my blog addy. hahaha

I couldn't catch a wink on christmas night (25dec) due to my screwed up bio clock and anxiety. So, i "woke up" at 5.30am (26 dec), went to 7-11 to get that extra insect repellent, only to return home with an oral B brushup.

at 7.30am, EIGHT of us are supposed to meet at kranji mrt station. There are Zus, Dear, me, YX, MrW, some woman mag name - i'll call her Maggie, Fiona - not real name, and fiona bf - i'll call him Mentos.

I met zus at cck mrt station at 720am and thought I was pretty late. But we were the first and second to reach. Dear was the 3rd.. and i don't remember who came after next.

We left for Larkin to get our bus tickets to Segamat but we couldn't get the 9.30am ride because they are only left with SEVEN slots. OM*G!! (in case, u didn't get it, we have 8 ppl..) So, we blueblue have to take the 10.30am bus ride with C*p*t Express. The service is not very reliable.. the bus is old, dusty, the aircon is not working properly and it took almost 4.5 hours to reach instead of the normal 3 hours.

Honestly, I thought Maggie was quite noisy in the throughout the journey because i was trying very hard to catch some winks during the ride. She couldn't stop talking. And I couldn't stop waking up. But i have to say that it's very nice of her to entertain us with "zhong ji mi ma' - secret number game.


forfeits: kissing hands and on the guy whom has fallen asleep..


another bus.. cost 3RM instead of 2.50RM.. kena chop carrot

We bought the return bus ticket in advance and had our late lunch at the bus station and reached the base camp at almost 5pm. At the base camp, we had to pay several entrance passes to get to the entrance of the mountain. The greedy guard couldn't seem to understand english well but luckily we have Zus around. She's our heroine okay. Thanks Zus! :D


Just alighted..marvellous view


Pay and pay.. so many 'entrances'..

but.. we still have to pay after all the bargaining.

hahaha.. okay lah.. it's worth it.. cus i dun think we can complete the climb without a ranger. Everyone has underestimated the mountain. Shame on us. Shame on me. :P

There are 8 checkpoints, CP1 to CP8, and CP8 is the summit.

We finally started climbing at 6pm. Stopped to see Puteri Falls, played with it.. and i threw my temper because i thought YX was forcing and pushing me to do something that I know I couldn't do it and I had already told him to stop. I think i shocked everyone cus i shouted at him and refused to let anyone to help me after that. I'm not an attention grabber okay.. there is a reason why i was so hot-tempered these days.


still normal

Okay, then we climbed and climbed and finally reach CP1. Took a little bit more that 30mins i think. While resting at CP1, the sky is getting darker and everyone took out their torchlights. YX said sorry and i told him i'm ok and i shouldnt have yelled at him too. Everyone (me included) is tired upon reaching CP1.. and this hits my confidence. Then we continued and took abt 1.5 hours to reach the 1st campsite in the dark. Trekking in the dark can be quite scary because of the slippery areas and overhead rocks and logs.


Checkpoint 1 CP1.. quite tired

at 9.30pm, we finished setting up the tents and proceed to prepare the late dinner. haha.. lotsa canned foods.. curry chicken, campbell, hotdogs, sardines, baked beans, tuna, luncheon meat, beef, etc etc.. and the cup noodles of cos. later, we washed up at the nearby river and slept at abt 11.30pm.


Food and Sleep

on 27 dec, everyone woke up at 5am. I didn't sleep well.. because i was pretty distracted by my thoughts. My confidence level hit low because i thought my strength had reached the limit but there are 4 more longer and difficult checkpoints to go and was worried that we might not make it for the 6.30pm home ride. So, I cried a little cus i'm homesick. ($%*$# I'm getting more and more gu niang as i grow older..)

Anyway, i threw away those thoughts, threw the bags in a tent and continue to trek in the dark. - where I forgot to take the gloves my worried bro had given to me. :(

so, we trekked and climbed and reached this KFC stage.. not for eating.. KFC means killer field climb (i think). I was told we will meet KFC in one of those 4 checkpoints but I didn't know it until I've finished it. And yes, I'm 3/4 dead when I completed it and my confidence level just continue to dipped further until they told me that was the KFC. I got happier and abit more motivated because the most challenging part is over! Anyway, I think KFC is difficult but not scary. It's long and tiring.. but after KFC u'll get to touch the clouds.. that explains why it's difficlt.. difficult to breathe and adjust to the change in air pressure.. i think long distance runner will find it relatively easier to climb KFC - that's CP6. I must say thank u to fiona and dear because they kept encouraging me during KFC.. if not, I dun think i can continue climbing.


me see me no up

From CP6 to CP7.. it's challenging but not that energy consuming. I have phobia for heights but I have to forget about my fear and climb a rock that's almost 3+ storeys high.. with a rope and only bare hands. and it doesn't help when i didn't trust my old shoes. so, i have to blueblue do it slowly and carefully. ohh.. there this short crossing where i have to hang in mid air.. yes, using a rope onli.. the first step is the most difficult and after that it's fine but i need the ranger to be the safety net before i dare to cross it.





After the dangerous rock climbing, we are rewarded with the bonsai trees.. and beautiful scenery.. it's getting cooler too. :D



But when we almost reached CP7.. Mag decided to give up and wait for us to come back. Dear and YX had tried to talk to her.. but failed so we continued. I don't remember when dear had volunteered to carry Mentos bag but i'm very worried for him and had some selfish thoughts. :(



CP7 to CP8 was relatively easy and soon, we reached the summit at 1130am approx! OH YEA! and i thought i couldn't make it when we were at CP1.. honestly, I was very very proud of myself. The wind was strong and cloudy. Surprisingly, it's dry even though i'm breathing in the clouds. haha. My smelly dear told me this climb is more like train our mentality. So, now i'm mentally trained. but physically wise, i'm very half dead.



It's very nice to be on the top of the mountain. That sense of achievement didn't get me moving though. I sat at one corner and admired the view and enjoyed my time being there. I felt like rolling on the ground but there are other ppl so i shy. haha. The spring water we got from CP5 was very refreshing okay. Tastes exactly like mineral water.. but dear said it tastes abit bitter.

OKay, when it's time to climb down, it's time to move. Climbing down is easy until we reached the rock climb stage. Repelling myself from the tall rock is quite disgusting and i almost slipped. But, see, i really have no choice lar. I was pretty happy to complete that because there are lesser challenges ahead.



When i thought climbing down KFC is easier.. it's not. Every step i took lotsa strength and pain in kneecap. I really wondered how i climbed up that KFC. After KFC, everything is easier again.. and we get more spring water from CP5. YX and MrW even made milo with the spring water.. haha.. it's delicious okay.. :)

When we reached CP4, it's already 3plus pm. we quickly pack up the tent and bags and continued the descent. The tent is very heavy. But Maggie carried it. Dear was carrying the trashbag and YX the other tent. I didn't realise Maggie is carrying the tent until i saw her having difficulty climbing down. Then soon, dear helped her to carry and pass the trashbag to MrW.

Then i don't know what happened the trashbag is passed to YX and tent to MrW. I got abit pissed at YX because he kept hurrying us. Yes, i know we have a bus to catch. but he brought Maggie here and throughout, I only see dear taking care of her instead. And why is he carrying the trashbag? I saw MrW having difficulty with the tent. When i compared the 2 builds, YX is obviously stronger and his bag is lighter too. I was so pissed that i said "u can take the bus urself if u want" but obviously, he didn't hear me becus he's too far in front. So angry okay.

When we reached CP1, it's already 430pm and we have a bus to catch at 5pm outside the base camp. And then! it rained....

Maggie left first while we are wearing our ponchos because she didn't bring her poncho and she said she's slower. That's when i thought to myself.. why is she so ill-prepared for the trip. Not enough money, water, no ponchos, no hp, wearing sandals instead of sport shoes.. etc..

anyway, it rained heavily when me and dear left CP1.. we were the last two to go and had to play catching up. That rain has hit my confidence to rock bottom. I have zero confidence in my shoes. When I had to cross that thick fat log in the day, i was worried like mad.. becus i cou;dnt see how high is the bottom from there and if i fell, that's it. yea, touchwood, i was hugging onto the log touching wood when i cross it.



But dear had kept me moving. I'm very glad and cried and felt the mucous being washed away by the rain from my nostrils.. muahahha.. but my stupid dear didn't realise it.

Honestly, I was alittle jealous because dear was getting very friendly with Maggie at first. Talkative Maggie talked more to him than me before she broke down in the middle of the hike. I was also feeling selfish and abit unhappy when dear offered her our water and have to act hahaha when Maggie said i'm very da fang/generous. Then, I was worried when he offered to help her carry her tent because his bag is the biggest and heaviest among us. But that i can understand because the tent is really heavy.

What I couldn't understand is why is she so ill-prepared (her bag looks ridiculously light okay) when she's an amateur/beginner? I suspected YX didn't do the job well as the organiser. He made dear do most of the sai kang okay.

Anyway, in the end, everyone reached the base camp at 530pm and we missed the bus big time. Dear and I supported staying overnight at the resort. But none supported us. So, we have to arrange with the greedy guard to cater a van for us. It's freaking 100rm okay - 12.50rm per person. the bus ride onli costs 3rm per person. So, I decided to dirty their van with my dirty butts. muahahaha. okay, it's inevitable to dirty their van cus all our butts are dirty.

We reached the bus station but there weren't anymore tickets to JB Larkin anymore. They went to the cab drivers but it costs 180rm per cab for 4 person. So they went to the train station to ask for info. And we have to wait their to take the 3am train ride to JB.

Maggie wanted to go back to SG that day so much that she took the cab by herself. She didn't say the reason to go back so urgently. We didn't force her to stay. She got a friend to wait for her at the Larkin bus station or JB customs. But recall: she didn't have money and hp. I can only hope she can reach home safely.

Okay, next, me, zus and fiona sorta bathed in the public toilet and this angered the toilet manager outside. :p

then all of us went to the train station, secured an area to rest, bought the very delicious nasi goreng and mee goreng and the train tickets. Me, zus and dear even spread out the sleeping bags on the floor and slept there. Very amazing race indeed. :P




sorry zus.. kinda disfigured u...

The train ride was very comfy but very cold with our wet feets and tired body. Luckily we had sleeping bags for blankets. But me and dear dropped down at JB station because kranji is nearer than tanjong pagar.. and we have to take away their sleeping bags.

Nothing much exciting happen after that, except dear stepping on my injured toe. I also didn't go home immediately and went to the 7 11 to get a cup of slurpee and a packet of orange juice instead. hahaha.

when i reach home, i sat on the sofa and collapsed.. until my mom came home from the market. :p

I doubt i'll go mountain climbing again soon, if there's a next time. hahaha...

*photos will be added later...