post senang
senang's finally over! everything went pretty much as expected i guess. my second time back on the little island of pulau senang, but the feeling was different. going there as a trainee last year cannot be compared to being there this time round as a safety officer, alongside cpt alex, conducting the whole training there for the two platoons. i guess putting together this whole exercise placed alot of things into perspective. the adminstrative and logistical preparation is a behind-the-scenes thing that a trainee will never understand.
so yes. one of the mk 83s went high order. that's 1000 pounds of tnt explosives going off at full blast mind you. it was totally unexpected and inside the bunker, i was thrown off my feet. co got hit by a flying rock that deflected off his leg and hit samuel toh. you could feel the actual blast wave and see the trees opposite the bunker sway so strongly because of the explosion. it left a crater almost 4 metres wide in diameter! mind blowing in every sense of the word.
and eod flight was kind enough to supply us with rocket motors to blow up, and great balls of fire were flying in every single direction because of the solid fuel propellant contained within. parts of the island caught fire and i had to run about the firing pit with a fire extinguisher in hand fighting fire. i was a fire fighter! haha. honestly, that was my first time using the extinguisher for the real purpose of putting out a fire. haha. we saved the island from yet another forest fire and that marked the end of the last firing.
on a side note, i had the nicest view of the sea and the lights of mainland while i was at the field latrine. i mean, how often do you get to shit and face the sea and see the blinking lights and city skyline of mainland singapore from afar, listening to the waves lapping on the shore, hearing the stifled murmurs of the vegetation about you and the rustling of leaves overhead. don't write ths off as an euphemism, coz that's what senang really did offer. haha.
actually, i wasn't supposed to be back till friday coz it was intended that i be attached to eodcc as an auxiliary instructor and take the new trainees through the whole of senang. however, the person who i was supposed to replace turned up despite his downgraded pes status, which meant that he wasn't combat fit and wasn't allowed out in the field. but what the hell, he appeared on the island with the eodcc trainees so cpt alex and poh wee said that i could go back. damn. i was seriously looking forward to staying on till friday coz it meant that i had another opportunity to talk to the cadets there. looks like i've to find another time i guess. should be going down with some of the platoon guys next wednesday to give lessons to the eodcc trainees. perhaps i'll catch up with them and the cbr cadets then.
anw, my macbook's getting dirty. getting a protective skin isn't an answer coz i bought the macbook for its white pristine beauty. haha. my secret lover. how how. and i need to book my plane ticket to uk soon, before there's a mad rush and tickets are sold out, and i need to get my visa done. most importantly, i need to get my study deed signed asap! so much to prepare for before i really take off.
it's thailand in 3 days time. finally a break. i'm listening to summersong by the decemberists over and over again coz the tune was stuck in my head the whole time on senang. haha.
ok. i'm gonna nap.
so yes. one of the mk 83s went high order. that's 1000 pounds of tnt explosives going off at full blast mind you. it was totally unexpected and inside the bunker, i was thrown off my feet. co got hit by a flying rock that deflected off his leg and hit samuel toh. you could feel the actual blast wave and see the trees opposite the bunker sway so strongly because of the explosion. it left a crater almost 4 metres wide in diameter! mind blowing in every sense of the word.
and eod flight was kind enough to supply us with rocket motors to blow up, and great balls of fire were flying in every single direction because of the solid fuel propellant contained within. parts of the island caught fire and i had to run about the firing pit with a fire extinguisher in hand fighting fire. i was a fire fighter! haha. honestly, that was my first time using the extinguisher for the real purpose of putting out a fire. haha. we saved the island from yet another forest fire and that marked the end of the last firing.
on a side note, i had the nicest view of the sea and the lights of mainland while i was at the field latrine. i mean, how often do you get to shit and face the sea and see the blinking lights and city skyline of mainland singapore from afar, listening to the waves lapping on the shore, hearing the stifled murmurs of the vegetation about you and the rustling of leaves overhead. don't write ths off as an euphemism, coz that's what senang really did offer. haha.
actually, i wasn't supposed to be back till friday coz it was intended that i be attached to eodcc as an auxiliary instructor and take the new trainees through the whole of senang. however, the person who i was supposed to replace turned up despite his downgraded pes status, which meant that he wasn't combat fit and wasn't allowed out in the field. but what the hell, he appeared on the island with the eodcc trainees so cpt alex and poh wee said that i could go back. damn. i was seriously looking forward to staying on till friday coz it meant that i had another opportunity to talk to the cadets there. looks like i've to find another time i guess. should be going down with some of the platoon guys next wednesday to give lessons to the eodcc trainees. perhaps i'll catch up with them and the cbr cadets then.
anw, my macbook's getting dirty. getting a protective skin isn't an answer coz i bought the macbook for its white pristine beauty. haha. my secret lover. how how. and i need to book my plane ticket to uk soon, before there's a mad rush and tickets are sold out, and i need to get my visa done. most importantly, i need to get my study deed signed asap! so much to prepare for before i really take off.
it's thailand in 3 days time. finally a break. i'm listening to summersong by the decemberists over and over again coz the tune was stuck in my head the whole time on senang. haha.
ok. i'm gonna nap.