Bukit Timah Hill Hike 2007

On 27 November 2007, our cadets went on a hike to Bukit Timah Hill and this is one of their reflections.

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Bukit Timah Hill was a "legendary" hill of Singapore, and we, cadets of AHSNPCC were to climb it, as an effort of Ms Fadhzila to introduce a more active sport. On Monday, we gathered in school at 8am; all ready to take a chartered bus to Bukit Timah Hill to start the hike. After making sure that everyone was well and fit to take up the challenge, Ms Fadhzila led us all in a warm-up exercise while waiting for the bus.

It was a half an hour ride to Bukit Timah Hill; we were told to go to the washrooms first as there would not be any toilets on the way up to the summit. Ms Fadhzila took the lead while Ms Lim acted as the straggler. We walked up the main road, then to the small narrow roads of rugged paths. The route Ms Fadhzila chose was steep and slippery, due to the rain on the night before. There was underlying roots of trees, along with twigs and fallen leaves.

The route became tougher, and one of us slipped and fell. Nevertheless, the other cadets helped her up and encouraged everyone to carry on; morale was high. We walked a while more, and finally reached the 1st hut, a station where we could sit down for a mere few minutes to rest. "Drink up, drink up!" was the most common phrase we used along the hike; to encourage everyone to comsume as much water as possible to prevent any casualties due to dehydration.

Throughout the hike, everyone encouraged each other to persevere on, to move forward till the end. We were not allowed to talk loudly in the nature reserve, hence "whispers of support" could be heard. It was enlivening to know that everyone was behind each other all the way. With that, we knew that if anything happened, we could depend on each other to help out; that was mutal trust and rapport we have built up during the hike.

After a long walk, we finally reached the summit of a 163.83m high Bukit Timah Hill. Another long water break was taken, many photographs of endurance to the top was taken. However, Ms Fadhzila then "bursted our bubble" by annoucing that it was less than half the route we had walked; and it would only be completed only when we reached the foot.

Rocky paths and stones greeted our way; our soles got sore from stepping all over them; at times there would be squishy mud which would get all over our footwear. There was a worksheet to be completed, hence we kept our eyes open for the answers to the questions: 1)What were the two names of trees used as names of places in Singapore?, and 2)Who was the 1st person who climbed Bukit Timah Hill, and how high is Bukit Timah Hill? The answers were found on boards when we reached the summit; and also on the way down, on plates explaining the names of the trees.

Overall, it was not that a tough hike, and AHSNPCC cadets completed it quite easily. Nevertheless, we learnt quite a number of lessons from it. It gave a concrete example of how life was, full of ups and downs, complete with steep and narrow paths. We were to endure and persevere through, only then we can reach the summit, and from there, to the foot of the hill. Life was the same with friends and people from all walks of life, full of encouragements to help boost the morale to complete the route. Even if someone else fell, we could lend them a helping hand to pick them up and allow them to continue walking. This signified the intertwining of each other's lives and how one could affect another.

AHSNPCC, way to go; soar to greater heights! :D

- SGT (NPCC) Ng Ray Seen