Day: March 6, 2014
International Award Expedition to … Lake Kenyir
The International Award for Young People is an internationally recognised programme run in more than 50 countriesaround the world. As part of the programme, students are expected to commit to developing programmes of voluntary service, sports and skills, which they organize and participate in under their own initiative. Students also have to plan and take part in adventurous journey, and just before Christmas, an intrepid group of our year 11 students under-took their own final assessed adventurous journey to Tasik Kenyir in Terengganu. The group opted for a kayaking expedition to explore the lesser known reaches of the lake, and in the article below, Chloe Wong, one of our participants, reflects on the experience.
During the recent term break, the Tenby International School of Penang final expedition to Lake Kenyir in Terengganu was an exciting adventure for all. The 11 of us, including me, and 2 of our teachers departed from Pulau Pinang at 10am with full of enthusiasm and hunger for the journey ahead. The journey from Pulau Pinang to Terengganu was a long 9-hour drive. We stopped by in Cameron Highlands for lunch. By 8pm, we finally reached the Lake Kenyir Resort and everyone went to their chalet respectively. Before heading to the beds, each group were planning and making last preparations, to ensure everything is brought and packed for the following night’s camping. The purpose of this expedition is to be able to adapt in unfamiliar environment, to work together as a team, helping and supporting each other throughout the journey, and to learn and explore different kinds of flora and fauna found in Lake Kenyir.
The next morning, we woke up to heavy showers of rain as it poured down making trembling sounds on the rooftop. The view of the lake was misty and foggy; we could barely see anything but just a blanket of mist. All of us were sceptical about the situation but Shu Shan, my friend, made a great statement: “This is our final expedition; it is an adventure for us all, to experience it once in a lifetime.” I yelled out in agreement and everybody else did too. And so we got all the kayaks ready, loaded our entire rucksack and departed to the lake.
It did not stop raining for many hours and we were all drenched and soaked. We were still kayaking our way through the rain following the routes we had planned. We explored the islands and rivers that jutted out from the lake. Moreover, we also found several waterfalls! We spotted a few monkeys hanging and swinging from tree to tree, and beautiful hornbills flying and circling around the island. Hornbills are one of the endangered species. It is a very rare and yet amazing opportunity to be able to see them. Although this is a manmade lake, the strong feeling and power of nature still overcome me. About 2pm, we landed on a jetty of a herb garden. We were all famished and so we ate and gobbled everything before we continued our second half of the journey. Before heading back to the kayaks, we walked and explored the herb garden.
After a long journey on the water, we finally found our campsite. What was amazing about this campsite was that it had a huge waterfall right beside it. After landing our kayaks in a proper place, we quickly set our tent up before the sun sets. After getting all the things unpacked from our rucksack, all of us slammed ourselves against the rushing water of the waterfall. “This is the best shower I have ever had!” yelled one of my friends. The waterfall is very strong and rough, so we had to take precautions in order that no one gets hurt.
After cleaning ourselves up, its dinner time! We took our cooking supplies, pots and stoves, and get the fire ready. While waiting for the food, we surround each other and we chat among ourselves while listening to the sounds of the animals in the jungle getting louder as it got darker. We had a great night sleep even though we were woken up a few times during the night as it was raining quite heavily again.
We woke up the next morning and started to get all the stuff packed into our bags before we head back to the resort. The sun had not risen yet and so we relied on our torches. We munched a couple of biscuits and drank hot cocoa before pushing off. We picked up all of the remaining trash from the floor and dumped them into a trash bin provided. As soon as everything is cleared up, we departed from the jetty with a smile on everybody’s face and kayak our way back to the resort– still another 5 hours paddling ahead of us!
The journey back was a pleasant one as it wasn’t rainy or sunny either, just nice for a drift on the lake. It was a beautiful sight as the clear water reflected the image of the island, the trees, the clouds, what a way to end this adventure for all.
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