0700 – oopsie, we woke up late today because my alarm didn’t go off! Hurrying, we managed to reach breakfast with time to spare.
0800 – We were welcomed by civilization today at Damai! Civilization included toilets, a playground, an insincere plastic wall, belaying area, benches, dustbins, pavilions and an ice-cream man! Heehee, my main aim today was to whack as many routes as I could because it was our last day on natural rock. So indeed, Val and I moved quickly to reserve our first route after warming up as a team.
0930 – ROUTE #1 Lead-man 5B on lead!
This was the adorable route that required you to climb into a hole and out. Basically it was a nice warm-up route and though claustrophobic, it was unique and fun! The pictures will tell it all if you can’t quite get my description of the route.
Oh yes, I loved Damai because the routes, being short and easy, were less intimidating allowing me to jump right onto the next route once Val had completed the previous one.
1020 – ROUTE #2 Stairway 5C on lead!
Another warm-up route on the far right of Damai. This was again an entirely new experience because it required climbing through a wide crack or avoiding it. I chose the former and once again, broke a sweat experimenting different techniques and looking out for handholds
1100 – ROUTE #3 KL Connection 5C on lead!
I was on a roll! But this climb made me lose my cool a tad because I didn’t start the climb properly and had to come back down to start again. Towards the top, I also had this naggy thought, “where’s the anchor? I don’t think I can last any longer”. But I shut it out, together with the fear of the long run-outs and continued till I reached the anchor =)
1230 – We slacked a bit before going on our next route
ROUTE #4 –
This was a short climb but the first half wasn’t easy. I only managed to get through it because Li Meng had given me beta regarding the awesome jug-gy handhold hidden behind the rope for clipping in the quickdraw. Thanks(:
1400 – While lunch and helping others out with some routes, I embarked on my next route.
ROUTE #5 – Thunder 5C
This route was longer and made me feel slightly pumped, but completing it was fun and I’d learnt to be more confident, even to the point of injecting some momentum and twists in my moves.
1500 – It was time for a lunch break but I didn’t eat because the fried rice was really spicy, and I could imagine how my throat would suffer as a result. So anyway, I just grabbed a bar to eat. After lunch, Valerie was pressuring me to do another route…like rain man, or monsoon, something…more challenging? More pumpy, maybe?
1600 – But as I was considering, the rain came in, and I had to (once again) clear up the quickdraws.
ROUTE #6 – Lead Man 5B on top rope
I decided to climb on the OUTside of the tunnel, just for a different experience. Since it was on top-rope, I felt more confident doing it, more comfortable, like it was a breeze. Haha, so anyway, I left Damai feeling happy that I’d climbed 6 routes. Though I know Philip was pretty disappointed that I hadn’t tried Monsoon..? Or Rain Man. Cos I’d joined the guys and some girls to go caving =p oh well, I wasn’t in the mood after the rain had cleared up. Heh.
1700 – Showered after getting back to the hotel and then we headed to KLCC. We were all pretty delayed so Val and I took the opportunity to shower at Ms Lim’s room (: it gave me an opportunity to get to know her better, (plus the cab rides too, since Rahul had to leave for a family emergency) when Val was showering. We would talk about the climbs and her fiancée and GUNNERS ftw!
1900 – The team went KLCC again tonight for dinner and last minute shopping for our gift buddies. We ate at Madam Kuan’s after waiting almost an hour for them to get our seats and food prepared. Like what Dad said, ATAS. The food was overrated, and overpriced and over everything. The curry laksa I had was good, but for the price I paid, only satisfactory…? Oh well, at least our whole team ate together (:
2200 – Our night debrief was unforgettable. We quickly wrapped up our last day’s crag climbing and went straight into gift exchanges! Haha, I can’t remember it all, but it was a night I’d never forget. There were laughs and tears, more laughs than tears but I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Three condoms (for having fun yet staying protected like climbing!), one vibrating, was exchanged, some butterfly wings (to our butterfly-phobic Alistair), an eyebrow pencil (to our eyebrow-less Zhengwei), photoframe (to Rah the camwhore), Christmas stockings (Jac) and headgear, and yes, a pregnancy test kit (which will “come in handy when I’m drunk on brandy).
The reason for my gift was an appreciation to Haris for impacting TJCCC’s journey on natural rock, like leaving a mark. And since we all learnt to trust our feet this trip, it served as a reminder to step hard and have faith. It was an innocent (non-dirty) gift, and attached was a note with messages from everyone in TJCCC. I hoped it would make Haris feel loved(: he was shy, but he did thank me. Twice I think =)
0000 – Later, we gathered back in the guys room, but this time to watch Arsenal v
0200 – Yes I slept THAT late. The match ended with a 3-0. Sobs.
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