The Houseflies, the Scorpion & the Wild Boar

I'm back from "Exercise B", alive. I'd always thought i would die in the wild of Life Firing Area in my one week stay there. Its so psychologically challenging for a softie like me who's so used to staying in aircon room and look at computer screens in my NS life. It has always been the case when I've gone through shit or was on-going through shit that i've learnt how to appreciate the convenience and comfort of my daily life. What a loser.

Anyway, there were some non-combat aspects of this exercise that i would like to mention, or dictate. Being deployed in one of the many many giant hills in LFA, i was so exposed to the torments of this tropical vegetation. First of all, the houseflies. These creatures irritated me for the true few days i've been out there. More so than the mosquitoes (because i brought along mosquito coils and repellents to spam).

But anyway, pardon me for digressing previously, these little houseflies were true irritants. They were not in sight when we first arrived at the spot of deployment. Rather, we do not exactly know where they come from. After setting up the admin area where food and water were introduced, these little creatures started swarmping in from nowhere, occupying our rest area like tyrants. They multiply as the days went. More interestingly, they seemed to be over-enjoying their buffet that they started landing on our sweaty SBO or even us human beings, as though they've mistaken us for the food on the table instead. They constant merry-making, flying around like little children run wild in a play house were complimented with our fustration and frequent swarpping. Totally nuisience.

Anyway, talking about food ration during outfield, i am always totally turned off by the pungent of strange concortion of smell diffusing from the re-used meal bags thats not often washed. Leftover food in the meal bags create even more "aromatic-theruputic effect" that made me feel like puking. As such, i seldom eat outfield and it may serve as a good source of diet plan.

On the friday night, one of the personels was stung by a freaking scorpion at the neck. He initially came looking for me with complains of sharp pain at neck, as though an insect bite, but did not know what is it. I dismissed him off after observing the area, finding no marks of bite, hence suggesting him to seek me if he was to develop any forms of anaphalytic reaction. However, moments later, he came back to me with a plyer in his hand. On the damn plyer was a pathetic looking scorpion he caught crawling over his body. At that moment i was so shock and hence decided to evac him to the nearest medical centre. However, what disgusted me was how slow the admin procedures of the camp and medical centre was in this case. You can feel my fustration as i yearned for immediate medical assistance from the med ctr for my dear patient who could fell into anaphalytic shock anytime (though he is still able to talk and walk). Oh well, cursed that scorpion who got me into these mental traumas.

Anyway, during my stay in the LFA, i wasnt as lonely as i thought i would be due to frequent visits by wild boars. I suspected that they were the same 2 wildboars that kept on visiting the deployment site. My first sight of the wild boar caused me great shock as i wasnt prepared for it. It was especially during the evenings that they visited, probably searching for food around. Or it could be possible that we intruded into their territory. Anyway, there was this once where i was alone in the admin tentage and the wild boar started circling the area, as though it was to barge in anytime to steal food. I never dealt with wild boars before so i was rather afraid at the point of time. The last thing i would ever want then was a wild boar charging at me in fury. Anyway, back to the scene, the fearless wild boar started approaching the tentage with me inside. I was in a lost of what to do. Just as it was about 1 to 2 metre away, i stood up, about to run out. But it stopped advancing. I stared at it with my arms folded like some angry owner guarding his territory. Little did i expect the wild boar to walked away as i gave a sigh of relief. But repeatedly, the wild boars still came back to visit, waiting upon opportunities to steal food from us. It had caused me sleepless nights for fear of it charging in when i was asleep.

So much about the torments i've gone through during my few days stay in LFA, with regards to the creatures and the fact that i could not sleep, eat and shit in peace, i feel that this visit to LFA has got its merits. This restricted area has actually alot to offer for nature lovers. The beautiful and majestic landscape comprising of reservoirs, big hills and greenery is really good for the eye. The scenery from the top of one of the hills, overlooking the entire LFA, is fantastic. As we deployed in many hilltops, i got to see the untouched side of singapore's natural tropical vegetation. Well, perhaps the natural landscape was so well preserved due to its restricted entrance to civilians. Only soldiers who are training can enter.

But anyway, thanks to this long outfield, i came back this afternoon, after switching with my colleague, taking a long hot water bathe and wash my boots which were so stained by mud of the wild. Will be back to medical centre tml with alot of unfinished and outstanding tasks in hands. It would be a busy week ahead.