Brunei Jungle Training

Remember to salvage the newspapers from the plane; They’d come in handy during area cleaning.

Be prepared to wash your own dishes ala SAF circa 1970.

Rest in bunk whenever possible. Do not expand your excess energy in camp. Save it up for Biang.

Do not touch any part of the chopper except the seat belts. A window was smashed during one certain heliborne operation.

The waiters at the cookhouse are friendly RODing personnel.

Anyone above the rank of a Major is entitled to personal dining services.

Western food is rather good, except the slightly stingy portions of French fries.

Pray for cloudy skies with no rain for the duration of your stay there.

Carry the standard items (Read: required items) and do not place your shoulders on too much of a strain, or your legs may give way under the immense pressure of your fieldpack.

Prata (somehow spelt ‘Phrata’) is the most value-for-money dish in the canteen. And I didn’t get to try it.

Two and a half years in Brunei as an NSF can get you enough money to purchase a small house there.

NOMAD is fun. Really. That is, if you know how to mix leisure with work. We ended up as one of the Top 3 groups and yet had the time to locate shrimp, have lunch by the stream and cross Indiana Jones-style logs well situated between two cliffs.

Be prepared to use guide sticks to help you scale several near-vertical knolls.

Dessert tastes great when soaked in the cool stream water for half an hour. Just keep an eye out for it though… The currents might get to it before you do.

Bring along a camera (if you are allowed so). The picturesque landscape makes great photography.

When you see deadfall or trees that have apparently been struck by lightning in the past, make haste and move out of the area, pronto!

Cover your fieldpacks with trash bags at night when you sleep. There was a night sighting of ‘thousands of ants’ so numerous, they were ‘covering the entire ground’. Don’t say you weren’t warned…

Keep your money and valuables with you at all times in camp whenever possible. Theft is a common and real occurrence.

The crossing at Batu Apoi is really not any more challenging than the one at Seletar.

Biang is only difficult towards the summit, which is rocky and hence slippery when it rains.

When it comes to knolls, rest only atop one. This is so as not to dampen your morale. It’s for your own good.

Cicadas are native to Brunei. Do not kill them out of irritation.

The canteen operators have some attitude problem. You have to bear with them.

Brunei R&R

Show consideration when having a buffet. This is not a eat-all-you-can. There are many souls as hungry as you are.

Use your right hand. Point with your thumb.

So not shout across the mall. (“OEI! HERE VERY CHEEEAP!!! COME, COME!”)

Humility is a gracious way of life all around the world. Respect your environment.

Brunei Prawn Crackers are world famous. Grab them if you can.

Miscellaneous

Photo development costs in a shopping center in Brunei:

3R $0.25
4R $0.30

They sell machinery you can only find at SEARS: Ice crushers, manual/automated sugarcane maker, Bread slicers, Mee Maker, Bean Grinders and Hot Dog Griddles.