PHOTOS: Battle of Sai Kung

Posted on by Edmund

3rd March 2013.

8 years ago today, I was just starting out my online business on a second hand computer and 56K modem for Internet connection in the suburbs of Gelang Patah.

On this day, another list from my Dream Bucket was about to be realized.

The 15 of us had our early breakfast in the streets of Mongkok before taking a bus to Sai Kung with the Hong Kong airsoft players. We would later take a ferry across to an island – and damn, the jungle here is super dense! The last time anyone came here was 6 months ago.

I was nervous at first, in spite of being told that this is just a friendly match with no serious competition whatsoever. Probably because of the fact that 6 of my team mates came to Hong Kong last year only to get trashed badly in a series of CQB skirmishes.

And the fact that their average player has nearly 20 years of experience in airsofting – the ‘youngest’ player has 10 years of experience. I feel like a rookie now.

For most of the day, our Malaysian team pitted against the Hong Kong team Unicorn and its allies in over 4 rounds.

The outcome for each round is not that clear since each round timed out with survivors from both sides, but this much is clear: the Hong Kong players are superior in tactics. And of course, since we are fighting on THEIR turf they have the benefit of knowing the terrain already + they get to mod their airsoft guns, whereas for many of us our airsoft guns were stock.

I don’t know if this is something to be proud of mentioning but… we actually did pwn them badly in 2 of the fast, direct-confrontation matches – maybe thanks to us growing up in our Malaysian ‘samseng’ culture? Haha!

I’m pretty certain if they put in an effort they could beat us flatly but that wasn’t the objective. 🙂 At the end of the day, we forged new connections and friendships through the tactical sport – and we are now in touch through Facebook and WhatsApp. Will this be a great motivator for me to finally speak Cantonese?

And hey, the prospects are bright – since these guys are national players we are now in the loop whenever there are airsoft games or tournaments going on outside of Malaysia.

Alright I won’t bore you too much with the details, I’ll share some of the photos I took on this big day. 🙂

 

It was an expensive trip to Hong Kong – and a rushed one – but I don’t regret coming here at all. 🙂

ADDED 9th April 2013:

This is overdue… finally here’s the compiled video footage from my GoPro camera when playing Airsoft in Hong Kong. Enjoy! 🙂

Airsoft Shopping In Mongkok

Posted on by Edmund

This is an experience never to be forgotten.

I had just realized one of my dreams through this trip, and that is to pit against other players in an airsoft game… overseas!

We’ve planned this since last year August and on 1st March 2013, a team of 15 of us Malaysians flew in and met up at the Hong Kong International Airport. While a majority of us are from mainland Malaysia, 1 flew in from the UK and another came from Indonesia.

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I am beginning to think this is how Jackie Chan came up with the title for his Rush Hour movie. As soon as we arrived at our hotel at Kings de Nathan in Mongkok, we hustled to the first airsoft store: Redwolf Airsoft.

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It was a few train stations away and while we had several hours before the store closes that day, time seemed to fly when we browsed through galleries after galleries of replica fire arms. 🙂

Just when I thought only women would spend several hours shopping in a Chanel, Burberry or LV store… guess I was wrong. 😛

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I was lucky to secure my purchases in time before the store closes, but some of us needed to come back again the next day.

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And our spending spree didn’t stop even on Day 2. We checked out the other stores like eHobby Asia and Shooter CB Gear, and so many other airsoft stores as they were lined up next to each other on the streets.

IMG_2744Talk about feeling like a kid in a candy store… wait, make that candy streets!

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So that’s what we’ve been doing basically for the first 2 days in Hong Kong. It was a first time for some of us (including me) and problem is, I am a banana – I can’t speak Cantonese. I had to count on my friends to help me get around.

And good thing we brought our walkie talkies with us so we kept in touch with each other as we split up every now and then on the busy streets of Mongkok to buy our Airsoft gears.

All these in good preparation and anticipation for what’s to come… the battle against experienced Hong Kong airsoft players.

To be continued…

Month #24: Strength Building Update

Posted on by Edmund

Despite my busy period of renovating and moving to my new home, I still managed to gym on average 3 times a week.

My body weight went down to all-time low of 57.4 KG since the last update as of December 2012. I haven’t weighed myself recently but my body weight should be anywhere between 58 and 60 KG right now.

I shrunk so much it was noticeable, no matter I am on the way filling up the gaps between my arm pits and my shirt 🙂

Here’s the format of the training I am going through right now: unlike before when each day training is dedicated to a specific body part, this time a session includes squats, dead lifts, wide grip bench press, and an ab work out.

The cycle I’ve been through so far:

CYCLE #1 (has 3 sessions)

5 sets x 5 reps per work out on Session #1

4 sets x 6 reps per work out on Session #2

3 sets x 8 reps per work out on Session #3

  • Squats – 95 lbs
  • Dead Lifts – 106 lbs
  • Bench Press – 73 lbs
  • Ab Work out

CYCLE #2 (has 3 sessions)

5 sets x 5 reps per work out on Session #1

4 sets x 6 reps per work out on Session #2

3 sets x 8 reps per work out on Session #3

  • Squats – 106 lbs
  • Dead Lifts – 117 lbs
  • Bench Press – 84 lbs
  • Ab Work out

CYCLE #3 (has 3 sessions)

5 sets x 5 reps per work out on Session #1

4 sets x 6 reps per work out on Session #2

3 sets x 8 reps per work out on Session #3

  • Squats – 117 lbs
  • Dead Lifts – 128 lbs
  • Bench Press – 95 lbs
  • Ab Work out

Just today I started CYCLE #4 – did 5 sets x 5 reps of the following:

  • Squats – 128 lbs
  • Dead Lifts – 139 lbs
  • Bench Press – still at 95 lbs; was struggling with this as of last week
  • Ab Work out

After this cycle is done, I will be doing an RM (Rep Maths) to find out what’s the heaviest weight I can lift in one rep.

Freezes

Power Off, Brakes On

Posted on by Edmund

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16 & 17 February 2013.

After a whole year void of skydiving activity, I finally got the chance to do the static line jumps again in Segamat. The last time I did was two years ago.

Last year, I wanted to go for the AFF (Accelerated FreeFall) in Thailand; the planes were under maintenance in June so I called off the trip down and due to unpredictable schedule I couldn’t get any other friends to join me.

I was going to go back to static line skydiving but the hangar at Segamat was occupied by Singaporeans for many weekends.

By the time they were ready, I was down with stomach problems!

You would think I went through quite some obstacles for another skydiving adventure but the hurdle didn’t stop there.

It was pouring for most of Saturday that fewer sorties got to make the jump that day. In fact, the first trip up was called down before the jumps could be made due to bad weather!

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So most of the time we hang around at the hangar / rest area hoping for the skies to clear. We passed time with Azlan’s lecture for the new would-be skydivers, quite some paranoid practices and listened in on their stories from past skydiving experiences – both hilarious and horror ones.

If you’re going to go skydiving, be prepared to free your entire days for this especially when things don’t go your way and they’re out of your control – the weather being one example.

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This time, there were both static line jumpers and students also going for free fall. The first time static line jumpers wore the same anxious look I had when I first jumped two years ago. The free fall jumpers just as anxious if not more – it truly is another level above, and riskier.

I had to come back to Segamat the next day to continue the static line jumps so on Saturday evening itself, I went back to PJ for Delia and Dulcie‘s farewell party before they go to New Zealand again to resume their studies.IMG_2400

Yep, I went through quite some trouble just to ‘make a suicidal attempt’ – as what some of my friends call it. Haha.

But in my opinion and feelings, it just made it all worthwhile when I made the jumps successfully. 🙂

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Since I was lined up behind queue, I got to see many other jumpers make their landing. Many did good even for the first time!IMG_2412

One wasn’t so lucky though – he dislocated his shoulder on hard impact; he didn’t toggle to full brakes in the last second that mattered.

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When it was my turn to go up there… I wasn’t thinking about what product to launch next. I wasn’t thinking about the problems I have. The faces I hate.

I was thinking of only getting back down to the ground safely.

I also felt a strange feeling not experienced before, how would I describe it? I was afraid… that I was not afraid.

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I made two static line jumps in this trip, bringing my total to 4 static line jumps + 1 tandem in my experience belt thus far.

Here’s a short video clip of me landing in one of the jumps I did:

So was it worth it? In spite of all the troubles I went through just to get to jump… Yes!

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And from the looks of it, I want to do more static line jumps first before I attempt the free fall. Movies make it look too easy and the free fall students performance just show that I am far from mentally ready actually.

My exit from the aircraft still needs working on. Tumbling in 3 seconds might be okay for static-line jumping but it can mean serious panic or even death in free fall.

Static-Line Jump #3 – exit OK (but face down); landed on ass

Static-Line Jump #4 – exit had twist (rectified in seconds); landed by running (Good!)

ADDED 8th APRIL 2013:

This is long overdue. Finally here’s a longer video footage of my experience when doing the 4th static line jump 🙂

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So yep, it was an amazing weekend! I could also feel the two round things between my legs had grown bigger. 😛

Attend a seminar and maybe you’ll be enlightened for a few days. But conquer several thousands of feet in a few minutes and you will come back to Earth renewed.