PEOPLE

ACHIEVING GREATER HEIGHTS

12 Sep 2012

STORY // Tan Guan Wei
PHOTO // Courtesy Of OCS Bhutan Team

Follow six servicemen from the Officer Cadet School (OCS) as they make their way up to one of Bhutan's most famous and beautiful natural attractions, Mount Jumolhari.

The journey takes them through several obstacles but as the saying goes, "tough times never last, but tough people do". The team, there on the Singapore Armed Forces Adventure Training Award which aims to develop qualities such as leadership, discipline and team spirit in servicemen through outdoor pursuits, eventually make their mark at the Jumolhari Base Camp at Jangothang.

Trek highlights through Bhutan

After three days of trekking, the crew made it to the highlight of their trip: the Jumolhari Base Camp (4,016m) at Jangothang, from where they had a great view of Mount Jumolhari (7,314m). To mark this achievement, the crew (standing, from left) Captain (CPT) Lin Hansheng, Lieutenant (LTA) Eddie Ong, Master Sergeant Ng Juin Shyang, CPT (Dr) Chiang Jian Bang and (squatting, from left) LTA Laurel Leong and LTA Ong Zhen An flew the OCS flag with pride.

Starting the day with a simple al fresco breakfast while enjoying the breathtaking panorama a range of mountains which stands at about 5,000m. One look at the stunning scenery cured them of their fatigue.

The finale exercise: ascending the Taktsang Monastery, also known as the Tiger's Nest (2,960m). This sacred Himalayan Buddhist complex, located on the cliffside of the Upper Paro Valley, Bhutan, can be reached only after a two-hour trek.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Throughout their journey, the team had to travel through rocky and uneven terrain, making their mission tougher and trickier.

After three days of trekking, the crew made it to the highlight of their trip: the Jumolhari Base Camp (4,016m) at Jangothang, from where they had a great view of Mount Jumolhari (7,314m). To mark this achievement, the crew (standing, from left) Captain (CPT) Lin Hansheng, Lieutenant (LTA) Eddie Ong, Master Sergeant Ng Juin Shyang, CPT (Dr) Chiang Jian Bang and (squatting, from left) LTA Laurel Leong and LTA Ong Zhen An flew the OCS flag with pride.

Starting the day with a simple al fresco breakfast while enjoying the breathtaking panorama a range of mountains which stands at about 5,000m. One look at the stunning scenery cured them of their fatigue.

During their trek break on Day Four, the OCS team got into the swing of things as they tackled a steep slope with their bare hands. The team's plan was simple: Trek 100km, ascend to 4,416m and back in seven days.

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