SMARTER 5-hills Challenge

The 5 hills chosen were Tasek Lama, Bt. Subok, Bt. Markucing, Bt. Mentiri and Shahbandar. The 5 hills symbolises the five challenges faced by the parents of an autistic child, which are:-

1. The challenge of our children growing up
2. To advocate support and understanding from government agencies
3. The challenge of academic issues
4. The challenge of future employment
5. The challenge of higher education

We left home at 6.30 to go to Tasek Lama for the opening ceremony. I didn't go hiking at Tasek Lama 'cos I've been there, and I feel that a one week rest from the last hike is not yet enough. While waiting for the President, Uncle malai to come down, Didi and I went to the waterfall, but was occupied by people doing Tai chi. We just went around the tasek, avoiding the more hilly part.

But you see, last two days on Rampai Pagi, Uncle Malai said that whoever climbed the hills will receive a certificate, even if it was just one hill, and I wanted a certificate. So, what did I do? I decided to go up Bukit Subok, which was definitely a bad choice for someone like me. There were so many stairs! Yeah, they built stairs, so you don't exactly feel the soil beneath your feet, which isn't really that refreshing.First it was all straight up, way way way up, then it was flat land, and then there were some gntle slopes going down, which led us to more stairs going up, and I was like WTFFFFF. We were going up and down, ENDLESSLY! Then there was this totally steep slope going down, and the steps were like, small, and my legs were trembling, NOT HELPING! I thought that was the end, but NO, it was not. When I finally did complete the round, I saw my mum laughing at me, at the base of the hill. I was definitely WTFed by then. My mum said it almost took me an hour that she called me along the way. Haha, so amateurs, and those people who are horizontally-challenged like myself, don't go there, unless you have lots of water wth you, and maybe some support. I took a pictured next to the signboard, as a proof that I did climb the hill, complete with the flushed look. And I will get a certificate. Yeehee~

In the car, I kinda had a this funny conversation with my dad.

Dad: SO, was it fun?
Me: Not a bit.
Dad: That is how it feels like to have children, even the normal ones.
Me: If raising a kid is as hard as going up and down the hills, I'd rather not have any.

Everyone else was LOLing out of their heads, but I was friggin serious, in a way. Maybe it was the exhaustion or something, but seriously, freaky thoughts were up in my mind. Like, like--

--I shall not continue that sentence.

We wnet home for a while to grab some more 100plus, and went to Markuching. Not much happned there, since when we arrived, they were almost done and we moved on to Mentiri.

Mentiri, well, obviously I did not want to do any more climbing,so I just hanged out at the rocks, daydreaming while looking at the pretty, green scenery. Didi was busy taking pictures of herslef, so I let her have her way, while I have mine. Oh yeah, we also became models for that day, posing for this photographer...maybe it was because of the SMARTER shirt we were all wearing. Well duh, we were ze family of an autistic kid. Haha

And then, there was abreak, so we took the chance to go to Hua Ho to grab some food, which Iwas kind of embarassed to the, because all of us, were wearing the sam shirt! Haha, yep, we definitelgot some stares. OF course, Iw as kind of irritated by it, so I purposely chanted loudly, "stare, stare, stare..." That made people stop staring. Haha

Then, we went to Shahbandar for the closing ceremony, there were not many people as there were at Tasek Lama. Uncle Malai arrived, he gave aspeech, then the guest of honour, whoever it was, gave a speech, then we ate. There really wasn't much to say.

But what I was seriously irratated by was the fact that it was a hot day, people just got back from running, and they were served hot tea and coffee? WTF, I know, formal blabla, but it was HOTTT. Water wasn't helping, it was not cold. Sheesh. I was dehydrated the whole day and this is what I get? yeah sure, after Bukit Subok, I tried to gobble down some Sehat water but it was ICK! Seriously, no matter how thirsty I was, I just couldn't bring myself to drink water. No idea why. I did manage to grab a few tins of 100plus, but somehow it was gone after one hour, and I was thirsty again.

Overall, it was good. I bought a few badges, and I ordered a mug. It's got a pretty design. I wanted to buy the keychains and pen, but I'll let my dad keep his money. Haha

Oh look, it's on the news!