NTS Camp 2005

Yes, I have survived three days of intensive training. Yes, it was held over the Christmas weekend. I spent my entire Christmas doing Kendo. Do I have no life, or what?? I have learnt that when you hit a certain point during training, whatever hurts doesn't hurt anymore. I have learnt that you win when you either have nothing to lose or everything to lose. I have also learnt that when people tell you to "Have fun!", it is best to be slightly pessimisstic as well.

I hate to admit it, but yes, I did "have fun!" at three full days of training. It is by far even more intensive than NUSKK camp. Makes me wonder how I felt so weak and useless at NUSKK camp than at NTS camp. Must be the people involved. At NUSKK, you know you will never be the first one to fall out because of so-and-so reason. At SKC, if you fall out first, you are just weak. No one likes to be the first one to drop out, cos if one does, the rest will follow. What do you call it? The linch pin? Haha, nevermind.

And since the last few posts have been so bereft of pictures, and I had even resorted to putting up a comic, you shan't be disappointed this time. If you're eating, drinking, or just have a generally weak stomach, please skip the few pictures at the front.


Picture 286: Bruises received on day 1 of camp.


Just one bruise, actually. Had shiai with two people, and as I walked away to take a rest, I felt a painful tingle on my right upper arm. You know how you smack yourself, there's this lingering tingly feeling? Well, imagine that, but starting to bite into you and just won't quit tingling. I thought to myself, Shit, a bruise? So I lifted up the sleeve of my hakama and found It. It changed colour from light blue, to dark blue, to dark green, and then with reddish tinge. It was amazing how It changed colour over five hours.


Picture 287: Bruises received on day 2 of camp.



Picture 288: Closeup.


Second day, there was team shiai, so I was up against one of the strongest female players in Singapore. As we fought, she hit me in the same spot that was bruised the day before, and when we both came in for kote, she missed and her shinai jabbed me in the arm (hence bruise number 2). It didn't just like, hit and slide off. It hit and left a scratch mark of sorts.

When the match was over, I went over to Saizou, "I know who gave me the bruise yesterday le." Actually, I have no idea. It might have been the second girl, but well. I have another bruise from the second day on the outside of my right elbow. It's this big painful bit that's quite reminiscent of Lawyer's bruises. That one is LENG hit one lor. During keiko later, everyone loved hitting my arm. Four partners in a row proceeded to hit me in the exact same spot. At the end of it, I couldn't really feel much of my arm anymore.



Picture 289: Bruises received on day 3 of camp.


Today was another bad right arm day. During keiko, got hit on the second bruise very hard by one guy. My arm went numb for a while, and I had to stop keiko for a while. The poor guy was wondering what happened to me. Then he proceeded to give me the third bruise. -__-"

On to some better looking photos:


Picture 290: Saizou looks like some kind of gangster in this picture.



Picture 291: And the image is quickly shattered when she posed cutely for this photo. See the dead (tired) bodies in the background. How she gets her energy, I have no idea. 

I haven't mentioned the number of suburi we did. Nvm, another story for another time. I just want to sleep now.