SCOUTING FOR BOYS

1. First Class Badge

In 1961, PK and I went for our 1st Class Badge test. We were required to take a journey into the 'wild', camp overnight at a designated spot and then return to the starting point. With the help of a compass, we had to prepare a rough map of the journey traversed and then write a report of the trip for submission to our Scoutmaster.
We started from the Scout Hut in the morning. In our heavy canvas knapsacks, we carried our clothing change, our simple cooking utensils, a ground sheet, a light plastic sheet which could be converted into a tent for the night, as well as a host of other scouting essentials (ropes, knives, candles, matches, etc.).

Part of the journey took us through a rubber estate owned by the Man Woo Loong Co. At midday we went for a rest at a timber Chinese pavillion over a fish pond. There we met and talked to a photographer who was wandering around the area. He kindly took a photo of us and later sent it to me.  

Recently, I made a trip to Singapore where PK is now residing. During an outing to China Town, we were each carrying a back pack (for shopping and other purposes). With the Chinese architecture in the background, it was a perfect setting to recreate that pose of ours 52 years ago.

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