The Ecological Trip to Pantai Bisikan Bayu (Beach of Whispering Breeze)

It was a well-known tradition then, during my time, that the fifth formers (or was it the forth formers?) will make the study trip to Pantai Bisikan Bayu. It's part of the biology lessons, and the Biology teachers would be in charge of the trips. The key teachers for the trip then were Pak Widodo and Mr Sharif (I met again much last year. Click here and here for an event where I met Mr Sharif, and here when I met Pak Widodo at Shamsuri's place).

I remember very well, when I was still in form 2 and 3, when I observed my seniors keeping their ragged old school shoes for the trip. They told me that if the shoes got stuck in the mud, it's ok, because they are meant to be thrown away, anyway.

I also watched in envy (gosh, didn't I love traveling? I still do!) on the day they (my seniors) left for the trip. I could still remember vividly how they were busy getting their stuff ready. It was a full day trip, so they had to carry enough provisions (read here: food, food, and food!). Big tins of crackers and whole watermelons were also on the list.

They only got back to school very late in the evening, looking very exhausted and worn out. Not to mention the dirty laundry too :)

When our time came, I didn't forget to keep a pair of my old worn out shoes for the trip. We went together with 5 Beta students and Mr Sharif was our teacherthen. I don't remember much about the preparation but i know we brought a lot of food! :D

What were we supposed to do? We were supposed to study the flora and fauna of the mangrove swamps near the beach. Now I am quite sure we went there when we were in form 4, because the boys from my class were so fascinated by the mud-skippers that our class teams were called "The Mud-skippers". Was it the basketball team? I think so.

We had to go into the mangrove swamps to collect samples of the flowers, fruits, etc... But most of the time I think we were busy snapping photos.

What I remember was that my shoe got stuck in the mud, and eventually I had to walk barefooted!
(I was financially not well then, so I didn't buy any of the photos from friends :( . If anyone who reads this have any pic to share, please let me know)

Anyway, what I remember that my class brought back a pair of belangkas (horseshoe crab). No wonder the Malay proverb says "Macam belangkas" (like horseshoe crab) to describe 2 persons who are always together ;)

I really can't remember much, except for the huge tins of crackers, hahaha! We brought the morning nasi lemak too, if I am not mistaken. Maybe my friends can help me with more info?

We didn't get enough of the trip, so the following year, my class organised another trip to the beach, and this time it was an overnight camping trip. Will narate the story later! ;)

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