I keep wanting to call it the "Spring Picnic", but it was the Easter Picnic and it was fun.

For those who came down last Saturday, it was a glorious day and the only thing that beat the great weather was the amazing spread of food - I’m not sure exactly how many cups of ice-milo I drank or how many pork floss sandwiches I ate but I know I couldn’t get enough of it and still can’t.

It was great seeing everyone just sitting, chatting and chilling in the sun - some even attempting to get their kites up, no innuendos intended - and what better way to ‘celebrate’ being Malaysian/Singaporean than having an eating competition?


Of course, it would have been much more competitive if the food in question was roti prata or char kuay teow, but when in England, do as the English do and so we made do with gummy bears and crackers. Shona won the gummy-bear eating competition through very strategic collaboration with her competitors and was rewarded with a huge bar of Toblerone (seriously, who can refuse chocolate regardless?) whilst still on her sugar-high. The less yummy cracker-eating competition was tight between Nick and Ben, but Nick won by more than a mouthful with his stealth and determination. I hope he still had stomach for his prize of strawberries after so many crackers.

If all the talk about food makes us sound like a lazy bunch of people who are only out to eat at a picnic (guilty as charged), I must say that we’re quite a sporty bunch. The calories consumed from Milo were burnt off by an intensive game of Frisbee, with all that running and falling down. Then again I suppose that depends on how much you drank, and moreover whoever told you that Frisbee is a relaxing and chilled-out sport is lying. It is fun, but extremely cut-throat. Kinda like rugby; it is bloody. Xianjie is the man to ask for information on the sport.

Of course, all’s well that ends well, and the throwing of water bombs was a perfect way to cool everyone down and get wet and dirty! (Ed: Guess it was a good thing Voonkiat was away playing football then.)


I threw many, but hit none. I’ll be practicing at home, Jiahui.

By Su-Ann Nair
Graduate Student