Hiking on Lamma Island - Hong Kong

Pakistani Students Association Hong Kong (PSA) had its first hiking on Sunday, April 27, 2008 on Lamma Island. All participants met at Central MTR station at 12:30 p.m. After that, we headed to the Central ferry pier from where we took ferry to Lamma Island.

Everybody was in joyous mood. The joyous atmosphere disappeared for a while when some students suffered from motion sickness onboard. However, everything was normal when the ferry eventually started to move. Mr Rizwan, noticing that some participants were shy and not really talking to each other, introduced an ice breaking game. In a minute, everybody was chit-chatting and feelings of strangeness no longer prevailed.

After that Mr. Hafiz briefly introduced the PSA to the participants. Then, Mr Rizwan briefed everybody about the activity. He told members that this activity is not organized for the sake of fun only, but it also entails lessons for us. He said this hiking may be a challenge for us, but it will teach us and give us stamina to perceive problems positively. It took about 45 minutes to reach at the destination.

The island was full of people from a number of different backgrounds. Before heading for the hiking, we decided to buy snacks and water. Next, we walked to the nearest beach where we enjoyed fresh air for a while. Then Mr. Rizwan showed his swimming skills. Mr Hafiz followed suit and jumped into the water. Water was cold, but it was fun swimming. Another participant, who later proved not a good swimmer, also dived into the water, but spent most of his time having his photos taken with stylish poses. It made everybody smile.

The hiking activity started at 3:15. Mr Rizwan informed members that our first stop will be after 20 minutes. The hiking trail was steep and required a lot of physical and psychological energy to keep moving non-stop. The mountain trail was difficult for a few hundred meters, but it became easier as we moved ahead.

On the way, Mr Rizwan shared an inspirational story of his life working in a restaurant on Lamma Island. All participants listened attentively and sympathetically. Later he showed us the restaurant where he had worked. After that, we had a debriefing session. All participants shared their past experiences where they faced a problem and learned something from it. They also labeled the activity as meaningful and inspirational. Responding to a verbal survey question as to whether the activity was successful and if it had restored a positive outlook towards life in the participants minds, a 100% agreement was shown by the show of hands.

The most enjoyable time came when we took ferry and headed back home. We sat at the front of the ferry with no roof and sometimes water splashed on our faces – it was just a beautiful experience.