Paintball

I am against war and violence. I dislike guns although I have toy guns with the sheriff badge when I growing up. When I see young kids, I will make the shape of guns with my fingers and pretend to shoot at them - "peow! peow!" Some love it, especially boys.

On Sunday I was invited by Asther and her friends to play Paintball at Kuang, somewhere a bit further than Sg Buloh. I didn't know what to expect and what to bring but I just knew that it is quite painful when the paint pellet hit you.

The bad news is true. It is painful. It bruised you and leave you with nasty blue blacks.

The good news is that it is actually very fun. It is like almost like a battlefield except that you won't get kill and each game only last about 15 minutes. If you don't feel well or your marker (the gun) don't work well, you can stop. Raise your hand and move away to safety zone.

Sorta like those war type of computer games too but on physical world. You get dirty, you have to crawl, you hide behind broken walls, trees, bunkers, you have to run and peek. Very physical. Very challenging.

Ifyou are serious about Paintball, there are strategies and planning involved, special markers and equipments and you can even dress up like a soldier. Very expensive sport, as always.

But for me, it is all about not getting shot (coz it is painful) and trying to bring down as many members of the opponents. I chose to hide in the bunker to defend our team's flag. Even that, I get shot.

Playing this game make me realise that it is really really ultra scary during an actual war. And you are actually sending yourself to death. If you don't die now, you'll die later. Now I know why soldiers are given awards after they returned from their postings. And why "purple hearts" when you were injured during war.

I never felt more female until I was being briefed before the game. I just find it repulsive to start killing people (although not literally or really killing) with a gun (although it is just a marker).

But during the game, it was actually nice to start shooting and bringing down your opponents. I actually enjoyed that. I was shot many many times but I only managed to bring down one opponent. Totally useless of me.

Some other players are really good. Their hands are steady when shooting. They move calmly. They seem to understand how to distract and move to protect themselves from being hit.

Now I also know how a seemingly nice and quiet person can go berserk when they are given the opportunity to kill or when they are engrossed with their computer games.

Very good stress reliever too. But if you someone that are full of anger and very bitter, I suggest not playing this coz you might hurt people and go overboard when you are too consumed.

Well, frankly I don't know much about Paintball, but what I wrote here are what I have observed.

I don't mind the pain and the bruises, but the only thing I dislike about the game is wearing the mask. It is very suffocating, hard to breathe and smell of smelly plastic.

Give it a try, at least once in your lifetime. Glad I went. Thanks Asther, Mike and Francis for taking me there. Thanks too for meal at Kanna. Love the banana rice dishes there. Yummy!