PAINTBALL!!!

It's FUN (really!), it's tiring and it is Painful - with a capital P.

Thanks to Sophia and her spontaneous invitation to join her friends/cousins for an exciting game of Paintball, plus the coincidental free night I had tonight (as opposed to the rest of the weeknights committed to work), I had nothing (but money) to lose!

Apparently there are only 2 places in Singapore you get to do Paintball-ing (cos of the license needed to fire such weapons), and Paintball-ing at night, well, only at this Yishun one (next to Orchid Country Club). After we suited up and went inside the field scattered with crates and barrels that provide the all-important cover from enemy fire, the instructor began his briefing. I took this video halfway through the briefing before my battery decided to run low. In any case, I wasn't going to subject my camera to the flying "bullets" and battle-scars the game would dish out.

We were all nervous and excited at the same time, until the part when the instructor started explaining about the gun proper, which took us all by surprise since he demonstrated the prowess of the weapon right in front of us, without anyone wearing their safety gear yet. As it is, we were told that the paintballs that are ejected from the barrel leave at 300km/h! At close proximity, one's skin would tear or one's eyesight marred should he not be careful. Watch everyone get taken by surprise towards the end in the video below!

Just before we began battle, we decided to take one group picture. Sophia's cousin actually tried telling us to smile, but our masks had the honour of taking priority instead. (In case you are trying to identify me, I'm 2nd from the right and Soph's on the extreme left).

Let me set the stage again: Paintball is FUN, but extremely tiring! For the guys who've been through NS, imagine your BMT training where you're running from tree-to-tree and ducking every few seconds shouting "contacted!"

EXCEPT this time...

...you really understand the need to duck for cover behind those barrels and crates, since 300km/h paintballs are zipping towards you. All 6 of us, when broken up into 2 opposing teams, had no mercy for each other, and it certainly didn't deter us guys from aiming at someone who's silly enough to hide behind a crate BUT forgetting that her butt was exposed to enemy fire! Heh.

Add in "The Bridge" and the "Sniper Tower" to the field and you definitely bring the game to another level.

Remember I mentioned how "pain" is an necessary takeaway? YOU MUST, WILL AND SHOULD BE SHOT to get the most out of lamenting and comparing battle scars! Honest! Everyone who came out of the game was comparing the swelling of various body parts that got subjected to fire! I was also told that the paint is made of vegetable dye and washes off easily, plus it is made with some vanilla "flavouring", so it's safe in the event the shot lands in one's mouth after splattering all across one's face mask.

Personally, I recommend that our Army introduce Paintball for all soldiers, since everyone will feel the need to aim and take cover, instinctively. But for everyone else thinking of making this a "leisurely" sport, think twice. A word of caution - it is not cheap my friends. Otherwise, everything else is sheer fun, especially the company you bring with to battle, I mean, the game.

Entrance fees are at $20 per person ($15 for daytime), coupled with 2000 paintballs at $400 (we initially bought 1000 but later realised how fast our rounds get expanded so we decided on the top-up) meant that each of the 6 of us forked out more than $80 for slightly over an hour's worth of sheer exhaustion and extreme fun!

For more details , check out http://www.paintball.com.sg/. Appointment by group bookings only.