Motor Treasure Hunt by Kiwanis

Two of my friends (who have never been on a motor treasure hunt) were eager for the experience and so we signed up for the 33rd Kiwanis Treasure Hunt.  Organised by The Kiwanis Club of Kuala Lumpur (KCKL), this 3 days/2 nights treasure hunt from Kuala Lumpur to Lumut, Perak, was held recently from 28 - 30 May 2016.

KCKL (founded in 1976) organises this treasure hunt on a yearly basis since its inaugural hunt back in 1984. The purpose is to raise funds for the Kiwanis Down Syndrome Centre and other charities that KCKL supports or manages...which they've done so for the past 33 years consecutively.

It has been a long and unending journey for KCKL...and that's why the theme for this year was 'Never Ending Story'!  This year, they aim to raise RM400,000 to fund the operation and maintenance of the Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation's National Centre.

This year's hunt took us from KL to Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut in Lumut, Perak.  The Entry Fees was RM430 per participant which included two nights accommodation (twin sharing), two breakfasts and two dinners (with third person sharing room @ RM240 and children 4 - 11 years @ RM100 per child excluding extra bed). Since there were just us three gals, we requested for an extra bed @ RM90 per night.

We were required to attend a Registration & Briefing Session about a week before the actual hunt day.

The purpose is to distribute the car stickers (of the sponsors), goody bags, petrol vouchers and T-shirts (that we had to wear on hunt day) and to relay instructions and details for the hunt.

Stickers of the various sponsors that we have to adorn on our car.

The registration and briefing session also gave them the opportunity to sell Raffle (or Lucky) Draw Tickets (we did our small part for charity and bought a few).

Waiting for the briefing to begin :)

The briefing took us through some of the (past years) sample questions for the benefit of the treasure hunters especially those who are joining for the first time.

A session on tulip readings (ie. course direction) was also held for the first-timers.  An understanding on how to read tulips is important, otherwise you might end up in Timbuktu! @_@

Finally, the eagerly awaited hunt day has arrived.  Dragging ourselves out of bed in the early hours of the morning, we reached our Start Control (flag off point) in KDU University College, Glenmarie, at around 6+ am.

Final briefing @ 6.45 am before flag off

Flag off @ 7 am!

Finish Control (submission of questions and answers script + treasures) at Swiss-Garden Beach Resort Damai Laut's Ballroom....phew, arrived in the nick of time before regulation hunt cut-off time of 8 hours 30 minutes (otherwise penalty points will be deducted) and that's because we were over confident (at first) that it wouldn't take so long and stopped for breakfast along the way! >.<

The hunt culminated with the Prize Presentation Dinner on Day 2 where the champions were announced and prizes awarded to at least the top 15 positions.  Many lucky draw prizes were given out as well.  Answers to the treasure hunt questions were revealed and discussed during the course of the dinner (and you'll soon realise just how many answers you got wrong!) :D  You need to know a bit of general knowledge and current happenings around the world to decipher the questions and connect them to the signboards (or just about any signs) along the route...and also some "brain power" to unlock the clues to the treasures.

All in all, it was a fun and engaging event...and tiring too!  Though some of the questions were tricky (and tough), it's not winning that counts but the enjoyment of the journey (with family or friends) that matters...after all, life's a journey, not a destination.  Overall, I think my friends thoroughly enjoyed this new experience of their very first treasure hunt.

And that was pretty much our Day 1.  Games and activities were organised on Day 2...which we didn't participate....coz we went food hunting (but that will be another story for another day)!

For those who have not experienced a motor treasure hunt (organised by Kiwanis), it's a fun (and charitable) activity you could do with your family or friends...and, for those who have gone on their first one, they'll be 'itching' to go for more.  But, more importantly, your participation means support for this noble and worthy cause....so I say, let's do what we can to help! :-)