Before leaving for the jungle, everybody was given royal treatment at the Prince Hotel and Residence, a newly built five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur. The hotel was packed to capacity with about 150 vehicles and an international team of hardcore off-road enthusiasts from 25 countries who had gathered to battle the deep and monsoon drenched jungles of Pahang. After leaving behind the civilised world at Kuala Lumpur, we shifted base from five-star comfort to under-the-stars life in the jungle with wild beasts for company.

The following day and night were considered to be the 24 hours. Competitors had to go deep into the jungle following GPS coordinates. On the way, they crossed 11 makeshift log bridges. Most of them were broken and hence required repair. If not repairable, the contestants made an alternative way to go on. Exhausted and drenched in mud, the first competitor reached the Hulu Pukin waterfall campsite at 2 a.m. and last one arrived at 6 in the morning.

Everything was running smoothly until it started raining. The rain bought problems for the English team when their Range Rover got stuck during the mud crossing SS (special stage). It took four hours to dig them out from that mud. There were two more similar SS, which called for extreme winching and recovery skills.

Kem Sebarau (flame of the forest campsite) was designated the base camp and regrouping area. We had to wait for the competitors who were still in the jungle doing previous SS. Later, when everybody arrived, a small briefing was held with competitors and Press members about the further schedule. For the three SS in that area, the Australians, the Kiwis and I decided to ride at the back of any competitors’ vehicle. The Spanish team agreed to give us ride. There was no space for us and we had to stand at the back. In the beginning journey was adventures, but later when the jungle became dense, it was quite a nightmare. Michael, an Australian photographer, smashed his head twice with the air filter and almost went overboard. Suddenly the wild needles with fish hocked thorn (leaders) ripped my neck, forehead and my clothes. Seconds later I realised I was bleeding. Since we had taken a life, I could not ask them to stop the truck. I knew there would be river at the next SS and I could wash my face there and take out the thorns out of my body. We had been separated from other Press cars and to reach back to camp we had to rely on our feet, a bottle of water and two apples that we got from one of the organisers.

The day before, at SS14 we had got a ride from the Australian team at the back of their Nissan truck. It was a roller-coaster ride in a dense forest. We were smashed by bamboo bushes and showered by wild red ants. They were all over us and their bite was vicious. In such a situation you have a choice: either you eat them first or they eat you. And, yes, ants are crunchy!

Back at the base camp, I went for a stroll in the jungle to take some photographs. There I realised I was surrounded by hundreds of leeches and all were crawling towards me. I went back to the camp and few minutes later I realised that five leeches were making their way up my leg. One was already on my forearm, sucking blood. I borrowed a cigarette lighter from my friend and chased them away.

Next day after finishing all the SS, media crew, organisers and few competitors headed for the beach at Kuala Rompin. The rest went towards Twilight Zone, the toughest zone of the RFC. With team spirit and hard work, teams from New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, Malaysia and Thailand managed to cross successfully.

The results were declared at the Beach Hotel Summerset and Simon Buck from the UK won the overall champions trophy. "The RFC is a test of man and machine. Don’t talk about winning. Survival itself requires teamwork, endurance, physical ability and most important of all, mental stamina," said Luis Wee. It was really a challenge.