Play Saturday: A picnic to remember

Play Saturday

The masterminds of this month’s Play Saturday are designers Fauzy and Nindya. What do you get when you combine Nindya’s love for adventure and Fauzy’s laid back personality? An actioned-packed picnic.

With our bags packed with snacks and helmets on our heads, we meet up at the office for a 9 am rendezvous. Fifteen minutes later, the roaring sound of twenty-something motorcycles joins Malang’s Saturday morning traffic as we beelined to Gayam park.

Fauzy kicks the day off with an opening spiel and a game called Samurai to break the ice. Following his instructions, we form a circle around him. Under his command, we either slay the person in front of us or behind us with a swift sword-wielding move that he introduces us to. But since none of us are real samurais and we’re playing with imaginary swords, whoever fails to follow Fauzy’s commands are to be slain with… a lipstick mark on their face. Close enough.

Play Saturday
Samurais in action!

Now the real games begin. Nindya takes the floor and acts as the game master. After a fun round of Samurai, we form teams of four. The next game is called “The longest line” and goal is just that: to form the longest possible line using our clothes and ourselves. It is on.

Ready, set, go! Four lines quickly start to form as everyone scrambles to win. We sacrifice our jackets, shirts, shoes — decorating Gayam park with four colorful lines of clothes and people in a matter of minutes. After two rounds of intense competition, Yudha’s team wins.

Play Saturday
Lucky many of us wore shirts that day!
Play Saturday
Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do

Next up is the balloon train game. Each team needs to form a line about 6 meters from the balloon station. One team member needs to walk up to the balloon station to pick up a balloon and then walk back to pick another team member up. The two of them walk back to the balloon station to pick another balloon, and then back to the rest of the team to pick another team member up. Sounds like a walk in the park? Not quite. Here’s the catch: they must transport each balloon without using their hands. The fastest team to pick up all of its members while successfully transporting all of the balloons wins. This time, Deni’s team wins.

Play Saturday
Choo-choo! Balloon train coming through
Play Saturday
And here comes another one

After a few hours of sword wielding, line forming and running around, it’s time to eat. We brought meatballs, sausages and the biggest prawns in history, ready to be barbecued on the tiniest grill in history.

Play Saturday
Time to eat!
Play Saturday
One grill to rule them all
Play Saturday
Needless to say, the food is scrumptious

After three games played and grilled goods filling our bellies, it’s time to relax and enjoy each other’s company. Another Play Saturday well spent with the 24Slides team.

Play Saturday
Say: grilled meat!