Merdeka Interview - The Frugal Campers

The word “Merdeka” literally means “Independence”, “ Freedom” and “Sovereignty''. After 6 decades of independence, the word “Merdeka” carries different meanings that are unique to each Malaysian. In the run-up to this year’s Merdeka Day, we interviewed our fellow campers and nature enthusiasts - Imran and Liza from The Frugal Campers, to find out their story and what Merdeka truly means to them.

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF

Hi All! This is Imran and Liza. We are The Frugal Campers. We enjoy camping together and we love to enjoy nature regardless whether by the river, by the sea or in the field. Imran is currently employed as freelance Project Manager/Engineer and also a certified Mechanical CAD Instructor, while Liza is a fulltime housewife and editor for our The Frugal Campers channels.

TELL US ABOUT WHEN AND HOW YOU DEVELOPED THE INTEREST IN CAMPING

We started camping together since 2016 when we started to explore nature. We went out for outdoor activities like hiking and picnic, and then we felt like we wanted to try being overnight in the woods. Having friends with the same interest has made it easier for us to continue having this interest as our hobby.

The strongest reason why we really enjoy camping is because of the nature itself. It really gives us relaxation and rejuvenation to our mind and body after long days of work. Today it has become our monthly activity.

WHAT’S YOUR USUAL CAMPING ACTIVITIES? WHICH ARE YOUR FAVOURITE AND WHY

We enjoy relaxing while enjoying nature like enjoying the river or sea, reading books while inhaling fresh air, cooking camping dishes, hammocking and also stargazing.

Our favourite activity? Campfire cooking, because this cannot be done anywhere else except at the campsite and because we love to eat!

TELL US ABOUT YOUR MOST UNFORGETTABLE UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE DURING YOUR CAMPING TRIP

During camping, we really love to enjoy the serenity and pleasantness of nature. Our most unforgettable unpleasant memory was when there was too much unpleasant noise around us

WHAT DOES MERDEKA MEAN TO YOU

To us, Merdeka means being able to do the things we love to do freely. It’s about being independent and freedom. It also means being able to live in peace and harmony.

FOLLOW IMRAN AND LIZA @THEFRUGALCAMPERS ON INSTAGRAM