We had to ride on this huge six-wheel Jeep to get to one of the guest houses where we spent three nights. It was one of the largest vehicles I had ever ridden in with the wheels alone coming up to my chest level! But we had to ride in such a vehicle because of the terrain which was full of large rocks. Our party of 16 all took turns posing with the Jeep.

One for the album after reaching the ridge. We were a mix bag of nationalities – Hong Kong, Singapore (me), US, UK, India, Taiwan, China, Austria, and Australia – and the common thread that runs through us is that we have lived or are living in Hong Kong. It was nice to hang out with my friends again, especially ones who share a common love for the outdoors.

This spot is known as Fairy Tale Gorge. It’s a beautiful spot with Issy Kul Lake in the distance. Issy Kul Lake is the second largest alpine lake in the world at about 100km at its length and 70km in width. For a land locked country, this is probably the closest thing Kyrgyzstan has to a sea! It’s quite mind boggling to think that some people have never seen the sea or will never get a chance to do so.