Please click here to view a gallery of photographs from the expedition.

As part of our International Award (IA) Adventurous Journey, we sped along the newly constructed Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed train line before meeting our guides for the trip and hopping on a 3 hour bus ride to some of the most remote places along the 5,000 mile long Great Wall. 5 to 8 hour hikes were part of our daily routine, crossing rivers, scaling rocks and trekking steep slopes together as a team, building friendships along the way as we took in the beautiful scenery that Northern China has to offer. On top of all this, we had no help from any of our guides or teachers, which was probably what made the trip even more exciting. From setting up our tents to taking the right path, we had a lot of choices to make, each filled with a sense of uncertainty, followed by a sense of satisfaction when we finally reach the campsites on time and in good shape.

Little daylight meant no time to waste - getting dinner cooked and collecting water was a priority, as well as setting our tents up, and no help from any of the guides. Finally, we would sit down, under the stars and tell jokes, horror stories and the like, completely ignoring the freezing weather as we bonded as a group.

Even as we return to school, the stories of our weekend continue, recalling the times we spent together and the new skills we learnt. Being part of IA had taught me how to work as part of a team, stand out and be a leader, and also, equally importantly, how to be a good follower. For everyone, I believe  it was a weekend well spent.

By Lyndon Teng, Year 11