In the summer holidays, 12 Sixth Form students from North London Collegiate finished 18 months of planning and fundraising by boarding a plane bound for Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Their aim was to lead an expedition in a developing country and to learn something about a very different place as well as themselves.
They were greeted by a beautiful country inhabited by a diverse range of friendly and welcoming people. The team headed for the snow-capped hills just outside the capital city to acclimatise both to the altitude and the challenging position in which they found themselves. The trekking was tough, but the stunning scenery and opportunities for relaxation helped bring the team together.
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A week later the team returned to the city to start the project phase of their expedition. The project was at a detention centre for street children. The children hugely appreciated the attention of the students and their efforts to revamp the playground equipment in the compound.
The final phase of the expedition was trekking in the Tien Shan mountains. The team were invigorated after a stay in a yurt camp and a bone-shaking ride in an ex-Soviet army truck. Breathtaking scenery (and some thunderstorms to match) kept the group motivated and enabled time to hone leadership, camping and cooking skills.
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The expedition finished with a couple of days on the beach by Issy Kul, a vast lake a mile high, surrounded by even higher mountains dusted with snow. Everyone appreciated the chance to soak tired limbs in the warm water and reflect on the achievements they had made as a team and as individuals.
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