HK group scale new heights scale

STANDING atop tall Snowdon, the tallest mountain in Wales (1085 metres), Marylux Kan Miu-hing exclaimed. ''I cannot believe I am here!'' But the sixth-former made it, as did her five Hong Kong companions, fifth-former Eric Tse Kwong-wah, tertiary students Cindy Chan Chi-sin, Teresa Wong Mei-lin, Henry Yan Chi-hang and Lavina Yip Lai-wan.

A spell of 24 summer days on the Hong Kong Midlands Exchange Project in Britain meant more than completing the requirements for the Duke of Edinburgh's (DEA) Gold Award - it was a wonderful maturing experience for the group as well.

''I was scared at first,'' Lavina said. ''But we were well prepared, so we found the expedition less difficult than expected, although it was still more demanding than scaling heights in Hong Kong because of the bad weather.'' Howling wind and rain had blown off mountaineers from Snowdon's steep precipice before. Hours of trekking along a sharp ridge and uneven slabs of slates, hopping across streams, avoiding the water holes, and all this carrying a backpack of of 30 to 40 pounds, were tough challenges.

''We saw mountain rescuers there every day. With the thick fog, it really tested our strength and all the navigation skills we had,'' added Henry.

But the weather became unusually stable the day they set off for Snowdon.

''It was strange to see lakes among mountains, something we don't see in Hong Kong,'' said Eric.