Ice and Snow Silk Road Scout Trip

From Lai Yan Yin 4D (18)

Reflection on the “Ice and Snow Silk Road” Scout Trip  (21 Dec – 26 Dec, 2026)

Place: Harbin, China

The Ice and Snow Silk Road” Scout trip, funded by the Mainland Exchange Fund of the Home Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, successfully concluded during the Christmas holiday in December. Looking back at the start of the journey, the flag-presenting ceremony on December 7 is still vivid in my memory — all members gathered at the Kowloon Regional Hall in high spirits and solemnly completed the flag-presenting ceremony. Afterwards, the accompanying leaders elaborated on the trip itinerary and key points for clothing preparation. The entire ceremony was solemn and orderly, filling me with infinite longing for the upcoming ice and snow journey.

Departure to Harbin

After adequate preliminary preparations, the departure day arrived as scheduled. Members of our 256th Troop, wearing neat outdoor clothing, assembled at the Hong Kong Scout Centre Hall. After being checked and confirmed correct, we took a coach to Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport and then transferred to a direct flight to Harbin. Notably, the temperature in Hong Kong remained around 20 degrees Celsius on the day of departure, while the temperature in Harbin had dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius. The huge temperature difference was undoubtedly a test for all members. Fortunately, everyone was fully prepared in advance and successfully adapted to the sudden change in temperature.

Immersive Cultural Experiences

During the 6-day journey, the team successively visited various characteristic venues and cultural-educational locations in Harbin: we not only entered Harbin Boiler Works and Harbin Urban Planning Exhibition Hall to closely appreciate the city’s profound industrial heritage and clear development context, but also visited two national key universities — Harbin Institute of Technology and Northeast Forestry University, and toured the Aerospace Science and Technology Museum of Harbin Institute of Technology and the Forest Museum of Northeast Forestry University. During this period, at the Aerospace Science and Technology Museum, the team was fortunate to attend a special lecture by Professor Wang Ruowei, gaining an in-depth understanding of the development history and cutting-edge research achievements of China’s aerospace industry, which greatly inspired the members’ enthusiasm for scientific and technological exploration. In addition, the members also visited Harbin Sport University, personally experienced various ice and snow sports events, and conducted exchanges and sharing with teachers and students of the university. Coinciding with the peak season for ice and snow sports training, everyone watched the daily training scenes of athletes up close, truly feeling the investment and outstanding achievements of the country in the development of sports undertakings. It should be noted that some members had relatively weak Mandarin comprehension ability and found it slightly difficult to follow the explanations. Fortunately, Leader Sir Lam patiently provided supplementary explanations and translations, ensuring that every member could keep up with the learning progress and not miss key knowledge.

Overcoming Weather Challenges

The journey was also full of unexpected surprises and flexible adjustments: on the 3rd day of the trip, the weather suddenly changed and moderate snow fell. This sudden snowfall not only did not affect the members’ mood, but also made everyone extremely excited, immersing themselves in the snow-covered ice and snow world to enjoy the joy to the fullest. However, the snowfall also made it difficult to proceed with the original itinerary. The organizers adjusted the itinerary plan in a timely manner to ensure the smooth progress of the trip. Here, we sincerely thank the organizing committee for their comprehensive arrangements. On December 24, the journey ushered in its grand finale — a visit to Harbin Ice and Snow World. The temperature dropped to minus 19 degrees Celsius that day, but the cold could not resist the members’ enthusiasm at all. Before entering the park, everyone specially filmed a Christmas greeting video to convey holiday warmth and greetings to all members of the Hong Kong Scouts.

Conclusion

During the 6-day journey, the members personally experienced the extreme temperature difference from 20 degrees Celsius in Hong Kong to minus 27 degrees Celsius in Harbin and surrounding areas. The fluttering snowflakes not only brought a strong sensory impact, but also created a strong festive atmosphere for this Christmas holiday journey. Here, we sincerely thank the school for providing us with the precious opportunity and strong support to participate in this “Children’s Journey on the Ice and Snow Silk Road” trip. This journey not only allowed us to enjoy the magnificent northern scenery, but also enabled us to gain knowledge and achieve growth through visits, learning, exchanges and experiences, deeply understanding the vigorous vitality and strong dynamism of the Mainland in many fields such as science and technology, sports and urban development.