8am we wake up and start packing, its a beautiful day out. Kai and the group from Dustin’s expedition have slept outside. Sunny and blue sky. The storm is not coming today. The flights start at 9am and there is no queue so we should be flying in no time.

It’s sad to be leaving the mountain range. It is always with mixed feelings. I am getting closer to Sarah, closer to Oscar and to my life in Hong Kong. But at the same time, we are leaving this world where nothing superficial has any form of importance, where all that matters are the people around you, health, strength, drive and commitment.

The Beaver plane lands, Nick is our pilot. The way back is beautiful, glaciers turn into moraines, that turn into rivers. Mountains turn into hills, snow into green slopes and trees, the frozen world turns into a world of burgeoning life, cabins lost in the woods, and soon we land in Talkeetna.

Unpacking at AMS, quick chat with Caitlin (the co-owner and founder of AMS) about potential business support in Asia.

We find our hotel, the Swiss Alaska, nothing Swiss about it but just fine for the next 2 days. The first shower in weeks lasts forever. And dinner with our 3 guides: Kai, Chelsea and Eric. We treat them, thank them with a tip each for all their support and grab a last beer at the Fairview Inn, ‘THE’ bar of Talkeetna. Our first night in a bed in over 2 weeks.