My first experience with the Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme was in 1977 where I took a field trip to a remote village in the Central region in Ghana with three of my classmates from my school then at Wesley Girls' High School, at Cape Coast.

My second experience of the Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme was a year later, in 1978, to go for the Silver medal. Our trip took us on an expedition to the Mfantsiman Girls' Secondary Boarding School from our school at Wesley Girls' High School where we spent the night after a day's long trying walk through dusty narrow paths and many lush green corn fields.

On this second field trip I remember us walking unknowingly through a village shrine which caused a lot of stir and commotion to the villagers and required some apologies from us to the tradtional village chief before we could continue on our way with our field trip.

I remember being the log-keeper, keeping track of our bearings, locations and all the events that transpired throughout our expedition.

All in all, the trip ended well. We arrived safely and soundly on foot to our final destination. What I learnt from this trip was that, generally speaking, people are kind and willing to help others, even strangers, as long us one shows respect and goodwill to them.

I guess this was where I learnt my first lessons of keeping accurate record of events to be able to relay the story back to others whenever it was required.

I am so grateful and honoured for the experience to embark on an expedition to an unknown destination with other young people, like myself, under the Duke of Edinburgh's award scheme where we had to learn to depend on our ourselves and on each other.

With a map, notebook, pen and campus as our main guides, we, four teenage girls, learnt to finish what we started out to accomplish, depending on our own intelligence, wit and confidence.

I may not be so young any more; but if I still can, I'll try to find the time and the company to g