On the snow-covered roads of Fairy Meadow in Nanga Parbat mountain over the past few days, tour guides, drivers, and horse riders were all surprised to see a child from Vietnam in their country. Everyone who met this special visitor exclaimed, "This is the first time we've ever seen such a young tourist in Pakistan."

Since her days as a freelance journalist and travel blogger, Mai Huong has had a passion for experiencing unspoiled lands and diverse cultures. And as a mother, she has always strived to find a point of happiness in her travels to free lands, parallel to the journey of her 3-year-old daughter, Mo. Perhaps from the very beginning, this young mother, born in 1991, found that point in her first steps with Mo, as the two of them journeyed together into the world.

Pakistan was once seen by many as an "unpeaceful" country, often labeled a "radical Islamic" nation. However, in this South Asian country, Mai Huong discovered beautiful yet harsh landscapes, isolated villages, and people yearning to connect with the world. This led her to believe that no place is solely filled with danger or bad people. Her belief was proven true by her three-year-old daughter, who safely and happily spent 18 days in Pakistan with her mother.

For a long time, Mai Huong dreamed of the harsh beauty of the Skardu region or the impressive, arid Passu mountain range. Many times she wished to cross the narrow suspension bridge with the rushing Hunza River below; to trek up the mountain slopes to reach the Passu glacier; or to climb Eagle's Nest to watch the sunset. And when her dreams came true, she carried her child on her back for each leg of the journey. The young mother couldn't remember how many times her steps trembled with exhaustion, how many times she gasped for breath as her strength dwindled. But thankfully, she always had Mo by her side.

For Mo, the trip to Pakistan wasn't her first; she had already traveled half of Vietnam with her mother before she was two years old. So, when accompanying Mai Huong on the most challenging stretches of road in Pakistan, she was very well-behaved, lying quietly on her mother's back without crying, and at times even playfully chattering a lot. When Mai Huong recalls those endless trails, what she remembers most are the small, precious moments of her daughter.

Mỡ is like a little generator with an inexhaustible source of energy. She's cheerful, healthy, and carefree. As Mai Hương and her daughter rode in a jeep for two hours on what's considered the "second most dangerous road in the world," a route only licensed to 80 drivers, to Fairy Meadow National Park, located at an altitude of 3,400 meters, the tiny road, winding along the mountainside like a thread, narrowed further and further with a deep ravine on one side, causing everyone to feel apprehensive. But Mỡ slept soundly in her mother's arms, making the other tourists laugh. For a moment, the tense atmosphere was eased by Mỡ's peaceful sleep.

In interviews with Travellive, Mai Huong always happily recounts her joyful moments. But for a mother traveling with her child within the country, which already presents countless challenges, Mai Huong's trip was a test of both physical and mental strength.

There were stretches of road where Mai Huong had to ride a horse because the entrance to Fairy Meadows was too narrow for a car. Constantly facing steep slopes, her arm and hip muscles were strained and aching as she strained to keep both mother and daughter on horseback. But when she saw Mo happily playing in the snow, seeing her daughter joyfully playing amidst the vast nature, surrounded by grass, flowers, snow-capped mountains, and glaciers, she knew that everything they had gone through was worthwhile. Mo's smile was the answer to Mai Huong's efforts, and a proud acknowledgment that she was a courageous mother.

Pakistan not only offered lessons in adaptation but also opportunities to break down prejudices. In contrast to the harsh beauty of nature, the villages and people there were simple and welcoming to unfamiliar tourists, especially little Mỡ. Wherever she went, the locals gave her apples and asked to take pictures with her.

In the beginning, Mỡ was very afraid of the Pakistani people; she refused to communicate due to language and appearance differences. But after hearing Mr. Mujahi pick up the Vietnamese phrase "you're very beautiful," Mỡ gradually opened up, proactively joked around, and played pranks with Mr. Mujahi. She learned to accept differences and became close friends with the driver, Mr. Mujahi, until the final days of the journey.

While traveling with Mỡ, Mai Hương witnessed many beautiful chance encounters. In the places the tour group visited, the locals couldn't help but be surprised, especially the children who were incredibly delighted to see Mỡ – a foreign girl. Mỡ even received a green stuffed dinosaur from Aliha, a Pakistani girl, despite having only just met her. Perhaps the friendships of children are a non-verbal kind of friendship, communicating only through actions, smiles, and glances. Yet, they quickly become close and bonded.

In those fleeting encounters, the stories Mai Huong and Mo shared all reflected a yearning for connection, a profound loneliness inherent in a desolate land. When the group stopped at a secluded eatery on a hillside, two of the owner's sons played peek-a-boo with Mo. Seeing her happily making friends, the boys took out musical instruments and sang and danced with her. In the middle of a secluded eatery on the hillside, the music and laughter of the children brought a fleeting, albeit accidental, life to this small, lonely establishment. When the group said goodbye and left, the two boys' smiles vanished, their eyes filled with sadness and disappointment.

"It felt like it had been a long time since I'd interacted with anyone. It was an emotion I found hard to put into words. I stepped outside; here, I was surrounded only by darkness and the stillness of the night. This place was so lonely and isolated from the two boys," Mai Huong recounted wistfully.

It wasn't just the two boys; the people of Yasin were also saddened to have to say goodbye to this special group of tourists. Perhaps it had been a long time since this isolated and pristine land had received visitors from strangers.

Farewell to the people along this land steeped in painful pasts; Mai Huong and Mo's journey must come to an end. At the end of their journey, little Mo, once fearful, has become more open, embracing different faces and cultures, joyful, open-minded, and trusting. She and her mother have spent 18 days traveling through a very special country, Pakistan, which is still subject to much prejudice from the world. A journey filled with both smiles and tears, moments of breathtaking happiness and moments of falling into abysses. But in the end, the young mother bravely lived her passion and succeeded in becoming a wonderful mother. Perhaps one day in the future, in truly special countries, people will see a foreign girl and her mother discovering the beauty hidden beneath the harsh exterior of nature.