When the wilderness shed the dense ink of its coniferous forests, a vast expanse of blue water burst into view, and we arrived at the final stop of this journey—Ulungur Lake. Yardang cliffs grow right against the water: half is the earth-yellow eroded by wind over eons, and half is the skylight reflected in the lake. Half lake water, half yardang—autumn in North Xinjiang has kneaded two utterly different textures into a single picture.

The convoy lined up along the lake, people and vehicles standing together between heaven and earth. At the moment the camera shutter was pressed, there was no deliberate staging; the distant mountains, drifting clouds, and vast lake water naturally became the best backdrop for this expedition.

Only later did we realize that for that entire afternoon we had actually done nothing at all—we simply set up tables and chairs, brewed a pot of tea, and earnestly wasted time before this expanse of water, until night fell and the candles were lit once again.

This trip marked the third time we had celebrated birthdays in the wilderness: three candles, three altitudes, three kinds of weather, three completely different people. It was not deliberately arranged; it felt more like this road had brought us together. You might ask, why must birthdays be celebrated outdoors? Because scenery is the backdrop of a journey, but what truly makes a journey unforgettable is always the warmth of people meeting one another. Having seen mountains and rivers far and wide, to be fortunate enough to share joy with fellow travelers—this is the most precious harvest.

ARMADILLO’s 21 years are a road movie without an ending. What we drive over is road; what we leave behind is story. And ahead, there is always the next journey. Meetings have their time, and parting is near. When we wake tomorrow, we will bid farewell to this lake and each return to the ordinary bustle of daily life. But what this crossing has left behind will not fade. May we carry the courage gifted by the lake wind of North Xinjiang and continue to keep in our hearts the original desire to venture into the wilderness. In the next stretch of mountains and seas, we shall meet again!