Mongolia has a population density of just two people per square kilometer – the least densely populated country on Earth. Standing in the middle of the Mongolian steppe, surrounded by nothing but knee-high grass waving in the wind and occasional distant horsemen, the word 'emptiness' took on a new meaning.

Ulaanbaatar, the capital, surprised me with its contradictions – Soviet-era apartment blocks standing beside ornate Buddhist monasteries, Gucci boutiques next to traditional ger camps on the city's outskirts. The Gandan Monastery brought unexpected spirituality, with monks in burgundy robes going about their devotions despite the tourist crowds.

My journey to Terelj National Park felt like stepping into a nature documentary. Rock formations shaped by wind and time created hiding spots for eagles and yaks alike. A night's stay in a traditional ger, complete with a Mongolian family and their livestock nearby, provided insight into a way of life unchanged for centuries.

The skies in Mongolia are impossibly vast – on clear nights, the Milky Way stretched overhead like someone spilled a jar of diamonds across black velvet. The emptiness here isn't empty at all; it's filled with wind, eagles, distant singing, and the knowledge that Genghis Khan once rode these lands.

– Carmel