Feeling totally relaxed after last nights foot massage and a good nights sleep I was up and ready to go, Elena however was not ready. Setting
an alarm made no difference.
Breakfast was a simple affair an being shown were everything was in the communal dining room, we were soon tucking into sausage, egg, bacon and hash browns.
As Elena was to tired first up, she asked me to pay the room fee of 2800¥ and also to pay our share of the taxi cost to The Great Wall which was a car price 700¥.
We had discussed with Tina the friendly host of The Fly By Knight Hostel the evening before and there were to be 3 in our car so the cost would be split between the 3 of us.
This morning we now have 4. Fantastic because the other 2 people are Chinese, I think they may have been guides.
With Elena arriving to the dining hall just after I had forked over 350¥ she tried to argue with me over the cost thinking that I couldn’t decide 700 by 4 let alone explain that since there were two of us that we would obviously be paying half of the 700 and with 4 people that’s better than 2 thirds as we would have had to pay last night. Elena must have been real tired as she is normally the head for numbers.
With Elena claiming the front seat and feeling sick because she didn’t have time to wake up at the normal holiday pace, we set off on the 1 1/2 hour journey to The Great Wall.
Rounding a bend in the road and with our driver gesturing to towers way up in the mountains perched above us we caught our first glimpse of The Great Wall of China.
As a small boy I learnt about this place and the sacrifices made by so many to build it.
I remember my primary school teacher telling the class that this is the only man made object that could be seen from outer space. So it must be pretty big. However now as an adult the myth has been destroyed as a disappointing Chinese astronaut noted that this is not possible.
You can only see The Great Wall from a very low orbit, not quite outer space.
As the taxi pulled into the car park I couldn’t contain myself I just had to get up through the entry and onto the dream. I have wanted to come here for as long as I can remember, I don’t know why. For some it’s taking a cruise, London, Paris, New York, but for me, it’s always been to visit the one piece of childhood geography that is etched so deep into memory, The Great Wall of China.
The section of the wall we were visiting was Mutianyu. 90km from Beijing. The same area that was visited by US President Bill Clinton.
With a cable chairlift and cable car as access ways and a toboggan (luge) ride as a way of getting back we were literally swept off our feet by the chairlift and hoisted into the air above the treetops to the small entry point of the wall.
Walking up the last dozen steps and through a small stone archway to the left we were there, finally standing on my dream. I was on The Greatest Wall in the world.
The section of wall we were on was built in 1404 and had 26 guard towers along the 3km.
We decided we would walk from tower 6 where we entered to tower 14 and in the early morning humidity this was going to be some task.
Many people we could hear saying its too hot or difficult, but this only spurred me on. I didn’t come here just to take picture of 100m of wall, I came here to release a dream, today I was walking on the wall, bugger the heat and humidity this was my day and no one or thing was going to stop me getting to the heights that I want to climb to.
Something to remember if you plan to walk on the wall is watch your step. The wall was built in such a fashion that all the steps are placed so you can’t take a rhythmic stride. All steps are uneven and to even contemplate that a couple of good friends ran a full 42km Marathon on The Great Wall was crazy, but some how they did it.
Passing each tower along the wall presented us with shelter from the sun now seemingly more intense than when we left the smog and the city. As we left each tower bound for the next the constant call from each vendor “holo you wan water ice col beer?” Who would want to drink beer in such a sacred place.
After fighting back the thought of turning back when we reached tower 13 and seeing the giant steps immediately at the tower exit I urged Elena on as she was spent. Somehow we managed the climb to the 14th tower.
Gazing back over the distance we walked seemed short as the uphill climbs were hidden over small crests. Look onward and yet further upward to tower 26 far in the distance I wondered how many towers did Clinton do? Glad that I had reached my goal I savored the moment, dunk the last of my water and summoned up the strength the do the return walk back to the luge.
The initial start to the return was easy as is was downhill but with the odd uphill section thrown in to test your legs we took it slow. We would have been easy targets for invading forces a was the reason for the walls creation.
Having to stop to take on liquid we passed over whatever the vendor
asked we were to tired to haggle over the price. It was cheap by our standards, yet the vendor looked surprised. They charge you based on how thirsty you look. We must have looked pretty thirsty.
Looking forward to the luge, Elena was hesitant. Saying I’l go first was my way of getting maximum thrill and maximum breeze to cool down. Without being too descriptive water was dripping from everywhere.
Attacking the luge the same way a motorbike rider races I screamed down the 1.5km steel track.
Quickly stepping out at the bottom to get a picture of Elena before she came in behind me.
Waiting for ages she finally came into view with three others behind her looking forlorn that they couldn’t go fast. Ah yes that’s my little girly girl.
