Phil's China Viking Yangtze River Cruise - Blog 8 (rivercruising .co.uk)
Today is Great Wall day and we get on the Bonnie Bus at 08.30 hrs for a 1 hour 40 min drive to the Great Wall.
As we drive through Beijing it is not difficult to see why China has recently experimented with limiting traffic in the city in preparation for the Olympics in 2008..! Its madness - seriously. What they did was allow car registrations odd and even on the roads on alternate days of the week, (day 1 odd, day 2 even etc) in order to cut emissions.
Not sure how they think this will help ease the greenhouse effect when they are currently building 47 new airports and opening a new coal fired power station every week..!!
Plus - in China over 1 million people a year are passing their driving test..!!
Anyway - back to the great adventure ahead The Great Wall of China.
Once off the highway it is a short drive and then you start to see this incredible wonder come into view as the sun cuts through the morning mist. Its a truly magical sight and sends a shiver down my spine. The views now we are in the countryside are quite beautiful and as far as you can see, the Great Wall snakes over the top of the mountains and in parts dissappears behind peaks before reappearing again before fading into the mist like some mythical dragon.
You have to remember it is Autumn here and if you can imagine a crisp morning with a slight nip in the air, a great day for a walk - and boy have we some walking to do..!!
We decided to take the steepest walk with much fewer people and some sections we're quite hard work.
A quick note - when you enter the wall - the steep walk (facing the wall) is to your left.
Once on the wall the sun started to burn through and it was quite warm indeed. The views over the Badaling Hills was superb and these hills are the highest point of the Guangou Gorge. Here the wall snakes and undulates along the breathtaking Juyongguan Pass through the hills. The purpose of this section we are walking was to protect the pass.
We continue our walk along the wall, stopping periodically for a breather and to take photographs. Which brings me to todays shout out!
Hi Kerry, hope you are well, I didn't think you would appreciate a call at 3am this morning. As promised I've enlclosed a picture for you with love x
I can't quite believe I am walking the Great Wall of China, its just brilliant, quite brilliant..!! I have enclosed a couple of pictures which I am quite sure will not do it justice.
The walk up to collect our certificates is quite a hike but worth each and every step. Once at the top you have time to reflect and call someone you love to let them know you really are standing on the Great Wall of China, even if it is 3am UK time. (sorry Mum and Dad)
Though easier, the walk down is tricky and you have to concentrate to make sure you don't miss you step, because the height of each step is not always consistent. But you do get to admire the views of the wall from a higher position.
Once back down everyone is on a massive high..!!
All I can say is, this is the best day yet. No doubt whatsoever. Please try at some time in your life, to visit and walk The Great Wall of China. If possible I would advise avoiding the Summer months. Late Sept and October are usually the best.
Well, only one day left - but there are not many holidays where you can keep name dropping "must see" destinations, but on a Viking River cruise to China, that is exactly what happens. We are off to see Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
What can I say....
Log in tomorrow for my last full day in this remarkable country.
