the Great Wall Conquest

I sort of did it, i climbed the great wall.

Jo's in Beijing for the weekend. Don't believe i've mentioned Jo before. Say hi... Jo and I got to know each other through Hazel (part of the dive kaki group). And then Jo and I learnt that we have tonnes of common friends, which really isn't a surprising.

Okay so i've never been to the great wall. Les warned that it'd be tough, life endangering, and at any moment i'd have to maintain my presence of mind or its byebye...(or rather, "bye byyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeee" as i fall off the great wall).

There are 3 main parts of the wall, in order of increasing difficulty...

1. Badaling

2. MuTianYu

3.Simatai

Jo's fit as a fiddle, so no prizes for guessing which wall she chose. Not only did she just choose Simatai, she chose a 10KM hike to Simatai. And it's no ordinary 10km, its about 70degrees incline, on unrestored bricks, and upward climb on stairs as narrow as 10cm but as high as 50cm.

This is part of the unrestored wall. The bricks are all loose.

This is one of the steepest towers, and there are 30 of such towers. and its was about 32 degree celcius. Actually, this was the point i had to admit i'm not naturally athletic and gave up. But by giving up i don't mean packing up and going home. The great wall doesn't make exits for weaklings like me. I had to take a shortcut which was about an hour long detour through the forest. it wasn't easy at all! It required a certain level of skill to climb down the earthy slopes.

This is the view of the great wall from the "short"cut.

We got back unto the wall at tower 26. By then i was smashed. My thighs were shaking, my head was spinning from the blazing sun. But my heart was humbled by the strength and perserverance of our forefathers who built the wall. Imagine the hardship they went through, the number of lives laid down.

To those who are attempting to climb the great wall, my advise is to do the easiest one if u're not the exercise type. But if u really wanna go to Simatai and do what i did, i strongly suggest some form of physical training.

For more Great Wall pictures, click http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=62180&l=07c7a&id=611505872