China #12 Section 4 – Walk on the Wall (13/09/15)

This Walk on the Wall is About Helping Others to Help Themselves

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See that Wall snaking its way up and down and along the ridge; that was the aim of the day’s walk! And see that tower on the very top of the closet ridge; that’s the bump we could see from the bus stop. It really had been a long climb to get here. And more to come.

The good news was that this part of the Wall has mostly been restored; yes that was good.

BUT… the not so good news was that this section was 10+ kms… the longest walk so far… and on our tired, aching legs it was quite an ask. But conquer it we would!

As you’ll see in these clips, it was not easy.

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Clip #36

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The day was clearer and a good deal warmer than the day before but there was an occasional spot that caught a refreshing breeze. It was still hot and sweaty work. We needed a rest.

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Suzanne… a long way still to walk but still smiling!

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I rested in the shade beneath some red good luck ribbons.

At least I hoped they were good luck ribbons.

We’d walked a long way and so far no one had suffered any real injury.

Everyone was aware of the need to be careful.

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Chris… checking each step carefully as he went.

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…ever downwards

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Tanya… made it down these steps… at last

As we go ‘down along’, we pass others going ‘up along’!

Whichever way. the word ‘long’ is relevant!

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Every now and then, there was a short respite from the endless steps.

But these were sloped ramps and I, for one, found them harder going than the steps.

They found out different aching muscles.

I stopped here for a rest and a short ‘Thank you to my sponsors’ clip.

Clip #38

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We had ordered a ‘Subway’ sandwich for lunch. These were given to us before we got on the bus back at the hotel – there’s no home delivery on The Wall. We ate our sandwich on top of one of the watchtowers which gave us a marvellous 360º view of the surrounding hills, ridges, valleys and various sections of The Wall. Some lunch spot!

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After lunch we walked on and on conquering more towers as we went until, finally, we reached the top station of a cable car. This allowed a short-cut back to the bus park at Mutianyu at the bottom of the very ridge we had walked up at the beginning of the day’s walk. A few of the group took this option. They’d had enough of the wall and opted for a different view.

Jo’s photo of David

The rest of us walked on for some distance to a place where I was able to opt to walk the 1200 steps down to the same car-park where the cable car ended. This turned out to be a delightful walk through the forested side the the valley.

The rest of the group walked for a further 20 minutes to a toboggan run. It was a quick fun way to get to the bottom and it ended at the same car-park. I arrived at the appointed meeting spot, a ‘Subway’ outlet no less, at 15.15 and very quickly got hold of a lovely cold beer. Even at 35 Yuan (AUD9), the most expensive beer I’d had in China to this point, it went down a treat.

It was just a 25 minute bus ride back to the same hotel we’d stayed at the night before… there to be reunited with my lovely washed apple… still sitting where I had left it in the morning. There was just time for a quick, and, dare I say, a much needed shower, before heading out to dinner – another delicious banquet. Photos follow… just to tantalise your taste buds.