When in Beijing, a trip to the Great Wall is a must. You could organise it on your own, or you could join a group. There are organised tours and as far as my research goes, prices are more or less the same. Since the Great Wall is a two-hours-something-ride from Beijing, a visit will take almost an entire day.
Andrew, the programme leader from SISU and some other travellers recommended to book a tour with Leo Hostel. Click here to visit their website. (opens in a new window) The hostel claims to take you to a part where no other tourists go, because they have the exclusive rights. Of course it's not true. The truth is, that it's one of the quieter stretches with very few tourists. If you see the photos, you'll understand why.
You have to be at the hostel at 7am, the journey starts about 7.30am and depending on the traffic and the driver, it can take up to two hours. You have to pay them a visit beforehand and pay for your seats and they put you on a list. Depending on how many people join, you either travel by minibus or by a bus for 30 people. Because we were around 40 people, we had both. I took the minibus and had the pleasure of being driven by a Chinese Michael Schumacher. The driver raced like a maniac and we made it in 1.5 hours. I wonder why, since we had to wait for the bus and the rest of the group. The others arrived 45 minutes later and we were driven a mile or so to a small car park by the entrance.
There my eyes widened and I thought: "Bloody hell, what am I doing here?"
In my mind I had images of a flat and wide wall where you stroll around casually enjoying the nature and the stunning vistas around you. This bit looked very steep and difficult to climb. The minibus driver held a speech with a lot of nonsense (apparently this bit is still in an original state - bullshit, of course it isn't) and said that there are seven towers. It would take about 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the 7th tower, one hour to get back to the entrance and another half an hour back to the first car park where we had stopped before. There is a restaurant and we would get lunch for free. He also said that he wouldn't be waiting at the entrance for us, but down at the restaurant, and that the walk down there would do well to our legs after so much climbing. The truth is, he was lazy to wait and the half an hour walk to the restaurant didn't do well to our legs, but harmed them more. Among us was a group of young Germans, all aged 18-19. They were sitting across us on the minibus and were talking about their previous night. It must have been a hell of a night, because they mentioned somebody's birthday party, the huge amount of alcohol they drunk, the pot they smoked and how little they slept. After such a long night, a normal person would be dog tired and without any energy. Not those Germans. They were alive and kicking, as fresh as a daisy and talking all the way from Beijing to the Great Wall. Once on the wall, they quickly walked off and disappeared in the horizon. We saw them again at the sixth tower while they were on their way back and then again in the restaurant. When we were at the fifth tower and they at the seventh, we could hear them singing and making music. And while all of us were dead on the way back, those young Germans were still lively and talkative.
The people on this trip came from many different countries, like Spain, FYROM or Uruguay. There was a young lady from Uruguay who came in a red tight short dress and flat ballerina shoes. Just as if she were going out at night. When I saw her, and I'm sure others must have thought the same, I thought: Where do you think you're going in this dress my lady? When we were at the car park by the entrance of the Great Wall, I looked at her again and was sure that she wouldn't make it. She stayed behind when we started climbing and soon lost sight of her. To our surprise, we saw her again somewhere between the fifth and the sixth towers, she surpassed us at the sixth tower, made it to the seventh and reached us on the way back. Respect!
I made it to the sixth tower, because I didn't have the power to walk up to the seventh in the burning sun, some others made it to the fifth and some may have given up before the fifth. To quote one of the Jewish ladies, what's the point? It all looks the same. She was right. There were no surprises. The towers look more or less the same and the scenery doesn't change either.
We arrived at the restaurant after four hours of walking and climbing and were totally knackered. The food was rather disappointing, but gave us enough energy for the ride home. Once back at Leo Hostel in Beijing, I first went back to my hotel and then back to the area where the hostel is for a foot massage. There are various places around, but the one I went to looked like an old brothel with very cheesy design. The massage was very good though and lasted almost an hour. Despite the good massage, my legs continued to hurt for a few days.
If you would like to read more by me, here are my novel and my diary from Ar'ar, in the northern Saudi desert. Both available on Amazon as soft and hard copy.
Andrew, the programme leader from SISU and some other travellers recommended to book a tour with Leo Hostel. Click here to visit their website. (opens in a new window) The hostel claims to take you to a part where no other tourists go, because they have the exclusive rights. Of course it's not true. The truth is, that it's one of the quieter stretches with very few tourists. If you see the photos, you'll understand why.
You have to be at the hostel at 7am, the journey starts about 7.30am and depending on the traffic and the driver, it can take up to two hours. You have to pay them a visit beforehand and pay for your seats and they put you on a list. Depending on how many people join, you either travel by minibus or by a bus for 30 people. Because we were around 40 people, we had both. I took the minibus and had the pleasure of being driven by a Chinese Michael Schumacher. The driver raced like a maniac and we made it in 1.5 hours. I wonder why, since we had to wait for the bus and the rest of the group. The others arrived 45 minutes later and we were driven a mile or so to a small car park by the entrance.
There my eyes widened and I thought: "Bloody hell, what am I doing here?"
In my mind I had images of a flat and wide wall where you stroll around casually enjoying the nature and the stunning vistas around you. This bit looked very steep and difficult to climb. The minibus driver held a speech with a lot of nonsense (apparently this bit is still in an original state - bullshit, of course it isn't) and said that there are seven towers. It would take about 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the 7th tower, one hour to get back to the entrance and another half an hour back to the first car park where we had stopped before. There is a restaurant and we would get lunch for free. He also said that he wouldn't be waiting at the entrance for us, but down at the restaurant, and that the walk down there would do well to our legs after so much climbing. The truth is, he was lazy to wait and the half an hour walk to the restaurant didn't do well to our legs, but harmed them more. Among us was a group of young Germans, all aged 18-19. They were sitting across us on the minibus and were talking about their previous night. It must have been a hell of a night, because they mentioned somebody's birthday party, the huge amount of alcohol they drunk, the pot they smoked and how little they slept. After such a long night, a normal person would be dog tired and without any energy. Not those Germans. They were alive and kicking, as fresh as a daisy and talking all the way from Beijing to the Great Wall. Once on the wall, they quickly walked off and disappeared in the horizon. We saw them again at the sixth tower while they were on their way back and then again in the restaurant. When we were at the fifth tower and they at the seventh, we could hear them singing and making music. And while all of us were dead on the way back, those young Germans were still lively and talkative.
The people on this trip came from many different countries, like Spain, FYROM or Uruguay. There was a young lady from Uruguay who came in a red tight short dress and flat ballerina shoes. Just as if she were going out at night. When I saw her, and I'm sure others must have thought the same, I thought: Where do you think you're going in this dress my lady? When we were at the car park by the entrance of the Great Wall, I looked at her again and was sure that she wouldn't make it. She stayed behind when we started climbing and soon lost sight of her. To our surprise, we saw her again somewhere between the fifth and the sixth towers, she surpassed us at the sixth tower, made it to the seventh and reached us on the way back. Respect!
I made it to the sixth tower, because I didn't have the power to walk up to the seventh in the burning sun, some others made it to the fifth and some may have given up before the fifth. To quote one of the Jewish ladies, what's the point? It all looks the same. She was right. There were no surprises. The towers look more or less the same and the scenery doesn't change either.
We arrived at the restaurant after four hours of walking and climbing and were totally knackered. The food was rather disappointing, but gave us enough energy for the ride home. Once back at Leo Hostel in Beijing, I first went back to my hotel and then back to the area where the hostel is for a foot massage. There are various places around, but the one I went to looked like an old brothel with very cheesy design. The massage was very good though and lasted almost an hour. Despite the good massage, my legs continued to hurt for a few days.
Sticker in the loo of Leo Hostel
Is this the Great Wall? Nah, it's in a village on the way.
View from the motorway.
The Great Wall, as you see it from the entrance. What the hell am I doing here?
This bit is not open to visitors.
The first tower.
This is directly opposite, not open to visitors.
On the way to the first tower.
The message is clear.
View from the first tower.
Inside the second tower.
The first tower from above and the car park to its right.
The only way is up. Can you spot the Germans anywhere?
Where is the next tower?
Still full of confidence.
The third tower.
She's made it!
Looking back.
It's a long way....
Still smiling.
Window to the other world.
Bird(s) (Steven King fans know what I mean)
The fifth tower, where the Jewish ladies and a British lady gave up. I too was thinking of stopping here, but continued to the sixth.
The sixth tower.
The seventh tower at the very top and the Germans returning.
The sixth tower from the other side.
Sleeping Jewish ladies, a British guy and the Germans in the van on the way back.
Men and their bags in Beijing.
The message is clear! (in the toilet of the massage place)
If you would like to read more by me, here are my novel and my diary from Ar'ar, in the northern Saudi desert. Both available on Amazon as soft and hard copy.
