Trekking the Great Wall: Arriving in Beijing
Day 0 and Day 1 of our trip was spent travelling and getting to meet our tour comrades.
We flew from Heathrow to Beijing direct. Air China could compete with Ryanair for legroom. Even Angela struggled as she had a huge metal plane component bolted to the floor in front of her. We spent the 10 hour flight next to Rip Van Winkle's sister which meant, unless we woke her (which being polite English people we didn't like to do) we were trapped in our seats. We got off of the flight bent double, knees aching from lack of use, and very stiff.
China is big on security. There are police, soldiers and security men everywhere. CCTV is prolific. Just to get out of the airport we had to show and scan our passports 3 times and have our luggage scanned (we've had to do that since too!)
Once we were past customs we scanned through the hundreds of names being held up by hundreds of drivers but our name wasn't there......our driver was in the toilet!
Boy he was fast! We had to chase him through the airport as he sped away with Angela's suitcase. The driving was fast too, weaving his way through the traffic and torrential rain like he was Lewis Hamilton.
He proudly showed us a £1 coin he had been given by a previous customer. We gave him some more English coins for his collection. He particularly liked the 50p coin. Before long we were at hotel (in one piece).
Just as we were drifiting off to sleep (actually Alan was snoring) our Tour Guide called to say that we should be at our welcome meeting. We dashed down to meet our group who are a mixed bunch from the UK and USA.
After dinner Richard, our guide, took us along with another couple to a local restaurant for dinner (the rest of the group chosing to stay in the hotel). It was good food, plentiful and cheap at £13 for the two of us.
By now we were really flagging, and it didnt take us long to get to sleep, Alan especially !!
Trekking The Great Wall: Tiananmen Square and The Forbidden City
The plan was to wake up early, have breakfast at 7, then to meet the group at 8 am
We woke up at 7.50am. Aargh!
Threw on some clothes. Quickly packed a rucksack and then rushed downstairs. No breakfast. It was still raining as we headed to the train station and when we emerged at the other end it was STILL raining. Our tour guide Richard is intent on losing us all and we rushed behind him trying to keep up. The format is 5 minutes of information, 15 minutes to look around then running behind our guide again.
Tiananmen Square was huge but packed with tourists, Chinese, in brightly coloured caps and jackets being led by red and yellow flag wielding guides (they had just had their Golden holiday - a big national bank holiday type of break).
We We proceeded to the Forbidden City which again was huge but full of (Chinese) tourists. We spent an hour there and managed to grab a rare coffee before we headed back out. We got the train back and then arrived at a run down Chinese eating House for lunch. We had pancakes with some kind of meat filling. The rest of the group mostly had noodles. The restaurant walls were filthy and the kitchen looked the same. Not the sort of place we would have chosen for ourselves but our guide was confident enough....perhaps they’re related.
From here we headed to a tea house where we were introduced to the art of tea drinking. We sampled 5 different teas and again we were rushed along without any real time to take it in before being shown the various packets of tea that were for sale. This is a well oiled routine.
We then headed, as a group, to a supermarket to buy snacks for our first day of trekking along the Great Wall. As you would expect the fish was very fresh i.e. alive!
Alan went for a run and encountered a park full of middle aged men playing cards, doing Tai Chi, gambling and mostly standing around smoking....the nations favourite sport. Then it was off to McDonald’s for dinner.
Afterwards we went to the Shaolin Monks Kung Fu show. It was a bit dramatic, but the small boys doing somersaults off of their heads (literally, not in a drugged up sense) were amazing.
Back at our hotel in was time for a well earned bottle of wine which Angela managed to open without the use of a corkscrew ( a true talent!) and a good nights sleep
Trekking the Great Wall: First Day on the Wall
We actually managed to wake up in time to have breakfast and get on the bus! Jet lag is not fun.
This morning we drove to Mutianyu where we start trekking on the wall.
Once at the wall the first thing we had to do was to stop off to buy lunch. We popped into Subway who were blaring out Ed Sheeran. (We wish we could say we were joking but it’s true).
Some of the group opted to take the cable car up the mountain but we opted to walk with Mitch ( a retired American ) and Simon ( UK policeman/ superhero ). After climbing around 1000 steps/stairs Angela was regretting this, having not slept for 3 nights and having a bad cough but we came here to walk.
Around 4000 steps/stairs later we reached the wall itself. After a short trek along the wall we got to our meeting point at Tower 15 (the Wall is mapped out by its watch towers). Simon had got there in half the time it took us. Our guide, who had taken the cable car, was nowhere to be found. We waited for around 30 minutes then headed off by ourselves to our lunch stop at Tower 20. Our guide and the rest of the group were there!
After lunch we climbed and scrambled up to the highest point (we don’t remember signing up for mountaineering) but the view was worth the effort
[It is worth pointing out at this point that Chinese health & safety is non existent]
We took a trek/scramble/mud slide back down an “easier” path through the mountains trees to our village Jiankou ('Arrow Trigger')
Our bus was waiting for us at the bottom and took us to our guest house. We were all tired and looking forward to lying down, a hot shower and some well deserved rest. What we found was a totally different story.
Our bedroom was clean but FREEZING. The bathroom, which later reduced Alan to a state of hysteria, was diabolical and the guest house itself was shambolic. You could sit on the toilet to take a shower but 1) there was only cold water available and 2) water only came out of 5 holes in the shower head (Angela was the only one of our group brave/stupid enough to use this). The floor was grotty but some mouldy flip flops had been kindly provided (Angela had her own). The basin wasn’t attached to the wall, was balanced on a pedestal that wasn’t attached to the floor and had one rusty cold tap. The toilet was spotless!!!! However in rural China there are water shortages and most of the time none of these things work.
We had to work for our dinner by learning to make dumplings. These were then served to all of the guests so couldn’t have been too bad. Now, the facilities may be atrocious but the owner is a fantastic cook. Dinner was delicious.
After dinner we went to bed to get warm. We switched on the electric blanket, piled all three quilts we could find on the bed, Alan put on his woolly hat and we settled down praying for a good nights sleep and wondered why we had paid for this!
Trekking the Great Wall: Jiankou to Gubeikou
We scraped the ice off of the bed, attempted to use the bathroom - no water - then went down to breakfast which was an East meets West affair. We had green tea, Nescafé, pancakes, fried eggs, buttercream filled cookies and more. Great food for a trek.
Angela had slept through for the first time on this trip, and we both had some more energy for the day ahead.
We headed on foot from the village back up the mountain to the Wall. We passed a number of signs on the way telling us that this part of the wall was closed so we were suspicious of what was ahead.
We have now decided that our tour guide is trying to kill us.
The route was challenging and once again we were scrambling up steep walks. After about an hour of this we reached an intersection. Three of the women is our group waited here while the rest of the group carried on climbing to the next tower “Eagles Mouth”. Angela stopped and here whilst the rest of us scrambled up vertical steps to the next peak. Parts of the climb were so sheer that Alan was fearing the descent. This smaller group made it to the higher peak and the views were amazing. Up at these two towers it started to snow! All of this group admitted to being scared on the sheer climb on the way back down.
After lunch back at Fawlty Towers we boarded the bus to our next guest house. Two hours later we arrived in Gubeikou
Luxury! Hot water! Heater! We dropped our bags in our room and were whisked away for a Tai Chi lesson. It was more difficult than we anticipated.
After more great food we all played some group games then headed off to prepare for whatever life threatening walk Richard has planned for tomorrow
Trekking the Great Wall: Crouching Tiger
We got up for a later breakfast. The fare was much the same as previous day's except that today we had the most amazing home made bread. It was part pancake, part muffin and Angela led a Western revolt were we ate them, not with traditional Chinese accompaniments, but with peanut butter and chocolate spread. There is a limit to how many fried eggs and salted vegetables she can take.
Today’s trek was on a more tourist friendly part of the wall. A fair bit of restoration has happened here so there was no mountaineering skills required today. It was an almost 4 hour trek, unremarkable other than our tour guide disappearing without any notice and someone demanding money from us to continue our walk (apparently his job). One strange scene was that two banqueting tables had been set up on top of one of the towers. As we passed it they started singing ‘Happy Birthday’ in broken English to someone.
After the trek we got back on the bus for a two hour drive to Huangyaguan and another guest house. On the way we stopped at a pharmacy to get some medication for Angela’s incessant cough. All of the women thought that this was a shopping opportunity so jumped of off the bus. They were very disappointed to find themselves in a Chemist. We managed to get some cough suppressant and antibiotics.
When we arrived at the hotel we were promptly told that we couldn’t leave the hotel grounds (a concrete compound) as we’d be arrested!
We were shown to a suite complete with full size executive desk, a non functioning tv and non functioning heat. There are holes in the walls and the wallpaper is falling off. A good dusting is needed. Perhaps we can tie dusters to the shield bugs and they can clean as the scurry around our bedroom. The toilet has no cover on the cistern but we are free from fear of electrocution from the shower. The shower IS hot and we have a kettle! We are here for two nights.
Dinner was good. Lots of delicious dishes along with a bottle of rice wine that Richard wouldn’t let Angela have because of the tablets he'd got for her.
The various bits of the wall are now starting to blend into one so we’re glad that tomorrow is the last day of trekking. It’s now 8.30pm. We’re already in bed because there is nothing to do here and we are freezing cold.
Trekking the Great Wall: Karaoke Bonding Time!
Despite its appearance as a hotel there is a little lacking in this place of rest.
Alan got out of bed, which feels like it’s made of cardboard, during the night and it shook so much Angela thought it was an earthquake. The toilet is blocked but we have managed to get the tv on - important because we have some free time today but can’t leave the compound.
Today we trekked on Huangyaguan which means ‘Yellow Cliff’, named after the little yellow flowers that grow here. They are not currently blooming but there lots of persimmon trees laden with fruit.
This stretch of the wall is heavily restored and very popular with Chinese tourists. Chairman Mao said “A Chinaman that does not visit the wall is not a good citizen” so they come here in droves.
Our first stop here was the little market stalls where we got the opportunity to buy some old tat to bring home. Look out! It could be coming your way!!
At the bottom of the wall there is a cultural centre. It’s a restored ‘compound’ and really beautiful - worth a visit in its own right. We spent a couple of hours here admiring the gardens and buildings and seeing the displays about how the wall was restored.
We were ushered quickly to a supermarket to buy tomorrow’s lunch. Among the options were vacuum packed chicken feet and pig trotters. We bought bread.
Back at the hotel we had a couple of hours to kill before dinner. Dinner was pretty much the usual fare. As we were enjoying our post dinner chat coloured lights came on, a screen was dropped down and suddenly we were in the town’s hotspot. The restaurant became a karaoke bar!
It soon became an East meets West cultural exchange. The Chinese were very reserved but loved us standing on chairs, waving our arms about, dancing and singing our hearts out. They took lots of video and photos with us - Look out for Angela’s rendition of Adele’s Rolling in the Deep on the Chinese version of YouTube soon!
By 9:30pm it’s way past bedtime here so we finished off the evening, having cleared the bar, with New York, New York and My Heart Will Go On then went to bed.
We don’t think we’ve damaged diplomatic relations but we guess time will tell.
Trekking the Great Wall: The Walk of Shame, Qing Tombs and Back to Beijing
We did the walk of shame this morning, back to the restaurant where we had participated so wildly in the karaoke. Our fear was that we’d be seen as shameful Westerners and scorned. However we were greeted with cries of delight, waving and lots and lots of smiles. It seems that all is well in East/West relations.
The ‘highlight’ of breakfast was preserved eggs - a plate of cooked eggs in their shells with blackened, mouldy yolks. Richard’s eyes lit up when he saw them while we looked at them in disbelief (he obviously enjoys seeing people in discomfort). Angela was first to step up to the plate (pun intended) to sample this disgusting delicacy. Pat was next, agreeing with Angela’s description that it was a salty, almost blue cheese flavour. Holly tried next and then Lauran tried, but failed to eat it. None of the men were stupid enough to try.
On our way back to Beijing today we stopped of at the Eastern Qing tombs and mausoleum.
The tombs are set in a beautiful and vast landscape beside a lake. It’s a very pretty and serene location and although the buildings aren’t as well preserved as the forbidden city the artefacts here are more impressive.
The drive back to Beijing was 3 hours long and at the end we were back at our first hotel. We nearly cried tears of joy when we saw our bathroom (which in the UK would be considered pretty shabby!) and Angela was really excited to see a bath!!
Alan went for a run in the park. He saw lots of people doing their, exercises, Tai Chi and even waving large fans around in time to music but they all stopped to stare as he ran past. Running is not popular here. One of our group suggested that they may be stopping to see what he is running from.
It was our last group dinner today as Richard (our tour guide) leaves tonight and Pat and Holly leave for the US tomorrow. Richard took us to a fantastic restaurant where we were served an entire deep fried chicken, complete with head, amongst other dishes.
We all exchanged contact details - this trip has been a real bonding experience - wished Richard, Pat and Holly a safe trip and headed back to the (warm, comfortable) hotel for a good nights sleep.
Trekking the Great Wall: Bell and Drum Towers and the Olympic Park
Today was free time in Beijing. We headed out after breakfast with some of our group to visit the Bell and Drum Towers by bus. There is a huge National Political event going on in Beijing right now, hence the increased security we’ve experienced and it’s making the already dreadful traffic worse as they set up road blocks and stop cars.
We stopped briefly en route to the towers to have a look around a 155 year old silk shop. Some of the items had been hand embroidered or painted and were stunning but sadly beyond our means.
The drum and bell towers were closed so sadly we couldn’t go in but we watched some people playing the Chinese version of hackysac for a while.
Angela took the opportunity to use a public toilet nearby and had an ‘An Idiot Abroad’ moment (actually she was fine about it). The facilities were three squat toilets ie holes in the ground, with no cubicles, and a hand basin. She says she’s used worse at concerts
We got onto the metro (after having bags scanned, being patted down etc) paid the equivalent of 60p and headed off to the Olympic Park.
The park is vast and having the opportunity to see such iconic buildings up close was amazing (and Alan was so excited he started taking photos!).
We got to look around the park, visit the VIP lounges in the Birds Nest, visit the Water Cube but best of all ..... walk across the roof of the Birds Nest stadium! We spent the whole afternoon exploring the park.
Back at the hotel we decided to go for a walk. We haven’t really mentioned the traffic here yet. Pollution is rife. Traffic barely moves. Katie Melua was right - there are at least 9 million bicycles in Beijing. There are also millions of motorbikes, tuktuks and mopeds all of which feel free to drive on the pavement. They also don’t use headlights. The green cross code means nothing - cars still make their way through crossings and pedestrians. The roads around the hotel are wide too, so you are constantly dodging people, cars and bikes if you attempt to cross them. We didn’t get far before we’d had enough and went back towards the hotel.
Alan wanted one last Chinese meal (yes Alan!) so we returned to last night’s restaurant. This time we were able to pick out our own meals and there were some interesting items to choose from. Our favourites were:
Signs of fresh meat
The flesh of a donkey boiler
Fried enema
Fried tickle box
We stopped to pick up dessert at the French patisserie attached to our hotel and bought some treats to have while we pack for the homeward leg of our journey tomorrow.
Trekking the Great Wall: Our Overall Experience
We’re back in the UK and have had a little bit of time to reflect on our time in China.
It’s a country of contradictions.
To bring the country up to date by Western Standards huge work is being carried out supplying WiFi nationwide and improving the infrastructure. Meanwhile rural areas have reliable access to the internet but not to water.
In the cities the rich get richer, driving around in fancy cars, buying $1 million apartments yet land remains the property of the state.
Officials are still very suspicious of Westerners and as a rule the Chinese Nationals conform. It’s hard not to when you are being watched constantly by CCTV, Civil Guards, National Security, Community Watch, Police and Soldiers. China has, in relative terms, recently opened its borders and is still a Communist country in many respects. They are very proud of their achievements as a nation!
However the people themselves, as individuals, are the same as the world over. The children want to play. Teenagers walk around looking sullen and playing music too loud. The elderly like to be on the receiving end of a genuine smile and some kind words even if they are in a different language.
If you have blue eyes, blond hair or are very tall you will be of interest. Some Chinese people are respectful and will be surreptitious when they take your picture. Most will not. Most Chinese adults were raised in a closed country. They grew up thinking that they would not ever meet Westerners. They get excited when they do.
By our standards the toilets can be challenging. If you’ve ever used a portaloo at a concert/festival you’ll cope. Angela can offer lessons in how to successfully use a squat toilet! (Sit on your heels - don’t hover).
Overall we had a fantastic time. We have seen, experienced and learnt so much. It’s certainly somewhere we’d recommend but go with an open mind and an open heart.