The Great Wall

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Being trekking experts now after Siberia (haha - not!!) instead of doing the normal trip to the closest part of the Wall to Beijing....we travelled nearly 4 hours to Jinshangling to do a 10km hike route to Simatai.

We were thinking....'well its a wall....so it couldnt be harder than trekking up a mountain in Siberia'......oh how wrong we were!! There were some incredibly steep parts...over half way through & our legs were actually shaking with tiredness......but even when we were breathess & shattered as we looked up to the next 100 steps we faced we still kept saying "feck....it's deadly though isn't". We literally enjoyed every minute of it......it really felt like we were experiencing the Great Wall & not just visiting it!

We crossed 14 towers in total...each tower was different......each part of the wall had it's own characteristics.....and every now & then you would glance up & see it stretch for miles & miles.......it would leave us speechless!

To top it all off was at the end we noticed zip zooming down a zip line which crossed over a large gorgeous river! As we got closer to the river we noticed a huge wooden rope bridge to cross. So we crossed & climbed up the last set of steps on the Great Wall....there was an exit half way up the mountain so we follwed it. We kept walking until we saw 2 chinese men selling the tickets for the zip line......so out option was to walk down the mountain for the next 30 minutes........OR zip line the whole way down in 2 minutes across the river & catch a boat back!!! So of course we did......and it was BRILLIANT!!! Check out video of Mick!

After catching the little boat....we had a lovely lunch & played some ping pong out in the sun!!

A CRAZY bus ride back to Beijing....lunatic of a bus driver...but we got back to Beijing in on piece around 8pm!! What a day!! Unforgettable!

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Comments

[Paula]

WOW!! Fantastic pics/video clip
Hey sis and Mick - WOW I was blown away by your blog, pics and video clip - I can not tell you how happy I am for you both to be experiencing such amazing things!! Good on ya!!! Lots of love Paula xxx

[Conor & Nora]

WOW
Well you guys look like your having a bash, some cool photos :) We were looking at the video of Mick and when he disappeared from view Nora says "And that was the end of Mick" Haha..... Well it saved ye a long walk back and was worth it i'd say. Hope your doin ok lads, wont be long till ye reach Down Under... Enjoy Thailand, I've been looking at other ppls pics and it looks like an amazin place, Ciao4now xxx

[mickey]

jammie feckers
was checking out your photos, first class, just got back from south africa had a great time, great to be back home to the cold weather the rain the snow, i know im making ye jealous.

[Michaela]

Hey folks, WOW, it looks amazing, your photos are class, and you've done so much already!! Keep the entries coming! take care of yourselves xox

[Aine!]

omg class!
omg lornan mick ur trip luks class!!i soooo wana du sumtn like dat!!luks amazn!!!all missin uz bac hme!bands just not the same!!n its snown 2day!!!anyways hope yaz r avn a gr8 tym!!xxxx

[Lynsey Mc Kernan]

Am i jealous?? YES!
aW lORNA AND mICK! It looks totally amazing!!!! And Im jealous and how can I be when I´m over here!!??

["Sweetman Clan"]

O.M.G.! So Jealous...
Hi there, ye lucky pair! Have just finished reading your blog and looking at fantastic pics and vid and we're all completely blown away by your trip so far - looks like your both having the 'time of your lives', it's such a great experience! Looking forward to whats to come! Loads a Luv!XX

[martina]

Missing Ye
Hi Lorna and Mick well I have just came over to listinny to feed Dad, Mam is at work. Oh Lorna Maureen quit this week. Your trip looks fantastic. Phone home soon, Dad and Mam miss you both. xxxxxx

[Mags]

Greetings
Hi Folks, great photos, sent Shelly and Alen off yesterday!! Am travelling to Clontibret on Saturday! after CapCaval concert, will check in again soon, have a ball! Mags and Frank