The Great Wall

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Geo: 39.9082, 116.398

China's most remarkable sight. Expectations are high for The Great Wall but it never fails to impress and exceed all expectations. It cannot be appreciated until you've seen it. Even without the wall the scenery is amazing because you're up so high in the mountains. It's very hard work walking the wall, at high altitudes, with extremely steep steps and big big drops! Not for the faint hearted!

I've visited the wall on numerous occasions and at many different locations. It's all incredible but Simitai is by far the best. The wall here is at it's most dramatic. It's fairly hazardous walking up it and I always end up probably owing my life to the little old village ladies who literally pull me up! After that, you can't really refuse to buy their 5 pound book at the end. There are cable cars but I'm yet to see them work. The most accessible part of The Great Wall in Badalin which is fine but not very authentic. The florescent lighting, tape of gun shots and battle noises and the KFC kind of take away from the magic. Every July the Party on The Wall takes place at Jinshanling pass. It's a great occasion but be prepared to be sitting on a bus for a long long time.

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Photos

Huanghua Great Wall
This was my first trip to The Great Wall. We went on search for the 'wild wall.' Found it but forgot about getting back and realised it was too late to get back! It was raining and we were stranded! But amazingly a minibus of Chinese Christians appeared and offered us a lift back. Definite divine intervention!

On top of the world!
Amazing views at Simitai