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Published: March 28th 2008
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DAY 7 - Great Wall We got up to leave Beijing on a minibus at 8. I still haven't slept in past 8.30am on this trip which is quite something for me! We had a three hour journey to a quieter part of the Wall. The more touristy areas have been repaired and are pretty much as good as new. However to get away from the crowds we were on a section without steps but with equally beuatiul scenary. We walked for about 4 hours up and down various parts of the wall, avoiding the bit used by the military and instead bumping into an old lady with a scythe insisting with couldn't keep o the same path cos it was their land! Luckily our guide was on hand to sort that one out! We hd lunch seemingly on top of the world - might just be the best view I've ever had for a meal. It was a glorious day although I still had to wrap up very well because of the altitude - perfect weather for hiking really. I should be able to upload some great photos when I'm in Shanghai in the next couple of days.
We
stayed at a simple guesthouse at another part of the Wall. We had yet another gorgeous meal before playing a few card games with our friend Jack Daniels before sleeping on a ridiciulously hard bed.
DAY 8 - Great Wall - Beijing I got up at 5.30am, wrapped up warm and walked up a stupidly steep section of the Great Wall, mainly with Terry. This two hour hike was much tougher than the previous day's walk but it was so worth it. The views were simply outstanding. It might just be the stand out moment of my trip so far. On the way down I counted 1427 steps though!
I had some Chinese breakfast when I got back - Tip: never have pickled cucumber in the morning. The porridge had a lot to answer for too! By that time the hot water was available for the showers so I had a well-deserved wash and chilled out until having an early lunch, packing my bags and getting on the minibus to go back to Beijing for the afternoon.
We enjoyed a rathr nice foot masage - although this included a brief shoulder, head and leg massage too!
It was just what needed. Tip no. 2: Don't try eating noodle with chopsticks while having a massage.
Feeling refreshed, we had a grocery shop before having some coffee. We then wen to the train station, played cards in front of a Chinse audience (I won =] ), and boarded the night train. This wasn't half as bad as I was expecting. Thre are 6 bunks to a cabin and I was on one of the top ones. The beds are fairly hard but they're bearable and I managed to get a full nights sleep.
DAY 9 - Xi'an We arrived in Xi'an in a rather dishevelled state. Xi'an is an old Imperial Capital so has many historic buildings and sites. It has a more relaxed vibe than Beijing and the climate i noticeable warmer - I was in shorts by the afternoon! We had an orientation walk around the city so we knew where everything was befoe chilling out in the aternoon. I did a spot of shopping with the girls - got myself a fetching striped t-shirt for under a fiver. I was knackered though so decided to get an early night and got to bed for about 8.30pm.
DAY 10 - Xi'an - Terracotta Warriors The day revolved around visiting the Terracotta Warriors which were 90 minutes away by bus. They are part of the massive tomb of the 1st Chinese Emperor 2200 years ago. He had them built to protect him after death so he could keep his power forever. They are life-size pottery figures an they are all unique - made in the image of an actual member of the Imperial Army. There's probably about 10 000 of them, lhough they haven't all been dug up yet. They're a pretty amazing sight. The site itself is very touristy which is a shame but you can see why so many people will come to the middle of nowhere to see this.
After getting back, I checked my emails etc before we went out for the night. We ate a mixture of dishes - Chinese meals are done in a banquet style with many dishes in the middle of the table and then everyone grabs what they want. This meal maybe wasn't quite as nice as other - too many mushrooms - although I have got into the habit of trying everything on offer. Almost had some chicken foot before somebody else had it! After the meal we went to the "bar street" and rather predictably went to a bar! We just played a couple of games and some people enjoyed some cocktails before we departed for the hotel.
DAY 11 - Xi'an In the morning we wen on a bike ride long the top of the ancient city walls. These are 8.5 miles long but since they're flat, it wasn't too hard. The only hard bit was when I tried going on a tandem with Tess and then Sam. It was actually hard to be behind and not in control! Following this, we all decided we wanted a break from Chinese food so went to a pizzeria. I had a great spaghetti carbonara which filled me up to the brim. It was nice to know for certain what I was eating! Since then I've been in this web cafe. This place has an atmosphere of its own. It takes a while to get used to the rampant smoking and public spitting which is quite normal in China!
I'm catching a train to Shanghai in a couple of hours (another sleeper train - 17 hours this time). I'm planning to upload some photos in the next few days. I hope everyone at home is well. Take care =]
P.S. Sorry if my typing is a bit off - this keyboard is rubbish!
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Esther Rich
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Wow Jamie I'm so proud of you It sounds amazing