The Great Wall

The Great Wall was absolutely breathtaking. Literally. On our way up through the village in the bus, I got a look at the more rural side of Beijing. I saw buildings in poor conditions and people whose lives relied on vending fruits and vegetables on every street. The bicycle tragic was heavier, and the pedestrians grew older and thinner as we rode further and further outward from the booming city. I saw more wilderness, which drew my gaze for 90% of the trip. I saw more mountains, steeper and more vegetated than the ones in New Mexico. As we turned into a canyon, I looked thought the front window as the guide was explaining some history of the Great Wall, and I saw a glimpse of it. The Great Wall of China. John Hammond's voice said in my thoughts, "There it is." As we continued up, up, up, we walked up a long slope to a cable car. This is exactly like a gondola at a ski resort. Through the trees and hills, up we went and finally we were at the top. Now very visible, the crowded Wall was stunning. We walked up onto it, through the crowds and hectic Chinese chatter, and we walked a ways to take a group photo. As soon as we took this, I walked off. I decided I would need as much time as possible to walk as much of the Wall as possible. That would be an actual accomplishment, something to be proud of. It also meant I could see more of the surrounding area. I walked fast, faster than everyone else. I was booking it through the towers, not stopping but once or twice for water. I went and went, breathing heavier and heavier. After some time, it became less crowded. This is what I call the threshold for distinguished tourists. I saw many more white people than Asians, which is unbeard of in China. These were the Europeans and Americans who thought higher of the Great Wall than the average Chinese person. They also liked exercise a bit more. I walked up a massive flight of stairs, one single flight that I overheard was 454 steps long. Since I was already tired, I had some trouble. By the time I hit the last 30 steps or so, I could feel the heat of the sun more intensely with each passing second. The last bit of steps is a walkway up to a tower. The steps must have been 14 inches upward each. The last ten steps, I was using my hands to grip the stairs, I felt the heat taking over my head. I was dizzy, I was ever so close to passing out. When I got to the top, I could hardly believe it. I had made it to my goal. Of course, the wall went on, but I was finished. I was short on time too. I took a few pictures and selfies, barely able to walk, then went back down. I was rushing back because I thought I had no time left. I met up with a few girls in the tour group, who told me there was about an hour left. I was shocked, and disappointed. I could have gone further. But I was happy because no one in the group went nearly as far as I did, and no one got as good a view of China as I did.