What’s the best activity if it’s 45C and you slept only 6 hours the previous night because the hostel was noisy? Climbing the Great Wall, of course!

We got up early and caught a bus to Badaling (八达岭), the most famous Great Wall stretch, two hours away from Beijing. I climbed the Great Wall in 1999 and I was looking forward to doing it again. Only that time I was prepared: I had good shoes and water. Two details I had forgotten the first time I was there (being 16 a stupid 16 years old).

Climbing the Great Wall is tough. It’s hot and within minutes we were literally dripping sweat, the steps are high and the slopes can be quite slippery. Basically, it’s harder than it looks. But hey, the view is well worth the climb!

For some reason, we were greeted by bears at the entrance. I still wonder whether they were captured in the wild nearby the Wall… I hope not!

Er...are they roaming around?

First View

Big Wall

Admiring The View

Graffiti On The Wall

No More Climbing!!

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