Jagged Mountain Teeth

"Ol-live-aa. Ol-live-aa." I give George the obligatory smile, as if I have never heard someone renact Oliver Twist before. "Come on Oliver, it's half five. We've got to get up."

I am not a morning person. I turn over and tell him a few minutes. This has better be the best damn wall I have ever seen. Why do we have to get up so damn early? I finally climb down from the top bunk. I put on my rainbow sandals (got to represent CA in China), grab my toiletry bag and go to the restroom. The bus is supposed to pick us up at 6am. I wash my face and pack for the 10 kilometer hike. Lighter weight is better. We are climbing a very desolate unrepaired portion of the wall.

I step into the van with George and Stewart. I reiterate what I was thinking in bed, "This better be the best damn wall I have ever seen." The ride to the drop-off point on the wall is a more than 3 hour long drive. To my right flank is a Frenchman with no English skills. I look over my shoulder and see him smiling at me. 'Umm, I guess I will take a nap in the van.'

The ride is rough. The van driver passes a car on the shoulder of the road. Now he passes another car in the opposite lane, forcing the opposing car to slow down or face a head on collision. The drivers in China are a bit mental. There are no driving lanes in China. I feel as if we are playing "Frogger" with cars. 'Okay if nice but kind of weird Frenchman did not make you want to take a nap. I think staring out at the oncoming traffic will.' I wake by the van's abrupt stop at the entrance to the wall.

We walk up to the entrance and then into the first tower. There are 32 towers we need to pass in our 10km 4 hour plus hike along the Great Wall. The trek is less than comfortable you can say. At times I have to resort to all fours due to the steepness of the stairs/rubble that we need to climb over.

The sun is fully exposed. Smog pollution is less so close to the border with Mongolia. Over my left shoulder are Mongolia watch towers. To my right is China. The jagged mountains are like the teeth of a jaguar, sharp and daunting. To our demise, the Great Wall goes over the peaks of most of them. It is amazing to think this was made so long ago. I cannot help but imagine how many slaves and citizens must have died to make such an amazing human accomplishment. One of the seven ancient wonders of the world, only the pyramids in Egypt could rival the sheer size and awe-inspiring complexity in construction.

"Fuck me I'm tired." We only have walked one third of the way. It's hot, dry with no refuge from the ever-present sun. "I think I'm out of water." George looks a bit concerned. I look ahead, "I think there are Mongolians selling water at the next tower." The presence of Mongolians near the wall is interesting to say the least. They are selling everything from water to postcards. All have the same story. "I am here to support my family. I need to sell postcards to put my two children through school. I am a farmer in Mongolia." I would probably believe them if I did not hear it 3 times from 3 different people. They follow George and I like a mosquito after it's live dinner. I reluctantly buy some pictures of the wall. I probably would have bought them anyway, and it does seem like she needs the money.

I take at least 50 photos and 10 minutes of video. It is amazing what the human mind and society can think up and accomplish. As we cross the river on an unstable cable bridge, we see a zip line across the river to the nearest local town. Exhausted from the hike, we each pay the 35RMB's and slide down to town. As we are eating at the local restaurant Stewart says, "I think that was one of the best things I have ever done in my life."

"Yeah, definitely in the top ten." It was a great day. Virtually no one else on the wall and perfect weather. I will remember my hike on the Great Wall for the rest of my life. It was definitely worth it.