The Great Wall is divided into several tourist accesible sections.
This particular area was an hour and a half bus ride out of Beijing. Boy! Was it worth it!
Today was the most beautifully perfect day. This is not an exaggeration, either.
For the past two days it was raining buckets in Beijing. Waking up to sunshine and 70-degree temperatures was a beautiful thing as 15 foreigners loaded onto a coach bus set out for The Great Wall.
I managed to catch a nice sun tan that I was in desperate need of.
We set off to hike toward the water. We stopped for a rest t the top of the first guard station we encountered. This was the peak point of this particular strip of the wall. We posed for pictures and enjoyed the beautiful fresh air we never receive in Beijing and had a many dance party as well.
The day was just beginning and it was pure bliss.
Being afraid of heights slipped my mind at this point in the day because I was so overwhelmed with the beauty of my surroundings. The emerald green mountains that went on endlessly in the background giving no signs of a civilized world beyond. The miles and miles of the hilly Great Wall and all of it’s ancient history and wonder. The waters flowing down below. The perfectly blue, clear sky that held the brightly shining sun and fluffy white clouds.
We walked down from the guard post toward the water to find a spot to picnic.
 |
| One of my favorite shots from the top of the guard tower. |
 |
| View from the guard tower. |
We had a smorgasbord picnic sitting on a part of the wall closed to the public alongside a lake looking out to the mountains. The mountains were incredibly beautiful and the only section of them that wasn’t emerald green was where the off-white color of the concrete from the wall stood.
We had pasta, cookies, chips, fruit and endless amounts of random deliciousness all topped off with a half melted chocolate birthday cake for Emma. :)
Hannah and I took a dip in the reservoir water that creates a lake in the valley of some mountains in this area. Initially we were just going to dip our toes in to cool off, but someone felt the need to push me. :) People fret about the sanitation of the water here, which they should, but I could’ve cared less on such a beautiful day. This was water that flows right down from the mountains. And when I haven’t stepped foot in water for three months, I genuinely wasn’t concerned with how sanitary it was. If I died, I would’ve died happy.
 |
| Sooo cold. |
After lunch we crossed a bridge to the paddle boats and split off into groups of five and loaded up. The paddle boat ride was in the area just across from where we’d had our picnic. The paddle boat just gave us a closer look at everything that surrounded us.
We mostly coasted and enjoyed another beer or two while the sun hit our faces and glistened over the ripples in the water.
After our paddle boat journey we grabbed a few more brews for our last trek back to the other side. Getting to the other side required me to climb down and around some not so guarded paths. The worst part was the rickety wooden bridge that probably hasn't been replaced in decades. The kind that always snaps in half in an action film and leaves someone dead or hanging on for fear of life. Yeah, that kind. Well, I not only crosse fit but managed to stop, while on it, and feeling every movement of other passers and took some shots of the most beautiful scene as the sun had begun to set.
 |
| The back side of the damn. |
 |
| This is where fear dissipated. |
 |
| Stopping to take pictures on this rickety bridge... |
 |
| Safely on the other side :) |
Occasionally, when I’m a million miles from home, away from my family and friends and all the people who have loved and pushed me so hard for the past 24 years, I wonder why the hell I leave and wander across the world… It’s days like this that reassure me I’m living life the way some people only dreamt of doing. I am afraid and 90% of the time I have no idea what I’m doing or what the result will be, but I decided a year ago that I wasn’t going to let fear stop me. Although, he knocks on my door, I’m still able to literally face my fears. Not just the traveling the world alone in hopes of finding a friend on the other side, but literally climbing mountains even if I’m having a panic attack all the way to the top.
Yesterday was a reminder that I’m where I need to be in life. I may not be where I thought I’d be or where I will be in 10 years, but this life that I’m living right now is worth every struggle and worry I’ve endured to get here. I used to be bitter about how things ended up, and for once I can say I’m truly happy. Sometimes you just need to escape and see the other side to realize what you’re missing or to see what you’ve truly got when you think you have nothing.
I’m 24 years old and I’ve now seen three wonders of the world. THREE! :)
No comments:
Post a Comment