— 4 Comments

In the North Island: A visit to Lake Taupo

Today was the day that we were heading back to Auckland to begin our exploration of New Zealand’s North Island.  We had already used up well over half of our vacation in the South Island and were reluctant to leave because we loved it so much.  The South Island of New Zealand is a magical, beautiful place that is a true outdoor enthusiast’s heaven.  We could have easily stayed there forever but of course had to get back to reality and move on.

Our flight from Christchurch to Auckland left bright and early which was a good thing because we really didn’t leave much time to spare in our itinerary.  We arrived at the airport, proceeded to gather our luggage and rental car, and then were off once again heading North to Lake Taupo, in the central north part of the island.

The drive was as beautiful and serene as we’d come to expect with New Zealand.  Honestly, we were getting quite spoiled.  Yet, the surrounding landscape of the North Island was quite different than the South Island which made it all the more pleasurable.

The major reasons behind the differing landscapes has to do how each island was formed.  The North Island was formed by volcanic activity whereas the South Island was formed by glaciers.  As you can imagine, the terrain is vastly different.  While the South Island is lined from north to south with the snow-capped mountains of the Southern Alps, the North Island is graced with extinct volcanoes, geysers, hot springs and less lush vegetation.  It is more rugged and raw while the South is more lavish, green and majestic.  The stark contrast between the two islands make it a necessity to visit them both.

The drive to Lake Taupo took a little under three hours and we timed the drive so we could play a round of golf upon our arrival.  With the exchange rate being so incredible (this was 2002 remember), we were able to play the Waikai International Golf course, rated in the top 20 in the world at the time, for only $50 each!  Although we were both out of practice, we still enjoyed the challenging course and I tried not to get too incredibly frustrated by how poorly I played.  The sky had turned gray and overcast yet at least it wasn’t raining.

We arrived at our B&B “The Loft” which was located outside the town of Taupo around seven o’clock and were pleasantly welcomed by the owners Peter and Grace.  The B&B was outstanding and by far the nicest one we had stayed at during our trip thus far.  It had only three rooms and felt more like a house than an inn.  Our hosts Peter and Grace were wonderful and a tremendous help.

By the time we got back to town for dinner it was approaching nine o’clock and we were famished.  I started to get rather agitated as I’m known to do when I don’t eat on schedule (I know, not a good habit, but my appetite is rather routine).  I was about ready to start eating my arm when the waiter casually walked over and saw my look of distress.  Instantly  a bewitching smile crossed his handsome face as well as a look of concern.  Kiwis cannot stand stress and they generally want everyone to relax and enjoy life as the Kiwis do.  So what did he do?  He turned around, left and came back with an ice cold bottle of local Sav Blanc (my favorite) and set it down on our table.  This is what he said:

You’re in New Zealand.  You’re at a great place, with a great guy.  So why don’t you just relax.  Here’s a bottle, on the house.

Then he gave me a wink and left.  Wow, I tell you, did that make my night.  I could never imagine a similar scenario playing out at home in the US.  I loved the laid-back, carefree life of many New Zealanders.  I wondered why I had fallen into that American trap of worrying too much about everything and not just letting go.  Ahh…I wish I could live in New Zealand!

We had an excellent dinner at Nannie’s, right on Lake Taupo.  The wine flowed steadily, the conversation was light and hearty and I learned a valuable lesson that night.  That sometimes it is time to stop and smell the roses.  Otherwise life will just pass you by.

Stay tuned…Next post:  Our big day!  We are scheduled to rise before dawn to do the eight-hour Tongariro Crossing hike.  It is rated one of the top hikes in New Zealand!  

Adventure Travel New Zealand TRAVEL BY REGION Trekking/Hiking
— Leave a Comment

Day trip to Akaroa

With one day left on the South Island and yet another spectacular blue sky, Paul and I decided to hit the road and take a day trip to the nearby village of Akaroa, located about 54 miles/87 kilometers from Christchurch.  Akaroa is the oldest town in Canterbury, founded by French settlers in 1840, and is a wonderfully quaint, beautiful village nestled in the heart of the Banks Peninsula.  We had also heard that the area offered many opportunities for excellent “tramps” (or hikes as we call it) as well as ocean cruises to see New Zealand’s unique marine wildlife.

We headed out early in the morning choosing to take the “scenic route” in our rental car.  Apparently there are two ways to Aakora:  One easy and relatively straightforward, and the other more spectacular, yet rugged.  We took the latter.  It wound up being a harrowing hour and a half drive from Christchurch but well worth the incredible views.

Here is the description of the route we followed per the New Zealand Tourism Guide:

There are two routes to Akaroa. State Highway 75 takes you via Lake Ellesmere and Lake Forsyth before it climbs over the hills to Akaroa Harbour. The other route is very scenic, but longer and more difficult to drive. It takes you through the Lyttelton tunnel and around Lyttelton Harbour before making the rugged, cross country journey to Akaroa.

Photo taken during our “tramp” in the Banks Peninsula with the sheep looking on. 

Adventure Travel New Zealand TRAVEL BY REGION Trekking/Hiking
— 10 Comments

Sailing sound in the Milford Sound

“Adventure is a path. Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world.   The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it.   Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness.   In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both.   This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white.” – Mark Jenkins

Around five o’clock we boarded our ship for the night, the lovely Milford Manner and sailed off into the sparkling blue depths of the world famous Milford Sound.  We felt quite lucky to have such amazing weather and no rain in sight in a place that normally receives rain an average 330 days per year.

View from our ship, the Milford Manor, of the Milford Sound in all her splendor.  

Another small ship paved the way ahead but besides this other ship, we were the only ones around.  

The Milford Sound travels for ten miles/sixteen kilometers before the fiord meets the Tasman Sea.  It is one of the most remote areas of New Zealand in which most of it is impenetrable except the fiord itself and the 34 mile/55 km track which is considered one of the top treks in the world.  

Adventure Travel New Zealand Trekking/Hiking
— 6 Comments

South bound to Milford Sound

After traveling to the world-famous fiords of Norway and being blown away by their sensational beauty, I knew that Paul and I would have to make time for a trip down south to New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park.

Fiordland National Park is located on the Southwestern part of New Zealand’s South Island and is the country’s largest park with over 21,000 square km/8,100 square miles of pristine forests, mountains and lakes.  The region is composed of over 14 fiords and five major lakes that are flanked by steep, jagged mountains coated in rainforest making this part of the world virtually impenetrable except along the 310 miles of tracks (hiking trails) or by boat.  I had heard that Fiordland offered some of the best scenery in all of New Zealand and after the sheer, pure beauty we had seen so far, I couldn’t imagine that we would see anything finer.

A sneak preview of what’s to come….

Adventure Travel New Zealand TRAVEL BY REGION Trekking/Hiking
— 6 Comments

Hiking into Middle Earth: A tramp along the Routeburn Track

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.   So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.    Explore.   Dream. Discover.”   – Mark Twain

The New Zealand Silver Fern, the symbol of purity and beauty.

The Routeburn Track in the South Island of New Zealand is perhaps one of the finest hikes in the world.  It rates up there with neighboring Milford Track as well as the world-famous Annapurna Trek in Nepal.

The 24 mile/29 kilometer Routeburn Track generally takes three days and climbs up to some of the most spectacular, pristine temperate rain forest and alpine scenery in the world.  Unfortunately my husband and I only had one day allocated to a tramp (what the Kiwi’s call hiking) along the Routeburn Track, and we were going to make the most of it.  Given what we had already seen of Queenstown and the surrounding area, we knew that our visit to Routeburn would be one of the best parts of the trip and we weren’t at all disappointed.

Below is a panoramic shot of the view at the top of the Routeburn Track….a view that we didn’t get to see.  This means we’ll have to someday go back and do the whole thing! (Photo credit Wikipedia Commons). 

Adventure Travel New Zealand TRAVEL BY REGION Trekking/Hiking
Phoneline Trail, Sabino Canyon, Tucson, Arizona
— 9 Comments

Discovering the raw beauty of Sabino Canyon

As I always say, there is no better way to experience the raw beauty of nature than to do it by a good hike.  Sabino Canyon is just one of those places. It is achingly beautiful and perhaps one of the most stunning places in all of southwestern Arizona.

Nestled in the southeastern foothills of Tucson, Arizona in the Santa Catalina  mountains, Sabino Canyon is a true gem. The formation of these mountains began over 12 million years ago, long before the first sign of man.  Over time, a significant canyon formed that would eventually turn into a lush, verdant desert oasis deep inside the canyon.

A massive earthquake in 1887 centered in Northern Mexico caused even more change to the canyon.  Massive boulders dislodged and crashed down thousands of miles below creating an even more dramatic landscape.  In 1905, the U.S. Forest Service was created and took over the administration of Sabino Canyon.  Nothing much happened to the area until the 1930s.  The onset of the Great Depression prompted the US Government to put people to work by building infrastructure and one of the places that benefited was Sabino Canyon.  The Sabino Dam as well as over nine bridges were built during this time, creating a 4.5 mile paved road up through the canyon.  Plans had been made to continue the road all the way up the canyon up to Mount Lemmon but fortunately they ran out of money and the project was dropped.  Had the road been built, the entire beauty of Sabino Canyon would have been destroyed and lost.

Sabino Canyon officially opened as a State Park and recreational area in 1978.  Today, it ranks one of the top tourist destinations in all of Tucson and is a haven for hikers, walkers, bikers and anyone else who wants to enjoy its raw beauty.

A tram service runs daily every half an hour up the canyon and back.  For only a few dollars, you can ride along and listen to an informative narration on the history, geology and flora and fauna of Sabino Canyon.   This is a great thing to do as a family and of course we have done it many times.  However, the best thing to do in Sabino Canyon is to get out there and experience it firsthand with a hike.

There are several hikes in Sabino Canyon and over the years I’ve done many of them.  However, my most favorite hike of all is called The Phoneline Trail, which is about an eight mile round trip hike, located about two-thirds of the way up the canyon, giving you a bird’s eye view of this spectacular place.

The start of the trail is flat but not for long. 

 There are many types of cacti found throughout Sabino Canyon.  The Saguaro Cactus is perhaps the most well-known.  It takes on average 65-70 years for this cactus to grow an arm.  They also can live for over 200 years!  What also is amazing about the Saguaro cactus is its root system.  Saguaro’s roots only go down about twenty inches deep, however, the roots spread out as wide as they are high.  Pretty unbelievable!

After a mile or so of flat walking, it is time to climb up!  It is best to be prepared with tons of water, hiking polls, lots of sunscreen and of course extra stamina.  It is not uncommon to see college aged kids running up the trail!  I even saw some people running barefoot.  Crazy given all the rocks and obstacles. 

Soon the hike leads you gradually and then steeply up the side of the canyon walls. 

My favorite barrel cactus which bloosom beautifully in the springtime.

Finally after a couple of hours hiking we are nearing the top of the hike where the Phoneline Trail flattens out and you basicaly walk along the edge of the canyon.

Down below is the paved trail which is another option for seeing the canyon.  But I prefer to view from up top!

At the end of the canyon in back is Mount Lemmon, a beautiful area that hosts many pine trees as well as a ski resort. 

Sabino Canyon is home to a wide variety of wild life including the elusive mountain lion, bobcats, ocelots, skunks, foxes, deer, javalinas, raccoons and coyotes.  They also have lots of different kind of venomous and non-venomous snakes (I’ve seen a rattlesnack but not on the trail) as well as scorpions and tarantulas (yes, unfortunately I’ve seen these two things yet at my parents house!  Not on the trail!).

 

I only wished this photo could have turned out better but we were hiking right into the sun.  I have never seen the canyon as verdant as this in December.  It was simply spectacular.  Who would have ever imagined a desert could be so green?  It is even better in March and April when the brilliant desert flowers are in bloom and the green is a vibrant lime-color that almost hurts your eyes.

There has been a ton of rainfall and snow in the upper mountains causing the streams to flow with force. 

The Canyon also has an ample and diverse supply of beautiful trees such as the Cottomwood (in this picture, which still has its golden leaves on from the fall), the white-barked sycamore trees, and the dark-wooded mesquite trees.  Another favorite is the Palo Verde tree which means “Green Stick” and has green bark and green leaves. 

The white-barked tree in back is an Arizona Sycamore.  The bark is lovely. 

This is a mesquite tree which proves great firewood as well as a food source for many animals within the canyon.  The tree produces bean pods which are enjoyed by many small canyon critters. 

After an eight mile strenous hike through record-high heat (who would have believed it was December?), I was exhilared and fatigued.  It was a great hike and I can’t wait to do it again!  

Stay tuned…I am headed back to a wintery Minnesota tomorrow.  I’ve heard that we finally have a few inches of snow and am looking forward to it!  I am not looking forward to the cold January weather, though. 

Adventure Travel Arizona TRAVEL BY REGION Trekking/Hiking United States
— 6 Comments

A walk in the desert

I love to hike.  For me, hiking combines some of my greatest passions in life:  Being outside and being active.  Tucson is surrounded by mountains and offers ample opportunity to hike until your hearts desire.  There are some peaks such as Mount Wrightson, that reach almost 10,000 feet and there are many national and state parks loaded with trails.  

Every time I come to Tucson, I try to fit in some hikes.  My parents live in the foothills and are close to several of my favorite trails and hiking spots such as the lovely Sabino Canyon (which has countless trails) and Ventana Canyon.   Some of my favorite trails include the hike to Seven Falls which guides you along diverse desert landscape bringing you to a large canyon with seven waterfalls (this hike is exceptionally beautiful in March or April when the water has melted off Mount Lemmon above and creates huge, rushing falls and beautiful, fragrant desert flowers).  I also love to hike the Phoneline trail that wraps around Sabino Canyon affording a spectacular view below.   Finally, the Ventana Trailhead is another great hike which combines some steep, zigzag trails giving you a fabulous workout and a rewarding view at the top of Tucson valley.  All three of these hikes can take anywhere from 3-4 hours depending on how fast you move and how few breaks you take.  It is a perfect way to let off steam, burn some calories and enjoy the stunning fresh air and views of the Arizona desert.

Yesterday we opted to take a new trail and ventured over to Pima Canyon, about ten minutes away from my parents home.  We chose a trail leading up along the Catalina Mountains which was uniquely beautiful and very peaceful.  It was the first time for years that I hiked with my siblings as well as my father, so it was a great time with good company.  

Here are some shots along the way.  

My dad and sister setting off.

Going up…this hike had a lot of climb involved and was rocky so you had to keep your eyes in front of you! I was relieved that my dad went first. I always get paranoid of encountering a rattlesnake. I’ve seen them before in the distance but never (knock on wood) had one jump out in front of me before.

The trail system goes on forever, way up high into the mountains in the background. You can hike for days back in the wilderness as long as you bring a pack. There is also plenty of wildlife such as mountain lions, bighorn sheep, deer, ocelots and wildcats. Sadly a lot of their habitat has disappeared and these animals have come down to the foothills and valley in search of food and water only to be a nuisance to the human population below. I’ve seen an ocelot, javelina pigs, coyote and wildcat outside of my parents home. Not a good thing to see, though.

A skeleton of a saguaro cactus, Tucson’s most dominant variety of cacti.

The trail map…we took the Pontatoc Canyon Trail.

Photos of the many different varieties of cacti.

These are the notorious and deadly jumping cacti.

And the stunning view behind us…


Then we reached the top and took a sibling photo—-our first in years of the three of us.

And fabulous views of Finger Rock and the surrounding Pima Canyon.

Mount Wrightson beckons in the background….one of my most favorite hikes of all! It is a whole day affair that I’ll have to save for another day.

Adventure Travel TRAVEL BY REGION Trekking/Hiking
— 9 Comments

The Art of the Chinese Massage

There is something divine about a good massage. As someone who has suffered a bad neck and upper back for over three-fourths of my life (see post:  Dealing with Chronic Pain) you can imagine how much better an excellent massage is to my poor, sore muscles.  I am like a new person after a massage.  I don’t have a darting, throbbing pain in my neck and my soul seems to finally find some sort of peace.

Unfortunately, like most luxuries in life massages are not cheap.  In fact, I find it difficult to find anywhere decent to get a massage for under $120 per hour.  In my book, as a stay-at-home mom with no income to call my own, I just can’t stomach dishing out that kind of money, even if my back hurts like hell.  Thus I end up getting probably only one to two massages a year, usually as a gift from my loving husband or understanding mother who also suffers chronic neck pain.

Before heading over to China, my neck and back were really causing me grief. After a ten-year hiatus, I had to start physical therapy sessions again to try to manage the pain and strengthen my back muscles.  It found it so incredibly frustrating to have to deal with this “pain in the neck”.  I am an incredibly active person who can’t let a persistent pesky pain stand in my way.

Looking back, I am convinced that my 20 mile plus bike rides over the summer pulling my four-year-old daughter were the main culprit in ruining my back again. (I suppose I can also add in “getting older” although I try not to dwell on it).  Stress and spending more time at the computer were also causing problems (hmmm….could it be all that extra time I’ve been spending blogging?).  I was determined to go on my trip and relax a bit, and pray my back wouldn’t go into complete spasms on the flight. Having a good seat helped significantly, but passing out after four glasses of wine and falling asleep at a strange angle did not help.

Needless to say, when I landed in Beijing after a fifteen hour flight I could barely turn my head.  I knew that it wasn’t a good sign but I had hope.  For I had heard about the art of the Chinese Massage and I knew that the price would be right.

Chinese medicine has been practiced for centuries. Per Massage Today:

Traditional Chinese medicine is one of the oldest continuous systems of medicine in history, with recorded instances dating as far back as two thousand years before the birth of Christ. This is in sharp contrast to American or Western forms of health care, which have been in existence for a much shorter time span.

Traditional Chinese medicine is based, at least in part, on the Daoist belief that we live in a universe in which everything is interconnected. What happens to one part of the body affects every other part of the body. The mind and body are not viewed separately, but as part of an energetic system. Similarly, organs and organ systems are viewed as interconnected structures that work together to keep the body functioning.

Massage known as “an mo” or “tui na” in Chinese and Acupuncture have been integral parts of Chinese medicine for thousands of years and has gained worldwide attention and practice for many years.  Chinese doctors believe that a network in the human body called “‘jing luo” serves as a passageway for vital energy and blood to reach all the parts of the body.  The use of acupuncture and massage on pressure points and injured muscles can greatly relieve pain and maintain overall health.

As soon as I landed, I could hardly wait to explore and experience the art of the Chinese massage.  My body was desperately waiting and begging.  Yet, unfortunately other things got in the way such as the more important excitement of exploring a new place.  Who wants to waste two hours trying to get a massage when I can walk until I drop and see as much of Beijing as possible?  I reasoned.

Stubborn, defiant me waited until the very last minute; until I was at the “point of no return” in level and severity of pain and discomfort.  I had walked for over eight hours long on our first day in Beijing, on hard concrete, constantly stopping to rub my back or do a quick neck stretch.  I even laid on my “tension release” racket balls for an hour, drank several glasses of wine, took a pain reliever…. yet there was no relief.  It wasn’t looking good.

The climb up to the Great Wall was amazing while I was doing it.  Exciting, fun and pure adventure.  Yet when I woke up the next morning I had hell to pay.  I was in dire straits.  I could barely move my shoulders let alone turn my head from side to side (I cursed myself and wondered how I ever managed to hike over 100 miles last year in the Himalayas!  Could my body really have aged that much in a single year?!).  

It wasn’t the way I imagined my vacation, suffering and wallowing away in pain. I had to do something.  It was time to discover the art of the Chinese Massage, and fortunately the best place in town was right outside my doorstep.

The Dragonfly Spa, located only four buildings down from my hotel,  is known as one of the top spas in Beijing.  Knowing that made me initially hesitate, thinking that it would be pricey and snooty.  But silly old me forgot the number one thing about China:  The low-cost of labor.

When I walked into the Spa to check out the prices, I was instantly drawn in.  The entire waiting room and spa smelled of roses, real fresh, fragrant roses.  Hundreds.  Thousands.  A room aloft in roses.  It instantly put me in a trance.  The friendly, pretty receptionist handed me over a neatly printed price list.  I swallowed before opening it and then to my shock and disbelief, the prices were insanely cheap.  An hour-long aromatherapy massage with hot oils was only $35.  The lesser hour-long “Chinese Massage” was a mere $16.  They even had a neck and shoulder massage for an hour for $15.  I could not believe my eyes or my luck.  I was in the perfect place! I was in Heaven!

I desperately asked the receptionist if it was possible to get a massage that moment.  It didn’t look too busy.  I was the only one there.  But I wasn’t sure because at home you have to typically book a massage at least a week in advance.

The pretty, young receptionist smiled reassuringly and told me, “One moment, please“, in perfect, beautiful english.  She picked up the phone, dialed, and spoke rapidly in Chinese to whoever answered.  “Please have a seat“, she said kindly.  Within five minutes a small, petite woman walked in, smiled at me and lead me back to Heaven.

As I left the pleasant waiting room and entered the spa, I was instantly greeted by the healing, peaceful smell of lavender.  The entire room was dark except for little candles that lined the stairs leading up to the massage rooms.  It was the most incredible, pleasing synthetic flowery smell I’d ever experienced.  It was enough to make my knees weak.

I lied down on my stomach in almost complete darkness and silence and let each ache and pain in my poor, overworked body relax.  Sometimes I think it is best if the masseuse does not speak english.  I tend to talk too much, even during a massage.  That makes it harder to relax and simply enjoy the experience.  Since I didn’t know Chinese and my masseuse knew little english, there was no conversation whatsoever.  Just silence and total relaxation; something I think everybody in this world needs.

For someone so small, I was amazed by the strength of her touch.  The hot, scented oils melted into my skin and sunk into my rock-like muscles relieving the tension that had been stored up for months.  I closed my eyes and relaxed, enjoying each and every moment of Heaven.  I didn’t want it to ever end.  It was so wonderful.

Of course, all good things must come to an end.  The sixty minutes were up, and I could barely move.  My body felt like butter and my muscles melted into the massage table.  I took my time getting up and was sad to leave.   But I knew that it would not be my last time at the Dragonfly.  For how could I resist the art of the Chinese massage? 

For the next day I was going to indulge in the $15 one-hour neck and shoulder massage.  And, little did I know there was a Dragonfly in Shanghai too where I would get a send-off massage before leaving China.  Heaven comes in threes.

Stay tuned…there are more China posts to come.  Not sure yet if it will be the post on “The Curse of the Asian Toilet” or one on the fascinating Hutongs, or old alleyways of Beijing.


Adventure Travel China TRAVEL BY REGION Trekking/Hiking
— 14 Comments

Fall on the Wall: Part III Walking the Wall

Author’s note: This is the last post on a three-part series on my hike to the Great Wall of China. To read my earlier posts, click here: Fall on the Wall: Part I and  Fall on the Wall:  Part II. 

We arrived on top of the Great Wall of China at Jiankou, after two and a half hours of hard climbing up, to see one of the most impressive, spectacular man-made phenomenons I’d ever seen.  I’d been to Machu Picchu, the ancient ruins of Rome and Ephesus in Turkey, and spent six months living in Paris.  All were amazing.  Yet for some reason, the shere magnitude and length of the wall just blew me away.  It snaked up and down and around the ridge of the mountains for as far as the eye could see.  For almost 4,000 miles in total, from east to west, across the Middle Kingdom.  How the ancient Chinese indentured servants built this massive wall of rock and stone was a mystery to me.  At first sight, it took my breath away.

After paying a few yuan to climb the last steps of a make-shift ladder, we finally stepped on the 2,000-year-old Wall.  I took so many pictures it was impossible for me to edit them.  So, I decided to put them all in the post.  The good and the bad.  Unfortunately the smog had not lifted and covered the Wall like a suffocating blanket.  I wanted to cry at the “what if’s“.  But I didn’t let myself go there for today was not the time to dwell on the poor visibility of the Wall.  It was the time to cherish and marvel at one of mankind’s greatest creations.

After my first steps walking along the wall, I understood why it is called the “Great” Wall of China.  It did not disappoint and proved my convictions that no matter how I felt about the rest of the trip, this one moment in time would make it all worth the journey.

Here are my photos, the good and the bad, as I entered and walked along the Wall.  Come take a walk with me! 

The end of the trail.  Here is the last tower at Jiankou.  You cannot go further in this direction past the tower as the trail is dangerous.  (I am sure some adventurous souls do so, despite the absence of the Wall and a trail!). 

The wall in the fog, headed towards Mutianyu, a fully restored and easily accessible part of the Wall.  

Thirdeyemom (aka “me”) gets accosted by the Chinese paparazzi!  These hikers nearly fell over when they saw me.  A almost-forty-year-old-American-blue-eyed-blond!  I couldn’t pass the hiking group and had to get my picture taken with at least ten people!  It was hysterical!  I realized that I would never ever want to be famous.  What a drag!

I am laughing so much in this picture!  As someone who is used to always “fitting” in, it felt strange to stand out in a crowd and capture so much attention. 

This is inside one of many towers.  The bottom level is where the military slept and the top level is where they kept lookout.  It was cramped accommodations, as they had 20-30 men in each chamber.  Luckily, the men would stay here for only a few months at a time and then return to the village for a month off while another group took over watch.  This went on for many years. 

My dad hiking the precarious unrestored section of the Wall. 

View back towards the direction we came at Jiantou. 

Our guide, Jackie, crossing over a bridge.  The photo doesn’t do it justice.  The Wall is relatively steep and high.  The right side was for the invading Mongolians and the left side for the Chinese Empire. Per Jackie, one person died per meter of Wall built.  The servants or slaves had to carry one of these large stones up hand by hand, the same route we came.  Jackie told us that the first part of the Wall as built in only nine years time by over three million Chinese.  It is an astounding 5,000 km long.    

This cut-out was where the early Chinese militants would throw things at their prey.  As time went by, they used guns to kill their enemies.

There are parts of the unrestored section that you have to get off the Wall and follow a trail.  This picture was taken to show you the size of the stones that were carried on the servants backs to build the Wall, as well as the sheer size and height of the Wall.  This goes for almost 4,000 miles!

The Jiantou section of the Wall has never been restored and dates back 600 years to the Ming Dynasty. 

The Chinese had a rather intuitive system of alerts.  They took advantage of the mountains and valleys that carried the sound.  Thus, they used a call system to warn the army against a Mongolian invasion.  During the daytime, they used smoke.  At night, they used fire.  During bad weather, they used sound.  Per our guide extraordinaire, Jackie, here was the call system:

One stream of smoke meant 100 troops.  Two streams of smoke meant 500 troops.  Three meant 1000.  Four meant 5,000.  And, 5 meant 10,000+ troops or a massive invasion!

After walking across the unrestored section for a couple of hours, we finally entered the restored section of the Wall at Mutianyu.  Mutianyu is a popular route for tourists as it has a gondola that whisks you up to the Wall.  Clinton came here during his Presidency which the Chinese like to boast.  Once on the Wall here, though, it is no walk in the park.  It is still quite steep and at times, dangerously steep on the vertical stairwells leading up and down from the towers.  Yet, the path is easier as you don’t have to manoeuver through shrubs and misplaced stones.

This section of the Wall is the restored area called Mutianyu.  It is really too bad that the sun didn’t come up as I am certain the fall colors and the grandeur and scope of the Wall would have been sensational.   Per Jackie, the Great Wall of China passes through nine provinces!  If only I could see that far!

As we entered Mutianyu, along with the restored wall came more people.  Obviously it is much easier to get here than at Jiantou!  The crowds still dull in comparison to Badaling.  Thank goodness I didn’t go there!

If only my pictures turned out and it was clear!  You can vaguely see the lines of the Wall stretching up around the ridges of the mountains. 

Along with the tourists, came the Chinese brides who took the gondola up dressed in white for their pre-wedding photos.

We Americans are superstitious and generally don’t get our photos until after the wedding.  Normally it is considered bad luck to see the bride before you are married.  I know this tradition is changing but I was pretty adamant on this tradition.

After five and a half long hours and aching knees along the Great Wall of China, it was time to be like a tourist and take the lazy way down.  We rode the gondola and it was great!

As we left Mutianyu, we were swarmed by eager Chinese vendors trying to sell us a t-shirt or trinket for less than a dollar.  It was three or four blocks of tourist hell.  And this was Mutianyu!  I can only imagine what the big touristy Badaling must be like!  No wonder they call it the Badaling Blues!

We arrived in the car park at Mutianyu, thrilled to see our driver awaiting our weary feet.  We were tired, dirty and hungry yet elated to have walked the Great Wall of China.  It was the highlight of the trip and a day that I’ll never forget.  For days like these are why I travel.  To marvel and be amazed at our big, brilliant world!

Stay tuned…much more China to come, sprinkled in with some other interesting posts about life, culture and giving back!  Thanks for reading!

Adventure Travel China TRAVEL BY REGION Trekking/Hiking
— 5 Comments

Walk along the Wall with me!

Ok…these may not be the best videos but I thought they were worth sharing with you so you can get a sense of what the unrestored section of the Wall is like at Jiantou.

Here are two relatively short clips I recorded with my iPhone upon taking my first steps along the Great Wall of China at Jiantou.  Sorry if they are rather unprofessional or my commentary is a bit silly!  I decided to suck in my pride a bit and share the videos as it does give you a great sense of what the Wall is like.  So please click on the links below and take a walk along the Wall with me!  Enjoy!

(P.S….the first one goes sideways….still trying to figure out this new iPhone!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUQyUFzqBis&feature=youtube_gdata_player

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz670ZPXQm8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Adventure Travel China Trekking/Hiking
— 18 Comments

Fall on the Great Wall: Part II The Climb Up

Author’s note: This is part two of three posts on my visit to China’s Great Wall.  To read my earlier post, click here.

The fog nestled tightly around the mountains above, giving off an eerie, surreal setting for undoubtably China’s most spectacular man-made wonder.  I was perplexed and felt rather naive in my earlier belief that the Great Wall of China was built on flat land.

“You mean to tell me that the wall is way up there, built along the ridge of the mountains and lost somewhere in the clouds?” I asked Jackie, craning my neck upwards trying to find the hidden landmark.

Jackie, our 26-year-old Beijing guide (who seemed a little bit lost himself) just shook his head and said “yes” with a sigh.  I wasn’t sure whether or not he understood how far and difficult the hike would be.   His clothing (i.e. dress slacks, button-down pink shirt, light blue sweater vest and sneakers) seemed to give him away.  He was not a hiker.  He was not even the least bit athletic.  But he was knowledgable and that was the most important thing of all.  He knew his stuff like the back of his hand.  Facts, figures and historical perspectives were easily given and recited to our thirsty ears.

Above is a picture of the second hill we had to cross in order to get to the main mountain leading up to the wall.  I tried my best to take a good pictures of the steepness of the trail (it is in brown leading up the center of the “hill”) but I found it impossible to do in a short amount of time.  We had a lot of work ahead of us so we had to keep moving!  Plus it was so steep that there weren’t many opportunities to safely stop. 

We reached the base of the second “hill” and began climbing up.  From this point on, it was no longer a hike at all.  Instead, it was going straight up using our fingers to grasp large rocks and tree branches to literally pull ourselves up.  I could tell my dad was getting a little nervous at this point.  Not at all for himself:  He had already climbed more mountains than I can remember (and he is 69 years old!).  He was worried about me and having to explain to my husband, children and mother how I fell and broke my back trying to climb up to the Great Wall.  That wouldn’t do!

I could tell that Jackie was lagging behind yet he was desperately trying to be the good Chinese leader and guide that he aspired.  His face was drenched in sweat, his pastel blue sweater vest was placed into his backpack after much convincing and he continually questioned our age.  “You’re in your mid-twenties, right” he asked, almost desperately.   He seemed completely mystified that my father at his age was having no problem at all climbing up the side of a dirty mountain.  Jackie believed most Chinese men at his age would be withering away in bed!

“Ah, you Amercains are strong.  So very strong!” he raved, encouragingly and slightly embarrassed by being passed by two people well over his age.  “Us Chinese are not strong” he said, convinced in his belief that Chinese people are not athletes.

I found Jackie’s viewpoint and ongoing compliments to be hilarious!  Weren’t it the Chinese people who made this very same wall by climbing up these very same steep paths over 2,000 years ago with stones on their back?!   Perhaps it was just him who was out of shape!

Jackie in the lead, waiting up above as we pried our hands and fingers into the dirt and grabbed rocks to pull ourselves up the trail.

Looking down at my dad as he climbed up the trail.  Now, who told us we were doing “rock” climbing?  That definitely wasn’t in Lonely Planet’s description!!!!

Picture above of last hill leading up to the Great Wall.

We finally made it to the top of the second hill, feeling tired and a bit weary.  It was extremely steep at the top with sheer cliffs tumbling down below.  There was a wee bit of panic and emergency when I realized during our water break that we were surrounded by bees!  I am somewhat fearful of bees because I am allergic and of course had no epi-pen with me!  I had a brief dancing panic on the top of the mountain and my dad nearly had a heart attack that I would fall.  We abruptly climbed down the peak and headed up the third, and last mountain to reach the wall.  No wonder there was no one else on the trail!  You would have to be crazy! 

Here is my dad making it down a very steep part of the “trail”.  Are we insane?

By the third hill, we were feeling relieved to be passed the worst, or so we’d hoped.  We now had to climb down the valley between the two mountains and it was VERY steep.  Even I was a little worried about breaking a leg.  I’d broken my foot before it was the pits.  (I was in a boot for five months and had a baby and a toddler to care for!).

It was getting close to noon and there was still no sign of the wall.  The smog had not lifted as we had hoped.  Jackie looked like he was going to pass out during the last thirty minutes of the hike.  His face was the color of cotton candy and dripping with sweat while his breathing was like a smokers’.  He was also still wearing that darn pink button-down shirt over a t-shirt!  Why he didn’t take it off during one of his many breaks, I don’t understand.

Finally, my dad and I had to pass him by.  We knew that the hike had taken a lot longer than we’d planned and if we wanted to have any time hiking on the wall itself, that there was no time to stop.  Jackie haphazardly gave in to our pleas and followed slowly up behind us.  The hike wasn’t really that challenging given other hikes we’d taken (such as our 100-mile hike last year in Nepal).  But the conditions were prime for an accident.

We walked on for another ten minutes or so, feeling like we were on a path to nowhere, and then just like a dream, we finally saw it.   There, laying precariously atop of the ridge of the mountain, was one of the most spectacular things I’d ever seen:  The mighty, impressive Great Wall of China.

The Great Wall of China at Jiankou, one of the relatively unknown sections of the wall that is not frequently visited by tourists, mainly due to its isolated location.  The only way to get there is to hike. 

At Jiankou, there are three routes up to the wall and we took the longest and hardest route.  Yet, once we arrived I realized with joy and elation that the best part of seeing the wall was the journey itself, climbing up just like the Chinese did thousands of years ago. 

For as Chairman Mao said:  “He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man” (or woman in my case!).

Me, taking the final steps up on the ladder to the wall.  What a feeling of accomplishment to be here!  

View on top the wall.  It was so startling and impressive that I could hardly breathe.  I only wished the clouds would have been gone.  To see the wall snake around the mountain ridge until the eye can no longer see would have been sensational.

We did it!  My dad and I on top the Wall!

Stay tuned…part III of “Fall on the Wall” will be up soon.  I will show you favorite pictures from the wall as well as provide some insight into what I learned about its magical creation.  Plus you’ll get a sneak preview of what it was like to be a “movie star” surrounded by Chinese paparazzi for my moment of fame and attention as a thirdeyemom blond on top the wall. 

Adventure Travel China TRAVEL BY REGION Trekking/Hiking
— 18 Comments

Fall on the Great Wall: Part 1

He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man. – Mao Zedong

Photo above of the Great Wall of China at Badaling, the most heavily visited and fully restored part of the wall.  Photo credited to Wikipedia Commons (Free images). 

As a diehard wanderlust whose main goal in life is to see the greatest and latest of this amazing world, I’d always set my sights on leaving my footprints across the Great Wall of China.  Like Machu Picchu, Ancient Rome, the mighty Himalayas and the Great Barrier Reef, the Great Wall of China was something that could not be missed.

Seeing the wall was so important to me and my dad, that it was one of the main reasons why we both wanted to go to China.  If there was nothing else we liked or enjoyed during the entire trip, we would be satisfied to have walked along the Great Wall, known as one of China’s greatest engineering triumphs and perhaps one of the most remarkable manmade structures in the world.

Given my unique, thirdeye perspective to traveling, our visit to the Great Wall would be anything but normal.  Most tourists choose to sign up with a Chinese tour company, jump on a huge, overcrowded tour bus and take a long, annoying day-trip to the Badaling section of the wall (which is the most-photographed and most-visited “tourist” trap in China).  Most tours to Badaling start at the crack of dawn, waking unsuspected tourists out of their warm, cozy beds to lead them on an eight-hour nightmare expedition to the Wall that includes multiple stops.  Instead of spending the entire time at the wall, the tour herds the tourists off like a flock of sheep to the famous Ming Tombs (who really wants to see a bunch of boring tombs?) followed by several stops to nearby jade, silk and porcelain stores where everything is way over-priced and the sales people are totally in your face.  In my opinion, a visit to Badaling sounded like going to Disneyland!  Who wants to ride a bus up to the fully restored wall, walk along this magnificent piece of architecture to be surrounded by loads of tourists and ride a toboggan down?  It sounded like a complete joke!

So, instead of doing what most or some would say “normal” tourists would do, I decided singlehandedly to do the complete opposite.  I convinced my dad into booking our own tour guide and driver through our hotel, to visit a relatively unknown, unrestored section of the wall, called Jiankou (which of course I found out about through my beloved Lonely Planet guide.

Lonely Planet describes Jiankou as follows:

For stupefying gorgeous hikes along perhaps Beijing’s most incomparable section of wall, head to the rear section of the Jiankou Great Wall.  It’s a 40-minute walk uphill from the drop-off at Xizhazi Village….Tantalizsing panoramic views spread out either direction as the brickwork meanders dramatically along a mountain ridge; the settings is truly magnificent.

After reading the inviting description, I was hooked.  I just needed to pry my dad a little bit which was fairly easy after a few glasses of wine.

We woke up early Sunday morning, our second day in China, to have a full breakfast and prepare makeshift sandwiches at our hotel.   We knew there would be no food options available and we were more than happy to use the hotel’s french baguette and cheese (a rare find in China!) for our meal.

By 8:30 am, we were introduced to “Jackie” (of course his western name), our twenty-six-year-old tour guide who was drastically inappropriately dressed for a hike.  While we were wearing hiking shoes, pants and dri-fit shirts, Jackie was dressed in slacks, a pinkish colored button down shirt, a sweater vest and sneakers.  He looked like he was off to teach Sunday school, not hike the Great Wall.

We met our driver, who did not speak any english, and climbed into our four-door sedan (with no seat belts) and headed off on our forty-five minute ride to the Jiankou section of the Great Wall.  The drive was our first real experience outside of crazy, congested, polluted Beijing and I was pleasantly surprised to find the road conditions to be excellent.  We passed through several suburbs, villages and farms, talking the entire way long about China.

I discovered that Jackie was a wealth of information (I took several pages of thorough notes that I will use on my upcoming posts) and highly educated.  He is a first generation university graduate and comes from rural China.  Both of his parents are farmers and are illiterate.  He is one of two children and is hopeful about the future of China.   Like most Chinese, Jackie is very proud of the enormous economic changes that China has made in his lifetime.  Jackie’s parents grew up wearing only one of three colors:  Blue, Black or Gray.  And, they ate meat only once a month.  Now, many urban Chinese proudly dress like most westerners and eat meat every day.  In his eyes, this was a great leap forward.  Jackie believed that China was a long way’s off having a democracy.  As long as the average Chinese life is impoving, the rest can wait.

We arrived in Xizhazi Village around ten o’clock.  There wasn’t much there as it is very small and quite rural however we did manage to find a squat toilet and a small farmer’s market where I found a supply of dried fruits.  The most notable thing I saw in the village was this fish farm below as well as the bag of Chicken’s feet (see earlier post on Chinese Street Food):

After a few minutes of asking around, Jackie finally identified the unmarked trail leading up to the Great Wall.   This should have been a sign but unfortunately it was ignored.

The trail was nothing special.  Just gravel littered with trash (something I still will never understand:  why people litter so much on hiking trails!). The day was unfortunately overcast and the mountains were covered in China’s telltale blanket of smog.  My earlier elation at being here faded fast once I realized the smog was probably here to stay.

As we hiked up the slowly escalating path, Jackie filled us in on the main details and history behind the Great Wall.  The Great Wall is not one continuous wall but a collection of walls that were built and rebuilt starting in the 5th century BC through the 16th century by various dynasties.  The “original”, most famous part of the wall was first built between 220-206 BC years ago by the Qin dynasty, yet little of that wall remains.  The majority of the existing wall was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644) and that is what most tourists see today.

The wall was built to keep the Mongolian and other various nomadic tribes out of the Chinese Empire.  As winter set in and food became scarce, the brutal Mongolian warriors headed south in search of food, and in the process terrorized the native Chinese.  Thus the wall was built as a defending line from east to west to keep these northern invadors out.  Unfortunately it didn’t always work.

The statistics behind the wall are mind-boggling yet inconclusive as nobody truly knows the exact length of the wall and most figures vary.  Per Wikipedia, the wall itself is measured at 6,259.6 km (3,889.5 miles) and includes 359.7 km (223.5 miles) of trenches and 2,232.5 km (1,387.2 miles) of natural barriers.

Map of the Great Wall of China (Wikipedia Commons). 

As we hiked, I became infatuated with the history of the wall and what it took to build it.  Slaves, indentured servants and other poor souls from the lower peasant class were forced into constructing one of the largest, most impressive engineering projects in the world.  Thousands of people died and it is said that their remains were mixed in and used as building materials in the construction of the wall.  Each stone of the wall was carried by hand or on the backs of the workers over 2,000 years ago!  It was hard to grasp.

Fall is the perfect time to visit China’s Great Wall.  The crowds are less, the temperature is good and you have a 50% chance of a relatively clear day (unfortunately we were the other 50%).  The fall foliage is also quite stunning.  We were at the tail end of the colors yet it was still quite beautiful. 

I became so enamoured in the historical significance of the wall, that I didn’t notice the lack of fellow hikers on the trail or the thick beads of sweat dripping down Jackie’s young face.  I was still severely jet-lagged and had “Sichuan” pork stomach after the questionable hot ‘n spicy meal the night before.  Perhaps that was why I was lagging behind?  I was tired.

As we hiked away from the village we saw a few birds and could hear the echo of dogs barking from down below.  We had hoped the smog would lift but unfortunately it was there to stay. What a pity!

As the time passed, and the forty minutes guaranteed that it would take to reach the wall per Lonely Planet, I begin to wonder where in the heck we were going.  The mountains were still covered in smog and the wall was no where in sight.  The trail kept heading up up up and into the mist.  I was starting to sweat myself so I stripped down to a t-shirt and wished I had worn shorts.  The exertion of the hike was getting to me as I realized that the lackadaisical trail was becoming more steep and more unkept.

After an hour of wondering where in the hell we were, we finally passed another small group of Chinese.  The sun desperately tried to peek out of the clouds and then I saw it.  The first of three large “hills”.

Where is the wall?  I asked Jackie.  “Up there?” I said and pointed at the first large, steep hill.   “No” Jackie replied, short of breath.  “It is there” he declared, pointing up behind the first hill.  That was my first realization that we were in for a ride.  This was no forty minute walk in the park.  It was a hike from hell.  A real live adventure.  Was I ready for it?  You bet!

Stay tuned….next post will be about our “climb” up to the Great Wall.  Yes, we were actually using our hands to grasp rocks and tree limbs.  If my mother would have known, she would have freaked.  Would we make it to the top?  You’ll have to wait and see!

Author’s note:  I decided to break this post down into parts due to my high level of photos and commentary.  I thought it would be easier and better to read.  Stay posted.

Adventure Travel China TRAVEL BY REGION Trekking/Hiking