day 7...

great wall at simatai: 4 hours trekking


today we get an early start for a sunrise walk on. Being the last day, the trek is a bit shorter but it is no less challenging. There are very steep sections and some sheer drops... plus the infamous 1200 steps... the equivalent of a building with about 120 floors!!! We finally leave the wall (many of us may have already jumped!) to trek through villages and celebrate the end of the trek!

day 6...

great wall at jinshanling: 6 - 7 hours trekking



we start with a 20 minute hike back to the great wall continuing on from yesterday's finish point to trek up and down past 14 watchtowers. this section of the wall is less preserved and the steps are steep and large. we reach 700 metres above sea level for a great view - if we are fortunate enough to escape english weather, we can see how far we are trekking in three days from from gubeikou to simati. after lunch, there are a few more watchtowers to hike past before crossing a suspension bridge at simatai.

day 5...

great wall at gubeikou: 5 - 6 hours trekking



this morning we walk to the village of gubeikou. the wall sits along the yanshan mountains and is architecturally one of the most striking sections of the wall. parts of the wall date back to the ming dynasty and are un-restored (i presume not a starbucks in sight!). it is is 2 - 3 meters wide and there are no side walls. this is one of the least visisted sections of the wall. we then descend into a valley and stop for lunch after which we start an hour climb through through steep narrow paths before making our way to jinshanling.

once again, click on the pic above to link to someone's photo album of the area.

day 4...

Black Dragon Paw Park: 6 - 7 hours trekking



the morning trek starts with a hike along a valley with streams, waterfalls and a chinese settlement. we then climb a dirt trail over a ridge and into the black dragon paw park - it gets quite steep and there will be locals onsite to help us. the drop down the other side is also difficult as it gets quite slippery. after hiking past various rock-pools we reach the park for lunch. we then go through some heavy undergrowth to arrive at the tallest tower on this section of the wall for some great panoramic views.

ok, so the link above is to someone else's photo album... but i'll get my own up very very soon.

day 3...

Great Wall at Mutianyu:4 - 5 hours trekking

we start the day off with a warm up trek from the village of lotus pond... here we will catch our first glimpse of the wall. we will reach the wall after 45 minutes to an hour and will be faced with a steep dirt trail to reach the top of the wall... finally all the work on the treadmill will pay off!

we will then continue along the wall and have a picnic lunch en-route before reaching Mutianya. at the end of the day, if we are feeling adventurous we can descend on a mile-long toboggan.

google map it...

click here to view a google map of the places we will be visiting.

Once you get to the map, you can zoom in to see pictures and a quick description. Pay particular attention to the steps at Janshanling!!!

days 1 - 2...

Day 1 - Overnight flight departing from London at 20:25 and arriving in Beijing at 13:35 +1. Flying on Virgin Airlines operated by Air China.

Day 2 - Transfer to Yanyuan Mountain Villa. sorry - can't seem to find anything on the net... which in and of itself is quite scary!!! when was the last time you couldn't find information on something on the great google! all the trekkers will have dinner together. this will be the first time we are ALL together. we will be briefed on the events for the remainder of the week and we'll find out who we will be rooming with for the next 8 nights!

my visa....

a visa is required for china regardless of nationality. they do not accept postal applications so you need to either go in person or use a courier service. claire recommended i use cts horizons:

7 upper st martins lane
London WC2H 9DL

cts@ctsuk.com
www.ctshorizons.com

if you go to the embassy of china, the cost for is £50.00 (£30 for UK citizens) for 3 day turn around. you can pay an additional £15 for express service and get it back in 2 days.

through cts i paid £70 and it took 4 days. for £5 they delivered the passport back to me. well worth the money if you ask me - queuing at the embassy is never fun!

you are required to provide a certified itinerary with flight information and accomodation.

visa...check.

the cheesiest pic...

we agreed on a few competitions/challenges along the way to keep things interesting. tackiest souvenir, cheesiest pic - and i think i have my first cheesiest pic entry!!!

if you have any suggestions for a competition or a challenge, add a comment below!

click on the pic above to view all the pics from the walk.

disclaimer: not really sure what has happened to my camera (or rather my ability to take pictures) - all the pics are over or underexposed and the flash kept popping up! ok, you can blame the photographer using the wrong settings - but even on automatic it just wasn't working... so have a look at your own risk!

the final training walk...

we had a practice walk starting/ending at the abinger hatch pub (convenient!) originally, we were scheduled for a 9.1 miler but had to change route due to the foot and mouth outbreak. but have no fear, while the abinger hammer was shorter it was very hilly!

the treadmill has definitely helped... it is very different though on rough terrain especially on very narrow and angled paths.

kit held up well - it rained on us twice. camera bag and back pack both have rain covers to keep everything dry and my northface flight series waterproof was perfect - it kept me dry from the rain but it also just wicked away my sweat... a winner! and once again - my pole saved the day! i brought it out on a steep, narrow and rocky ascent just in time to stop me from falling flat on my bum.

of course, we ended our walk at the pub. i usually kung fu sunday afternoons so i don't get a sunday lunch - needless to day i dug right in to a sunday roast!!! hhhhhhhmmmmmmm!!!! if you are in the neighborhood, i would recommend a stop.

OUCH!!! the big climb...

ok, so i was posting my blog update on incline training, when i suddenly thought - how steep are the bits of wall we will have to conquer??? so off to google i go. what do i find?? and i quote:

"The incline of the climb up the Great Wall at Simatai reaches a 70 degree incline! Some who have braved the ascent descend on all fours!"

guess where we will be on day 6???? yep, you got it - Simatai!!! please keep us in your prayers!

click here for details or here for a 360 video tour.

treadmill training...

i've been on track this week and hit the gym twice - on top of my usual kung fu training. i walk at the highest incline possible - 15% - at a pace of about 4.5 - 5 km/h for about 45 minutes. doesn't sound like much but i promise you break a major sweat... according to the highly accurate calorie counter ;-p i burn up to 670 calories per hour!

the treadmill is hhhmmm - smooth - so i also walk sideways and backwards for a minute at a time to engage my muscles and simulate the rough terrain we are likely to encounter on the wall. i think it's helping - we'll see.

adam if you are reading this AND all the techie stuff worked, would you let me know what our average pace was on our practice walk? i'm crossing my fingers that it was no more than 4.5 km/hr :-)

more kit...

spent another day shopping for trekking gear... i tried on loads of backpacks and finally settled on the deuter race exp air (3L water and 12 L cargo).

my requirements:

- light/small
- small shoulder straps that don't rub
- hydration system
- aircomfort (frame is off your back - reduces sweat by 25%)
- pole straps

turns out i ended up with a biking pack. clearly there are no pole straps but it does have a few extra features:

- helmet holder (my waterproofs and pole fit in very nicely)
- light reflectors (in case i get lost in the dark!)
- "high flow" valve (enables me to chug water at amazing speed)

more vaccinations...

i went back to my gp for the final vaccinations - combined hepatitis A and typhoid fever. this required a prescription and i need to store the meds in the fridge. i wonder why my salad was tasting a bit funny?!

so, finally jab tally:

- hepatitis A
- typhoid fever
- diphtheria
- tetanus
- polio

the nurse advised against malaria tablets, hepatitis b and rabies. the areas i am visiting are not high risk for malaria/rabies and unless you are a health worker dealing with blood, etc. hepatitis b is unnecessary. yeah! no more poking on the arm!

last jab left my arm sore for a week so i am hoping to fare better this time.

where the money will go...

Newick House receives its funding from West Sussex County Council. They received the lowest Government settlement this year of all the County Councils.

Newick House need:
- more space to teach and learn in
- more classrooms (pic to the left is a classroom AND an arts centre)
- better quality buildings
- interactive (ICT)equipment to enhance learning
- minibus to transport the children.

The funds raised will help:
- put ICT whiteboards in every classroom
- replace Sensory Room Equipment
- complete the "Learning Through Landscapes" project
- ensure pupils have access to good learning facilities.

Click here to view pics of my visit to Newick House School and meet the children you will be helping.

norway pics...

Norway

as promised... to view pics from my holiday in norway click on the pic above.

and yes, there was a bit of walking involved.

cost and benefit of ICT whiteboard...

Autistic children, upset by unpredictability, enjoy tools that reduce the potential for failure. They require repetition, pattern and similarity which can be emphasised with an interactive whiteboard.

For children who cannot speak and struggle to communicate at a simple level, the use of interactive whiteboards provide an outlet for self-expression. The simple act of controlling an image puts order back into an austistic child's routine.

Unlike other children, whose play integrates physical and social interaction, children on the autistic spectrum are often characterised as having monotropic attention tunnelling, tending to only engage in physical play. This is usually evidenced in their preference for cause and effect activities which prioritise logic over social interaction. ICT whiteboards provide experiences that exploit the cause and effect with an immediate visual response that does not require the necessity to understand context or interpret intention.

Prices start at £650 for a small simple model and can go as high as £2,000. Please help Newick house put an ICT whiteboard in every classroom. Visit my justgiving site to donate money.

more trekking gear...

aaaah, alas i have found some trousers that fit! but there was only one pair to be had in all of london and now i own them. shopping online to try to find a back up pair - i don't want to torture my fellow walkers by wairing the same stinky pair all week! if anyone knows where to buy acg nike gear - give us a shout!