FLASHBACK #14: China & Charity (Part 1) - People, Trekking, Zip-lining!

The weekend after Vapuu, I flew to the UK where I spent a day with my family before flying to China. I had signed up to take part in 'Trek China', raising money for the National Deaf Children's Society. The event was supposed to have taken place last September, but after the tragic attack on the World Trade Centre in New Year, our trip had been delayed more than seven months. I had managed to rope one of my friends into participating with me and, together, we raised more than £5,000. The 10 day event would involved trekking some 80km along the Great Wall of China.

Excitedly, we headed to Heathrow's Terminal 3 very early on the morning of departure, checking in with the rest of the 70-odd people who were also taking part. Before the plane even took off, I had managed to get aquainted with several of the people taking part and it seemed that there was a good group going.

Having flown to Beijing via Istanbul, the trip had been very well organised, with a different place to stay each evening. The first day of trekking was at Waterfall Park in Beijing Province. Over the course of 6 hours, we trekked 18km, in a region dotted with reservoirs. Climbing 120 steps, we made our way to the opposite side of the park via a mountain path. As we progressed, I got talking to two of the native guides who worked for Classic Tours, the organisers of our trek. The guy was a handsome doctor about 30 years old who, surprisingly, was single. His family lived in an isolated in the very north of China and regularly travelled to Beijing to make money, escorting trips like ours to make ends meet. I accompanied Judy and Sweetpea, two girls I had met at the airport, as we descended into a valley where our accommodation awaited us.

The next day, we covered five towers along the Great Wall. Setting our eyes on the Great Wall for the first time was an amazing feeling - we reached it after trekking several kilometres through lush hills which offered spectacular views. We covered 20kms that day, over the course of 8 hours. Each day, I got to know more and more people - one guy had a bionic ear just like mine, although his history was rather different. As a rubella child, he suffered from multiple disabilities. His balance wasn't too good and, every now and then when we came across uneven terrain, the group pulled together to assist this young, courageous man. Likewise, there was an elderly guy from Liverpool who was the oldest at 72. He was fighting fit, flagging at times, but demonstrated considerable determination.

During the third day of trekking, we were transferred to the nearby Black Dragon Paw Park. Trekking along rocky terrain, we reached a small Chinese settlement before reaching the park. After a simple lunch of sandwiches and chicken drumsticks, we headed uphill until we arrived at a badly damaged part of the Great Wall. We clamberred along the Wall until we reached the main road. From there, having trekked 18km over seven hours, we were transported to the traditional Chinese-styled Simatai Lodge. In the evening, we all gathered around a dinner table, comparing blisters, sunburns and stories. The weather had been cooler than I expected (always 25-27C), but coupled with the humidity and the fact that we were constantly on the move, the sweat just rolled off us. That's why, each morning, bottles of water were added to our backpacks.

On the fourth day, we were transported to the small village of Shalingzi and, from there, set off towards the Great Wall. We ambled along a dirt track before the Wall finally came into view. It was a good one hour climb before we reached the Wall itself. This part of the Wall was in really bad shape and, during the evening briefing, we were told that we had walked 4km along this steep and stony section. On some parts, only one side of the wall remain, no longer defending the Chinese from the Mongolian's who live on the Northern side. We stopped for lunch and, as we ate, were told that there's two ways to get down: by a dry toboggan run or by zip-lining over a reservoir. It was a tough choice, but I opted for the zip-line. After downing my lunch, I rushed off to the zipline. It looked initimidating, especially when people suddenly disappeared from view. Within seconds, however, the line tightened and they reappeared, shuttling (several hundred metres high) across the reservoir. When my turn came, I launched myself enthusiastically. There was a momentary feeling of unease, but as the welcome cool air surrounded you, you opened your eyes and admired the dry landscape. Within a minute, I was at the bottom and this was a much better than walking down which would have taken several hours. What a thrill!!

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