China > Sunrise on the Wall

I have trouble falling asleep. I also struggle to get comfortably warm again. I crawl deeper under the duvet. At ten to half past four, the alarm goes off. I wash myself at the sink and put on enough warm clothes. Outside it is still dark, and the stars are shining in the sky. By bus, we drive to the entrance of the wall. Normally, buses are not allowed here, but at this early hour, an exception is made. Around five o’clock, we pass the ticket control. In the dark, I walk to the beginning of the Great Wall of China. No additional lighting is needed. It is a full moon today, and on the horizon, the new day is awakening. Via a stone staircase, I reach the first tower of the Great Wall. I can distinguish the contours of the wall, winding through the mountainous landscape. We proceed to the second tower, which lies a bit higher and offers a beautiful view when the sun rises above the mountains. Because of the climbing, I am not cold—maybe I’m even wearing too many clothes.

China - At sunrise on the Great Wall

I have already put away my gloves. Around quarter to six, the first rays of the sun appear. Sunlight shines on the wall. Only now do I see how far the wall stretches. Far in the distance, I see the wall continuing over the mountains. What a magnificent sight. We follow the wall westward. We can pass about six towers at most before reaching a military area. From the last tower, it’s clear that the continuation of the wall is unrestored and completely overgrown. We have enough time to walk the other side as well. Whereas some parts on the west side were not fully restored and the side walls were missing, the east side has been completely restored. Via the steps, I climb and scramble from tower to tower. Sometimes the steps are large, requiring me to cover about forty centimeters in one stride. I thought the Chinese used to be smaller? We are joined by a Mongolian woman. She says she is a farmer. Soon it becomes clear she has souvenirs in her backpack and, since there are hardly any tourists, she wants to sell them to us. She keeps walking with us, to the point of annoyance. We decide to buy a small souvenir. This works, and then she leaves. The view from every tower is beautiful, making it hard to decide how far to go.

China - The Great Wall runs through the hilly landscape

At every tower, the next one looks just as spectacular. One of the towers houses a small souvenir shop. Everything has to be carried up by hand, including water, cola, and coffee. I order coffee. From the coffee point, I continue on for two more towers. This is one of the higher watchtowers on this part of the wall. From the tower, I have a nice view of the wall and can see the entire route I’ve walked. I still have to return along this route. As I get closer to the starting point, more tourists appear. Until now, our travel group was practically alone on the Great Wall. It is half past nine, and likely the first day-trippers from Beijing are arriving now. I walk back to the guesthouse, take a shower, and pack my luggage again. At the end of the morning, we return to the restaurant from yesterday. Now a large brunch is served, consisting of various platters of rice, chicken, meat, and eggs. The dishes are surprisingly different from last night’s meal. After lunch, we get on the bus. We drive back to Beijing, where the train to Xi’an departs early in the evening. Around half past three, we arrive at Beijing West Railway Station. Upon entry, the luggage is checked, similar to an airport security check. Then we can take a seat in the waiting area. When I walk around the station, I see only very large waiting rooms. I don’t see any train tracks or trains. We will probably be led from the waiting area to the platform once our train has arrived. At the entrance gates, my passport is scanned. The train ticket is linked to this. Then I walk to platform seven. The train is already waiting. At every carriage, a staff member is ready to let passengers board. We sleep in compartments for four people. It’s a bit of a squeeze to fit our luggage in the compartment. Two suitcases fit above the entrance. The other two bags go under the table. It all just fits. Meanwhile, the train leaves the station. Hot water is available on the train. I bought noodles beforehand. I can pour hot water over them. It tastes surprisingly good. Later, we try to find beer. Using the translation app, we try in the dining car. Unfortunately, there is no beer on board. However, there is a strong drink. We are handed a small bottle. It looks like a beer bottle, but the label shows 43% alcohol. We try it. Everyone takes a sip. It doesn’t really taste like alcohol, but it’s a bit too strong for me. Around half past nine, I climb to the upper bed. With the rocking of the train, I fall asleep.