Walking the Wall

Emma and remains of the wall

Our first week on the Great Wall was as varied as the dishes in a Chinese banquet. One day we’re walking through shadeless desert, the next we’re strolling under huge leafy trees alongside a field of watermelons. One minute we’re entertaining little kids in the village, the next we’re trying to communicate with a shepherd.

A peaceful village setting

Though a fair chunk of our day involves following the wall and photographing it, we spend a lot of time working out where we will stay for the night and what we will eat next. A few times we’ve stayed in guesthouses, once with a family, but mostly we camp. To do this, we have to carry several litres of water in the evening so we can cook dinner and breakfast (noodles and more noodles … plus a rewarding cup of Chinese tea).

Preparing dinner next to the wall

One of the best times of the day is making it to a village and finding the local corner shop. This is where we buy snacks and a drink (an extra bonus if there’s refrigeration) and talk to the people who are gathered there chatting or playing cards. When we stop, the owner invariably pulls out a few wooden stools and serves up some tea for us. Within ten or fifteen minutes, a crowd has gathered around wanting to know what we are doing. The corner shop is not only the first place we head to, it is also where the village socializes.

A shopkeeper’s son, Yang Zhen Xiong, tries out our walking sticks

People have been amazingly friendly. Almost everyone smiles as we pass and often they stop us to ask questions. Though the idea of walking the length of the wall is a bit strange to some, we’ve been surprised at how readily most people understand what we are doing. A few people have even seen us on local TV and already know where we are going. Everyone, without exception, encourages us. The most common response to our trip is a huge smile and two big thumbs up.

The people of Changcheng si dui waving goodbye

Between stretches of desert we passed through some beautiful agricultural areas. These produce herbs, corn, wheat, melons and all sorts of other fruit and vegetables. This is one good thing about traveling during this time of year – the fruit is just delicious.

A couple working in the field

Outside of the agricultural areas, the vast plains and semi-arid desert are home to sheep, cattle and a few camels. Like the sheep, we spend those days in the desert looking for shade and water (unlike the sheep, we have a map).

The master of his domain

In the early morning or late afternoon, the Great Wall is often the only structure that offers shade. For the shepherds, it also offers a good lookout.

Mr Zhu, a shepherd, watching his flock (not by night)

Since we started, our communication has been a bit sketchy. The people of Gansu have a thick, guttural accent and sometimes don’t speak standard Chinese. A few of our conversations have taken place on notepaper. But nearly every village has its fair share of cute kids wanting to practice their English, repeatedly calling “Hello, hello” … even from outside the window when we’re trying to have a meal.

Keeping the riffraff at bay