We wanted to have a different experience of the wall this time, there was no need to climb masses of stairs or steep hills! So we decided to catch local transport to this area and just wander around. It seemed simple enough! We had found directions on the net…

So we caught the subway to Dongzhimen and followed the signs to the bus terminus…there was bus 916 and for the sum of 12 yuan each we headed to Huairou Town. Now we had been warned that drivers would board the bus and offer to take us to the wall. But we managed to stay on the bus until the driver told us to get off…bad move…it was not the depot…and drivers started hassling us. So we followed the bus route (felt like a couple of kms!) until we found the end of the line! (Should have just climbed on another bus!)

We were looking for a blue mini bus, and were sent from one side of the street to the other and back again! Finally a regular sized bus turned up with H21 in the window. Hurray! An hour later we were at the entrance to the wall…I, being a senior only paid half price!

The wall drops into the reservoir here, and there are grass covered sections as well as rubble. But there are some sections that have been restored and in the distance we could see people climbing them…but it was so hot! So we went for a stroll around the lake and viewed the wall from afar. There really was no need to climb it again, but we did trudge up one section and that was enough of a sweat!

Coming back took even longer, due to peak hour. We sat on the 916 for almost two hours and watched people waiting patiently at bus stops to go home. There were bikes seemingly abandoned all along the highway…obviously not…there were too many…do people just ride them to the station or bus stop and leave them until they need them again? Do they share them? More mysteries!

Last day. I have found a wool shop just around the corner! And we are heading out to a market where you don’t need to bargain, so that will be great! Plane leaves Beijing at 2am! We arrive in Sydney 8pm…a long day…it will be good to get home…feeling a bit tired!!