Sylvia's Great Wall of China Walk

Sylvia is in Jinchuan

2008-05-24T18:54:00.000-07:00

I am now in the city of Jinchuan in Ningxia province. Will depart today for Din bian in Shaanxi. This will take about 10 days. I will have to catch the bus where there is no wall . I have to renew my visa and time is short.

Sylvia is proceeding despite earthquake

2008-05-15T19:33:00.000-07:00

Sylvia has sent an email to let us know that she is ok.

Olympic Ass is too slow for Sylvia

2008-05-11T14:40:00.000-07:00

25/04/08

Zhang Ye. yet another expedition for a donkey; Finally successful. Got a skinny donkey i called Olympic. Hope he can make it!!!! had a bag made and cover for the night. Finally on the way with Olympic

27/04

Walking with Olympic is very slow. She does not like water. got into problem trying to cross a river. Police comes in and there goes the 4Th questioning since i started. All takes 4 hours. Finally got the thumbs up but not allowed to follow the railway line. My blisters are getting bigger, got one under the nail.

28/04/08

Every one get a shock when they see me with a donkey ! get invited everywhere.

29/04/08

back close to the wall. the poor Shepherd almost got a heart attack when I appeared in front of him. Camping is becoming difficult due to the many fields. Must call in to the farmers generosity. Most of them are happy to accommodate me, they don' t want me to go. Had some good sleep on the "kang" with all the family. Olympic has a fall , he does not want to cross the water , I try the narrow foot path and she falls in the water anyway,; no damage done.

30/04/08

Farmer' s son takes a day off to be with me. I am taken around the ares. and asked to wait one more day so they can organise food for Olympic.Finally on my way again.

31/04/08

was asked to stay one more night . The farmer' s daughter speaks well English and is very helpful, had to walk 6 extra km to go back to their house. it was worth it as dinner was great. Toilet however was as usual; lining up one next to each other in the evening before bed time!

1/05/08

Olympic has lost weight, I don' t think he likes to walk much. After 75 km I must make the decision to leave him behind. If he does not graze , he walks soo slow, I have to be pulling all the time. My arm is even more swollen now. Adding to the regular diarrhea , we had to make so many stops. I really feel sorry to make the decision but!! must do it otherwise I will never get to Beijing.

Luckily I come across a young English student who' s parents can take Olympic and will try to sell her for me. All is set and on my way again

Bricks, blisters and brains!

2008-04-27T14:59:00.000-07:00

Reached Jayuguan 2 days ago.The pass fortress is massive and impressive. From the top of the ramparts, you can see a long way away. Easy to understand why they build it there.
I was explained that the number of bricks used had to be accurately calculated. Due to lack of material locally(everything had to be brought in) the Government sent message that one brick too many or one missing would cost the head of the person in charge. A nasty personne removed one from somewhere and presented it as one too many.
What saved the head was to declare the extra brick was meant as a replacement in case of breakage. Given the size of the fortress, the architect who worked out the number of bricks needed must have been an incredible mathematician.

Bricks were all marked with the name of the laborer who produced them, if one brick broke, the laborer was easy to locate and would lose his head.

My many blisters are getting better. Still looking for a donkey. However the farmers use donkeys in the farm and eat them when not useful anymore. It is hard to find one

Got interviewed by the local media , they sent an appeal to find a donkey for me. The guy who interviewed me, with is friends, did lots of ringing round to find a donkey. Won' t be able to wait very long for the result, Beijing is still a long way away.

Local hospitality still great, getting lots of assistance. Yesterday was taken to dinner; ate mutton intestines and liver, gave a miss to grilled brains , served in the original head!.

Will resume walking tomorrow. The next stretch will be difficult as there is no water of food supply for a long distance; will have to carry sufficient supplies.

Yellow papers honour the dead relatives

2008-04-27T14:55:00.000-07:00

Come across a large family putting yellow papers through the fields. A young men speaking well English explained that 4 April is a special day in China, people go back to their village to honor their dead relatives by putting these yellow papers around the area the dead person used to live.

Surprised to see many little forests of wind mills all the way, clean energy for this part of Gansu. So far pollution has practically been non existing. However as I get close to Jayuguan the sky is getting gray,at a distance I see the spitting chimneys. Don' t know yet the type of industry is causing it.

7/04/08

Walking has been slow due to several nasty blisters, I don' t want to aggravate them.Had to change my route a bit due to water refill points. had to walk part of the way along the HWY. Being alone restrict me on the quantities I can carry therefore the next stage will be a bit problematic, will not be able to carry enough water between refill points .Still trying to negotiate a donkey or a camel. However it is a bit expensive. Still hoping some sponsors will materialise.

10/04/08

Start seeing wall remainders again . Arrived in Jayuguan yesterday. The day before, I slept in a small village approx 40km from Jayuguan. Had the kitchen bed or " kang" the bed is heated by a pipe from the pot belly stove, it' s very comfortable. People in this village seem very poor ,however all very kind. When ever a get to a village, it seems the whole population joins in.

Few km before Jayuguan got a lift into town,it is easier to get to the centre of the city. Trying to get some rest before organiing the next stage.

except for the blistrs , I' m fine

Sylvia plods on across Gansu province

2008-04-27T14:49:00.000-07:00

14/04/08

Jing Ta

Made a detour, was taken to a town north of my normal route my . Local high school(4000 students, 80%boarding) head teacher called in with the local television to document my passing through town. Taken to visit the town, many people have never seen "a visitor from an other country" Spent the day and bus ride to my route again.

13/04/08

Walking through desert again following the wall from tower to tower remains. here they are approx 1 km apart. At a far distance, for a while, I see some high chimnies spitting pollution into the air, later I find out they are coal mines.

16/04/08
Arrived in Tian Cheng, right on the Great Wall. Most of the village is built with the wall' s bricks. its in a beautiful valley between two mountain ranges and a river running through. The scenery was unreal when I emerged from the desert, after several days walk, suddenly this valley appears in front of me . It was like watching a movie.This little oasis with poplars and willows of sharp green leaves surrounded by arid mountains, made a very colofull and spectacular scenery.

A local farmer took me to the other side of the river with a cart suspended by a cable, pulled across by his muscles. My bag was attached to a rope and winched under the cart.
A trail of donkeys and carts with farmers going home was very beautiful to watch. Woman wear face masks and very colorful head scarves, you can only see their eyes. It was really like watching a film. As a matter of fact, when I was on the opposite side of the river, from a distance, with the farmers movements, still collecting wood,It seemed like someones was shooting a film.
I stayed in a farm and taken by donkey and cart to visit the area and climbed to several wall remaining towers.

17,18,19/04/08

Luo Cheng, Gaotai, Zhang Ye

I' m fine, just arrived in Zhang Ye , a large city in Gansu province. The last week has been very eventfull. I bought a donkey and the police (local area, not open to outsiders) did not allowed the sale to go through.

It was just the one "bitchy" women, all the other police were very positive about it.
When I arrived in Luo Cheng, I was taken to the local high school, where I stayed two days, I was asked to speak to the English class; did 2 classes and a main meeting. The teachers asked the students to find me a donkey; It took 10 minutes to get results. Several teachers and I went by bike to the farm. All was settled and well( this time the donkey was very docile and willing to follow me) till I was put on the wrong bus back from the bank (had to go 40 km to withdraw money) .
Had to go to the police who could not read my visa and thought I was illegal. Was taken to the highest police station, in Gaotai ( an other 40 km) where everything was resolved; till the "bitchy" police women wanted to show me how important she was and insisted in canceling the donkey' s purchase.
Unfortunately, no begging from teachers or other police convinced her;the sale of the donkey had to be canceled. Every one was very sad and apologetic.

On my way again. Got mesage from friends, weather changing drastically temperatures will fall to -6 degree , high winds and sand storms to come. had to stay in hotel, all my warm cloths been sent away.

Got lots of blisters, just about every inch of my feet has had a blister. All getting better. It is just a month I have been walking and all goes well. Hope to complete Gansu province in 4 weeks,this is the longest province I have to cross; approx 1000kmNow that my blisters are better, I will be able to go faster. still looking for a donkey

Jillin Mountains

2008-04-06T14:45:00.000-07:00

The nights have become very cold as I am walking along the Jillin mountains. The route I have been following is very interesting , it has a long stretch of wall remains.

Arrived yesterday in Yumen after a 51,9 km walk,got a few blisters but OK. Have been following the railway line to shorten the walk. Had to climb over the fence and walk by the rails at a large river overpass to avoid walking an extra 10 or 15 km. Come across the same situation several times . Second time around, crossed on the frozen river .

People I meet on my way are very kind and helpful.

Today met a French girl cycling from Tibet, aiming for Beijing as well

Will depart tomorrow again

Sylvia arrives in An Xi

2008-04-06T14:36:00.000-07:00

Arrived in An Xi 2 days ago after approx 80 km walk trough an other part of the Gobi. . Hit wind and sand storm for most of the walk. Had to keep on going round the clock with regular breaks. It was the best way, very difficult to put the tent up. Arrived into the first village and as usual very welcome. My hosts insisted to drive my to the center of the city.They said i walked enough for the day.

In An Xi got great help at the local Internet cafe, where everyone tried to help. When I told them I wanted to get a donkey to carry my Guier, all was organized, had to stay another day for the donkey. After 140 km drive to see the potential donkey, one was too old ans stubborn an the other too young and would have taken a good week to time it; should have know a donkey is a donkey Ah!ah! can' t change the nature of things! I will have to continue as a donkey myself. The Internet cafe , who' s open 24 hours put me up for the night in their back room. The young regulars carried a sofa for me to sleep. Really nice and help full people.

Sylvia completes the first stage!

2008-03-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

Just completed the first stage, probably the hardest one; 4 1/2 days in the Gobi;From sand to swamps, from swamps to almost oblivion;I run out of water for two days.

Navigated my way back to Dun Huang with the compass.Very difficult to estimate distance I covered,(my pedometer does not work) However I walked constantly every day .I abandoned my bag for the last few kms, just to save energy.

The police drove me to get it back. Believe it or not, we hit a pot hole and and blew the radiator had to be rescued by an other police car, A bit of excitement for the local TV.

Everyone here has been very kind and help full, friends sent me to friends in other areas. The city of Dun Huang is very interesting, very clean, and tidy, I recommend to visit. Far more inter resting than Shanghai or other cities I have visited. Not to mention the historic Mogao Grottoes, moon lake and endless sand dunes.

Started my walk at the Han Dynasty wall , Yumen Pass , or Jade Gate .It is easy to guess the former greatness of the construction, with the vastness of the desert it is very spectacular. I watched the rise and down of the day and experienced drastic change in temperature as the sun sets. The first night i stayed with local farmers, after that I was on my own.

The vastness of the Gobi is so impressive. The last two days of my Gobi walk, looking around 360 degrees there was no difference to the horizon, just one strait line. It is hard to believe somewhere there, past this vastness there are people.

There is only the sound of the wind and the sound of my own footsteps.;no birds,no flies, no creatures of any kind. However I felt very comfortable in this environment. The mornings are fresh and crisp and the immense night sky is riddled with stars. No buildings or mountains to obstruct the simultaneous down of the sun and rise of the moon. A great spectacle.

I sang a song about the Gobi,will sent in next mail.
Must get ready, I will be departing-for my next stage tomorrow. Will try to sent some photos soon, need to get the connection to the computer from-my camera

Getting closer to the start

2008-03-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

I' m now in Dun Huan , North west China.The place is great with lots of history. Visited the Mogao Grottoes. Will depart tomorrow to start my walk . could not download any photos at the internet cafe . Will try next city. Got lots of help here.

2008-03-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

I am now in the city of Lanzhou , Gansu province, will depart this afternoon for Dun Huan and driven to my starting point. I am walking solo. How ever I have lots of help in this province. Liu' s friends are going to do like a relay to provide me with assistance. One friend sends me to an other.

Sylvia is on her way to the start of the walk

2008-03-16T16:07:00.000-07:00

Sylvia has just begun her journey to the start of the walk of the great wall of China to raise money for breast cancer. She is herself a breast cancer survivor who has recently celebrated her 5 years of remission.