Peering through the mist and fog of rain clouds added atmosphere to imagination.  Rolling hills covered the horizon, luscious in mystery.  Standing on the wall offered the advantage.

I saw warriors clad in weapons attempting to scale the dangerous wall that snaked across the land.  Horse tracks brought my imaginary battle alive with the sound of galloping hooves. 

Fortresses and passes along the wall hid crouched archers, bows drawn ready for release.  The wall stood as a solid line of defence.  Penetrating it would prove difficult.

An hour and a half drive out of Beijing city, my visit to the Great Wall of China began just as the heavens opened and the rain fell.

Ambitious in character and perfect in construction, the Great Wall of China is an absolute masterpiece. The only man-made structure that can be seen from the moon, the stretch of more than 200,000 kilometers constitutes an architecture integrated into the landscape.

Although it was originally built for protection, the Great Wall ('Chang Cheng' in Chinese) is a true marvel and a testament to the long history of the Chinese Civilisation. 

The stairs were hard going, smoothed over and slippery in the wet.  However, the steep and tedious climb was well worth the reward of the view. 

It was a view that literally went as far as the eye could see.  It tumbled over the mountains, weaving in and out of the valleys and disappearing up into the heavens. 

Sadly, some parts of the Great Wall of China have almost disappeared.  Some parts have been overwhelmed by the elements, and some have been eroded by local people recycling the wall's materials for constructions in their villages.

Nevertheless, the Great Wall of China still stands in its silent splendour, enduring the passage of time and greeting the changes of the seasons as it has done for many hundreds of years.

I left the Great Wall of China feeling a sense of accomplishment.  I now crossed that ‘wonder of the world’ off my bucket list. I have conquered another of my travel dreams.

Want to visit the Great Wall of China yourself? Chinatours.com can take you there.

For information about Chinatours.com contact;
Toll Free Number: 1800 306 669
Email: