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It's crazy. I have visited one of the great wonders of the world. Yesterday I climbed the Great Wall with Hugh and Nick. We got dropped off at one point and hiked across the many towers to the pick up point. It was definitely one of the harder exhausting days of my life but after finishing I felt a sense of exhileration...it was really nice. At first we were a little skeptical we were even going to get to go. We had booked with the tourist information desk but there were only two girls working there and they gave off a really vague sense of professionalism. The bus ended up just being about an hour late (so much for punctualality). I dont know why, but I felt like I was dug up from the depths of my sleep cuz I felt soo deathly tired. I don't know if it was just because of the contrast of the earliness of that day compared to the previous days or what, but I was sooo tired until we reached the actual Wall. The weather was rather nice almost too hot as I was sweating up a storm climbing the butt of steel stairs. At some points of the wall I had to take breaks after each tower but as I got use to it became easier. Anyways, I think that I wouldn't have done it if it wasnt for Hugh and Nick. They might think I was a total blob as they didnt seem to nearly have the same amount of trouble....I really must get into shape.

So at the end there was a zip line where you hook yourself on to a line that takes you over a lakeish thing. It looks quite scary but at that point I really didnt care. I did it and it was good. It wasn't as scary as it looks. I have to admit, I'd do it again. We then were able to take a boat back...saving some more walking.
I was able to sit up in front with the driver on the way back. The tour itself was quite unorganized because they were switching people back and forth between buses and all but all I have to say is that I give the driver a lot of credit. It was about three hours there and another 3 hours back and all along the way weaving in and out of traffic. It is just craziness watching it wall. Sometime there are four lanes going one way on a two way street. I dont know how they do it but I would guess their stress level is higher than normal.
Afterwards after we got dropped off around nine we took some showers and headed over to the foot massage place. It was definitely heaven. We got put in a private room with three lounge looking chairs and three people came to do our feet. The boys got girls and I got a boy. They started with a tub of water with tea in it and then moved on to massaging our shoulders. Then last they did our feet. They were really nice and we talked with them. All of that was only for 49 yuan. Crazy cheap.
I should have noted all the things we have done but have been quite busy making the most of our time here. I think I'll have to make another journal when I get back. I saved most of my tickets and things so maybe it will be decent. We shall see.