A couple of months ago I bought an iPad – one of the new ones, with the retina display. It’s really lovely. A toy, for sure; a luxury – but a good one to have for that. I’ve used it a lot – for all the things you’d expect like facebook, mail, twitter, listening to music (and Radio 4), etc. I’ve also read several books on it (the retina display is very very very easy on the eye), played a few games (particularly Myst, which I’d never played before, and the fascinating Cargo-Bot), and had fun with some music making apps (both NanoStudio and the Korg iMS-20 are good for a few hours’ dicking around at least – but I’m more seriously intrigued by the prospect of using it to to control Ableton Live, and I spent a good chunk of last Saturday exploring the options there).
So, yeah, it’s a shiny device and lots of exciting things are happening with it. That being so, I’d like to be able to program it, so I’m going to try to get into that now – and probably blog about it a bit here.
I was still running Snow Leopard on my MBP, and the latest XCode requires Lion, so I finally got round to upgrading yesterday (completely painless, should have done it ages ago). So now I can install the latest tools and get cracking.
To that end, I’m gathering materia:
- On my desk I’ve got the lab’s copy of Wei-Meng Lee’s Beginning iPad Application Development but it’s the 2010 edition, only goes up to iOS 3.2, and has poor reviews on Amazon, so I’m not very excited about that.
- I’ve ordered a copy of Mark et al’s Beginning iPhone 5 Development which looks much better and which I’ve heard good things about. It should arrive tomorrow, after which point I expect it’ll be my main resource for a while.
- For Objective C goodness I’ve also got Stephen Kochan’s Programming in Objective-C 2.0…
- … and my friend David Chisnall’s Cocoa Programming Developer’s Handbook which is full of clever stuff (some of which you might need to be Chisnall-clever to understand) – mainly Cocoa-specific but the boy knows his stuff and it’s definitely got some shiny tips.
- Frosty recommended DocSets to me, so I’ve got that installed on the iPad for handy second-screen reference.
Any other recommendations for stuff I should be looking at/using/reading/listening to/absorbing through my skin?
This is my diary for Tuesday 13th November 2001. I was on a trip to China to walk on the Great Wall, fundraising for the National Star College. I kept a diary but I never published it, so here it is, 10 years on. I’ll do this for every day there’s a diary entry. [Text written like this is commentary added by me now.]
Index of all relevant blog entries is here.
Tuesday 13th November – final day, returning to UK
Boo, it’s over.
2023 UTC. Nightmare journey. Or maybe just tired and depressed.
Breakfasted early as I’d had an early night last night. Finish packing and wake Llew – who singularly did not have an early night last night. Hand in key. Polava, fuss and nonsense, as you’d expect with a crowd of seventy people all checking out.
Get on bus; go. Oh yeah – it snowed. Anthony summarises the week for us – bless. Pass USSR & Canadaian embassies. Running late.
Arrive at the airport, and head with Jack, one of the Chinese guides, to Lost Property to claim tripod. Show them the form we got on the way in, and get waved inside; gloriously, they don’t know which shelf it’s on, i.e. MY LOST PROPERTY IS LOST IN LOST PROPERTY! Anyway, find it and sign for it. The zip on the bag is broken; bah. There’s no good reason for that.
Find and rejoin main group, queueing at luggage check-in in queues which don’t move. After a while, Eric magically moves us to another, and progress is made. I don’t know the weight of my luggage but I’m not charged any excess – as predicted by Julie. Then we queue for security – Tony has tiny scissors and thus everything of his is searched; fail. My bic biro sets off the metail detector, but I escape the full cavity treatment.
Not much time before boarding so a quick rush into the shop for last-minute presents, then on we go, er, onto a bus. Then onto plane. Very pushy Chinese guy – de rigeur. Seated in the middle column of the plane, towards the back. Then, oooh how pleasant, a two-hour wait for some latecomers! Joy! Just what you want before an eleven-hour flight, eh?
Flight is generally tiring and depressing (and knee-hurting). Food not great (chicken and rice, beef and rice) though nut allergy people (i.e. Julie) get fucking steak. [Protip!] Have a bit of a snooze but uncomfortable as not by a window so nothing to lean against. [Amateur.] Films shite again. On the other hand, start reading “A Mad World, My Masters” by John Simpson – excellent, must buy it. All in all though, my worst flight yet, alas. Probably mainly down about returning to reality – just want to trek.
Land at Heathrow at 1630 UTC. People fucking standing on walkways! Stand on the right if you want to stand! Clear immigration, then to baggage collection – should be interesting. Takes a while but both rucksack and tripod arrive together – woo hoo. Sit on trolley while waiting for other people getting the coach back to the National Star Centre and beyond.
Non-bus people start leaving – argh. There go Rich and Ollie. There goes Emma. There goes Becca. There go Mavis and Alison. There they go… So sad! Will I ever see these people again? [For most of them, no; I saw a few a couple of times over the next six months of so but then that was that. I miss them, and for some of them I miss getting to know them at all.]
Neil, a bus person, has lost his luggage, and the decision is made to leave without it – very nice of him not to make all us very tired people wait longer. We clear customs without me noticing it. Then onto the bus, on which I sleep until Ullenswood, when I see the gates of Star College for the first time – but no more.
Farewells to all, especially Pete, Laura, Julie and Gill – total star. Anita, Jan, etc. Then Llew gives me a lift to the station, where I’m writing this. Should be home at 2245. Have phoned Mum & Julie, will talk more to them tomorrow. Really sad/depressed it’s over. This was the best thing I’ve ever done. End.
[So that's that. It really was the best thing I'd ever done in my life at that point, and I realised with something of a jolt that I should be doing more with my life, that something or some things needed to change. For one thing, I realised just how much I actually liked doing stuff outside - walking, etc. And also, just, life is short and you need to do things you care about; within a year of the trek I'd quit my unfulfilling job programming for a company which didn't care about anything except the bottom line, and got a job teaching at Swansea University, with more control over my hours, and the prospect of doing some research and one day doing a PhD - which I'm now a year from completing. I'm sad to say that the trek also brought my relationship with Julie to an end, though not immediately as there was a lot of momentum there and I had a lot of fear to overcome. I'm still no intrepid traveller, and haven't been adventuring overseas at all really, though I did go back to China for a week in 2005 with my job. So I've still got a long way to go, but I'll always remember the trek as a major waypoint on that journey, and one of the best times of my life.]
This is my diary for Monday 12th November 2001. I was on a trip to China to walk on the Great Wall, fundraising for the National Star College. I kept a diary but I never published it, so here it is, 10 years on. I’ll do this for every day there’s a diary entry. [Text written like this is commentary added by me now.]
Index of all relevant blog entries is here.
Monday 12th November – second day in Beijing
[It seems I'm definitely running out steam by this point...]
[Pictured here, the "fake fireworks" mentioned earlier... They're animated neon at night.]
Last full day. Get up and go to breakfast but feel like a pig shat in
my head (as the saying goes [it's a Waitnail & I quote]) so back to bed. Others going to Lama
Temple but my way is better. [Nonsense. A prime example of regretting something you didn't do. I should have gone.] Decide on a lazy day, basically -
tomorrow’s gonna be hard. [I.e. the return journey.] Get up lunchtime and shower, go looking for
company. Others back about now, Llew shows me Lama Temple postcard -
looks impressive but I’m all touristed out. In lobby, Julie changing
money and Rich/Ollie off to Pizza Hut, just up road. Have to send
postcards so spend 15 minutes licking 24 huge stamps [hahaha - errr?], then follow them
up there. Oh wow – it’s pizza! Have my first Edge, excellent. Er,
Chicken Delight, if I recall correctly. [Looking back, ten years on, I can only congratulate myself for recording this fascinating detail, which more than makes up for the lack of any memories of the Lama Temple, say] Crazy waitresses. [No idea why.]
Very cold outside, and rather grey. Bloke doing Tai Chi Chuan. [I think, in fact, Julie and I went to a nearby park-ish bit (I remember a small lake) where several people were doing so - but it was quite grey and miserable.] Can’t
face packing yet so to bar, where Becca and Laura waiting. Pete buys
me a beer, Ollie arrives from cold sauna – something for him to write
about I guess. Feeling OK, but really don’t want to pack as implies
acknowledgement of impending return to reality. Do so anyway, in a
mad rush before dinner (which is at the hotel again). Pretty good
meal, though air hot, chips cold, and waitresses intrusive (SIT THE
FUCK DOWN! [Hahaha. I suppose this is what we thought they were thinking, given their actions...? No idea really.]) Not drinking much, gonna make it an early night. It’s
all fairly subdued, really. Ice cream!
Back in bar, some people (notably Kim – bouncing off walles) are
making the most of the last night – and of course the stalwarts are
there – but many also subdued like me. Chat with Becca and Laura,
then Anita. But ready to crash at midnight so do. Laura spilt my
whisky! Llew rolls in late (0430?), turns light on, spends an hour
undressing, etc. Bless him, he’s a trooper.
All in all, a nice gentle day.
This is my diary for Sunday 11th November 2001. I was on a trip to China to walk on the Great Wall, fundraising for the National Star College. I kept a diary but I never published it, so here it is, 10 years on. I’ll do this for every day there’s a diary entry. [Text written like this is commentary added by me now.]
The photos for this day are here.
Index of all relevant blog entries is here.
Sunday 11th November – first day in Beijing
The best breakfast yet, but a nasty head accompanying. To Tiananmen
Square – very cool! Get to do the touristy thing of following a yellow flag about the place! Eric [Chinese guide] telling us about the place: the Great Hall of the People (i.e. parliament),
Mao’s Mausoleum, the National Museum of China, and of course the Forbidden City – where we’re heading in a sec. Would have loved to have seen the mausoleum and the museum, though the latter in particular is colossal… Lots of people, including two soldiers, the tallest Chinese people I’ve ever seen.
Frantic photos with Louisa, then head towards the Forbidden City.
Go through an underpass under the road. Pass under the big picture of Chairman Mao and through the Tiananmen Gate. Roger Moore! [Er, what? I'm pretty sure he wasn't actually there, so presumably this refers either to an animatronic or a recording of his voice...?]
Hawkers, tourists and courtyards, oh my! Lots more soldiers. Flags. Then through the Duanmen and Meridian Gates and we’re actually in the Forbidden City proper. Little girl hawker with Steve:
mamiya! [Hahaha. Can't quite remember, but I think maybe he tried to talk to her or something, and she ran off calling for her mum?] Lions (male with ball, female with cub), urns, gold plate,
stripped. [Urns had their gold plate stripped from them for the money, I guess...?]
Then through the Gate of Supreme Harmony, across the Harmony Square to the Hall of Supreme Harmony at last! Woo, Last Emperor stylee… Chinese
bloke engages me in conversation. [No memory.] On through, Dowager Empress area,
tripod frustration [I guess it was dimly lit and I wanted to do a long exposure.]. Imperial Gardens – very nice, but can’t hang around for
long. “Loving Couple” trees [a pine and a cypress interlocked; I think this is a picture of them, from here] – awww. Into shop, a la Friendship Store.
Nearly accidentally buy a banner. [Er?] Do buy some calligraphy. Shopping with Emma,
she’s a dog. [Errr? Oh, I guess her Chinese sign?] Paperweight painting. Josie looking at horse prints -
wow, Y500? About 43 quid – I’ll get it. But gotta go! Hurry, and
get it for Y400 – but with debit card so real cost maybe much higher? [No idea.]
Which way did the group go!? Left or right? Aha, there’s Eric!
Back to bus, then to Silk Alley, spat out in hawker/taxi central.
Walk past Austrian and Cuban embassies to Silk Alley – bloody
busy/insane. T-junction, turn left – looking for Pizza Hut. Dead
end, turn back, fight through to other end. Micky D’s [i.e. McDonald's] to left, no
sign of Pizza Hut. MD it is! Er, how do we order? Lady w/ pad – phew!
Five Big Mac Meals and one veggie, please! Big Mac Meal costs Y173, i.e about
1.70 – mental. I’m no fan of McDonald’s but this was very welcome – no rice, no
egg, no nuts, and the chips are hot! Strange experience anyway. By the way, with
Becca, Laura, Jan, Emma, Julie. More trekkers appear everywhere,
including Anthony with spicy chicken burger of renown. Emma’s contact
lens adventure. [I guess it came out?]
OK, time to hit the shops! Aaaargh! Mental! Girls looking for dresses
for tonight’s big meal, me looking for a shirt (aikdio trousers will do for legs).
First dress purchase is Y320 haggled down to Y55, I believe – very
good going! I get a shirt when I see one I like, it’s pretty plain. Y280
down to Y75, but I can’t haggle like Becca. Julie wants a yellow
dress, which of course nobody sells. Trust a Julie to be awkward. [Hahaha. My girlfriend at the time was called Julie. Somebody once joked that as my Julie couldn't come to China, the organisers had been kind enough to supply me with one. Oh, how we laughed.]
She gets a black one in the end – the earlier haggling paid off as get same price
automatically. She and Laura try to get 5 more knocked off it but
it’s not happening. Jan looking for a bag. Julie and I get taxi back
to hotel (using card with address on it) – hairy! Looked for colour
and meter. [I.e. to identify a legit taxi rather than one which would have resulted in our being sold into slavery, presumably.]
Sit in hotel lobby writing twelve postcards; takes fucking ages. [To this day I find writing postcards a terrible chore which takes an inordinately long time.] Then
look for phone to call home, jog to another hotel as our payphone is
not doing international. No reply! 0930 on Sunday morning at home -
get up you lazy gits! Maybe they’re at church… Have to get back,
late, no time to shower before dinner, so just change and get to coach
(6pm).
Go to famous Peking duck restaurant, Anthony gets nasty response when
explaining how it’s produced [presumably because part of the process involves force-feeding the ducks, though not to the extent employed for fois gras, apparently] – but all these people will eat it an
hour later. The restaurant is big – really big, multiple floors, multiple rooms. Pictures of famous diners include Ted Heath, Fidel Castro, George
Bush, etc. [This list strongly suggests that the restaurant was
Qianmen Quanjude, est. 1864.] Seating confusion puts me on a table with people I
don’t know too well, but of course they’re great people – just would
have been more of a laugh if we’d all been together – this is the big
night. Superb jasmine tea [first time I'd had it; love it to this day]. Meal excellent, best of week, and duck
is great fun and delicious (duck sliced at table, pancake, scallion, sweet/salty sauce
- yum). Toffee apple chopstick woman. [Hahaha. Something to do with the dessert. See photo below.] Speeches by Anthony and
others, then William Lindesay [the first foreigner to walk the entire length of the wall, and the guy who was to present us with our certificates] – cool guy – then presentation of
certificates, then votes of thanks. Then, like a big jessie, I burst
into tears. The idea of not seeing these people any more really got
to me. Awww. Gill and Emma console (well, Gill consoles, Emma
listens). Buy the t-shirt. Then out to get bus back.
Liveliest night yet in bar – though most people have changed their clothes (oh yeah
- girls all had to swap dresses because they didn’t fit!) Really cool
night, everyone on great form and I’m feeling less emotional about the
whole thing. Talk with Harry about cool places to go, and about Eric Shipton (he recommends I read The Six Mountain Travel Books [though as it turns out I prefer Bill Tilman's writing, on balance]) I
tell him about Shipton’s Arch and promise to send him the National Geographic article I’d recently read about it), and got his
card – fantastic. [The following year a bunch of the trekkers went with Harry to Nepal, a trip I had been very enthusiastic about but which I pulled out of for personal reasons, to my continuing regret. Always remember the words of The Butthole Surfers or, if you prefer, Orbital.] Collect addresses (and lipsmacks!) at back
of this book. Buy a 30 quid round. Talk with Harriet about life and
priorities – she’s a top lass. Talk with Ollie about his work, and
discover a shared love for Withnail and I. Talk codshit with various
people. Ace. Bed at about 3AM, apparently. A good night.
This is my diary for Saturday 10th November 2001. I was on a trip to China to walk on the Great Wall, fundraising for the National Star College. I kept a diary but I never published it, so here it is, 10 years on. I’ll do this for every day there’s a diary entry. [Text written like this is commentary added by me now.]
The photos for this day are here.
Index of all relevant blog entries is here.
Saturday 10th November – fifth and final day of wall walking; Juyongguan
[One thing to note: that I wrote all of this a couple of days later, rather than at the time - so it's a bit curtailed and lacking in detail compared to earlier days. In fact, I really didn't appear to have much to say about this day, sadly...]
Last walking day! Juyongguan (“Middle Pass”). Really, really
touristy, especially at start, up 1600 steps. Big group shot first.
Definitely the nastiest piece of wall we’ve seen, but only because of
the setting – very urban, road running right through it, hotel in middle,
etc. Also too many people! Hah, we’re such snobs! Lots of locks and
ribbons attached to wall on the way up…
The wall is a ring here. Can see more wall in distance from top -
apparently that’s Badaling [the most popular section of wall for tourists], though I didn’t realise this at the time.
Several extra temples on the way, but I missed them – boo; Becca &
Emma did them though. Walk down is long and in places very steep -
excellent. Julie’s knees fine now, while mine are starting to twinge
a bit!
Half-way round, cross road past buildings. Slightly hard but
short climb up the other side but then easy undulating going, very
quiet apart from some Americans (SHUT UP!) [hahaha - standard] and background traffic.
Then, suddenly it’s over. Off the wall and back up to the crowded car
park for congratulations and lunch. (At least there’s chicken!) Sad,
innit? Hang around, go in shop (Cathy & Gill buying thing), photo &
annoying bloke [no idea what the problem was; I forgive you, annoying bloke!], then time to go.
Now to Beijing proper, to Exhibition Centre Hotel. Beijing very busy, much
construction, strange spiky things – what are they!? [Artifical fireworks - see photo below] Room 437.
Shower! Meal nearby, food very good, though dead fish in tank (and
live ones) [yum]. Bit of speech from Anthony (re Star Centre and trek),
then awards, then silly awards (me and Louisa: Most Boring
Conversation – hurrah! [ie about photography, cameras, focus length, exposure times, ISO settings, film choices, etc. etc. etc.]), then cabaret. Hugh and Bob started (The
Teutonic Trekkers – German shower-cap-wearing walkers); Anita sang
Summer Time; Jessie and Edith sang Sisters and some other songs;
Richard sang something short but very good; Becca (not the hat) did a
Pam Ayres style poem about the trek, really good, probably the best
thing here; Chink In Wall sketch, very hammy! [no idea]; The Five Degrees (Neil,
Sue, Jill, Chris, Trudi), but could only really hear Jill. My
raindrop impression! [Hahaha. This.] Finish with Steve, Mavis, Ali, Jenny, Laura
singing “Congratulations”.
Then out we go (beer w/ Hugh episode [no idea]) to
bar for proper drink. Drinking til after 0200, according to Becca.
Much tomfoolery!
This is my diary for Friday 9th November 2001. I was on a trip to China to walk on the Great Wall, fundraising for the National Star College. I kept a diary but I never published it, so here it is, 10 years on. I’ll do this for every day there’s a diary entry. [Text written like this is commentary added by me now.]
The photos for this day are here.
Index of all relevant blog entries is here.
Friday 9th November – fourth day of wall walking; Huanghuacheng
[One thing to note: that I wrote all of this a couple of days later, rather than at the time - so it's a bit curtailed and lacking in detail compared to earlier days. Sorry about that - I was having too much fun. :-) ]
“Wild wall day”, at Huanghuacheng. Leave hotel and walk by lake to
dam, then cross dam and head up, up, up. Helping Lola for most of the
morning. The wall here is very cool, but it’s slow going, so no
exertion, which is a shame. There’s an extra bit to look forward to,
just for the adventurous (like with Simatai).
Argh! We’re not doing
it! Stopped at the decision point, can see this fantastic wonderfully
crumbly looking downhill section, which Harry/others go to check out,
but the verdict is no, too dodgy to let any of us do it. Absolutely
gutted, looking at this beautiful and fun looking chunk of wall,
watching through borrowed binoculars as Eric [one of the local guides] & Dr Xing [the local doctor] work their way
down it. Sigh. Waiting in the sun is very pleasant, mind.
Set off down through orchards, single file, very slow going. Hey,
we’ve got split up! Does this path even exist? Helping Jess or Edith
down, me with one, Llew with the other. Lots of scratchy twigs. Very
hot day. Arrive at bottom same time as other party, wherever they
went. Talk with Anita/Cathy/Harriet about trekking, careers, etc. as
we walk back to/through the village. Lunch in car park in sun. Food
same as usual, getting very boring now. Amusing debrief for afternoon
- Anita stood on chair talking, Anthony’s arms waving around in place
of her own…
Split into two groups for the afternoon: some lounging around, others
going up the other side of the wall by the dam. Obviously I’m in the
walking group. Good hard steep climb up a path and onto the wall, but
slow going again, at least until we spread out a bit. I pair up with
Julie on the way up, and walk with her for the rest of the day -
indeed, the rest of the week, really. She’s still worried about her
knee but it’s not too bad on the way down. The walk is very enjoyable
- not terribly strenuous but wild enough to be exciting. Slightly
icy. Fall on arse – hurrah! Cut right arm and draw blood – hurrah!
Medical adviser reckons I’ll live, however.
Harry waiting at bottom
of one stretch, the wall continues but we have to go off it to the
left, down and around the hill, and through the village. It’s
really lovely, very rural indeed. But are we going the right way? Go
back & wait for others, Antony points out scrawled arrow on ground,
how were we supposed to see that!?
Back to hotel for 1600, sit outside, get on coaches then off we go.
Slightly disappointed with day – not enough walking and sad to have
missed that awesome looking section of wall. Trip to next hotel takes
about an hour, taking us into a much more urban area – really getting
into Beijing proper now. Fantastic sunset – multiple rows of hills. Ming
tombs. Lake. Fun park. Hotel in built-up area, not particularly
pretty from outside but room is good (if small). Phone Mum & Dad briefly.
Dinner at a Friendship Store (not the main Beijing one, I think), food
not bad not brilliant. Downstairs bar, quiet and hard work. [No idea what I meant by "hard work" here? Hard work to get served, maybe...?] Did a
bit of shopping – huge store – Julie gets silk for dress. Everything
very expensive, a lot of tat and a lot of quality. Hey, there’s an
upstairs bar! Two vodka and cokes! It’s not beer!!! Huge, 720yuan.
Wyn spent 2500 pounds! [Not on vodka. Not solely on vodka, anyway.] Back to hotel. Postcards From The Edge! [Er? Was it on TV? Did we watch it? Or is this code for me writing postcards; I don't think I did, yet...] Abortive karaoke attempt,
then freeform bowling – either suck or excel. Little socks! [They made us wear some for bowling, perhaps?] Peter
never bowled before but strikes-a-rooney! (0130). Up drinking til
about 0230.
Colin’s birthday! [My brother.]
“Build New Beijing, Hold Great Olympics!” [Saw this (and similar) all over the place. At the time I was very impressed that they were getting for the 2008 Olympics all the way back in 2001; now I'm older and wiser, of course, it just seems eminently sensible. Still, one thing that constantly struck me about China - and again when I went back in 2005 - was that there was building activity virtually everywhere you looked, particularly in Beijing.]
This is my diary for Thursday 8th November 2001. I was on a trip to China to walk on the Great Wall, fundraising for the National Star College. I kept a diary but I never published it, so here it is, 10 years on. I’ll do this for every day there’s a diary entry. [Text written like this is commentary added by me now.]
The photos for this day are here.
Index of all relevant blog entries is here.
Thursday 8th November – third day of wall walking; Mutianyu
Wake w/ headache. Hangover? Not too bad but annoying. Get up, not
too cold but no hot water (knew that) & can’t brush teeth as plug in
sink won’t come out! Get dressed (walking shirts stink – should have
brought more) & go to breakfast 0715, again not too bad, poached eggs
- yum! (Hawkers outside already – poor bastards.) Angela comes in
late (alarm didn’t wake her) so I sit with her & chat. She arrived
last night (should have mentioned that), having had her purse w/
passport stolen at Manchester Piccadilly on Sunday. Terrible thing,
but fantastic she made it. Raring to go, obviously.
0815 we’re
leaving so to buses, then off to Mutianyu, about 1.5 hours. Alas, as
journey progresses, headache gets worse (nurofen @ start) and travel
sickness arrives (particularly near end – winding roads). Go through
fairly urban area, don’t know name. Lousy journey really, feeling
very bad at end – hope fresh air helps. Argh, need loo too. OK,
get to bus park, do the necessary stuff, immediately feel infinitely
better – hurrah! [Oh man, that was an experience I have no desire to repeat any time soon. Blessed relief but it was not pretty...] It’s hot, so dump stuff on bus & actually have a
reasonable amount on me at start, which is nice.
Much milling around.
Two groups again: one going up in cable car, us going up steps.
Through market. Steps leafy but boring, not too hard. At top,
assailed by Mongol warrior. More wall, very restored! Chairlift toboggan down by here, so this is
destination too. Off we go, paired up with Julie, her knees are
playing up, OK up but painful down – poor thing. [Basically, she'd completely gunned it on the first day, and in particular had gone too fast on the big long steep down down down stretch at the end of the day; she'd spent day two laid up with painkillers and this was her first outing again. Silly thing in, she was a doctor: should have known better! Anyway, she and I got on very well, as of this day.] Going is OK,
“undultating”, hawkers in fixed positions, which is OK. Stop for
lunch @ cable car station [that means the path on my Google Earth KMZ is wrong - I'll try to correct it some time] (have met some of the other group), lunch is
as we’d expect – plus cold chips. Mmmm, that’s nice. Really nice sat
in sun, soaking up rays. Julie not continuing, will cable car down
then shop.
Go on with rest of group, heading towards “the thousand steps” – about
20 mins to get there? Long, steep stretch, Anthony says “in one go”,
but, er, no way! Well hard, but make it (last 10 steps even steeper)
- and there’s a guy @ the top selling beer! There’s wild wall beyond,
and a sign saying “road ends” or somesuch. Are we going there, I ask?
No, says Anthony. Poop. All the same, it’s fantastic – brilliant
views back over where we’ve been. Hang around for a while, top of the
world, some French appear, a coat is blown off the wall, Harry goes to
rescue it thinking it Hanmer’s, turns out it’s one of the French
guys’. David & Neil appear last, and get beer from the hawker @ the
top – cool.
“California Beef Noodle King USA!” — why did write this? [No idea!]
Anthony’s eyeing up the wild wall above, saying to Harry he fancies a
crack at it. Harry’s staying. I say, you’re not going to let me go
with you, are you? and he says come if you want.
Oh yes! Louisa’s up for it too, so off we go. First bit is a
scramble, almost a climb, fairly loose & great fun. Then it’s just
steep, and very overgrown. It’s absolutely fantastic, we’re on wild
wall! Keep going up, there are bricks, stick out @ 45 degrees, the
real deal. Stop past first watchtower for photos (self-timer!) and
general exhultation. However, time is getting on & we’re at the back
of the group, so we have to put a yomp on to get back to the other end
in time – want to get the toboggan down!
Off we yomp, got to take it
steady going down (whoah!) but we make really good time & catch Harry
after about 4 towers. He’s got a rucksack someone left @ the top -
think one of the French guys, and doesn’t want to leave it with
Chinese police. Must ask him what happened. (Answer: “Air France,
taxi, no thanks whatsoever.” [Hahaha - I presume there were more details to his explanation than that, but I'm buggered if I can remember what they are.]) Toboggan: Becca, Emma, Laura just
departing as we arrive. Kim there, doesn’t want to do it, Anthony
persuades. 40 yuan. A says “put the lever all the way forwards &
ignore the people telling you to slow down”. OK, can deal w/ that.
he goes first, then me. Wheeee… Bloody brilliant. I’ve been on a
couple of these before but this is the longest by far. Unmissable.
High fives at bottom. Long wait for Kim!
OK, now writing this on last day so time to slip into notes mode.
Haven’t found time to write, I think because group & friendships have
gelled, so no longer spending any time sitting around! Anyway…
Market/bartering at bottom, got some chopsticks. Coaches leave at 4
for Huanghuacheng. Longish drive, about 1.5 hours? Still pretty
rural. Get to destination, first sight of hotel: wow! It’s modern! Also
right by reservour. Go looking for photos but light gone (quickly).
Hotel plush – definitely a hotel! Room is upstairs, v nice.
Excellent. Catch up on this a bit, nice shower, etc. Dinner at 7, as
usual in another building. There’s one guy who speaks English
drafted in from somewhere else especially. Food better but not as
much as might expect.
Apres nosh, time for another game. Me elected
team captain (bastards!). Three chairs, Anthony says stuff we have to
take to chair, first one gets point. We suck badly – last w/ two
points. Llew/Becca on winning side again – exultant! Chinese must
think we’re barmy, but it gets worse… Steve drags Anita up to sing,
then orange-napkin-on-head time. Kung-fu fighting!
“Charlotte
Watson’s wanking in The Barracks!” [Heh. Her room-mate was Angela, who had only joined us this day due to theft as described above; this quote is Angela in England before she joined us, imagining her room-mate (of whom all she knew was her name) taking advantage of her unexpected solitude. :-)] Becca learnt lots of Chinese.
Next AM: grooo. [Read: hangover!]
This is my diary for Wednesday 7th November 2001. I was on a trip to China to walk on the Great Wall, fundraising for the National Star College. I kept a diary but I never published it, so here it is, 10 years on. I’ll do this for every day there’s a diary entry. [Text written like this is commentary added by me now.]
The photos for this day are here.
Index of all relevant blog entries is here.
I’ve also just uploaded a Google Earth file for the whole trip, with (approximate) hike routes plotted, which might be of interest to someone…
Wednesday 7th November – second day of wall walking; Simatai to Jinshanling
[This was a real rollercoaster of a day, in which I pushed myself (or to be more accurate, had no choice but to push myself) into and beyond physical discomfort and exhaustion in a way I never had before - and in doing so discovered just why it is that people do that. The wall was the best of the week, the countryside beautiful, the weather perfect, and the company marvellous. I'm sure I'll always look back on this day as one of the greatest of my life.]
Another beautiful morning! Up @ 0630, get shit together, rucksack in
coach @ 0715 then brekkie – coffee (warm hands!), apple, tomato, egg,
doughnut, back to room to pick up bag (couple of photos w/ minipod),
to coaches 0745. Don’t want to get on! [I didn't want to leave this place where yesterday had happened. Silly, given the day that lay ahead. I still struggle with letting go of good things...] Set off, up into mountains.
Very windy, very barren, very rural – but lots of activity: people
riding in open 3 wheelers, chopping crabapples, hefting bricks, etc.
Flags/banners all over the place.
“The People of Xinglong County Wish You A Good Trip”. [A sign over the road that made me smile.]
Haven’t seen much wildlife: a few birds but mainly just domesticated
animals: pigs, chickens, geese, goats, horses, camels. It’s very
cold, I guess that’s why (birds migrated?). Good thing: no insects!
(OK, 2 wasps and 1 beetle – but not bad!). Feeling very good this AM,
things twinged slightly when squatted to get at rucksack shortly after
getting up, and nose a bit blocked – have been neglecting nasal
spray, must rectify [at the time I was taking a corticosteroid spray for rhinitis] – but other than that fine & raring to go. :-)
My back feels completely fine – all praise to Allah. Lots of beeping
(hey cows!), ie every time we want to pass anything. Quite a few
dogs, mostly alsatianoid mongrels.
1710 Oh my God, what a day. I really don’t know how to describe how I
feel, what I’ve done, where we’ve been. Incredible. I’ve just never
done anything like that in my life (not even yesterday). But first
it’s time for my first shower since Friday. Let’s go!
1755 Oh man, that was fantastic. The best shower I ever had in my
life – and now the heating’s on! This room [in the hotel at Jinshanling, at the end of the walk] is so much better than
the one at The Barracks – actually feels like a hotel, rather than,
say, a tent with walls. I’m so exhausted, but I also feel absolutely
fantastic – this must be why people get into exercise. There was a
bit at the end today where I and Louisa were running along a bit of
wall, giggling at the absurdity of it. Presumably by this point the
pain barrier had been smashed to smithereens.
This morning was hell. But in a good way. Today’s walk was Simatai
to Jinshanling, the hardest and most dangerous section we’re doing,
but also the most “classical” and just generally groovy – or at least
that’s what they’d said. They were not wrong – although of course
three days to go. Well, anyway. Pre-walk through Samatai (Opera!),
pretty naff, then split into two group: main group (turn left at
wall), and crazy group, with me in it, turning right & going up a real
fuckin’ steep bit to a high point, then coming back down & catching up
with others (in theory). Estimated time: about 1.25 to 1.5 hours.
Two
other things to note: it’s pretty warm but I’ve got both my coats
because I’m sure Anthony said it’d be much colder today, so I’m
heavily laden; and also, the hawkers. Huge crowd waiting at wall,
hook onto us (one each) and follow. Real pains in the arse at first,
but actually ended up quite appreciating them – guided way a couple of
times, were encouraging, and said “Be careful” many many times;
carried packs if desired (I didn’t), sold book at end (100 yuan -
hmmm, let’s have a look at it – yeah, not bad – lots of pictures,
basically).
OK, so anyway, the crazy group (about 10 of us) [later referred to as "The Simatai Suicide Squad" - photo below] storm through hawkers
and start up RHS. V steep, hot, v fast – totally knackering. Rest @
first tower then up again, more of same. Bit icy too. It’s hell -
complete hell. So hot. Stops are essential but don’t fully recover.
By second tower I’m already regretting it – bad idea. But up we go,
hawkers still with us. We’re aiming for tower seven, total insanity.
Some sections slightly easier, but all pretty difficult. Gets better
towards top – end attainable, I suppose, and less hawkers, though
still enough to get in the way. At 5 or 6 there’s a steep metal
ladder with handrails & Pete (?) stays there – it is pretty hairy.
Get to 7, Anthony wants to go one beyond (apparently police stopped
him last time), hell why not? So we make it to 8 (and not followed by
hawkers on this section). It’s great – views fantastic though it’s
really hazy unfortunately. We made it! Group shots… There’s a bit
more (people up there – one guy was running earlier), but we’ve got to
turn around – aiming to catch up with main group at some point. Back
down hard work but not as hard as up. So hot! Less rests on way
down, and at back so can’t improve that.
Down, down, down, past point of entry, to fantastically wobbly bridge
then up steep metal stairs (almost vertical), three or four flights -
argh! Feeling really bad now – awfully hot, carrying too much,
thought we were stopping for lunch! At back, argh.
Then we do stop for lunch (about 2pm), it’s very good (crazy club
sandwich, rice, egg, apple), and great to stop, but hawkers are
spoiling it. Argh, so much less nice than yesterday but should be
even better – gotta get out of this headspace. Know who “my” hawker
is by now, but there are many more. They’re not actively disturbing
us, just hanging around & chatting loudly. Others also finding it
hard – I guess that’s good! Who’s in group? Anthony, Llew, Louisa,
Laura, Emma, David, Peter, Neil, Becca, Richard, Ollie, er… Chris,
Tony (?), Kit, Hugh.
Jogger’s nipple – ouch!
Then press on. It’s hard, but spectacular. Still hot, but have moved
fleece to under lid of backpack and that’s really helping. Have now
basically paired up w/ Louisa (Anthony suggested twos & threes to
spread hawkers – working for us with just one each but others not so
lucky) and it’s pretty good: similar paces, and she’s nuts about
photography, and also very talkative, which was exactly what was
required. Some icy patches a bit dodgy, hard going. Really hard part
is not knowing how far we have to go – there’s supposedly a checkpoint
somewhere? Wall goes on as far as we can see, and time’s getting on, are we going to make it before dark? (At least Anthony’s
behind us.) We reach a point where wall goes up steep & crumbly,
looks good but guides guide us around, onto path off wall – quite
pleasant little bit but find out later could have gone over (Ant +
others did) & it’s great. Ah well.
Great thing that happens just before this point is we can see
Jinshanling, our destination, so we have an idea of how far we have to
go. This buoys our spirits immensely and we’re really anjoying it
again now (though have picked up Jinshanling hawkers). At next tower
meet Harriet, and hawkers want to go home. Nearly there (or so we
thought) so buy book & postcodes from my guy (120 yuan) since he’s
been such a trooper, and crack on.
Now coming through back of main
group, Correley (sp?), Lola & Rhiannon (having trouble w/ hawkers),
and Harry, who promptly yomps off. Help C, L & R along for a bit
(Louisa does same steps 3 times!) then Anthony coming up from behind &
nearly there so go on. There’s the end – and Anita! Go out on ledge
for photo & guides shout Nonononono! They think I don’t know this
isn’t the way down! By now we’re feeling absolutely great & not dark
yet so we go on to the extra bit (about 4 towers), and Oh My God is it
fantastic! The hawkers don’t follow! We’re on our own! We feel
great – this is why people exercise. We’ve passed the pain barrier &
are worrying that we can’t feel the damage we’re doing – but don’t
actually care. So quiet & peaceful – Anthony, Laura & Emma are behind
but not with is. This just tops the day off perfectly. I want to
keep writing about this because I’m feeling it now (24 hours later)
but it’s so hard to describe. Ah, fuck it. We ran to an out of the
way bit in hope of good view/photo of Jinshanling. Not very pretty
though so didn’t bother. Still, was worth it for absurd giggliness of
run.
As we came down off wall, onto muddy track into Jinshanling,
Louise told me about working on a ranch in Montana – sounds fantastic.
As we enter village hawkers reappear – gaaah! Are we going the right
way? Stop & wait for A, L, E behind us. L & E go into shop, A joins
us – heartiness & tales all round.
We go on to hotel, Cathy & Anita waiting outside. My bag’s in my room
already! Cool. Get to room; it’s great! Much nicer than barracks.
The shower – oh yes! Clean clothes, mmmm. Excellent. Just getting
dark when arrive @ hotel. Bit of sitting around saying wow (still
feeling great), bit of diary. To restaurant for pre-dinner beer @
1830, meet w/ Diana, Wyn, and others. People drifting in, end up on
table with 8 women – haven’t done that since uni! ;-) Meet Jill for first
time. Food better than Barracks, sort of. Definitely eminently
edible and enjoyable. Jill buys 12 quid bottle of wine (rubbish).
Briefing on tomorrow, sounds good. Then 2030 bonfire & firecrackers
outside – woohoo! Really nice, mega toasty. Mainly standing around
w/ Becca, Llew, Tracey (who lets me use her phone to send a text message to Julie!), supping beer & talking
stuff. Becca’s definitely up for getting us all dressed up for the
last night. Some people playing charades or something inside – but I
stay by fire. Me, Llew, Neil, Jill last ones there, then us two go
back and crash, unsure of time but think before 2300.
Malc’s sleeping bag is ace.
This is my diary for Tuesday 6th November 2001. I was on a trip to China to walk on the Great Wall, fundraising for the National Star College. I kept a diary but I never published it, so here it is, 10 years on. I’ll do this for every day there’s a diary entry. [Text written like this is commentary added by me now.]
The photos for this day are here.
Index of all relevant blog entries is here.
Tuesday 6th November – first day of wall walking; Huangyaguan Pass
11 AM. I’m walking the wall! Unbelievable… It’s just perfect. The
weather’s incredible – cold, clear, crisp. Definitely warm enough
when walking. There’s snow – on the path! Steep. Views
incredible, fantastically clear. I feel absolutely elated. Nearly
finished first film. XP this afternoon? [Ilford XP2, a film which gives sepia coloured pictures; I used it on later days.]
1645 Incredible day – lots of catching up to do!
Woke 0730, didn’t even bother trying shower, just got dressed, brushed
teeth, went to breakfast. Bustling! Jasmine tea, nuts, tofu, mumbled
eggs, bread, doughnuts. Many people grumbling how “this isn’t
breakfast food” but me loving it. Set off @ 0900. Up through
village, lots of people chopping crabapples. Horses! Left through
gate, start winding uphill. Chatting w/ various people. Er… Julie,
Laura, Emma, Wyn, etc. Stop for piccies on concrete irrigation thing,
Mavis falls over! But she’s OK… Up more, horseriders pass – do we
want a ride? No! Round bend to big clearing with statue of some
bloke (Qi Qi Kwon? Qi Qikuon? [Aha, according to this informative page it's Qi Jiguang, a Ming era general.]), group shots. Let’s do some wall! Up
past derelict hotel (great site!), and we’re on the wall! Hands on
bricks. There’s snow! A photo-taking flurry begins. Start walking,
not too bad I reckon. Totally incredible… See earlier comments,
but generally wow: views! It’s the fucking wall! Big grin on face,
not gonna go away for a while.
Some people totally storming off already, I’m taking too many photos
to be at the front. Finish film fairly soon. Hook up with Mavis,
helping her down some steep bit, end up with her until near end. Some
people definitely having problems, but everyone going for it… Mavis
is a good laugh – and Ollie’s got her back pack (far ahead and getting
further!). Slower going now than if I was on my own, but realise
that’s a good thing. Why be in a hurry to be anywhere but here?
Up, down, up, down, steps, rough bits, ice & snow. Coming towards
end, turn right off wall & down slope, getting hairer. Round corner &
can see Barracks – cool! Meet w/ Harry & Cathy, Harry asks if I’d
stick around to help other ladies down (Mavis OK from here). Er, like
- yeah! Excuse to stay up here!
Go back up to wall & meet up with back markers, then help Jess down -
a few dodgy moments! Finally make it to bottom (more hawkers!),
arrive in stadium to cheers & applause.
Great lunch: rice, nuts (Peanuts without chopsticks? How??? [Explanation: at dinner the previous evening I'd been very pleased with my chopstick skills, eating peanuts one by one; lunch contained peanuts but no chopsticks and for a moment I felt genuinely flummoxed - and then I cracked up.]), apple,
hard boiled egg, sarnie, cake, soup. Then off again, v soon – some
people have been waiting an hour. [Suckers.]
This afternoon is up the other side: straight up, then straight back
down – so OK not to set off immediately. Drop coats off, then start
heading up w/ Harriet (doc, rear marker), then head ahead to catch up
w/ Harry. Jesus – steps! Some tiny, some normal, some huge – but
many of each. Hard work, hardest of day because a) it’s all uphill;
b) it’s steps, and pretty steep; c) playing catchup. Do catch up,
then go at his pace (stopping frequently – good), until reach sign at
top (gets dodgy/rough again then).
Actually goes further – up very
steep staircase w/ handrail – very icy though. First lot are coming
down, apparently lookout @ top is great. Up we go. Hard but looks
like coming down is harder! Cathy @ top of steps – just a bit of
rough stuff up to lookout: go!
Laura & Emma up there; fruit is
shared. Harriet still behind: went so far then helped someone down,
then back up again! Make it to top shortly after Laura & Emma leave.
I waiting @ top w/ Cathy while Anthony & Harry check out a bit of wild
wall to the right. We three go back to lookout again – really
incredible looking at where we walked this morning. Achingly
beautiful. Perfectly happy. Boys return, group shot, then down we go
(Anthony storming ahead). It’s hairy, although I’m pleased to find
myself not gibbering like some people were. :-) Good fun going down,
gossip, jokes, travel stories – don’t have much to say, just listen.
Happy to be with these guys, and very happy to be last ones down,
because after that it’s over.
Knee complaining a little, mainly toes are complaining of being
scrunched up in boots – hard going down! Horses again – & hawkers of
course. (Chinese couple earlier – he in suit, she in heels!). Get to
bottom, spot rubbish from lunch, start clearing but Chinese woman
stops us – she wants it. Kindly invited back to H+H’s [Harry, guide, and Harriet, doctor] place for tea -
excellent! Gives me chance to catch up on this, while Harriet does
her medical notes & Harry talks travel & jokes. Anita & Cathy pop by
and have some tea, then go. Harry gets the brandy out – now you’re
talking, especially as I lacking coat. About 6pm head back to C5 and
coats, and finish this. Quiz tonight!
Another great dinner, similar to last night but some differences. Sat
w/ Kit, Diana, er, others – old & well-travelled mainly. Won the quiz
(team name “Spock”), out in front from start – woo hoo! Free beer!
[Team: Hanmer, Lucile, Kit, Wyn, Diana, Jill, Josie, Judy.]
Most then to bed, plenty still drinking though! Sit w/ Llew, Becca,
Laura, Emma (?), Cathy, Jean & Anita joined us later. Much beer -
doubles in price @ 10pm! About 1115, barmaid sits next to me, and
writes down (and says very slowly), “This restaurant is closed.
Please tell everybody.” I did, and then I left, but I heard the next
morning that people stayed later, and she threw a tantrum. To Louisa:
“Yo go sleep now!”
This is my diary for Monday 5th November 2001. I was on a trip to China to walk on the Great Wall, fundraising for the National Star College. I kept a diary but I never published it, so here it is, 10 years on. I’ll do this for every day there’s a diary entry. [Text written like this is commentary added by me now.]
The photos for this day are here.
Index of all relevant blog entries is here.
Monday 5th November – flying to China, driving to Huangyaguan
0820 Beijing time. Slept a little, then woke to see daylight through
gap @ bottom of vistor. Lift it. HOLY SHIT. Hills, can’t tell how
high but I think rolling like Dartmoor (?), some with jagged tops,
like mountains, and it’s all black like ash, or white with snow. The
black’s weird – is it trees? Frozen rivers, frozen lakes, and just
this as far as the eye can see. Welcome to Siberia, I guess.
Some of them are definitely trees. Er, I think.
That is the most incredible place I’ve ever seen with my own eyes.
Now obscured by clouds. Damn. Who lives here? Those have to be
houses. Insanity. I have to come here again.
OK, some of the black may be trees, but I think most is, er, rock.
The light… Ooh… big brown bit. God, I couldn’t imagine this and
now I don’t know how to describe it. So I’ll cheat and take some
photos! I can’t believe long I stared dumbly out before remembering
my camera!
The sports news is on – and they’re playing Go! But they call it
Weiqi.
Ground now browner and less hilly/desolate. Following a railway line
(trans-Sibera?), so a few more settlements. It’s vast and empty.
The map’s back – we just entered China recently, and that was
Mongolia! Woo hoo! 168 miles to go. We went right past Ulan Bator
& I missed it – grrr. OK, so that was/this is the Gobi Desert. Cool.
Can now see serious mountains in distance – think we cross ‘em before
Beijing (on a plain?). Passing Xuanhua soon.
1024: I just saw the wall!
1100: Crazy shit: I’m in Beijing. Party congregating… everyone v
nice. What a journey!
1230. Joy to the world! I’ve lost my tripod! If I’m lucky will be
able to pick it up on way back through Beijing. [I did get it back on the way back (though with broken bag) and actually it was probably for the best, as it was too bulky/heavy to carry on the wall, it would have just been an encumberance.] Cool. Much running
around with guide, Eric, I didn’t expect this much exercise so soon…
Others go, Eric & I do stuff then follow. 2 coaches. Jack, guide,
spiel – very sweet. Driving through Beijing, then outlying villages (maize
everywhere – for cattle apparently). Signwriters must do well. After
a while, into the mountains! Now it gets windy. Slightly nauseous
anyway, this doesn’t help. Pass a huge reservoir (described as “tiny”
compared with five serve Beijing), v pretty, water tower is disguised as a
pagoda!
Can see wall on mountains ahead. V steep! Not doing that bit, but
are doing bit next to it! Arrive at Barracks [Our hotel at Huangyaguan Pass for the first two nights - its actual names is the Huangya Villa Hotel - see photos.] – mental! Huge! It’s
right by the wall! Like, wow! (In margin: Bags! [No idea.]) Look round,
photos before light goes. Lots of hawkers. Check out room – very
basic but it’s all there. Brings home your desire for warmth &
security, mind. Llew more intrepid…
It’s 1530, alarm clock says 0730. Julie’s just getting up, I suppose,
and here I am at the wall. Hope she’s alright.
Hot water 1500–1700, dinner @ 1800.
Read a while, but was getting sleepy so tried to have a shower. No hot
water. Not cold water: no water from hot tap. Er? Resolved to
stink, washed feet, got ready to go to restaurant to change money &
have dinner. Quite a few people there already, drinking beer &
chatting. Changed $200, got some beer! Met Shaun, very nice chap,
bar manager @ NSC. He’s in room next door w/ Bob who I met at
luggage, but didn’t get his name before. Told me a bit about NSC,
sounds cool. 16/17 year olds @ intake, often w/ no capabilities,
first term is hell (“want to go home”), by 2nd year they’re “bolshy
little fuckers” and by time they leave they’re your typical young
adults – like compressing the teenage years into just 3.
Round tables seating 10 w/ Lazy Susan. Cold bits already, yummy
peanuts w/ sesame seeds (sweet – J would not like!), celery w/ dried
prawns (didn’t try), strips of beef w/ garlic (tasted as you’d
expect), & some green leafy vegetable, very bland. Sat on same table
as Llew. Also: Diane, very nice middle-aged lady with GSOH and lots
of spirit; her friend (name?), also nice but not impressed by food -
poor dear; Lola & her daughter Rhiannon, easily the most “glam” pair
here; Harry, Silk Steps guide, 40s, grey beard, very experienced
trekker, lots of sage advice to give out; Becca, who I met earlier,
still nice; Jeanette who I mistakenly thought knew Becca (actually
could be roomies I guess) and didn’t talk to much (mainly talking to
Diana on my other side). Bit of talk from Anthony, Anita, Harriet.
Food comes! Lots of courses… Little beef satays, really tender
lamb/mutton (lovely), chips (!), slices (thin/small) of something
melon-like, cabbagey noodly soup, watery peppery (yiy!) soup, plain
rice, er… Dumplings!
Drank a fair bit of beer. Someone’s birthday so cake! Sitting
around, chatting… Had some firewater of some description – giggling
Chinese girls @ bar, squealed when I necked it. Tasted like pear
drops! [It was rice wine.]
Crashed @ 2145, felt like 2am! Woke @ 3am, almost ready to get up.
Uh-oh… BURP! Nasty, felt like I was gonna be sick, but gladly
wasn’t. Thank God for Malc’s sleeping bag, that’s all I’ll say! Must
get him a nice present to say thanks.
[The next morning we'd walk on the wall for the first time...]
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