It was one of my many trips to China. I had booked my flight through Beijing so I could see the Great Wall. I arrived at the Great Wall Sheraton around 10 p.m. Right in front of the hotel there is a Hard Rock Café. So I checked in and put my things in the room. I went back out to the Hard Rock and ordered a something to drink and an order of chicken fajitas. I finished my meal and went back to the hotel. The front desk told me I needed to be in the lobby at 7 a.m. I went to my room and tried to sleep but ended up watching TV most of the night. I was excited and still running on US time. I did not have any problem being up at 7 the next morning. I went to the tour desk and bought a ticket for a trip to the Great Wall. I was introduced to a couple that would be sharing the tour with me. I forget their names. They were from Australia on vacation. We climbed into a rather nice mini bus for China that is and started on our way. The tour guide was telling us about the different areas we were passing. He also said the tour would include a stop at some emperors tomb. We arrived there first. I walked up a path that had these huge stone sculptures of warriors, elephants, and other creatures. They were at least 15 ft high of solid stone. He was telling us that this was the path to where the emperor was buried. We arrived at the entrance of the tomb. It was a very narrow tunnel about thirty feet under ground. Inside is where they buried him and his closest group of people. His wives and his servants were all buried here with him at one time. By this time all of the mummies and valuables had been removed to some museum. It was very cool inside. I was impressed at the size of the huge stone doors that opened to the tomb. It was now time to go back out. As we exited they had all kinds of souvenirs for sale. I bought three blankets and a toy dog that barks for about 10 dollars. We were again in the bus on the way to the Great Wall. By this time I was getting pretty anxious. It was noontime and I still had not seen a wall. The tour included lunch so we stopped at a rather nice roadside restaurant. The tour guide ordered a few things and I pretended to eat some. I never developed a taste for the traditional Chinese food. I figured I would not starve before I got back to the Hard Rock. Finally back on the road again. It was about another 30 minutes before we arrived at the Great Wall. I was surprised at how big it really is. They had a camel at the base so I had to get a picture of myself riding a camel in front of the Great Wall. I had never actually seen a camel in real life. After I got my picture it was time to start the climb. It was about 25 ft up to the walkway that runs long the whole of it. The real climb was from there to what they called the top. It was about a one-mile on a very steep incline. After about one hour and a lot of huffing and puffing I made it. Being the curious type I thought it would be interesting to go beyond the normal tourist area. I went between the booths they had for selling souvenirs at this point and made my way a short ways along the top of the wall. I saw several exits leading to stair down the side. I had to check these out. It was here that I felt I could almost here the ghosts of many a dead slaves whispering. It was almost scary. I found me a few pieces of the surface that had crumbled away and stuck them in my pocket for souvenirs. It was time to go back now. When I got back to the first tourist booth I bought me a certificate that said I had climbed the Great Wall. It was somewhat uneventful trip back. I got the telephone to the couple from Australia and told them if I were ever there I would give them a call. The next morning I got up early and took a taxi down to the Red Square where all of the students were massacred a few years ago. This gave me an eerie feeling to be standing there. They had kite fliers and a lot of people. But all I could think of was how awful it must have been for those young people that day. It made feel a little less safe. That afternoon I got on the plane to continue to my destination in Souzou for work.