Blue Heart Journey: Great Wall of China

Our sole reason for visiting China was to do one thing: walk the Great Wall. Aside from wanting to go there for obvious tourist reasons, there was also a very personal reason that drove me. In November 2009, ABC aired a one-hour TV special on Beyoncé. It covered highlights and behind-the-scenes footage of her “I am…Yours” world tour that she, at the time, recently finished. One of the scenes that stuck with me was her trip to the Great Wall. The video depicted Beyoncé walking the Great Wall and riding the toboggan, a long slide with a small cart. I can still hear her voice and remember the words she said as she went down the slide…I’ve done many things in my life, but this is a first. I don’t know why this moment has stayed in my mind or why I have held onto it for so long. It’s not like I greatly desired to visit the Great Wall prior to seeing that footage. I have viewed the clip on YouTube several times over the years, thinking to myself that one day it would be awesome if I could do that. Since seeing that image in 2009, I’ve never let go of the wild dream to visit the Great Wall, despite being clueless on how I would afford myself the ability to go there.

Fast forward to April 22, 2014, almost 5 years later…there I was, walking the Great Wall and riding the toboggan. So many moments during our tour on the MSG program have proven to me that no dream is too wild or unrealistic. This was another moment where that proof shined bright. My wildest dream was actually happening. With every stair I climbed and every view I gazed upon, I soaked up the moments that would forever be a part of me.

There are different entrance points to the Great Wall. We drove approximately 90 minutes north of Beijing to Mutianyu which is less crowded than the most popular section, Badaling. As we neared the Wall, we could see the beautiful mountains and trees which acted as a teaser to the main attraction. Once at the top our driver escorted us to the main entrance of the Wall. There were two ways to reach the Wall: climb to the top or ride the cable car. We figured there would be plenty of climbing done once we reached the wall, so why not enjoy the cable car ride now. The ride was less than five minutes long and provided exquisite views. We exited the cable car and paused to absorb where we were standing. We were on the Great Wall.

The views were breathtaking. The Wall kept going and going in each direction we looked. It was as though it never ended. I could not help but think of the many people that not only aided in building the wall, but also died during the process. We were walking on a great piece of history. It was extraordinary.

The Chinese take full advantage of the visitors to the Wall. Souvenir kiosks are everywhere. Good stuff too.

Our carriage awaits...

So excited!!!

Douglas was in full safari mode. "I bought this hat, and I am going to wear it!"

The Wall and the landscape just kept going.

This staircase could easily lead to some broken ankles.

Rest areas with drinks and snacks were all over the Wall. Convenient, but expensive - naturally when they're the only ones there.

Of course we found some willing picture takers.

I don't think there was a better sky during our entire time in China.

Cheese!

Random sticker on a support rail...but then again, I don't think anything is random. Everything has a purpose.

Once we reached our stopping point, we opted to take the toboggan slide down instead of the cable car. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, my wildest dream was to ride the toboggan down, so there really were no alternatives for me. Douglas was just as excited as I was to experience this adventurous ride down. He went in front of me so that I didn’t impede his ability to speed down the slide as fast as possible. I was certain I was not going to race down nearly as fast as he would. Douglas rode that toboggan so fast he hit the woman in front of him as he approached the bottom. In all the excitement he must have forgotten to pull hard enough on the brake. I drove both fast and slow. I attempted to take video while going down which made it slightly difficult to speed on the slide. I had one hand on the lever that controlled the speed and my other hand was holding the camera. It was a little tricky to maneuver but we both got video footage of our rides. Much of me did not care about the thrill of riding fast. In slowing my pace I was able to absorb the moment that I never wanted to end. When I reached the bottom I was like a kid wanting to do it all over again. That moment and the experience I shared with Douglas on the Great Wall will live with me forever. Instantly I was reminded that no amount of money spent on any material item could ever compare to the investment made on experiencing life. It was a perfect way to end our trip to China. Every moment in my day, I am grateful to the Marine Security Guard (MSG) Program for giving us access to experience such incredible parts of our world. My cup truly runneth over.