For the love of metaphors - 10 colleagues lean on each other, climb a wall and survive.

My last full day in Beijing was amazing!  It truly was a perfect day.  I am glad it was as well, because it really helped me focus on the numerous positively amazing things and people that I have experienced and met while here.  I did not want to head out of here with a negative image of my time in Beijing (and I was very close to doing that last week!).

I woke up the morning following the party with a spring in my step and a song in my heart... I can't say the same for the rest of the people I was heading out with, who seemed a little worse for ware.  

Some of the crew returning from the first stop of the tour... McDonald's... hungover anyone?  Nothing like cheeseburgers for breakfast.

We had a private bus and guide (named Kathy), and we had the day to ourselves.  First it was off to the Jade factory - where you have to stop before going on a tour of the wall because it is a govt. run institution, then off to the wall itself.

Some of my bus mates- Nathan, Tina, Erin and Audrey

Hair of the dog?  This tour was going to be done in style....

Be careful Ethan... it is a bumpy road to the wall.

Provisions....

We drove up to the Muytanu section (please excuse my spelling, I do not have my guide book in front of me - packed.  This section is a bit more rugged and less populated than the more popular and more restored Badaling section of the wall.  Our guide was very informative on the way out, even if we were a bit rowdy and just out to enjoy each other's company and the day itself.  When the Wall was built, there were 5 million inhabitants and over 1 million people died building the wall.  Because of the sheer magnitude of fatalities, those that died were buried under and within the wall itself, making the Great Wall the world's longest cemetery.  Creepy but cool.  We finally arrived at the wall an started our ascent.

Due to an unfortunate dance floor accident the night prior, Leslie had to rent a cane at the bottom of the wall!  Who needs two hips?  We just told everyone she was training for the paralympics... go for the gold Leslie!

To get to the section of the wall you have to take a ski lift up to it.  Here are Trevor and Leslie, who were behind Erin and myself... someone had to buy the stupid hat!  In Trevor's defense, it was really hot and sunny that day - gorgeous really...and the air was almost fresh!

Sheer terror as Leslie tried to dismount the lift... I am not so sure this country will be ready for disabled athletes...

The group starts off... From left to right, back to front - Leslie, Trevor, Ethan, Jonathan, Erin, Audrey, Tina, Nathan and me... nice new shoes I am wearing eh???

Not everyone was thrilled to be getting up in the morning to do a full day of touring...Erin even fertilized the flowers at the base of the wall if you catch my drift... sorry Erin, but it was funny.  Once we got n the wall, however, it was all worth it.  We were all blown away.  The wall was ours.  There was basically nobody there!  Whereas the Badaling section was wall to wall, shoulder to shoulder during the Olympics.  It was our lucky day.

The climbing was arduous (as this was one of the steepest sections of the wall) and the sun was relentless, but it was an amazing experience nonetheless.  I am not a religious man, but I definitely always feel something at work while on the wall.  You do truly feel like you are climbing to the heavens.  The vistas are breathtaking and the surroundings, sublime.

Regardless of the sublime surroundings, I was still one sweaty mess once I reached the pinnacle. 

The gang reaches the top

Ethan, Leslie, Audrey and Trevor taking a much needed respite from the sun at the top of the wall.

It goes on forever

The way down was awesome!  We took a toboggan slide... fun times.

I had to buy a new shirt when all was said and done.  If I could win an Olympic Gold... it would definitely be for sweating... why am I still single?

I have left a lot out of this post because it was such a great and special day.  Some of it I just need to keep for myself. There are many more pics on my facebook page however.  Leslie and I were discussing it later that night upon returning to our hotel... The adventure we went on to the wall was the most fitting ending to our trip.  

What a metaphor.  I mean our time here at the Olympics has been like climbing the Great Wall - At times, it was arduous, exciting, inspiring, sweat inducing, a once-in-a-lifetime experience and most of all we could not have gotten through it without the help and support of great friends.  I can't even believe that Leslie walked the entire section, 180 degree steps and all, while hobbling with a cane.  She did not complain once! And did not hit us with it when we told people we passed that she was a paralympian.  Sure Ethan carried her backpack and I acted as a human crutch for her on the tougher sections.. but heck, she was not going to miss out on the experience and that is what friends do for each other help one another through tougher times.  We all laughed, joked and mixed in all those good times was an overlaying subtle sadness.  We all wanted to make the most of it - as we knew that this was potentially the last time we would all be together.  It was definitely the best day I have had here.  I will miss those kids.

I ended up staying home after the Wall.  I was invited out to countless goodbye parties, but to be quite honest I did not want to go chasing that 'one last good time'.  I did not want to ruin my past three perfect days.  I had spent quality time with those that I wanted too and said my goodbyes.  I had also made peace with my time here and sorted through all the crap that went on.  Packing for the next leg of the trip was really cathartic.  I put together a whole bag for charity full of things that I no longer needed - things like clothes that are now too big for me, my uniform pieces etc. etc.  I was literally lightening my load and getting rid of all the excess, keeping only what was important.  Kind of like what I did with my experience here in the last days.  A nice feeling.

Today truly is the last day.  I will be boarding a train in 6 hours.  This morning I woke up, stored the luggage I am not taking on the trip with my hotel and then I met Maarten, Julia and Audrey for breakfast before they headed to the airport.  We kept it light, nobody wanting to point out the pink elephant in the room... that is the way these things go.  I then returned my phone (no more ties to the office) and met Leslie and David at their hotel to say a quick goodbye to leslie and to get my new Chinese cell from David.  David, Ethan and I have bought cellphones to use on the remainder of our trip as we will not always be hanging out together.  I will send an email with the number in case of emergency.  I will not turn on my Canadian cell.  

I have also decided to take my laptop with me.  I am not sure that I will be able to post often as I don't know what the internet situation will be like, but I will definitely document the whole thing and keep you all posted as to my whereabouts.  

So that's it.  Chapter closed. Next one just about to open.   Stay tuned readers... who knows what will happen next... for the first time in a long time I have no idea what is next, and I like it that way.  I am now heading down the road and will find out where it takes me....