I know, I haven’t updated the blog in a while but I’ve been busy. Busy teaching little children English, writing reports for their expectant parents, exploring the limits of the battery life on my scooter and most importantly searching for a website that I can actually access from China in order to bring you videos that I promised when I started on this endeavour a little over 9 months ago.
SO, here it is. The long-awaited, much-anticipated, no holds barred account of my train ride to Beijing, running the Great Wall Half Marathon and the journey back that took twice as long as it should have – with videos…
On the 11th May, with my bags packed, I made my way to the Hangzhou Train Station to meet up with Wayne who is a fellow South Africa teaching at a sister EF school in Jiaxing. We both went through YDP to get our jobs in China. We met briefly before I left and it was then that I sowed the seed about the Great Wall Marathon. Now months later in a foreign land we were again embarked on a journey to the unknown city of Beijing and a Marathon infamous for its toughness. The Z9 train, our home for the next 13 hours, was surprisingly pleasant. We had booked Soft Sleeper tickets (far preferable to the alternative Hard Sleeper read “plank of wood” or seat). Wayne took the top bunk while I stayed below. We had one other cabin mate, a middle-aged Chinese guy who seemed nice enough and no sign of the fourth. The train pulled out of the station on time at 17:45pm and we got comfortable as the sun set and the foliage besides the track became a blur. The beds were reasonably comfortable, the air-conditioning worked, each bed had its own reading light and you even got a complimentary pair of slippers. Just before going to bed the door to our cabin opened and a determined Chinese lady was ushering her elderly mother into the cabin and promptly tucked her in and left. You can choose your friends but not your cabin mates however we didn’t hear a peep out of the old lady all night unlike the other occupant who snored like a trooper.
I’d be lying if I said I slept well but some rest was gotten. I awoke as the dawn was breaking and we were rolling slowly through the rail interchanges on the outskirts of Beijing before arriving at the Beijing Railway Station at around 7:00am. After making our way out of what seemed like a massive station it was onto the first task at hand which was getting to the Hostel. We dismissed the illegal taxi sharks at the exit of the station and joined an incredible long snaking queue for the genuine taxis. It moved rather quickly though and before long I handed my cellphone over to the driver who got the details from the reception of the hostel and we were on our way. First impressions of Beijing were how large it is, it seems to sprawl for miles in every direction. Despite morning traffic we reached The Forbidden City Hostel with little trouble and checked in with no problems after booking our room via HostelWorld.com. As hostels go it was clean, cheap and located so centrally that there was little to criticise and they made really good Lattes.
After dumping our bags, we bought a tourist map from the travel service in the hostel reception and took to the streets to explore Beijing. We couldn’t get over our proximity (literally a 5 min walk) to Tiananmen Square but we decided that first things first we should collect our race numbers so armed with printouts we hailed a taxi and made our way across town to pick up our race packs. The taxi driver stopped outside a building and his hand gestures implied we were where the printout had directed him. Still a little disoriented in this different city we didn’t really know where to go. I then saw a foreign looking couple get out of a taxi and head towards the building and decided to follow them on a hunch. Sure enough, they were fellow runners in no time we found the office and collected our race packs without a hitch. With the business side of things out-of-the-way we wandered the streets to find some food and consult the map to figure out where to next. After some cross referencing with the GPS on my phone we figured out where we were and the closest attraction to our location was the Temple of Heaven so that is where we went.
The subway in Beijing is very simple to navigate, even more so because each ticket costs the same whether you are going one stop or 60 stops on 3 different lines so 2 Yuan later we arrived at the Temple of Heaven.
We were pretty exhausted by this stage so we headed back to the hostel for a rest and nap. Later on that evening we consulted the travel service again and left with a circle on our map around the subway stop to get off at for the shopping market. Looking left and right we found a staircase leading up to a corridor in the subway station that was lined with stalls selling everything from leather belts to luggage sets, t-shirts to all-weather jackets, lighters to Wii consoles and ornamental chop sticks to traditional Chinese paintings. Wayne and I proceeded to go crazy, bargaining hard while buying item after item. We had worked up an appetite so ventured up to street level to find some food and before us stood a 6 storey building that was the actual shopping market with each floor dedicated to different categories of goods. A little gun-shy from the purchases we had already made we couldn’t resist having a look and proceeded to spend more money. It was just before closing at 9pm and we felt like we couldn’t pass up the chance as all the stall owners were saying “you like, special closing price, just for you!” With our wallets empty we headed back to the hostel to review our spoils and get an early night ahead of a full day of sightseeing we had planned.
On Thursday we slept until 10 (perhaps making up for lost sleep on the train) and so didn’t get the start we wanted but after a nice breakfast and Latte at the hostel we headed out on the subway and 45 minutes later arrived at the Summer Palace. I”ll be honest that most historic things are of little interest to me so if you want information on the legends and things of interest this is not the place and so I’ll just let the photos do the talking (see slide show at the end of this post). One thing I will say is that the boat we hired was well worth it. For 40 Yuan we got a boat all to ourselves for an hour and with no instruction or safety briefing we were launched from the jetty to wreak havoc on the lake. Not that you can do much damage with a top speed of 12 km/h but it was fun and you get a great perspective looking back up at the Summer Palace.
We spent about 3 hours there and so decided we couldn’t fit in another of the sites we had planned so made our way back to the hostel via Xidan Street which is one of the famous shopping areas with brand name stores but nothing in comparison to the market we had been to the day before. After a short rest we headed out to find dinner and walk along the street that is only open at night where you can eat extraordinary things like shark, silkworm larvae etc. which happened to be just around the corner from the hostel. We ran into 2 Danish girls who we recognised from the hostel eating sugar-coated strawberries on sticks. We quizzed them as to whether they had seen the scorpions and if they had tried them. They confirmed that there were scorpions on offer but they had been too scared to try them. Wayne and I were keen to sample these delicacies and convinced them they had to at least try them. So we went in search of these exotic treats while the anxious looking girls trailed behind us. Wayne and I warmed up with some shark (which tasted like chicken) and snake which had been covered with so much spice the actual flavour of the meat was indistinguishable. We passed on the centipedes cause they just looked dirty and the seahorses were too expensive at 50 Yuan each and then we got to the scorpion stall. 3 small scorpions on a stick, deep-fried for 15 Yuan – I’ll leave to rest to the video…
After that we once again consulted the map and decided to try the Sanlitun Bar Street which was even labeled as such on the map. We found it ok, a long street lined with bars but the beers started at 40 Yuan and cocktails at 50 Yuan so we certainly weren’t going to quench our thirsts. However we were there and so sat down at the bar whose host gave the best sales pitch but his walk didn’t match his talk. The drinks we ordered didn’t taste they way we expected them to and when we quizzed the waiter he simply said, “that is what we all a Long Island Ice Tea”. Sensing unrest he very quickly said he would give us free peanuts and disappeared before anymore could be voiced and returned with a bowl of nuts. This is where local knowledge would have gone a long way as a Beijing friend we met with a few days later said the best place to go is the street perpendicular to where we were which is much more happening and the drinks are a quarter of the price, now we (and you) know for next time.
Friday morning brought the arrival of Margaurita who managed to rearrange who schedule in order to come up for the weekend and watch the race. After another good breakfast and accompanying Latte, Margaurita headed off to shopping on Beijing’s famous Wang Fujin street while Wayne and I headed off to continue with our sightseeing list . We headed straight for the Forbidden City while the boundary walls were impressive and there is an air of grandeur about the place that was about all it had going for it from my point of view. The temples, yet more lion statues and bronze pots, yawn, not to mention the thousands of people in groups with different coloured hats following tour guide flags like lemmings and the death match at each temple as they scrambled to get the best photo. I could tick it off the list and now say I’ve been there and got the photos (see slide show at the end).
After escaping the masses in the Forbidden City we walked around and made our way back to Tiananmen Square. At least that is where we thought we were going and before we knew it we were out the other side and I asked Wayne “was that it?” I guess so, yet another disappointment. You here so much about it and maybe it holds a lot of emotion for the Chinese but for me it was just another attraction to tick off the list for what it’s worth. Having had our fill of cultural things we all met up for lunch, then an afternoon rest before making our way back to the 6 Floor shopping market where I got a Swiss Gear backpack, Peak gortex Jacket, Columbia Waterproof jacket (summers are wet here), Billabong board shorts and a pair of Ecco shoes for the equivalent of R600 – I think i did pretty well.
Finally, after nearly 8 months in the planning, the day of the marathon had arrived or should I say morning. The alarm sounded at around 2:00am, the buses were due leave at 3:00am sharp from the Beijing International Hotel. The bus ride out was 3 hours long and most people took the opportunity to catch up on much-needed sleep before we arrived at Yin Yang Square just before sunrise and laid eyes on the wall for the first time. The square was in a valley with daunting mountains rising up on either side and the Great Wall following the ridges and rising out of sight. The atmosphere was great with almost 2000 runners, mostly foreigners from all over. Some in groups, some on their own but all us with the common goal of completing the race. After entering the square, putting on our numbers and one last toilet break we were ready to go.
The race was tough, after a gentle first kilometre the road wound its way up hill for 5 kms which was a tough start but then we had the wall in sight and it really was quite an impressive. Everyone climbed the staircase onto the wall and what a sight to be on one of the worlds most famous landmarks running in an event with people from all reaches of the globe. One ha to watch one’s step as the stairs on the wall were not always even in height and in some places you had to run single file. I made the decision not to run with a camera but rather just soak up the atmosphere and views without having to worry about carrying things. I stopped several times on the wall just to take in the views and look back at this amazing mass of runners making their way along the wall up & down some 2582 stairs. Once down the wall it was a lap on the boundary wall of Yin Yang Square for the spectators benefit as I came through the commentator announced over the PA system “number 1234, Rory Alexander from South Africa. Looking like he’s straight out of a Lion Park” which gave me an extra spring in my step as I headed out and along the road to a village where we weaved through the houses and some orchards before heading back to the square for the finish where again my arrival was announced over the PA system which made the whole day even more memorable than it already was. I’ll be honest that I did very little training for this run and with the legend of how tough it was I was thinking that if I could do it in under 3 hours I would be pleased so I was happy when I crossed the line in 2 hrs 53 mins 42 secs. Here is an unofficial video compilation with footage Margaurita took and more photos in the slide show…
If you want to see some of the official photographs (which are exorbitantly priced) and the official videos where you can hear the PA announcements then click this link – official footage.
I had heard that the organisation of the marathon wasn’t the greatest however our experience was very different. We had a meal voucher for after the race which got us a massive baguette with everything on it, a coke/beer and a muffin. There were also showers available at the race venue so we could freshen up before the long bus road home and we were back at the hostel by 4:00pm. Another nap before we headed out for dinner with a friend of Margaurita’s called Ivy and her husband. We went to a fantastically vibrant street restaurant in the heart of some Beijing neighbourhood with delicious food and cold beer, just what we needed to celebrate our achievement.
On Sunday, our last day in Beijing we slept late before meeting up with an old friend of my sister’s, Dixon, for lunch in the Sanlitun area after which we decided to tick one more site of the list which was the Lama Temple. Again the significance was somewhat lost on me but there was a 18 metre tall Buddha statue carved from a single sandal-wood log. You aren’t allowed to take photos inside the temples though but you are given a CD to take home with your ticket which includes a documentary on the history of the temple and footage of the various statues so it’s all good.
And that was it, Margaurita and I said farewell to Wayne who had an extra day of in Beijing and we made our way to the airport. We got a taxi to the airport express subway station and then for 25 Yuan it was a quick ride direct to Terminal 3 where we were due to catch our China Air flight at 18:00pm. Only to get to the ticket counter and be told our flight was cancelled. This wasn’t such a big issue it appeared though as there is a flight every hour and we were booked onto the 7:00pm flight. Then that flight was delayed and the plane only arrived at 8:00pm we boarded around 8.30pm and sat on the plane at the gate until 9:00pm before finally getting push back and started taxiing. They then served food which was strange as normally you must have trays stowed away for takeoff but then all was made clear as the captain announced there was congestion on the taxi way and takeoff was going to delayed. What he didn’t tell us was how long, maybe he didn’t know but we didn’t take off till around 10:00pm. The flight itself was uneventful but getting a taxi from Xiaoshan airport was proving difficult after midnight. There were the illegal ones that wanted to charge 100 yuan for a ride that should be 60 Yuan so we dismissed them and persisted with the legal taxis and eventually had some luck but that ran out when, in the queue to exit the airport parking a car on our left was inching ever closer not wanting to give way and eventually made contact with our taxi. The slightest contact but contact none the less. So our driver got out and a big argument ensued with little sign of resolution or backing down by either party. Next a cellphone, a call and the police were summoned. 25 minutes later the police arrived and more arguing ensued. I noticed the meter was still running so I got out and in with my best sign language tried to convey this to the policeman and indicate that the driver who crashed into us should pay. The taxi driver understood and promptly zeroed the meter. After some more arguing the driver of the car handed over 100 yuan to the taxi driver who gave him some change, all in front of the policeman. Evidently they had eventually agreed what the scratch was worth and we were on our way. We didn’t get back home till 2:00am on Monday, exhausted and both having work later that day, so much for flying and saving time.
Now you can sit back and enjoy the slide show.
Hi Rory, great achievement amazing pictures (even though you think they’re boring). Good to see how highly technological your blog is becoming!
Cheers
Paul
Thanks Paul. I realise that seeing things everyday here I might start taking them fore-granted while they are still interesting for you. Stay tuned for more pictures and videos on future posts…
Really awesome post, Rau-Lee!! Admitedly long time in coming, but the wait has proved worth it! Loving the video inclusions too and can only echo Paul’s sentiment of being impressed with the technological inclusions despite being behind the Great China Firewall.
That run looks cool and now even more bummed that we didn’t get over there to join you! Cool pics of the temples etc. too.
Also really enjoyed how the drivers agreed the accident damage right there and settled in cash on the spot, with the taxi driver even giving back some change. Classic!
P.S. Did you actually pack that manky vest & your CompresSox into your suitcase when you first head off to China? Or did you somehow have them sent over for the run? – Super high five if it’s the first one.
Thanks boyche, glad you enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to sharing more videos too. Missed you on the run but it’s happening again next year so who knows…
Indeed just when I think I’ve seen it all in China something else happens that makes you wonder.
As for the vest and CompresSox, I actually packed them in my suitcase as the plan was to run the race even before I left.
[…] may remember my Beijing post a few months ago detailing my trip to China’s capital and my attempt at running the Great Wall […]
Great post. Lovely pics.
Keep writing like this. Wonderful
Thanks for the great feedback, I’m glad you enjoyed it.