After getting the weather report from my girlfriend yesterday (thanks Trude), I decided to make an early start today. Set my alarm for six o’clock. At three a.m. I went out for a wee. Crystal clear sky and the stars and planets looked like they were only half as far away as usual. I could see the Milky Way very clearly.

I went back to sleep and slept straight through two alarms! At a little over seven I woke up, seeing the sun on the tent. It wasn’t very hot though – which it would have been a month ago.

Started walking and found a small path along the Great Wall. It varied in size and shape, but made the walking easier. The Great Wall is double here. The outer wall was smaller than the inner, functioning as an effective barrier against the horsemen of the enemy. The inner and main defensive wall was at least double in height.

Towards the end of the day I met a great elderly couple who invited me into their home. They were farmers and told me that their child and family work in Yinchuan. They asked about snakes and I showed them pictures I have brought about life in Norway.

Right now there is a grasshopper concert outside. Time to upload this and then eat some more. It is eight thirty, and completely dark. The only light comes from this great but small htc s740 mobile phone 🙂

31 kilometres today, and 10 yesterday.