Started walking at eight o’clock following the Great wall of China. Pretty quickly I had to make some serious decisions on whether to walk long detours or take calculated risks. The worst was when I had walked a long way in fields and got to a valley. The only way down and over was pretty hazardous when carrying a 20 kg plus rucksack. The alternative felt worse though.

I walked down a steep hill with the ice covered Yellow River on one side and a river bed leading in to the river on the other. Steep inclines on both sides. I was most worried about unexpected ice, so took it slowly. Then I balanced across an aquaduct-like bridge only a meter wide, but with a pipe in the middle. So I held on to the pipe while walking across. The drop was sufficient to mess up my day and this walk badly. Then the worst bit: a 3-4 meter descent on steep rocks with nothing to hold on to.

After a while, the Great Wall turned to (just) a line of watchtowers. That is – I couldn’t see any traces of The Wall. Most places there was a vertical drop to the Yellow River, which would be sufficient to keep attackers at bay. As I walked on, more and more deep valleys were in my way.

I asked people I met if there was a dirt road that could get me all the way to Wang Jia Zai, and they said there was, and pointed me on. The problem was it was hard to understand their answers. As I knew the night was going to be TOO cold for me to sleep in the tent (thanks John!!) I called Helen who is the woman who translates the Chinese web site and asked her to help me which made things a lot easier. Many thanks Helen 🙂

I use Lithium batteries that are longer lasting and lighter than ordinary ones. I thought they would handle the cold better too, but it took only a few hours for a brand new pair to run out. I hope this was just a freak occurrence, because I don’t have that many with me. In warmer weather they are fantastic.

It was about minus 10 C most of the day today. I got some great ‘Ice in the beard’ pictures. Fortunately the wind was not strong.

I got to a trafficated road at about four o’clock and took a bus to Wang Jia Zou. I’m sitting on a cold ‘Kang’, but in less than an hour I will feel the warmth from underneath, due to the fumes from the fire being channeled under the bed. A great invention 🙂

The title of today’s entry was going to be ‘Feeling like an outcast’. I have written enough now though, so will save that one for another day. I am hungry and thirsty so time to feast…

27 Kilometres today