Up at 0515 with a quick cooling shower and then onto the bus to travel 2.5 -3 hours outside of Beijing to the Great Wall of China and our big walk. Only 5 of us all together and all except me doing the full 5 hour walk – I did about a third. Paid our 50 yuan. Had been warned that local farmers would accompany us to help and then sell us stuff – one of their few forms of income. I had a lady attach herself pretty quickly. There was a cable car from Tower Four and my plan was to walk up and then return by cable car to be back at the bus by 1130 where the driver would take me and him to the other end to meet the others. I did my bit quite successfully chatting with Australians and the French on the way up as well as taking photos. Very hot and sweaty – well everyone was. Then at tower 4 told that the cable car wasn’t working and wasn’t sure whether to believe them or not as you couldn’t see it. Had to make a rather quick descent the way I had come down very steep steps at times to get back to the bus in time. Cant have been too bad as still had some energy left over. Then a 50min ride to the other end where there was another cable car so amused myself by going up and don in that and then about 20mins later the others arrived very hot and tired – they seemed to think I could have done the whole lot albeit slower than them.
A 2.5 hr drive back – most of us slept. Then more internet and got ready for our Final Supper at a local restaurant. Money was left over from the tipping kitty so that paid for dinner. Martin buying me and Jo a lovely piece of cake to say thankyou for our friendship. Peter had a go at Martin about his coughing just before dinner (like he can help it) – Martin is very considerate of others and a complete gentleman. Then as dinner was nearing an end Sarah took rapidly ill – minutes. She was sitting next to me and I knew she wasn’t right as she suddenly went quiet and then very white and clammy. She then completely spaced out for 2-3 minutes – she just wasn’t there and I was concerned she was having a stoke or something so we rang for an ambulance. She then vomited uncontrollably – the Chinese need to have bigger bowls on the table – and seemed to recover after this – another huge vomit 10 mins later and then gradually got better and better. Cancelled the ambulance and walked her back to the hotel and I kept an eye on her for a while until I was convinced it was nothing more than vomiting. Anyway this finished the evening off pretty quickly and I never got to say goodbye to Lorna and Peter and Jacqueline. Our room was so hot and Jo packed as she was leaving early and then we laid on our beds in the dark with minimal clothing on hoping for little breezes thru the tiny window and chatted. The open window brought mosquitos in the middle of the night so I got bitten again and again as if you put the covers over then you started sweating. Consequently not a good nights sleep.