An overnight train ride to Beijing was not the most comfortable for everyone, but allowed for an early morning start towards the base camp and starting point for their 4-day hike. The students became quickly adept with their GPS navigation, although one might wonder if either someone was not paying attention or the GPS batteries had died as some strange direction decisions were made!

Details about the trip are not important, but the lessons learned and expanded comfort zones are. For some individuals, it was an exceptionally challenging experience; camping outside, cooking their own food, carrying heavy backpacks, walking for hours. But it was not all dry mouths, sore feet and rumbling tummies, as everyone found themselves in a position few others can understand. The general consensus was amazement at the experience of hiking and sleeping on the Great Wall of China. Perhaps millions of tourists walk on and take amazing photos of the Great Wall every year. However, few have the chance to do what our Silver Award students did and hike along ancient and original sections of the wall. Crumbling walls and loose bricks attest to the fact that this was not the “touristy” part of the wall that was painstakingly cleaned and fixed to appease the bussed-in masses from around the world. It was the real deal, and to top it all off most slept in the actual old guard towers, desperately hoping the ghosts of soldiers-builders past would not return during the late star-filled night.

An excellent trip overall, our students doing themselves proud, some earning Principal’s Commendations as they completed their journey. Given the increase in difficulty  from the Bronze, one can only wonder about the challenges that await on the Gold trip next year. Well done everyone!