After visiting
the Great Wall of China, I decided it would be good to share some travel tops
for those reading this that might be traveling there soon. While this list is
not the greatest list of travel tips ever assembled, this list is made up of
things I wish I would have known before I got there. Here are my tips:
1.
Wake
up early and get there early – we waited until 8:30 to leave the hotel. It took about
90 minutes to travel to the Great Wall, and I feel like we wasted time unnecessarily.
Had we left at 6:30 or 7:00, we would have made it back to the Forbidden City
in time to make that tour in one day.
2.
Take
the gondola up – save your legs, it is the easiest way up.
3.
Head
West (to the alternate ways down) once you get to the top.
4.
Wear
comfortable shoes for walking, with ankle support if you need it... I wore decent shoes, but should have brought better shoes!
5.
Take
drinks and snacks with you – It seemed a though we walked about 2-3 miles on
rough terrain. They sell water and snacks, but if you like to save money, bring
your own.
6.
Take
the sled (slideway) down. This was really cool. It is a sled that you ride
down. It has a handheld break, it goes as fast or as slow as you want, and is
definitely a unique experience.
7.
Purchase
souvenirs after you come down from the wall – vendors will hustle you on the
way up, but there is no reason to waste your time on the way up (most people
already know this)
8.
Bring
$1 bills (US) – you can buy most everything for just a dollar. There is no need
to exchange your money here, and your money will go further this way.
9.
Have
fun – this is an incredible site to see, enjoy it and have fun with the
experience. You will get tired, hot, and sweaty, so make sure you have fun
seeing this site!
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