I was 18 when I visited my first “New Seven Wonders of the World” – the Great Wall of China in Beijing.
My aunt, her friend and I had woken up early that day to beat the crowds at the Mutianyu section of the wall, which is the most famous. When we stepped out of the vehicle, there were only a few visitors around.
It was spring at the time, so the weather was pleasant. Parts of the landscape were dotted with pale pink and white blossoms from peach and apricot trees. I had never seen cherry blossoms before, so these were close enough for me.
We were greeted by stone steps at the entrance that seemed to go on forever, and uphill at that. It seemed like quite a daunting challenge, but I was young, full of energy and loved adventure (I still do), so I was more excited than scared to start the climb.
The Great Wall stretches for more than 20,000km. Of course, we weren’t going to walk the whole length of it. Most visitors only cover a small portion of it.
(Fun fact: It takes 17 to 18 months, which is equivalent to nearly 520 days, to complete the walk, and only a handful of people have done this.)
Built, destroyed and then rebuilt over centuries – through several dynasties – the 2,000-year-old fortress also served as a communication network back in the day. Today, it’s a heritage site.
Most visitors stop a few times along the stone walls to take in the scenery and catch their breath. Some sections were steep and uneven, and I had to slow down and take a breather myself.
About 40 minutes into the hike, my aunt and her friend decided to stop at one of the watchtowers. I was still feeling energetic, so I continued on my own for another 45 minutes or so.
And I never “saw” them again.
Well, not until I made my way back down.
Our meeting point was at the entrance, so I eventually turned around to meet them.
The journey down was slightly more challenging though. Partly because I was already standing at a higher elevation, which made the view ahead look like it was way down below, making it feel a little scary.
Regardless, I wish I had gone a little further before turning back that day.
Although it was only a short hike, that visit to the Great Wall of China made me want to visit the rest of the New Wonders of the World.
One that sits on top of my list is Machu Picchu in Peru. Built in the 15th century, the Inca citadel is located in the Andes, the world’s longest mountain range on land, at over 2,400m above sea level. The archaeological complex is a remarkable remnant of the Inca civilisation, with hundreds of structures including temples, terraces and other buildings.
The classic Inca Trail takes several days to complete, while other routes offer shorter hikes and the option of taking a train part of the way.
Petra is another good destination for travellers who also want to start ticking off their own New Wonders of the World bucket list. The ancient city in Jordan was once an important trading centre for the Nabataeans and was partly chiselled into the surrounding red sandstone cliffs.
The site dates back more than 2,000 years and is best explored on foot. Petra was largely unknown to the world until a Swiss explorer, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, visited the site in the early 1800s.
For now, though, I am happy to have ticked off at least one of the “wonders”. Only six more to go!
