#Beijing Great Wall Jinshanling & Forbidden City

I am squeezing this blog in while I can and just in case I lose the photos at sea! This is my first visit to Beijing and China proper. Much I have seen is thought provoking - even unsettling I would say. Of course we all know China has become an economic powerhouse but to see the scale does make me dwell on how relatively lightweight the UK must be in world terms. What has really thrown me is the contradiction of what I believe. China is designated as a communist country (albeit with elements of capitalism ) and not recognised as a democratic society by western standards. But what a success story it appears to be. The people are really engaging. There is no aggression - no mad driving or honking horns. They evidently work hard but they are friendly, gregarious and often fun. There are diparities in wealth but wealth is being distributed and figures show millions have been lifted out of real poverty. It is evident. I spent some time chatting to an Indian couple who have made the ready comparison with their own country - and their words - maybe democracy is over rated! We have so many problems too in the UK but I would struggle to accept they could ever be solved by socialism leave alone communism - but then there is China! There is much I could try and discuss now about China and how it works. I have so many questions to ask but it will have to wait. It is a truly facinating place and impressive - on the surface at least. One big problem however- air polluion - although better today - there was a wind to disturb it. The Chinese have planted millions of trees - much of their transport is electrified but they have a long way to go.

Anyway what have I been up to apart from eating who knows what - literally! My mind was set on walking on The Great Wall of China. Yesterday I walked a 7k stretch at Jinshanling. It was highly undulating and large sections were unrepaired original and therefore not tourist popular. I will say no more now than it will be memorble - a real privilege to have the opportunity to do it. Fantastic - moved - as usual a touch emotional from the enormity and sense of being somewhere really special - or better - mystical. I have also been to the gigantic National Museum and then Tianemen Square (of protest notoriety). Today I spent more than half the day in the Forbidden City - a world heritage site and huge. It consists of a complex of palaces used by successive emperors over many hundreds of years. I used an audio commentary which brought it to life. Fasinating is another understatement. There is so much I would like to write - will write on my return - touch wood! Now it is time to fully focus on the sailing to come

Great Wall

Of the Forbidden City

My hostel in Beijing

Street scenes Beijing

Tiananmen Square - scene of the riots.

the massive National museum - see the person at the front

Mao still revered

so many treasures - many 3000 BC 

UK gift very modest by comparison

a highlight was the fantastic and cheap street food

more of the Forbidden City

#Clipperroundtheworld PT10 to the Pacific leg of the 2017/18 round the world race

My brother Mike and I will shortly be leaving for China. We are both doing Leg 6 of the Clipper Round the World Race. Mike is on Liverpool 2018 and I am on Dare to Lead.

Here is my personal blog:

Today is 1st of March. In just 10 days time I fly out to China and there is still a lot to do. I am writing this blog now, as a job I have set myself to do before I leave - so it is done and off the long check list.

There is two principle reasons for writing this last blog.(until my return towards the end of April - touchwood!)  The first is to provide some detail for friends and family who are interested and the second is to commit to paper what I am thinking and feeling right now (mainly for my own benefit) -in anticipation of attempting to sail across The Pacific.

A quick recap as you will see this is Part 10 of my Clipper blogs - (you could always read the prior 9 - ha!).

About the race. This is copied from the Clipper Round the World website  https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/

The Clipper Race is one of the biggest challenges of the natural world and an endurance test like no other. It’s a record breaking 40,000 nautical mile race around the world on a 70-foot ocean racing yacht. The brainchild of Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo non-stop around the world, the event is now on its eleventh edition. Divided into eight legs and 13 to 16 individual races, you can choose to complete the full circumnavigation or select individual legs. It is the only race in the world where the organisers supply a fleet of twelve identical racing yachts, each with a fully qualified skipper to guide the crew. Normally the domain of seasoned pros, this supreme challenge is taken on by ordinary, everyday people. Having completed rigorous training courses, participants are suited and booted in the latest extreme protection gear to commence the race of their lives - an unparalleled challenge. There is nowhere to hide - if Mother Nature throws down the gauntlet, you must be ready to face the same challenges as the pro racer. Navigate the Doldrums en route to South America, endure epic Southern Ocean storms, experience South African sunsets, face the mountainous seas of the North Pacific - and bond with an international crew creating lifelong memories before returning victorious.

Here are some more facts :

• The race I am participating in started in August 2017 from Liverpool.
• The boats are currently completing leg 5 of the 8 legs which will see the full circumnavigation.
• I am completing Leg 6 - a race across the North Pacific from Qingdao - China to Seattle in the USA.
• Sadly one boat of the 12 was lost after going aground off the coast of South Africa. (Leg 3) In a separate incident one life has been tragically lost.
• I am joining my boat which is called "Dare to Lead" at Qingdao on the east coast China on 18th March.
• The race starts on 23rd March.
• Each boat is crewed by a professional skipper and a crew of up to 20 although I expect there to be 16 on D to L for Leg 6.
• About half the crew are circumnavigators - the rest like me are doing one or more individual legs.
• The arrival window for Seattle is 14th - 19th April - but it could be longer as the weather conditions are so unpredictable over the near 6000 mile crossing.
• Each of the legs has very different characteristics -  this is Clippers blurb about Leg 6 - which they title The Mighty Pacific Leg. 
  As you depart China, expect to be treated like a superhero as the media and spectators snap away, video, cheer and applaud as you walk down to your racing yacht. The first few days when snow fell on a grey sea will be long forgotten as you work your boat to the maximum and reach the first waypoint at the southern tip of Japan. It might be a bit early to smile at the memory of the huge Pacific rollers that picked up your 70-foot yacht and allowed it to surf at 30 knots down into the trough ahead, save that for your first cold beer ashore.After more than a month at sea, crossing the International Date Line and with nearly 6,000 miles left in your wake, you will be preparing to make one of the most momentous landfalls of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.If you are on watch, it could be your shout that alerts your team that the west coast of America has been spotted. By then, the incredible start spectacle put on by the Chinese sailing city of Qingdao will be distant memory but one that will live with you forever.Knowing that you are one of the few people that will ever race a yacht across the planets greatest ocean makes the cold, wet and exhausting race completely worth while. You lived team work, not just talked about it. You stayed safe, raced fast and looked after yourself and your crew mates. The only thing better than living one of life's greatest challenges, is sharing it with an amazing team.
• The main characteristics of the Mighty Pacific Leg is the cold - the remoteness (certainly beyond air rescue for large parts of the race), the massive seas, the potential for vicious storms and the fact the prevailing wind is behind - so the boat will be sailing fast often under spinnaker. (this can be exhilarating but at the same time very challenging.)

Here are 3 video clips from past races. They provide a much better insight into leg 6 than any descriptions above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_HD52bw0d8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPIuj1u2KWE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vZ_REg1Pbo

So why am I doing it ?  Why have I chose the Pacific Leg? I guess it is along these lines. When I was a little boy the world was small. My parents never left the UK in their whole lives - (apart from dad doing National Service in Germany.). However I remember picture books of exotic mystical places -  among others - The Taj Mahal, The Pyramids, Everest, The Amazon, Mt Fuji, The Great Wall of China and the Mighty Pacific Ocean - the world's biggest. As part of the baby boomer generation the world has opened up for us. Incredibly I have the opportunity to sail across the Pacific. Almost unbelievable. What would our dear late parents think? To circumnavigate must be the ultimate - doing any leg is an amazing achievement - but we have settled on the Mighty Pacific leg. For me it is a very discernible challenge - easy to identify - something really specific - and almost out of this world. It will be a great thing to look back on - even if the doing will be brutal. My past travels and treks have given me so much emotionally. I know this will be a huge test - I have got a lot out of the training - it is a sailing marathon on a huge unpredictable and hostile course - but the potential for deep satisfaction is enormous and at my stage in life probably as big as it can get. Something like that - it is a personal thing.

There is another reason. Can I put it into words? It is simply to feel to your core the enormity of nature - the incredible spectacular creation - and to feel small - tiny - insignificant within it. I have felt it before. It is the point where you consider where you are - what you are doing. - and just think wow - is this real. It makes you humble it makes you tearful. In makes you think of your loved ones with a very special intensity. I am sure there will be a incredible sense of that at times on this voyage

How am I feeling right now? Mainly I am feeling apprehensive. Why? Well because I am not naïve. I have done the required comprehensive training but not sailed in the extreme conditions we are likely to encounter (practised getting into a life raft in a swimming pool - ha!). I have sailed a similar boat from Gosport to Gran Canaria - 1500 miles - but Bay of Biscay was relatively calm! But I do feel I have an insight of what is to come specifically and overall. It is scary. Will I be an asset to my crew? Can I make good decisions under pressure.? Can I cope? Can I be safe with boat - crew and self in mind ? I know what happens if you go overboard in the cold north Pacific from a boat speeding under spinnaker at 20 knots away from you. I know what can happen if gear under massive loads and tensions break or if you forget the dangers. I know what it is like to be seasick. I have some insight into being on a relatively small boat with a crew living in close proximity for a week. It can be challenging. But a month - in a cold washing machine - sleep deprived and stressed. That will be something else. But I am quietly determined. The boats are well found and proven. We have an excellent skipper in Dale Smyth, the crew - particularly the circumnavigators have done a fantastic job so far. (they were a strong bunch before they left and now they have sailed over half way round the world I am sure they are really seasoned sailors and very experienced.) Personally I have good gear I hope - including a dry suit. I am set on doing everything I can to earn the respect and regard of my skipper and crew mates - to be an effective team member - whatever that takes. Head down - chin up - and get on with it. is my intention. I am expecting the main dividend to come at the end - rather like running a marathon.

Now I have to finish my packing and put some final planning into the weeks sightseeing I have in mind before the race. I have always wanted to walk on The Great Wall of China - and my plan is to go to Xian to see the Terracotta Army. (Cost of getting to China and securing the visa makes me feel I should take the opportunity - but I am concerned it might be a bit much and I would have been better to go straight to the boat - but it is decided now.) Fingers crossed it all works out.

Finally a thought for my family. They have been hugely supportive in my past travels. I know they are a bit anxious about the sailing but they understand. I do not want to worry them - and we are all optimists. One thing I am sure of - they mean the world to me and they will be my inspiration and motivation during the voyage. Anyway - we have Cornwall camping booked later in the year and we can't miss that!

PS you can follow the race on Race Viewer at:

https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/

You can also search for the "Supporters of Dare to Lead" on Facebook.

Dare to Lead - Gosport July 2017. She has now covered over half of the 40000 mile circumnavigation and is unlikely to look quite so pristine. 

Part of the matched Clipper fleet of 12 (now 11) at Gosport July 2017

My official Clipper photo!