No, that is not a photo of the author, but of my guide many years ago while I was in China at the Simatai Section of The Great Wall. His name was Li and he would not allow me to take one image of him until I purchased something, so I decided to get a hot bottle of beer and after that I was allowed to take as many images as I wanted.
As a note on this section, it has been closed since 2010 for what I was told would be restoration efforts, however, I was also informed that the plan was to turn it into more of a touristic area with large hotel complexes and other tourist trappings. My visit was many years prior and I selected this section due to the fact that it was still in its original condition which will not exist once the Chinese finish the restoration work.
As a travel writer and photographer I have spent many years exploring the world in which we live and have been on every continent with the exception of Antarctica
From time to time I will allow myself to be hired by a tourist, guiding this new explorer around, hoping that when they return to their home country, the experience(s) they lived will stay with them and in some way transform that person to see our world in a different way, hopefully, in a more inquisitive and positive nature.
I meet some very interesting and wonderful people in my search for the places where snow flakes go to die. Some are older, some younger with an ability to see things, not just for the next pub crawl but to actually see what is before their eyes.
I have found that our world is an extremely interesting place with wonderful people. I have always enjoyed the children at play, even in those countries where the poverty is so terrible, yet these young minds can find the imagination of children the world over, even if they are playing on a mound of trash (rubbish), you will still see them play similar games, tease each other, protect the young ones and generally find some way to laugh and smile.
However, you really do not want to know about me, what you are here for is the information. Good, because I am a very shy person, not really, but instead of reading this bit, click one of the posts on the left side of the page and begin or click the photo links at the top of the page and view those.
Travel safe, travel happy, enjoy life while you can.
Bud Guy
