What Not To Do When Visiting the Great Wall of China

If you look on the “bucket list” of any traveler, there is a good chance that “Visit the Great Wall of China” will be included. This comes as no surprise, as the Great Wall is a truly remarkable structure and a one-in-a-lifetime travel experience. With direct flights to China, within a few short hours you can be standing within the shadow of this iconic structure.

As the Great Wall of China is easily one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, and actually consists of many different sections of wall which have been built from the 5th century BC to the 16th century. The majority of the existing wall was built during the Ming Dynasty. These stone and earth fortifications were built to protect the Chinese Empire from the attacks of nomadic hordes. This amazing wall reaches all the way from Shanhaiguan in the east, to Lop Lake in the west of China, and creates a massive arc which traces the edges of Inner Mongolia. It is several thousand kilometers long, and it can be visited at many places along its length. Some sections of the wall are completely ruined, and others are well preserved. If you are planning on visiting the Great Wall of China, there are a few things to watch out for, so here are some pointers on what NOT to do at this iconic site:

  • Don’t forget to bring water. Especially in the summer, you will become hot and thirsty while walking along the wall and the price of a bottle of water at a vendor are not very budget conscious.
  • Do not add your name to the carvings in the wall. If you are spotted by the authorities, you can be fined and punished for any damage to the wall.
  • Do not walk outside of maintained area, as some sections of the Wall are only made of mud and a few loose stones and can be dangerous.
  • Don’t fail to have a backup plan when hiking, as there are no wilderness rescue personnel in China and so no one will come to save you.
  • Don’t fall for a bus scam. If someone offers you a ride for 150 Yuan, say no thank you. The real bus to the Great Wall should only cost around 20 Yuan.
  • Don’t hike the Great Wall in the middle of the afternoon. In the heat of the day you will find the journey will turn you into a hot and sweaty miserable mess. It is better to wake up early and explore the Wall in the morning before the weather gets too warm. You will also avoid the crowds as well.
  • Don’t make eye contact with the souvenir hawkers. They will annoyingly persist that you buy their cheesy goods, which you can buy in any major city for much cheaper.
  • Don’t wear flip-flops. Hiking the Great Wall of China requires shoes, as you will be climbing steep stone steps and sometimes walking through mud and grime.

These are just a few things not to do which will make your Great Wall of China experience safer and more enjoyable.

Posted in Travel | Leave a comment

The Leigh Countryside

Leigh is a former industrial town on the outskirts of Greater Manchester; it has made great strides to recreate itself after the demise of the local cotton, mining and foundry industries. A combination of gentrification of the industrial landscape and creation of a sports village with a 10,000-seat stadium, along with excellent shopping facilities has given the town a reversal in its fortunes.

The Bridgewater canal reached Leigh in 1795 and though no longer in use, like many of the old redbrick mills that line its course; it now makes a pleasant trail to walk along and takes you to nearby Worsley.  The areas industrial past is also remembered in the Ashley Green Colliery Museum, the mine itself closed in 1970 but it now houses the largest collection of pit locomotives in the country and has a 98’ head gear and winding house on site.

Countryside reclaimed

The planting of a 130-hectare of woodland on the colliery site has created a wonderful environment and spectacular views. The Pennington Flash Country Park is another lovely outdoor venue to savour the picturesque countryside around Leigh. The nature reserve and lake were created by subsidence from local mining and now provide a home to many birds. Along with hides for birdwatchers, the local sailing club, windsurfers and fishermen who use the lake. Lilford Park, the grounds of the former Atherton Hall, since demolished, was donated to the town in 1914 and is another lovely outdoor spot to explore.

Other natural wonders in the area can be found at the Knowsley Safari Park, the main attraction is the 5-mile drive through trail. Here visitors can experience an African drive, watch lions, rhino, oryx, blackbuck, eland, elephants and over a 100 baboons wandering the Lancashire countryside. The amusement park also includes a bughouse, sea lion shows and picnic site.

Those with a taste for art and culture can pay a visit to the little Turnpike Gallery, based in the old Civic square in the centre of the town. The purpose built venue has been in existence since 1971 and holds regular exhibitions of contemporary art from local artists to international masters.

Accommodation

The Park Inn Leigh Hotel is in a rural setting but has great access to Manchester, Liverpool and the towns of Wigan and Warrington.  It is also a good place to discover the gorgeous Lancashire countryside.

The hotel has 135 spacious and modern rooms, stylishly fitted out and including high-speed Internet connections. The hotel also has a popular RBG Bar & Grill serving up tasty meals for its customers, there is plenty of parking and an excellent fitness and health centre.

Leigh makes a great base, situated as it is between Liverpool and Manchester, with easy access to the M6 but also surrounded by the fabulous rolling hills and vales of the Lancashire countryside that are well worth exploring.

 

Posted in Travel | Leave a comment

The Costs of Becoming A Homeowner

Buying a home requires a serious financial commitment.

Not only will you need to make mortgage repayments, but you can expect to require a significant deposit, pay mortgage fees and stamp duty and much more.

This article looks at the costs involved in owning your own home. Buying a home and taking on a mortgage certainly requires careful consideration as to whether you can afford it according to your savings.

Deposits

There is a limited choice of mortgages available with deposits of 10%, but for a wider choice you may need to save 20% or even 30% of the property value.

Mortgage payments

If you have never completed a budget planner before, you should certainly do so before you take out a mortgage. An online budget planning tool should identify how much disposable income you have left each month. This should help you decide whether you can afford your likely mortgage payments, and just as importantly, whether you could still afford your mortgage if interest rates rose.

Stamp duty

Stamp Duty Land Tax is a tax paid to the Government when you purchase a property. However, recent changes mean that first-time buyers do not pay stamp duty on purchases of up to GBP 250,000.

Insurance

A mortgage lender will insist that you effect a suitable buildings insurance policy. Other insurances highly recommended for homeowners include:

  • Contents insurance – ensures the homeowner will be compensated for loss, theft or damage of personal possessions
  • Life insurance – ensures a lump sum is paid out on the policyholder’s death to enable the mortgage to be paid off
  • Critical illness insurance – ensures a lump sum is paid out if the policy holder is diagnosed with a serious illness, enabling the mortgage to be paid off.
  • Payment protection insurance – provides a short-term income to cover the mortgage repayments should the policyholder be unable to work due to accident, sickness or unemployment.

Mortgage fees

There are many types of fees that may or may not apply to your mortgage. The number and amount of these fees will vary between deals, so comparing fees is an important part of the process of choosing your mortgage. No fee mortgage deals do exist, and it is also possible for the lender to add all of its fees to your mortgage balance, in which case your upfront payments will reduce but your monthly mortgage payments will increase.

However, in addition to the lender’s fees, mortgage applicants may also need to pay fees to brokers, solicitors, estate agents and surveyors.

Lender fees may include:

  • Arrangement fee – to cover administration costs; may be higher for fixed rate mortgages or special types of mortgage
  • Account fee – to cover the costs of setting up, maintaining and closing your mortgage account
  • Valuation fee – to cover the costs of the valuation the lender will carry out to ascertain if the property provides adequate security for the mortgage
  • Higher lending charge – to provide added security for the lender if you are borrowing a high percentage of the property value
  • Telegraphic transfer fee – to facilitate the speedy transfer of the mortgage funds
  • Early repayment charge – to cover the costs to the lender of the borrower repaying their mortgage early,

these charges usually apply while the mortgage is in a fixed, discounted or capped rate period

Fees that may be payable to other parties include:

  • Broker fee – to cover the costs of advising you and arranging your mortgage; if you use a mortgage broker, they should explain at the start of the process whether this fee will be payable, and if so how it will be calculated
  • Solicitor’s fees – to cover the cost of carrying out the conveyancing process on your behalf
  • Surveyor’s fees – to cover the cost of a full structural survey on the home if you decide to have one.

Posted in Finance | Tagged , | Leave a comment