Embracing the Dragon: A Woman's Remarkable Journey Along the Great Wall of China

by Polly Greeks

This vivid recollection follows one woman's remarkable journey walking the Great Wall of China. Polly Greels walked further than any European woman to date—over jagged mountain passes, into villages which had never seen a European woman, and through a blizzard that nearly claimed her life.

Genres: Travel, China, Nonfiction

226 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2004

Reviews

[Alesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Polly Greeks is an absolutely luminous writer. Her nonfiction shines, every single sentence of it. She writes about the adventure of a lifetime, backpacking on the Great Wall of China. At times, you just want to strangle her boyfriend/companion for his callous treatment of her and self-centeredness. But in the end, she emerges triumphant, with deeper understanding of herself and life.

Plus, there's her description of rural China. Oh my goodness. This girl has guts. This will definitely go down in history as one of the best travel books about China.

[Kiwi Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much that I couldn’t put it down! Polly Greeks has written a vivid and gripping story about her experience of trekking the Great Wall Of China with her partner Nathan. She is inspired by his dream and passion to be one of the first non Chinese men to hike the length of the Great Wall. While the initial motivation for her is Nathan and her relationship with him, the journey becomes about her realising that it is up to her to own her own expectations and experiences. She opens up for us inspiring images of the Great Wall and rural China. The hardships and challenges of hiking along endless treacherous mountain ranges along the wall which is little more than rubble in places. Travelling through desert, jungles and stunning, massive landscapes. Polly brings to vivid life the kindness of rural Chinese people who have so little but share what they have with two dishevelled and stinky strangers. The highs and lows of savage weather (blizzards, storms and heatwaves) contrasted with stunning sunsets and beautiful night skies. The trust in finding food and water and the commitment to continue in the face of illness, bad weather and despair. The frustration of being isolated but realising that depression is anger turned inwards and we are each responsible for managing our own mindset and behaviour, blaming anyone else gets us nowhere. The beauty of the world and a gigantic, sprawling ancient wall built by human forced labour. Books are a chance to experience a different life and adventures - this one is gripping and intense.

[Angela Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both a surprise that this book was so well written and more an internal journey than a travelogue, this was a thoroughly engaging saga of a walk along the Great Wall of China over afew months in 2001 .
Having travelled widely in China, I enjoyed the stories of chance meetings and hardship in remote places. At the end, the relationship with her travelling partner becomes more interesting than the travel itself.

[Lynette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this interesting read. Had no idea that following the wall would mean climbing such high mountain peaks etc.
This would be challenging for any relationship, let alone one where you really didn't know each other when you first set out. Definitely a "good read".

[Veronica Huntington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book about a kiwi girl and her journey over a part of the great wall of China. So brave!

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Polly Greeks is a good writer, I just felt annoyed at the story - so Nathan doesn't sound like the most thoughtful of men etc etc, but he has a dream and is following it and then Polly decides to join in and then seems miffed when his dream seems more important than she is to him. And then she writes a book about it when that has been his intent all along. I think I'd be kind of annoyed if I was Nathan. I reads this book when it was first published but have just been reminded of it as it has been read out loud on RadioNZ. Made me remember I must read Nathan's version of the story now...