Day 1 in the “Northern Capital”

Arriving and spending my first day in Beijing, a city whose name literally means ‘Northern Capital’, has been quite a wonderful experience. I first visited Beijing in 2010 when my friend Kate was living here, and then four years later, Sue and I did a holiday tour that also took us through the city. It was so funny today, on the bus, going past some parts of inner-city Beijing that I instantly recognised. I knew the area where Kate lived, and even though there have been a few changes since 2010, many things were very familiar. In fact, I even recognised the shop downstairs from her old apartment that I used to go to in the morning, which made me smile.

Other familiar parts of today’s trip were visiting Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square, with its immense scale, felt even more vast as I consciously navigated its open spaces, acutely aware of each step on the historic ground. Then, stepping into the Forbidden City presented its own set of considerations. I’d enjoyed exploring its depths on previous visits, but this time was certainly different. The sheer sprawl of the palace complex, with its seemingly endless succession of courtyards, grand halls, and intricate pathways, was something I had to approach with a new strategy and awareness.

My focus today was inevitably on my mobility – the sheer number of steps involved in traversing these enormous sites, the warmth of the day, and being part of a large group of about 40 people. The scale of these historic places, which on past visits just inspired awe, now also represented a significant physical undertaking.

Adding to the group dynamic, there were actually three people who opted for wheelchairs for these two big sights. Eric, our tour guide, efficiently organised these wheelchairs and people to push them, which they seemed to really appreciate. The cost was 400 Yuan, probably about $70 or $80 Australian, which seemed like a great service for about three or four hours of assistance, allowing them to experience these places more comfortably.

I decided I didn’t want to go down the wheelchair path myself, even though the thought was tempting when faced with the heat and distances. I really wanted to prove to myself, and understand for myself, that I have the physical capacity to get around these kinds of attractions. Yes, I was slower than everyone else, absolutely. And I tended to lag a bit, often finding myself keeping pace with those who were using the wheelchairs. It was a hot day, and the distances were considerable.

However, I certainly know I could not have done this particular day of extensive sightseeing on my own, especially with the same intensity as before. I would have given up much earlier. I absolutely know that if I’d been here by myself or even with just one other friend, I would have thought it was all too hard to cover so much ground.

Given the vastness, especially of the Forbidden City, and the energy required, I made peace with the fact that I wouldn’t be exploring every nook and cranny or rushing through every hall as I might have in the past. I didn’t go into some of the inner chambers or linger over every intricate detail on display. Instead, I found myself more willing to find a shaded bench, sit down, absorb the unique atmosphere of these incredible places, watch the flow of people, and simply take a break when I needed to. It was about experiencing them in a sustainable way for me, rather than trying to conquer every inch. This change in pace, though born of necessity, offered its own kind of appreciation.

When I finally checked my Fitbit later, I was astonished to see I’d clocked up around 18,000 steps. For any tourist, that’s a monumental day of walking, but it carries extra weight for an amputee. I’ve read and understood from various sources that walking with a prosthesis, especially a lower limb one like mine, requires significantly more energy – estimates vary, but it can be anywhere from 20% to well over 50% more effort compared to someone with two biological legs, depending on the amputation level and other factors. It’s not just the physical mechanics; there’s also the mental concentration involved with every step, navigating uneven surfaces and being constantly aware of your surroundings. So, those 18,000 steps felt like an even bigger achievement, and they certainly explained why those moments of rest on a shaded bench felt so necessary and so good!

Eric, our guide, and another guide, Lily, were both really fantastic throughout. They were incredibly helpful and could have easily gotten frustrated with me for being one of the slower ones in the group, but they didn’t. They were very kind, always patient, and offered help all along the way. It was a warm day, and the average age of people on the tour is probably around 50, maybe a bit more. A few people also had some weight issues and were really struggling with the pace and the heat. So, Eric took it upon himself to organise a shorter bus ride for some of us to get back to where our main tour bus was waiting, which just made things a little bit easier for us all. That local bus was incredibly hectic, let me tell you!

After that, we were headed off to a couple of optional parts of the tour, which I chose not to do. They weren’t really my thing, to be honest. Besides, I was more interested in meeting up with my friend Brian, who lives here, which felt like a really nice thing to do at the end of my first day.

Later in the afternoon, I caught up with Brian. He’s a friend of my friend Kate, and I first got to know him about 15 years ago when he was running the Red Gate Gallery in Beijing. He still runs the gallery, although it has now moved to the 798 Art District. This is a really interesting area, apparently built on the site of former military factories from the Soviet era, and now home to around 50 galleries.

We spent a lovely couple of hours there. I had a bit of a wander around the galleries in the area and looked at some new and interesting works. Afterwards, Brian and I shared a bottle of wine, chatting about our lives, mutual acquaintances, and things like that. It was a really great experience.

Then it was time to catch a Didi (like Uber) back. I couldn’t get over how cheap it was for what was at least an hour’s drive across the city! The traffic was surprisingly good, so there wasn’t much to worry about. It had been quite hot earlier in the day, but by the time we were in the 798 area and catching the taxi home, the weather was beautiful. It was a lovely way to spend the evening of my first full day in Beijing.