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[quote=MIRANDAZHAO,244916]"One night we begged him to change the schedule so we would be able to climb the Great Wall in the morning when it was cooler. He reassured our entire table of 8 that he would do so. Yet when we got back on the bus, he had reverted to "his" original schedule."

Miller's profession is to critique tours, not lead them. The request to visit the Great Wall in the morning was inappropriate. The tours of any agency are laid out by tour professionals who have led these tours over many years for the benefit of all travelers. A tour company takes into account the time, the route, and all of the logistics of travel in order to reach various sights within a few days. One does not arbitrarily change the schedule of a group without inviting serious problems. An excellent example of this would be the Great Wall, which is a nearly two-hour drive outside Beijing and is a rigorous experience that would have travelers exhausted by mid-day if they went in the morning as opposed to the afternoon. In fact, if the group had gone to the Wall first as Miller desired, the drive would have placed them there precisely between 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. -- the hottest time of day, not only the most uncomfortable time to climb the Great Wall, but a time that could lead to the serious possibility of heat stroke. It again should be noted that a heat wave was occurring in Beijing at the time this group was visiting. Normal summer temperatures of approximately 95 to 100 degrees require care in touring open unshaded and physically demanding areas such as the Great Wall. The peak temperature in Beijing that week averaged 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Can you imagine climbing the Great Wall at noon in 120 degrees?

The schedule to the Great Wall is precise. On the way, the bus passes a cloisonné factory for an opportunity to see cloisonné artisans at work building, painting, and firing their crafts. Following that, the bus drives another half hour to the Ming Tombs, where the group walks along country roads in remote areas with some light climbing. Then the group rests for lunch and a short visit to a Friendship Store for shopping or browsing, followed by another 45 minute drive to the Great Wall. The Great Wall is an exhilarating, but physically demanding experience. One does not want to be rushed in visiting this site. To suggest beginning the day with this experience, then rushing off to go walking or shopping elsewhere, suggests a lack of knowledge of the physical logistics. After visiting the Great Wall, it is time for the group to wind down and return to the hotel and to dinner. Thus, it is the last place the group visits that day, after which they welcome the ride back to the city and a delicious meal.[/quote]

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