A GROUP of 30 students and three teachers from Tavistock College flew to China for ten days recently, to explore the cities of Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai.

The group spent its first four days in Beijing and visited the Great Wall — the 5,000km long defence started during the Qin dynasty in around 200BC to protect China from the threat of Mongolia.

To make the climb up to the top of the section of wall they visited would have been difficult on a regular day, but the group managed to do it in 42 degree heat. There were 15 or so students that made it to the top and, by complete coincidence, they were joined by students from Callington and Torquay.

The group was greeted in Xi’an by a tour guide for the city where, among other things, it visited the Terracotta Army Museum.

On the group’s first day in Shanghai it went into the very centre of the city to climb the Oriental Pearl TV tower — a futuristic building that stands at 468m tall.

One of the students who attended the trip said: ‘Overall our time in China was amazing. It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity and it is so worth doing. The people are really welcoming and the sights are so impressive. It has an amazing and rich history and is also very interesting today politically and economically.

‘It is a country changing very fast and I would love to return as I’m sure it would be a very different place even just in ten years’ time.

‘China is an incredible place and I would recommend a trip there to anyone.’