The Dalian Senior Singers’ Mountaineering Team has been established for eight and a half years. Over these years, more than a hundred retired seniors with an average age of nearly 70 have climbed almost every mountain in Dalian. Still feeling unsatisfied, they’ve started venturing to famous mountains across the province and throughout the country.
On the morning of the 16th, Labor Park was particularly lively as nearly a hundred members of the Senior Singers’ Mountaineering Team gathered together to see off 21 team members who were about to depart for North America. It’s reported that this is the third stop in the team’s plan to traverse all seven continents. Last year, they spent over half a month hiking in the Alps of Europe.
On the morning of the 17th, at the newspaper office, I met Yu Xiandong, the team leader. He is the oldest member on this trip, with the 21 participants averaging 67 years old. They will transfer in Seoul, South Korea, first travel around Hawaii, then fly to the United States to hike the Grand Canyon in Las Vegas. “The Grand Canyon is 446 kilometers long in total, and we may not have enough time to complete the entire hike,” said Yu Xiandong. They will decide the length of the hike based on their schedule. Along the way, they will also perform some distinctive Chinese programs to showcase to friends around the world, letting them see that the lives of Chinese seniors in their later years are also rich and fulfilling. Before the end of the trip, they will fly to Jeju Island, South Korea, to climb Hallasan, the country’s highest peak at 2,000 meters above sea level. The entire journey will last 19 days.
The year before last, the singers’ mountaineering team traveled to Nepal to cross the Himalayas, where they met many fellow foreign senior adventurers. During their exchanges, they discovered that the “foreigners” had almost traveled all over the world. “At that time, everyone was very envious and wanted to learn from them.” Starting last year, the team began planning their journey to traverse all seven continents.