Climbing the Great Wall of China: TikTok creator's hilariously humbling adventure
Those are the words of TikTok content creator Lybell Chen (@lybellchen), who recently shared a video on the social media platform depicting her challenging experience at one of the world's most iconic landmarks, the Great Wall of China.
'Nobody told me that the Great Wall is vertical.'
In the video, viewers are treated to a candid glimpse of Chen struggling to catch her breath as she ascends the steep steps of the wall.
At one moment, she is seen sitting with a defeated expression, taking a moment to recover from the rigorous climb.
'That was humbling,' she remarked, tagging her post with the hashtags #greatwall and #greatwallofchina.
Chen's struggles resonated with many netizens, sparking a flurry of comments worldwide.
User @shivshiv echoed her sentiment, stating, 'I've been telling people this for years. It's a hike, not a walk.'
Another user, @xoxklsefwjm, shared their own experience, noting, 'I thought I was pretty fit when I went. I was very much humbled, especially when the guards climbed past in the middle with their hands behind their backs.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Citizen
7 hours ago
- The Citizen
Phalaborwa girl's church performance goes viral
PHALABORWA – Ten-year-old Asigcine Gxoyiya from Phalaborwa recently left the congregation at House of Worship International Church in awe with her powerful performance of 'Holy Forever' by CeCe Winans. Her confident stage presence and heartfelt voice moved many to tears, and even prompted some to give her money during her performance. The moment was captured on video and quickly went viral on TikTok, racking up over a million views and earning the young singer widespread praise. Originally from East London, Asigcine moved to Phalaborwa with her family in 2021. She told the Herald that the crowd's reaction gave her the confidence she needed, especially as she had struggled with stage fright. 'I asked my sister to sit where I could see her. Looking at someone I love gives me the courage to sing,' she explained. Asigcine's passion for music was inspired by her mother, Bongi Mpenyana, a professional singer who has performed with artists across the country. Her uncle, Andries Mola, also plays a key role in supporting her musical journey. A Gr 4 learner at Reinette van den Berg Home School, Asigcine dreams of growing her talent and becoming an international star. She hopes to one day walk the red carpet alongside icons like Rihanna and Ariana Grande. Outside of music, she enjoys playing piano and swimming, another passion she developed back in East London, where she would often go to the beach with her family and collect seafood. Her mother, Bongi, said she is proud of her daughter's accomplishments. 'It's incredible to see her dedication and love for music shining through. She could sing a full song by the time she was 12 months old. Watching her excel is a dream come true,' she said.

IOL News
9 hours ago
- IOL News
Is it safe? Cape Town influencer swims into weird ocean foam and the internet reacts
TikTok sensation Michelle Sky Hayward dives into Cape Town's murky waters, sparking a wave of reactions online. Image: TikTok TikTok user and content creator Michelle Sky Hayward leaves netizens scratching their heads after taking a deep dive into what seems like bubbling sewer water. Generally, most people know to steer clear of dodgy-looking water; however, Hayward seems to have taken the phrase 'diving into the unknown' quite literally. The content creator, who has since gone viral, shared a video of herself swimming in the mysterious-looking foamy water in Cape Town. 'I'm having so much fun, I literally don't even feel the cold,' she told the camera, moments before taking an unintentional gulp of the questionable water. Hayward then screamed and laughed after some water went into her mouth, saying it tasted 'salty'. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Not only has the mother of one gone viral on social media, but she has also made the international news headlines for her unconventional swim. The adventurous fitness enthusiast has since posted a video on both Instagram and TikTok confirming that she is 'not an American tourist' and is a local to Cape Town, swimming in the sea 'at least once a week'. She said, 'I actually didn't smell anything when I went into the sea; it smelled like the normal ocean smells. 'I did notice that the water was super murky, and it is usually clear in that spot. There was also a lot of foam that I hadn't seen before. But I honestly loved the foam. I felt like I was in a bubble bath; it was so cool.' The video's comments section was filled with people baffled by the water's murky appearance. Viewers were quick to point out the obvious signs of questionable water quality, with many left wondering how Hayward didn't notice. 'I refuse to believe this is raw sewage and it doesn't have the worst smell … how did you not smell it?' asked @nsreemxx. 'As humans, we have a natural aversion to things that don't look or feel right. Even if they didn't know the exact reasoning, people would not want to get in this water upon seeing it. But I guess not everyone,' said @RedScarf.


The South African
11 hours ago
- The South African
Wizkid joins Tyla on long-awaited track from new EP
Yes, it's official, Tyla has dropped another song from her EP, this time featuring Afrobeats superstar Wizkid from Nigeria. Released yesterday, the song is a genre blend between Tyla's Popiano (amapiano, pop, and R&B) and Wizkid's smooth Afrobeat influence. Tyla confirmed this collaboration back in 2022, and since then, fans have awaited this release and in July 2025, the first teaser of the song surfaced online. The TikTok clip offers a glimpse into their seamless chemistry, blending Tyla's signature sultry vocals with Wizkid's effortless Afrobeats cadence. More recently, the track has been officially revealed as part of Tyla's four‑track EP WWP (We Wanna Party) , dropped today on 25 July 2025. The EP includes her singles Bliss , Is It , and the highly anticipated feature with Wizkid, Dynamite. At a Berlin fan listening event in July, Tyla premiered two unreleased tracks from the EP, Dynamite and Chanel , hinting at her growing experimentation with bold pop textures and dancefloor-ready production. Some fans see the EP as a tight, energetic bridge between full-length projects and appreciate its punchiness The collaboration promises star power with two Grammy-winning African stars uniting. Tyla is the first African solo artist to hit 1 billion Spotify streams with Water , and Wizkid, already a global Afrobeats icon. Additionally, the cultural impact: The collaboration marks a major moment in African pop music, melding South African and Nigerian styles for a global sound. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.