The train station is Beijing was packed with people, some workers,and some migrant workers. Luckily Nancy and Danling guided us through the gates and onto the platform WE were scheduled to leave @ 9:00 pm and made it despite the traffic and flood of people going thru the gates. I was the odd man out of 13, so I shared a berth on the sleeper train with a husband and wife from France and I fellow visiting famly in Xi'an. With my snoring the other 12 in our group caught a break. There was no common car for hanging out, just a washroom or bathroom at each end of the car. 4 to a room with 10 berths per car, giving us about 600 on the train. The high speed trains only go halfway and in the 2 years will cover the total distance between Beijing and Xian. We had an 11 hour trip. In my bed I was awakened by a photo flash of light, preceded by light horn. It was a high speed train rattling by like a bunch of flourescent lighs exploding. This happened many times and also with oncoming traffic. Thank goodness I was not on the top bunk as two footholds on each side was all you had to use to get up. It was pleasant after a bit with the thump-thump of the train and the roaring sound of the trains passing, almost in another world as I dozed on and off. We all made it thru the night and arrived in Xi'an missing the early rain that hit.
Weather has been outstandinnggg!!
Tom & Linda Rasmussen
Red Thread Charities
Red Thread Charities 2010 Volunteer Trip Album
Wow I'd need ear plugs and a mask for my eyes, maybe a pill or some Chamomile tea.
ReplyDeleteWow! You are so lucky that you got chance to sit at the window seat. I always like to sit at the window seat so that I can see outer side from train. The picture you have captured is also enough to memorize train trip.
ReplyDelete