We had a train to catch to Xian at 16:40 an over night soft sleeper which arrives 09:05 in Xian. After breakfast spoke to the receptionist and we thought we would like to see the Hanging Temple. She said it would take 90 minutes each way by taxis and a couple of hours to see the place going to play it tight. So we decided to just take it easy as check out was at 14:00. Penny stayed in and I walked around the old city for a couple of hours. I was suprised I did not have any more shits after the concoction I ate last night chewy bits of beef, intestines, heart valves, gristle with spuds and some veg.
There was an issue with our tickets from Xian to Xining for tomorrow the train did not exist they had apparently cancelled it. So we got to the train station at 14:30 I found the ticket office and there was a counter for foreign travellers, the lady did not speak much English but changed those tickets and also issued our tickets from Xining to Lhasa again I had to show her our passports and our visas to Tibet. Got to the waiting room for our train and it was chock a block with people luckily we found a seat each and 30 minutes before departure they let us get on the train. Found our carriage and compartment Penny given the bottom bunk and I always take the top just the gentleman I am. A young Chinese girl was in there as well. The train departed and then a young Chinese soldier in uniform was shown into the compartment. I was hungry and still had no shits day 2 so I had some noodles and veg which filled me up. The Chinese trains are not as comfortable as the Russian trains. The hard sleeper we used once in Russia was more comfortable than soft sleeper we were in. I managed to sleep okay changing positions where the side of my body was aching. Got up after 07:00 and I needed the toilet but we were in a station and had been for a while and they lock the toilets. So I waited outside with my roll of toilet paper. Eventually the train departed and I was allowed in. They are not much better than UK train toilets, I sat on there and what a relief to have a normal bowel motion unfortunately the bottom of the toilet is open to the tracks below and I had a – 10C wind swirling around my balls and ring piece, but I walked away a happier man. Got off the train at 09:05 made our way to the taxi rank which was organised and policed. Got the bags into a taxi showed him the address we were staying in in Chinese. 30 minutes and £1.50 we were dropped off and we made our way to the 20th floor in this building. The lady could not speak English but she rang a guy and he spoke perfect English. Said check in in was at 14:00 we could drop our bags off there and we could do some sight seeing. Said we want to see the Terracotta Army, he said the lady will give us directions and he would see us when we came back later in the day.
Maurice's Travel 