We boarded our train at 13:30 there was a mixture of Chinese and tourists in our carriage and we struck it again a 4 year old unruly kid in our compartment. I got all the bags put away for us and the Chinese mother and train departed at 14:02. An hour into the journey I needed the toilet and there is a European toilet at one end and a squat at the other. I went to the European toilet and some useless person had squatted on the toilet seat boot marks showing and done their business and then used a small bucket with water to clean themselves, well there was water up the wall all over the toilet and the floor was flooded. Again this useless person could have cleaned the toilet after they used it, but no. Bought back memories working in the Middle East where the Indians used the European toilets the same way. The doors were locked and we use to see if we could see any feet on the floor and there were not so we got a big bucket of water and threw it over the door and drenched them, which was greeted by a lot of yelling and told them to bugger off and use their designed toilets. This practice did not last for long.
The compartment next to us was a Belgium young lady and a American guy both school teachers here in China very interesting to talk too, they had 2 German sisters in their with them. Met a German guy living in the USA just retired and he and his lady were doing a world tour. The scenery was spectacular but unfortunately the train windows were dirty. We were climbing all the way from Xining to Lhasa it is the highest rail route in the world 5068 m or 16,627 feet high. One of the tunnels is 3,345 m long. Went to bed after 22:00 and got up at 07:00. It did not become daylight until 08:30 and the moon was full in show. The land is very dry and the farmers have stocks of yaks. Could see the farmers leading their stock from there houses out to the very dry grasses. Spotted one lady picking up yak pooh and it was stacked in around the house.
We arrived in Lhasa at 11:20 had to show our passports and visas to immigration who took them away and all us tourists followed her to another building. Five minutes later we had them back in my possession and we found our tour guide. Two buses for all the tourist off our train and taken to the hotel. It is sunny clear skies and 6C that is the warmest we have experienced since 30th November. We got to the hotel and checked in the teachers are in the room next to us. We met up with them afterwards and had lunch with them in a small Tibetan restaurant and it was one of the best meals we have had in China, except the sliced tomato they sprinkled it with sugar, does not taste good, but the rest was good. We walked through an out door market arcade to get to and back from the restaurant. There was blocks of yak butter a couple of guys cutting up a yak with an axe all interesting. Back to our room to chill and I went for a massage at 16:00 across from the hotel and the masseuses are blind. Had an hour long one which was good and cost £23. Good to get the oils massage into the skin as it is very dry and being at high altitude.
Maurice's Travel 