Day 13 - April 21 - A 14 Hour Train Trip to Xi'an

I never did get a roommate at the Wuhan hostel and awoke to the sound of heavy rain. However, the first challenge of the morning was my first ever experience having to use a squat toilet (assessment: not as difficult as I expected thanks to some helpful pre-trip tips from Staci).

The rain proved more challenging as I began the mile long walk back to the downtown “Wachang” train station without an umbrella that I left at Staci/Martin's. I quickly learned why many serious backpackers use weather-proof packs – and realized that the jacket that I thought was waterproof, or at least water resistant, was neither.

I kept my growing panic under control as I scanned every store stall for an umbrella and alternated between wanting to take a bus or taxi (afraid my lack of language skills and any pointable papers would make those impossible) and finding an umbrella. Luckily, just when I thought I should make another choice/plan, I happened upon a stall where a woman was selling umbrellas – 40 Yuan (about $5 USD) and I was good to go. Of course by this time I was not far from the train station AND AFTER I bought the umbrella, there were plenty of street hawkers wanting to sell them.

The train station was, well, overwhelming. Large numbers of people in 24 different lines waiting to buy tickets – and not one indication of any “foreigner” window or non-Chinese speaking person. I collected myself and my “pointable” paperwork and kept my desperation in check with my favorite “what's the worst that can happen” mantra. I felt I was making progress as I pressed my Lonely Planet book against the ticket window while pointing to Xi'an and then pointed to another page with “soft sleeper.” However, my heart sunk when the ticket teller left the window unexpectedly – but calmed again as I noted he was bringing another person to speak with me. Unfortunately the new person seemed to better understand what I want – but it was clear that she didn't know enough english to get some needed directions to me. Just when I felt like giving up, a kind Chinese gentlemen from the large line now behind me came forward and asked if he could help. I was, once again, rescued with kindness and left the ticket window knowing that the only train to Xi'an with a soft sleeper was leaving from the new station I had arrived at the day before – an hour away.

I reversed my route from yesterday (hopped the local bus) and upon arrival at the Wuhan Rail Station, was helped by a person who spoke a little english. I was able to reserve a “soft sleeper” – one bed in a private compartment of 4 beds for the 14 hour train journey to Xi'an, home of the Terracotta Army. Having been through the preparation drill on the train trip from Beijing with Staci and Debi, it was easy to set about collecting the necessary food for the ride but there wasn't enough time to do anything else.

The train was on time whereupon I met my roommates for the next 14 hours – two guys in their 30's/early 40's (they didn't know each other) – but they spoke the same amount of english as I did chinese – none! Using my maps I was able to convey where I was from and we each pointed to where we were headed, but that ended the ability to communicate – though later I was able to use my IPOD translator program to explain that I loved visiting/seeing China – and I could tell they understood. One even repeated my use of the word “beautiful.” Their warm smiles made me know the trip would be comfortable. I had a bottom bunk in the sleeper and it was comfortable and quiet – and I turned in early knowing that I'd be getting off at around 4:30am for arrival in Xi'an. You might find it interesting that the sleeper only cost 379 Yuan (about $50 USD) to travel 14 hours. Also, I wondered why Amtrak doesn't have such nice/inexpensive sleepers – could it be that Americans refuse to sleep with strangers in the same compartment?

I was awake before having the car attendant wake me – and we arrived in Xi'an shortly after 5am. I proceeded to a nearby McDonald's for coffee/breakfast/etc (yep, another squatter - I couldn't help but think that my only objections now are mostly culturally induced) before finding a bus for the hour trip to the Terracotta Army.

This link will take you to a Google Map of my train route over the past two days. You might be interested to know that China's rail system is reported to be the most complex and busiest in the world -- and holds the record for transporting the most people in one day -- 6.5 million! Also, I found these awesome photos of the inside of the Guangzhou station and high speed trains that I wrote about yesterday.