![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.kerry.net.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/06\/Train-ticket.jpg\" "\\"Train")
<\/a><\/p>\nHowever, news reports constantly emphasised heavy rain, floods and landslides in southern China.\u00a0 The train went through some of the provinces affected and I was unaware if it would be delayed or cancelled.\u00a0 I had no desire to sit at a train station knowing no more than it had been delayed.\u00a0 I have done that once and once is enough.<\/p>\n
One of my students contacted me wanting to be helpful so I soon had 3 students searching the internet and trying to call the appropriate number for an update.\u00a0 The phone number was not telling anyone anything.\u00a0 It was nearly time to leave for the railway station so 2 students went with me to interpret if there was a delay.\u00a0 It was lovely not to have to carry my bags.<\/p>\n
The station was unexpectedly empty.\u00a0 However, according to the display board the only delayed train was the first one and mine was next.\u00a0 Soon it was time to go and my kind sherpas scurried after me through ticket checking and saw me off.\u00a0 We had to run as station attendants had told one student who inquired about the place to wait to head down the platform in the opposite direction to which I was heading.\u00a0 I had headed according to the carriage number painted on the platform but was deemed to be wrong.\u00a0 It\u2019s what I always do and while never foolproof it\u2019s\u00a0 never been more than 3 or 4 carriages out.\u00a0 When the train arrived for its 3 minute stop we were at the wrong end, hence the run.\u00a0 They were more than a bit surprised that I could run, jog, really.\u00a0 One has known me for more than a year and never seen any evidence of such ability.\u00a0 Think its similiar to the situation of one foreign teacher I heard of who was\u00a0irritated \u00a0because her students were amazed that she could shop and cook.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Many students have limited life experiences and\/or contact with foreigners and are unfamiliar with methods we use to manage in a foreign land.\u00a0 I\u2019ve often been asked how I shop.\u00a0 In less populated areas any ability displayed by a foreigner is unexpected and amazing.<\/p>\n
When I checked my ticket at the carriage entrance it was exchanged for credit card sized plastic card.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0Conductors have a small folder designed for the purpose.\u00a0 This happens for tickets for sleeping carriages.\u00a0 The first time it happened to me I had no idea what was happeneing as unlike my current one I couldn\u2019t\u00a0 read any of it.\u00a0 Bit of a worry when you usually have to surrender your ticket when exiting the arrival station.\u00a0 I later found my original ticket\u00a0 returned\u00a0 prior to my arrival station.\u00a0 I guess it\u2019s a means of ensuring that\u00a0 people are woken prior to their stop.\u00a0 However, the only time I had to exit a sleeper carriage at night I was woken so early I had plently of time to close my eyes and return to sleep However, on that occasion I didn\u2019t trust myself not to\u00a0 sleep so I stayed upright.<\/p>\n \u00a0After wanting to enter the wrong cabin and being taken to the correct one by\u00a0 its occupants I settled into my top storey bunk.\u00a0<\/p>\n The train left at night so there was little to do apart from settle in and read.\u00a0 The photos show the cabin and other significant locations.<\/p>\n This photo shows the hot water jug which are ubiquitous on Chinese train.\u00a0 The flower, which had seen better days, \u00a0is special for soft sleeper class and the other container is my tea bottle, also ubiquitous inChina.\u00a0 That is one I was given and I also acquired a couple more last week, but that is the one I decided I could afford to leave behind if I forgot it somewhere.<\/p>\n This is hard sleeper class. Open bunks in 3 levels.\u00a0 All a bit cosy, but I’ve been there several times.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0I\u2019ve never had anything but a bottom bunk before, apart from the top of 3 levels on a train between Beijing and Chengde.\u00a0\u00a0 As it was a day train I never attempted that climb but sat on the lower bunk till its owner wanted to sleep and then migrated to the tiny seats in the corridor. The top of 2 levels is doable although I o need to think about how to execute the ascent and descent.\u00a0 The barrier to prevent people faling out is not going to stop a dedicated sleep thrasher.\u00a0 As I hardly slept it wasn\u2019t an issue.\u00a0 The other 3 occupants were elderly Chinese who left the train around the half way mark. \u00a0They, especially one, were friendly. I migrated to a lower bunk for the remainder of the journey as no one else joined the cabin.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n