Hmmm, trains

Let me qualify that, no trains where late or anything its just I couldn't get a ticket. This usually isn't a problem due to the large numbers of trains (its said that theirs something like 8 million people traveling on a train in China 24 hours a day!!!)

Anyway during my first 5 month stint I never failed to get the ticket I needed but it seems the East coast is a different story.
Unable to get a direct train to Beijing from Huangdhan city I took a hard seat to Nanjing where I was told I would easily catch a connection to the capital. By the way "hard seats" are the lowest class you can get (apart from standing actually) but there not to bad, you've just got to be careful you don't leave your seat for too long as there seems to be the 10 second rule in China where if your not sat on it then its fair game. Well it wasn't to bad for a 7 hour morning ride and I arrived in Nanjing at lunchtime and went straight to the ticket office to get my connection and a bed.
With the words "MAYO" (don't have) tinging in my ears I was left a little shell shocked at the prospect of waiting in Nanjing for the next 2 days when the next sleeper ticket was available for the 1400km trip.
That was no good as it would get me to Beijing on the Sunday so I queued again and asked (with a little help from a English speaking chap) when the next seat of any king was available.

So with my hard seat ticket leaving at 1am in my sticky little mitt I went off to explore the city. A pleasent enough place with a huge park containing (guess what) a massive lake. I then jumped on the tube and trusting in my Lonely planet map went of in search of an internet cafe. After being pointed in the opposite direction by a lovely looking but clearly a little dim Chinese lady (that's not entirely fair rarely can a Chinese person give you decent directions, oh a she offered to help me by the way which is why I believed her...) I found it and camped out for bit passing the time.

I'm rambling sorry, got the train eventually and got to my hostel in Beijing (which is really comfy and quiet) at about 4pm Shattered form a fairly sleepless and stared at night. Still I can now say I've roughed it proper on the trains though I certainly wouldn't jump at the chance of doing it again.

written by  Dan on October 16, 2008 from Nanjing, China
from the travel blog: Been there, Dan that!
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