And here I am ready to board the train! Here I come, 44-hour journey! I was full of anticipation, reading that the view was going to be amazing. I have sat in a train before. It's in one of blog my entries to Haatyai. My luggage was really heavy.
When I entered into the train, I was surprised by how clean it was. It was just very noisy. I looked at the toilet and it was clean too. Not too bad, I thought to myself.
About half an hour in the train, the ticket officer came to change our paper ticket to the hard ticket card.
And that is me lying down on my limited space bed. There was no space anywhere in the room for my luggage. The room was very small, and the path is only limited for one person. So, those who sleep below, gets to put their luggage under their bed. Those who sleep on top gets to put their luggage on top which is actually quite spacious. The middle bed was the limited space. I can't sit up straight. I have to bend down midway. My legs were at the edge of the bed. If I were to turn to face the wall, I have to curl my legs for that.
That is the sink where everyone uses this place to wash up. Got to learn to give and take to use the sinks.
The next morning, I was up and wondering around the area. Saw the restaurant, which does not look like the photos in the website. So misleading! The photos in the website portray the restaurant as very posh, but this was just the total opposite. Here, the train officers were having their breakfast.
In the train, the train officers push a foodcart. The meal costs RMB20. For breakfast, there was porridge, bun, egg and vegetables.
We didn't know about the food on the train, and so we didn't have any. We ate our food we brought from home. I had biscuits and a tiffin-carrier of milo. I didn't have any mug, and so I used my friend's tiffin carrier!
Neither did we know that the train will stop at stations that had food for sale!
Back on the train, we noted there is a carriage for the higher-priced. In this carriage, there is a television in each room, and the room have 2 beds only.
This is the sitting carriage which is cheaper. I can't imagine having to sit here for 2 days. Backache!
Midmorning, another cart came selling games and basic necessities like toilet roll and toothbrush.
Along the journey, we entered a lot of tunnels.
For the trip to Tibet and Nepal, we took Diamox. It helps to acclimatise our bodies faster to the high altitude. So, for Diamox to take effect, we have to eat 2 days in advance. And is taken every 12 hours. Side effects include having to pee very often, and tingling-needle-pokes in our fingers and faces.
And this is my lunch - paper cup noodles. Well, I had noodles twice a day for lunch and dinner for the 2 days I was in the train.
Lunch was served at 12pm. Not served. I mean, sold. It's RMB20. Similar to breakfast. Lunch and dinner dishes were closely similar. There was a weird smell in the dishes. It smelt sourish. A friend on the train said that there was nothing wrong with the smell.
To climb on the third bed, there is a 'lift' that was on the wall.
Views along the train journey. There was a speaker in each carriage and there were explanations in both Mandarin and English. The explanation in Mandarin was loud while the one in English was really soft. I could barely hear. So, I have to rely on my friend's interpretation. Also, there was music during the journey. It was enjoyable listening to the music while looking at the scenery. It was very reflective.
On the 2nd day in the train, I woke up to the sight of snow-capped mountains! The altitude was getting higher.
Guess what am I doing below?
I am breathing in oxygen! There was one for each bed in each room and 2 in each carriage. I couldn't feel the difference though.
In the website, it was written that one can charge their batteries. Yes, we saw the sockets but they were not usable! I asked the train officer and she said that there are no places for charging! I felt cheated.
Finally, saw a petrol station. After close to 44 hours in the train. We were almost approaching Lhasa.
Welcome to Lhasa, Tibet!
Finally, after 44 hours of staring at each of my friends' faces, playing endless card games, talking to new people, learning of the lives of the people in China, eating cup noodles, looking into the scenery; we have reached Tibet! I will never take the train again, but it has been a lovely experience.
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