the longest train ride.

So we decided to take the train into Beijing instead of flying. It is a great way to see the country side and chill and relax after a hectic schedual. So up early and head for the train station for 6am. It was interesting to watch the local people bring in thier dairy products on the morning train. I can't imagine what time these local farmers got up to milk their herds and get on the train and come into the city for 6am. crazy.

So the train is easy peasy to get on and we are set in our deluxe, 2 berth, private bath, air conditioned sleeper car. Except that the private bath is a shared bath with another cabin. And... The bath isn't a toilet just a sink with a shower head/faucet. And the airconditiong is a really noisy fan. hmm well the windows are open so we should be getting a breeze right? Nope as soon as we move the dude with the power over the windows closed them. Too dusty he says. Ok so how hot can it be.
Well in a couple of hours the indoor temp read at 35 C . And we are dying.

So we head into the restaurant car and want some cold pop. I ask the lady if she can take american or credit card. She say yes we take it all and I can give you change in Yuan ( which is chinese money) . Perfect I said we will have 2 cokes. After we drink our cokes I give her $10 in US and she says no change no change! What? You said you could make change. Oh well I said just run us a tab and we will surely use up most of it. So later that night we are getting ready for out dinner of ichiban noodles and I want a beer. She comes to get me and wants me to settle my bill. i get the beer and she says again no change no change. I said that is all I have right now. She leaves and comes back with $2 US and a english pound i think. I should have recieved around $7 in change. I look at her and say that isn't enough change. She tells me that the exchange rate is about 1/3 of what they are getting at the bank. I told her that I am not about to let her rip me off. She says that in Beijing she can't get a decent exchange for american money. Funny that is what we plan on doing in Beijing. We scrounge through our bags and find just enough yaun to pay the bill. She leaves in a huff. Funny how all the mongolian people were so genuine and wonderful til you hit the tourist train. Its ok though I stood up for myself and won in the end.

So our trainride in to the heat of hell lasted 30hrs. We rode across the gobi desert and went by some of the mines. When we woke the next morning we were in lush China. Lots of cool little farms and lots of green and rivers everywhere.

What a difference a night makes. We went along the great wall of China but we slept right through it. We pulled into the beijing main train station around 2pm. Whew it is hot and muggy.

The subway runs right from the train station to within 2 blocks of our next hostel. We have great direction and can't believe how well the transit system is set up. all in english and makes sense.

we check into out hostel. It is the previous palace of an emporer. Very cool. All the rooms face the courtyard.

We wonder around downtown Beijing and got our berrings.
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