Last weekend I headed off to Beijing on Thurs night, taking the overnight sleeper train (NZ$50 each way) leaving at 9pm and arriving in Beijing 12 hours later. The train itself was much better than my expectations, with comfortable bunk beds 3 high with 6 to each alcove. More life a comfortable airplane really, which really defied my expectations. Thoguh to be fair my expectations were based almost totally on scenes from Indian trains in movies.
As the train arrived in Beijing, it was to the sight of snow decorating all the buildings, a stark contrast to the heat and sweat of my arrival 2 months ago. After gasping at my first breath of cold after a night on the heated train, I powered through the masses to escape Beijing train station. I headed off first to a visit at the NZ Embassy. Despite being given detailed simple instructions I managed to get nicely lost. After asking the soldiers conveniently located outside each Embassy, I finally found my way, arriving just in time to join the farewell morning tea for a driver. After getting lots of introductions, I left my gracious guide, the Education Councillor Guergana, so she could attend a meeting.
Now off to the hotel. Deciding I was now meant to be an old Chinese hand, I decided a taxi was not for me. Rather the subway and then a short walk. I did get to the right station, however due to my outstanding directional ability headed in the completely wrong way for about an hour. Finally I ended up taking another subway to a differnet station, then finally got to my hotel, two hours after I left the Embassy.
My hostel/hotel was the Beijing Jade International Youth Hostel, where you can stay in a 4 bed hostel room for 70yuan (NZ$15 per night). Second time here, and don’t think I will ever stay anywhere else in Beijing. Cheap and the girls at the desk will happily help you with anything you ask (my phone died at one point and they sorted me out with a charger-phone charger in Chinese -chuandianqi). After settling in the hostel I ran into an Aussie in the foyer and we headed out to have lunch. After wandering around checking out the snowcapped old buildings around Tiananmen Square all afternoon, I headed off to meet my Chinese friend for dinner.
After a great catch up dinner with Tommy I headed back to the hostel via the subway. I was standing beside two Chinese girls openly discussing me, my nationality and age. After about twenty minutes one turned looking innocent and asked,
“Where are you from?”
I replied “Xinxilan (NZ)”. Her eyes widened.
“Nitingdedong (You understand)?”
“Yidian (a little)” I don’t think I have ever seen a girl more embarrassed, they really don’t expeect foreigners to understand you in Beijing, makes for a lot of fun.
This was only my first day out of 3 in Beijing but its already too long so I might add the rest another day.
where’s day two and three you handsome man?
as requested