8 October

Well, dear reader, another day of surprises – some pleasant and some not so pleasant.
The day began as I thought, rising at 0500 and preparing for the travelling by showering and dressing, then finishing packing. Not all of my washing was really dry yet, but it was dry enough to pack away. I completed everything by 0600 and was at the front desk a few minutes later to check out. I paid my account (laundry and map), picked up my packed breakfast and my taxi arrived just then. Everything went in and I was off.
Within a few minutes I could see Beijing Railway station and my taxi dropped me off. Fare: 10 Y, so not too bad. Once I was out of the taxi, I could see the station but not get to it, across a main road. The subway path didn’t lead across and there was no pedestrian access. I had to take a motorcab – fare: 20 Y, extortionate, but no other way. Once out on the correct side of the road, I walked in through the security check (except no-one was checking the x-ray viewer) and eventually found the platform the train was leaving from. Here I was in line with four other Australians, three from Berwick and one from Brisbane. We chatted while watching Chinese with literally tens of boxes on large trolleys also come into line and wondered whether everyone (and everything) would fit. Then at around 0700, the line surged and we moved onto the platform. The other Australians were in Carriage 11, so I innocently thought Carriage 10 would be next door. It was actually three carriages down. I finally found it, got on (had my bag walked down for me – it JUST fits in the carriage corridor) and was shown to my cabin.
The cabin – two bunks, as expected, up and down on one side. A small table in the window-side centre of the cabin. An armchair on the side opposite the beds. What I thought was the toilet wasn’t – IT WAS A SHOWER! No towels appear to be supplied, although that may change later. Power-point down beside the door. Plenty of hanging hooks and no TV, but for me that is no hardship. Two very nice carriage attendants, whom I gave a kangaroo pin (no koalas left now) each to. Then I found that two doors down was an Irishman, Tom, who was returning home after two years in Beijing working for GE. One door down were two Americans, Dan (from Maine but living in Chicago) and Christopher (from New York). They are on a cycling tour, having ridden across the US and planning to ride from Berlin to Italy. We set out on time, quite smoothly. Then we got given linen for the beds (only one set, so it looks like I’m not sharing) and meal tickets for lunch and dinner.
I investigated the train behind us to find the restaurant car, two others and then Carriage 10, with the four Australians now comfortably ensconced in their cabin. I went back and had some bread with Vegemite, while chatting to Christopher about travel and where he had been. Then later another Australian passed. He had recently retired from the RAAF and so we had a long chat about the RAAF and government policies. During this time Christopher had started to read my copy of Lonely Planet’s Trans-Siberian guide and was thoroughly bewildered by our colloquial language. Christopher had tried a TimTam and liked it, but the others hadn’t tried one yet.
During this time the scene outside had gone from urban to suburban to countryside, with the mountains typical of China very visible. The farms were mainly corn, as is the norm here (together with wheat). Just then, at 1100, we were called for lunch so all of us (just four) in the soft first class went down and sat to have lunch together. The two Americans are vegans, so the lunch of boiled celery pieces, chicken balls (substituted for more potato), potato and white rice. By 1140 we had finished lunch and were back at our cabins, and I investigated the toilet (drop system, soap and water but no towels). Not long after noon I had set the laptop up, started writing and had really made myself comfortable.
I spent time looking out the window and taking photographs. At one stage Christopher decided he could try some Vegemite. I only put in on thinly, but after a bite or two, it was obvious it wasn’t to his taste. Dan felt the same, but Tom could see something in it and may try some when he gets home (assuming he can get some there). After that I read and continued to absorb the scenery. Here, in the north, it appears dryer with a lot of erosion in some places. There was a lot of grazing land and small villages with walled yards. We stopped briefly at Datong – it was supposed to be a twenty minute stop, but ended up being about five. There were carts on the platform, but no-one manning them. We were herded back on within the allotted time and soon the train moved off (with a jerk that displaced everything including people).
After that some of us chatted and very soon it was 1700 and time for dinner. This proved to be a bowl of rice, cauliflower, chicken pieces and pepper. Like lunch I had a coke with my meal (5Y for 330 ml compared to 2.35Y for 600 ml in the local WuMart last night). By 1730 I had finished (sitting with Dan and the Australian couple – where I had met the husband in the corridor earlier) and sat with a girl from Norwood (Adelaide) and two men, one from New Zealand (now Wellington, originally Dunedin) and one from London. By 1800 we were all moved on so I was back to my compartment, loaned my Moscow book to Dan (Christopher has my Trans-Siberian guide) and then sat down to do my work for the day.
Not long after 2230 we arrived at THE point – where the bogies would be changed for the larger Mongolian/Russian gauge. Our passports were collected, as were our departure cards from China. At first we were told we were not allowed off the train – then we were told we could get off, but we would miss the bogie-changing if we did. Christopher and Dan got off, Tom and I remained on. The train went forward into a shed, stopping on many occasions with a violent jerk. Then it backed out again and then forward again. This time we stopped for a few minutes, then the carriage rose (lifted by what looked like hydraulic car side jacks, but on a larger scale) and, after a bit of banging, we went down again. Here we also lost our Chinese restaurant car and picked up a Mongolian one.Then the train started off (violently again) and went forward out of the shed, stopped and backed up around the shed and back to the original platform (so I presume it has dual gauge). Here we picked up our original passengers and a lot of new ones and got our passports back. Christopher had seen a cup of sorts but didn’t have enough to get it, so I gave him some Chinese Yuan and he RAN back and got it. A few minutes after we headed out of the station, not for long though, and then stopped in Mongolia.
Here we were asked for our passports by a most commanding female officer, dressed in knee-high leather high-heel boots, shortish skirt and tight jacket. The instruction was, “Look at me” to check the photo and soon she was off. Eventually, about 0140 in the morning, we got our passports back and the train set off. I changed for bed and watched a little of Futurama, then went to the toilet (have to wait at least five minutes from the station) and finally was rocked to sleep by the train.

Most of the track is welded rail, but in the area of points they are jointed. Occasionally even the welded rail will give the typical “clackety-clack” of train travel, but it is not unpleasant. However the Chinese train drivers are to as gentle as the Russians.