New World Record for China Train Travel! (Xian to Guilin)

I've never traveled like this before. I'm used to air travel and occasionally a long car ride. But, on this journey around Asia it's all about train travel -- it's cheap, convenient, and you can travel overnight.

I've tried out every class on the trains. I've been a VIP in my own private cabin. I've tried the soft sleeper, hard sleeper, bottom, middle, and top bunks. I sleep well on the train, as the rocking lulls me to sleep. I awake to a new city and a new adventure -- it's great!

But, what happens when all the sleeper cars are sold out? You end up in a hard seat. That's how we traveled from Xian to Guilin, the longest train journey of my life. I was nervous about this journey. It turned out better than I expected, which is not to say it was great. It was an experience and as travelers share stories, this is our badge of honor. We survived 28 hours on a train!

We survived the noise. Chinese people are talkative, vivacious, and very loud. I kept asking myself: Why is everyone yelling? The noise was never ending. We survived the lack of personal space. This isn't an issue for the Chinese. They don't have that luxury in such a crowded country. So, seated five across, knees touching, shoulder to shoulder we made our trip. Some people had "standing room only" tickets. They sat in the aisles, slept across the bathroom sinks, under chairs and clogged up the passage ways between train cars. Just walking to the bathroom was like participating in an obstacle course. We survived the stares. As far as we could tell, we were the only Westerners on board. Furtive glances are not the name of the game. Some people flat out stared for what seemed like an eternity. If I walked through one train car full of students, I was busy waving both hands as I was greeted with shouts of "hellos" and giggles. We survived the bathrooms. There is no toilet seat. You squat and hope you don't fall over as the train sways. Hold your nose, ignore what you're stepping in and don't forget to bring your own toilet paper. Few bathrooms plus many people = stink. We survived the lack of sleep, boredom, achy backs and behinds and the swollen ankles.

It was no picnic, but it was worth it! Our final destination was the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces. The views were simply breathtaking and it was my favorite location in China.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Xian
• Guilin
• Dragon's Backbone
• Rice Terraces

[LaurenBercarich]

It was the only train available to us.

[LaurenBercarich]

No, we didn't see people buying food out of windows. However, it seemed everyone came on board with bags of noodles and snacks. Next for us...some time back in the USA.

[LaurenBercarich]

We only passed through Yangshuo -- we went to Xing Ping and the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces

[LaurenBercarich]

Again -- everything else was booked. Hard Seats were the only seats available.

[LaurenBercarich]

Sleeper cars were booked -- the hard seat was not our first choice! Yes, people were loud, but quite nice :)

[BigChinese2012]

@theautomaster You are right

[BigChinese2012]

@alohaleader I take the train four times a year like her,in order to go to school.

It`s nothing.

[BigChinese2012]

@LaurenBercarich You won`t care about how bad the train environment is,because there are worse things to stare in here,If you earns 1000$ per month,You will also "came on board with bags of noodles and snacks",Just the same to us.

Every nation have it`s developping process.We are poorer,and you are happend to be wealthyer,That`s the reason.

[BigChinese2012]

@LaurenBercarich For me,American is a pile of shit!

[aaaakar]

seriously 27 hours in a hard seat train car? You are brave and to be honest even i have never done it....

[00001111henry]

You rider old train. Why don't rider new train. This old YOUTUBE.

[akathetruthteller]

wow, you guys are awesome, did you guys see people buying food out of their windows at train stops? what is next for you guys? safe travel.