As I said yesterday, I'm back from Beijing. I had a great time and am really glad that I went. And I had several adventures along the way.
Those of you who've been reading my blog the past few weeks remember that I was having trouble finding someone to go with. I ended up going by myself, which was a good thing because most people probably wouldn't have been interesting in spending time looking at all the little side details of the various important sights in the city. Once my friend had picked up my train ticket, everything seemed to be going smoothly. My last-minute organizations and packing were a bit rough, but there were any big problems.
Since I had never been on a train before, my Chinese teacher went to the station with me to help me out. We arrived about an hour and a half early and found a seat in the big waiting hall. When it was time for my train to board, music started playing, and the teal-uniformed ticket attendants all walked out in a line, assumed their positions and opened the gates in unison. Although we all had assigned seats, everyone crowded toward the gates like they were hoping for the best seat. Julia (my teacher) had bought a platform ticket so she could show me to my car and see me off. I went through the gate, and the lady punched my ticket. Then she said something to me in Chinese that I didn't understand. Julia pushed me through, grabbed my ticket and her purse and ran off somewhere.
It turned out that my ticket was for Wednesday night, and I was trying to leave on Thursday night.
Five or ten minutes later, Julia came running back, showed the lady the ticket, and said, "I got you permission to board." We had only a half hour from the time the gate opens to when the train leaves, so there wasn't a whole lot of time to get to my car. We rushed along as quickly as we could, Julia's stiletto heels slowing her down a bit (Chinese girls seem to love super-high heeled shoes). We got to my car, and the lady said that with the adjustment to my ticket, we had to go to the last car on the train.
We got to the last car with maybe five minutes to spare. Julia spoke frantically with the attendant and said that she got me onto a waiting list for a bed, but I was number 6. She told me to get on the train, but I didn't quite understand. I thought I had to wait outside for the attendant to call my name or number. Julia kept talking quickly with the attendant and turned to me again, saying, "Get on the train!"
I told her that I thought I had to wait for a bed. She then explained that my adjusted ticket was for standing-room only. The train trip from Dalian to Beijing takes about ten hours, and it was leaving at 8:20pm. "Get on the train!"
I told her that I couldn't stand that long, but she kept telling me to get on. I told her it would be better for me not to go than to have to stand all night. She told me to get on the train. She talked to the lady some more, and I heard her saying my Chinesified name. She ushered me to the door and said, "About an hour into the ride, the attendant may come and get you to give you a bed. You'll have to pay a little money." I still protested going, but she more or less pushed me on. "It'll be fine!" she said, forcing me through the door.
I stood in the very crowded seating area of the train. All the seats were taken, and there were quite a few of us "standing room only" passengers lining the aisles. The girl standing next to me spoke English, and we were chatting a little. Julia was standing outside the window and kept mouthing, "It'll be fine!" I would look at her doubtfully. She then banged on the window, getting the girl's attention, and told her to take care of me.
Several more passengers got on the train. One man patted my shoulder and said something that I couldn't understand. I asked the girl what he said, and she told me, "He said there are no more beds." The train started moving, and I knew I was stuck for sure.
I talked with the girl on and off, and another university student about her age began chatting with us as well. Every so often, an attendant would force her way down the overcrowded aisle with a cart of food and drinks. People around us were eating various stinky snacks. One man lit a cigarette, but another attendant quickly came and made him put it out. He complied but complained loudly after she left. Time crawled by. It was past my bedtime, and I was getting sleepy. I kept praying, begging God for a bed. I told him that he knew I couldn't stand all night, and if I was going to have to, he was going to have to help me out.
About an hour into the ride, an attendant came by, followed by a conductor. She tapped me on the shoulder and said something in Chinese. I asked the girl, and she said, "Follow her." We headed to the back of the train, where the conductor and attendant entered a small room. I waited in the tiny hallway with a small crowd of other people. The conductor stuck his head out, pointed at me and motioned for me to come.
Inside the little room, the attendant took out a small, hand-held machine, kind of like a label maker. They asked for my ticket, which I gave them. They looked at it a bit and said something about "300." I thought that was what I would have to pay. I thought it was a bit steep, but being exhausted, I didn't really care too much. As I got my money out, they printed off a new ticket. Then the conductor looked at my and said, "122 yuan." I gave it to them gladly, grabbed my new ticket and headed off to bed.
When I was in Seattle, the pastor at Mars Hill would sometimes say that Christians should always look for the best seats and parking spots and not settle for crumby ones without trying to get a good one because we would end up giving praise to God whereas an unbeliever would just be happy with himself. Well, God got lots of praise from me that night. I ended up with a bottom bunk, which was significantly better than the top bunk listed on my original ticket. Bottom bunks have enough headroom to be able to sit comfortably. They have storage directly under the bed instead of on a rack on the other side of the hallway. The ceiling lights don't shine in your eyes. There's a small hook for a jacket at the head of the bed, away from the walkway (I put my keys, wallet and glasses in my jacket pocket and didn't have to worry about them being safe).
All around, I was far more thankful for my bed when I didn't expect to have one than I would have been if everything had gone smoothly.
I need to get going, so the rest of the Beijing adventures will have to wait for another entry.
Posted by at May 7, 2004 9:59 AM