Friday 1st August, 2014                 1930

Well, that was my first train in China other than a quick whizz on the Maglev in Shanghai. The only reason I took the train was because quite simply, there is no bus.

I have passed Chizhou train station hundreds of times (it is next to the bus station and on both the 7 and 29 routes from school) but never been in. To access it requires a lengthy walk up a road  with about a 40 degree gradient. Not ideal in baking heat and if I am honest, I had two breaks on the way up. Thankfully I had given myself plenty of time.

On entry I had to show both my ticket and ID and put my luggage through the x-ray machine. Then I had to go up another floor and the escalators weren’t working. Cursing the fact I had taken so many clothes and my computer, I also took the stairs in three stages. What really annoyed me was that when the time came to board the train (you can’t go onto the platform until they open the gate) I had to go back down again!

I had preconceptions of Chinese trains being similar to those found on the sub-continent, employing pushers to get as many people aboard as possible. Maybe something similar happens in the spring festival - my students have related tales of standing the entire time for twelve hour trips even when they had a ticket with a seat number - not so this time. I also thought the type of train I was taking (although China does have some magnificent high speed ones this was a K category, a workhorse) would be basic and give a rough and rattly ride. Wrong. Comfortable seats and everyone had one. For the first leg to Tongling I was fortunate to have the typical four seat configuration (two facing one way and two the other) with a table in the middle all to myself. In Tongling all that changed and I found myself with three companions, although I am convinced the sweaty woman who had boarded with her husband and who plonked herself next to me either never had a ticket or was in the wrong seat. She certainly was for me because she kept her back to me but kept leaning on me. And she was damned clammy. Out of revulsion and an awareness of personal space, I took my pen and prodded her in the back, receiving an angry glare in return. Undeterred, I made it known that her bodily contact was unwelcome and it was enough to halt it. Between the pair of them they had six large bags and a bucket of some sort of vegetable soaking in water, said bags they shoved in other passengers spaces preventing them from stretching their legs. Being Chinese, they never complained but I think she knew to keep clear of the crazy laowei.

To my delight smoking is allowed in the vestibules between carriages and there is a regular trolley service with drinks (including warm cans of beer), snacks and airline type meal trays. Although I could have done with the latter, I never had one because they weren’t visible when the trolleys went past so I had no idea. It was only when finally someone near me bought one that I realised and by then it was too late. I should also say the ride was extremely smooth and the air conditioning worked well. But still, more than six hours on a train at my age fatigued me.

On arrival, yet another mountain of stairs to climb (there are no escalators at all at Huainan) Air’s boyfriend Leslie met me. Fortuitously he has a car and drove me to the hotel. The hotel is rated the number one in Huainan on Trip Advisor yet in four years of staying in hotels in cities large and towns small, they became the first to refuse to register me with my foreign expert certificate, which states quite clearly it is my identification in China. Irked, I dug out my passport because I was too tired to argue and not one of the reception staff spoke any English.

The room is spacious with two large beds and a nice bathroom complete with free toiletries including shaving kits. Given the fact that nobody seemed to speak my language I decided to make full use of Leslie by trying out the internet. It didn’t work. He made a call and they sent someone who also tried and failed and eventually went and got a portable router so I could use wifi. Perfect. Until just after midnight when it stopped working.

All rooms are advertised (and it says so as well in the hotel information book in the room) as having both a minibar and small fridge. When we asked where they were the staff had no idea of what a minibar was. No big deal, there are shops close by I can buy what I need far cheaper, but I insisted on the fridge and in fairness one was brought.

Leslie had to go and take his parents somewhere and Air doesn’t finish work until 1900 so I suggested I would eat in the hotel and we could go to Pizza Hut the following day. Accordingly I tried the western restaurant. A very limited menu and highly priced but in the Chinese section one dish caught my eye - Indian beef curry and fried rice. Starving and pleased at the prospect of a curry, I ordered one and waited with anticipation. What arrived was curry flavoured egg fried rice! It should though be said that it was rather tasty even if it wasn’t what I expected.