Xi'an Sleeper Train

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I had not started researching about Xi'an until the day before we left, due to tests and homework, and I ended up deciding to leave for the train station 30 minutes after everyone else - Parker, Sam, Ethan, Joey, and Brendan. Actually ended up leaving the dorm with only 38 minutes (7:22pm) before the train left...Scott sarcastically remarked "Well, since you aren't going to make it, where do you want to eat dinner?" I rushed to the metro, accidentally took the subway one stop in the wrong direction (damn you Parker!) and then switched trains and chatted with a middle-aged English man about his work and whether I'd make it or not. He actually told me the right exit to the North/Xi'an gate! I literally ran with all my bags straight to the baggage check - being a bit pushy, like most Chinese, ha. I rushed to my gate, almost completely empty and sprinted on the open train tracks to my car. Made it with exactly 5 minutes to spare. A very exciting start to an amazing weekend.

We bought tickets a week in advance, but still ended up in different split up. Each hard sleeper room has 6 beds (no door) - two bottom, two middle and two top. The bottom bunks are the cheapest because supposedly everybody uses them to chill on, however seeing as none of us had bottom bunks and we didn't want to appear rude, we had to chill in the tight hall with way too many people walking up and down for no reason! The benefit of having a top bunk, like me, was having the overhead space to store all your stuff, extra leg room, being right under the A/C, and the fun of climbing up and down the bunk. I just kinda swung myself up, though there were pullout steps.

After awhile, I pulled out my speakers and we jammed to various people's ipods and talked with an Australian we met who was traveling for the next 6 months. His name was Salav. He had quit his job, after saving up a substantial amount of money at age 27, and is taking an arc path through China, Russia, and Europe. Him and Brendan shared some interesting drunken or "pissed" stories with Brendan's stories coincidentally revolving around peeing while drunk. Although when I sat up on the top bunk I had no head, neck, or shoulder room, lying down, the bed was more comfortable than our beds back in Huangshan, ha.

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Photos

Ethan checking out the TV in our room from the top bunk
All bunks are hard sleepers here, soft sleepers were much roomier and nicer, but I was fine as long as I didn't try to sleep on my side.

One of the rooms in the Sleeper Train
We were spread out across 3 different rooms. Nobody would change...

Sahlav
Australian mate we met on the train. I tried to chill in the hallway for as long as possible before stowing away in my top bunk