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Published: November 23rd 2011
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It’s finally happening! I’m out of Xi’an and being a traveller, backpack in hand and living by my wits and guile. Staying one step ahead and sleeping where ever there is shelter. Doing odd jobs just to keep a float and jumping on bus roofs for the free ride. Okay not really but I am on my own now and having a crack. It has been a vey varied week with much sadness in leaving Xi’an and excitement in going to new places. There has also been one pretty heavy moment but all will be revealed.
I sad my goodbyes in Xi’an with one final night at out at my favourite resturant. I’m such a local there I got a few dishes and beers for free. We even managed to get Mumma and Bubba out of the house which is the first time in the history of the volunteering project.
The next morning I was up for my train to Chengdu and what was actually my first ever proper train trip. Dave came down to say goodbye and he even surprised me with a few tears ... awwww I’m going to miss him, Bubba and Mumma. The train
ride went very smoothly considering I have never done anything like that. I got into my cabin to be greeted by three smiling Chinese faces. Of course we went through the usual - Where are you from? What do you do? Can we look at this? How old are you? Can you speak Chinese? Nothing like a game of 2000 questions to pass the the time. Luckily the girl in the carriage could speak passable English and translated for the other two fellas.
Being a Westerner meant they wanted to pay for everything. I was woken up at 11pm and taken to the dining cart for dinner. Also travelling with us seemed to be half of China’s army. I walked into the dining cart to be greeted by about 30 solidiers in uniform. Rather than me being the one who was shy it was them. Finally one summed up the courage to come over and offer me a cigarrete. After that there was lots of hand shaking and excited talk in Chinese. Nothing like meeting a army to make a few friends. After dinner it was back to bed before disembarking at 6am and rocking over to Mix Hostel!
The hostel really is super cool. I have never been anywhere like it in my life. I’m going to post a few pictures but your better of going to the website for a proper look (just type Mix Hostel Chengdu into Google). Travelling solo you think am I going to make friends? Of course you are. I got talking to a American who was in China to buy tea seeds for his internet business back home. He said he was heading out to a plantation the next day and asked if I wanted to come. I thought why the hell not. How often do you get to go with a American dude on a international mission to buy tee seeds in the mountains of Sichuan? Well before you get all excited and keen to read about it, it was a total cock up to borrow my English mates expression. Turns out the American hadn’t done much research and wasn’t quite sure where to go. In the end we managed to miss both buses going each way and spent a lot of money not doing much and not going near any tea. Oh well that stuff happens and it’s all
part of being on the road. Now to the heavy stuff.
I was talking to Steve the American about how bad traffic accidents are here. The bus slowed down and what did we pass, a horrible smash. I chose to look and in return saw my first dead person. The poor guy’s bottom half was completly crushed by his little van. Basically he wouldn’t of had legs if he survived. His top half was allright apart from a scratch on his chin but it was still heavy stuff. You can’t go your whole life without seeing a dead body but it is still something I won’t forget.
That sums up life for the moment on my travels. I tried to get a few more photo’s up and got some good ones of a meat market we discovered near where the tea is supposed to be. Chengdu is much warmer than Xi’an and a much prettier city. The hostel is one street back from a big green river which adds a nice nature touch to the vicinity. My current plans are to stay for the rest of the week before heading on a five day horse trek through Songpan.
Should be good.
Peace. Love. Panda.
Zin
P.S What is TUL you may ask? TUL is everywhere in Mix Hostel, on the walls, behind the bar, stuck under the glass tables. TUL stands for the The Unemployed Life and stickers and posters adorned with the message are all through the hostel. I spent the first day trying to figure it out and now I am in love the slogan. TUL isn’t just a poster it is also everyone you meet. It’s a way of life for every single traveller!
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