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Published: March 12th 2007
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This blog is continued from the previous entry.
The middle of the night on the sleeper train I needed to go to the toilet. This was the moment I was dreading since boarding the train. 3am and a squat toilet awaits. I got dressed shoes and all, as I had been warned about the floors in the toilet. Grabbving my flushable wipes I made my way stumbling downt the dimly lit rattling train.
Yes - the toilet was as bad as was reported. I did my business and flushed - imaging my effluent running out under the train. They lock the toilets when we stop at stations - one assumes because a flush ejects the waste onto the tracks and that would be unslightly at the station.
I washed my hands with the water on the train and then headed back to my bed where I took my disinfectant gel and applied to my hands. This is a normal part of my routine now. Disinfectant wherever you use or sometimes touch things!
Crawling back into bed, I assumed the board like sleeper train position in my sleeping bag.
In and out of sleep until about 6am,
when the lights came on - signifying a station was near - and this was ours - Guilin station.
We had around 20 minutes to wake up and repack everytrhing and be ready to get off the train - we had about 5 minutes to bundle off the train before it moved off the station!
I had prepared the night before - everything I needed was there - sleeping-bag bag to shove it into, bra on hand, jeans and jumper ready to put on. I did all this in record time, even for me! I packed my bag ready for alighting - remember this is all done on the third bunk and aerial acrobatics to pack the bag! It was stressful - esp when we only had just woken up and everyone else was fussing as well.
After about 15 minutes, Anson came over to make sure we were all ready to go and he made sure we were all hyped up enough to be wanting to get off the train quickly!
When our stop was near, he hustled us all to get our bags together and get off the train.
We bungled off the
train and the cold it us like a train! I quickly dropped my pack and put my jumper on... and thought 'This is freezing!" I didn't expect this sort of cold until Beijing!
He took us out of the train terminal and on to the bus bay. We satyed in Guilin for all of 5 minutes before getting the private coach to yangshuo.
China is amazing, with the changing landscape out of the train & bus window. The contrasts a rife - we see people in uniform and people in business suits and the people with old grubby clothes - no more than rags. But we all use the same gross toilets!
The bus was only an hour and before 9am, we were in a hotel room having showers! Thank goodness!
So lets count... I had a shower Saturday night... it was now Tuesday morning! All Sunday and Monday without a shower and almost a full 24 hours of traveling! eek! This was going to be some China Odyssey.
Once we had washed and settled in the hotel, we met in the nearest restaurant for breakfast and a briefing.
There is another metaphor I have mulled over. "It doesn't matter whether we drive a sports car of a bomb of a car - we all drive in the same traffic!"
Now we are in Yangshuo and Geckos had organised a river cruise. It was BLOODY COLD on the water.
We also went fishing but not with rods! The locals fish using cormorants. The bird dives down and catches the fish. The bird has a small piece of string tied around its neck which doesn't allow it to swallow the large fish, which they then go back to their 'master' to give them to him. The Fisherman takes the fish from their mouth and pops it in a basket! Not as good as Ernies "Here Fishie, fishie, fishie!" but pretty darn close!
We then ate the fish the guy caught at the so-called "Scenic Cafe" --> there wasn't much to see but the food was good!
Then it was hastily to bed for me, while Rosy stayed up to play some pool with some of the others form the tour group.
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Nic
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Only just surviving...
Wow girl! Sounds like ur havin a blast. Cant believe it only been 2 weeks- seems like 4eva. It sound like ur adjusting slow 2 the way of life in china. Pigeon? oh my- cud hav left that photo out? Im glad u got 2 experience Rosies homecoming with her, sounded very special. Will continue to pray 4 u. Miss u long time..