The Tandem Exploration

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Our final day in Xi'an, packed our gear had some breakfast and put all our things in day storage. We had a mess around with a little white cat with one blue and one green eye, which was fun, then we head out for a real adventure.
We dodged the maniac traffic to get to the palace walls south gate entrance which was almost in the middle of a really busy roundabout but with no path. scaled the mass of steps to the top and had a little wander. I hired a tandem bike, which was easily 100 years old and bombed off to get Laura who was walking ahead. She and I both laughed when I caught up. Laura reluctantly got on, and we began our 3 mile cycle all the way around the walls. It had the best view of all of the city and the weather was great! Laura was a bit nervous having never been on a bike, after some jumps and going down some steps and ramps the fear was lessened!! Was a very funny day. It took around 1n hour to get around and then time for a drink and a rest at the hostel.
After a coffee and we said all our goodbyes, it was time for round two at Xi'an train station.
When we arrived it was equally as busy only this time we had to enter. Through airport style security we entered and all the stares began!!! Waiting for aroung an hour with our backpacks on stuck in a que was not a nice experience, but the worse was yet to come.
You cannot get on the train five minutes before departure, but the gate was only opened half an hour before departure which left a twenty five minute window for thousands to get on!! Getting through the next security gate to the train was like trying to push a potatoe through a baby schwepps bottle top!!!
There was fighting, kicking, shouting, all I have to say is, WOW!!!!
The rest of the journey was fantastic, we had a room to ourselves, with a bed each, a table and hot water for food, tvs, music, and the best bit was the view of paddy fields, trees, chinese men working on bridges, welding in the dark, it was great!! After a little nap we were in Shanghai.

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