Stuck in Chengdu

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After a painful and early wake up (Bene had to kick me a number of times so that I would finally emerge from my Chinese Alcohol induced coma), we got ready for our arrival in Chengdu at 07:00.

We were quickly ready, folding sleeping bags away, putting away a couple of books and that was it. As far as the procedure was concerned for the chinese in our compartment, one had the impression that an entire expeditionnary corps was on the move. Each had its task, usually contradicting the task of another member the family. The two mothers stood in the corridor and gave out contradicting orders, the father made a brief appearance, drunk some tea, watched the proceedings in an unconcerned look, got a slap from his wife and promptly returned to his games. Grandpa still insited on remaining asleep. After a good 45 minutes of chaos, the army was packed and ready to move. All the bags, of varying colours, shapes and sizes (none in good taste) were placed on grandfather (who still refused to move) and the family sat down ready to make the assault on Chengdu. We sat calmly and waited, mentally prepairing for the task ahead: we had to go to the agency in Chengdu who would give us our fight tickets and Tibet permits and we would then head directly to the airport to take our 10:20 flights to Lhassa.

The train was, of course, late. We arrived in Chengdu at 13:00, having seen our plane depart without us. We made directy for the Chengdu travel office. There we met smoky, name given to him in regard to him always having a cigarette in his mouth (he also possesed the wonderful chinese talent of being able to do 3 things at once, namely: smoking, spitting loudly on your feet and talking on the phone). Smoky did not speak a word of English, French or any other language. After much negotiating and communication problems we got our tickets changed for the next day. We had to spend the day in Chengdu. Smoky seemed unconcerned, at the best of time, regarding our fate.

Chengdu is a far more pleasant town then Beiing. It is less polluted (there is still a heavy smog but visibility has improved to at least 500 meters). There are less cars and more bicycles but, more importantly, there still is a Chinese life, small stalls in the street selling meat covered in flies, chickens wandering around in the streets, dirty kids playing in the water in the middle of the street, grandfathers taking their fish bowls for a walk, playing go or majong in the street, etc... It is a more human city. We checked in at the same hotel as I was with my parents during my last visit, at the Crown Plaza Hotel. Delightful luxury.

The better part of the day was spent between the agency, the Tibet Bureau and Air China (where the computer system crashed and the workers started knitting and having their tea- induced gossip to the great consternation of foreign clients; the chinese joined in the gossip).

We had a delicious lunch in a small chinese restaurant offering in display such tempting dishes as rat's heads or testicules of some poor animal or the other, amongst other delicacies.

We spent a jolly night sampling what night life Chengdu had to offer and retired early to bed in anticipation of our travels to Tibet.

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