Qingzang - Tibet Railway

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Car 5 Unit 8 Bunk 32 … The Train from Lhasa to Beijing

One of three major goals during this China trip was to take this train from Lhasa to Beijing. My excellent consultant from accesstibet arranged for the ticket. All the cold facts can be gleaned from the site below. The pic of Lhasa station I took from the internet. Its too huge for my little camera. It is the biggest station ever and has brought about massive change to the city of Lhasa ... positive and negative.

http://www.tibettravel.org/qinghai-tibet-railway/scenery.html ....Derek Wong ... Nov 28, 2014

“Major attractions are Qarhan Salt Lake, Yuzhu Peak, Kekexili Nature Reserve, Tuotuo He River, Tangula pass, Tsonag Lake, Qiangtang prairie, Namtso, etc.”

I think I saw all the etceteras. Certainly did not know what I was looking at as the train passed the picturesque landscape.

At this time of year the scenery is brown, beige, caramel, and toffee coloured all at once. In other words all the same with a few white peaks mixed in and every now and again some snowfall. There were long green plastic wraps used to control the windswept flat earth from blowing away in the wind. In other places small rocks had been arranged in 30cm absolute squares again to keep earth close to the ground. The Qinzang Railway stretches for 1,956km across the roof of China to Tibet with 80% of the track above 4,000m. At Tanggula Pass the train reaches 5,068m he highest railroad in the world. Sorry to say my journey passed this momentous spot in the middle of a dark night. From the upper bunk one can see nothing even during the day. The train continued on into the night as all passengers slept. To witness the event one must take the train from Beijing to Lhasa. At the end of the car a large map and time schedule has been posted on the wall. So while waiting in line to brush teeth or wash hands one can look at the approximate position of the train.

“There are two toilets available at the end of each car. On one side is an Asian toilet and on the other side is a Western toilet. Over all they are kept clean and toilet paper is available.”

I did not even look at the sit down toilet. The door was always locked when I was in need. During my whole China trip I preferred the squat facility. No need to waste my toilet paper to line the seat!

This squat toilet on the train was awash in liquid. Did not stop to inspect. It did not stink …which was a small blessing because compartment eight was the last before the toilet and the three sink arrangement.

“There are neat bathrooms and sink areas in the Tibet train. The attendants always keep the sink areas reasonably clean. Each sink area is equipped with three sinks which have the push type water faucet. The sink areas are always busy in the morning because it is shared by 32 people. It is better to buy a towel at a supermarket before you get on the train for there is no toiletries and hygienes supply on Tibet train.”

Here we have to clarify one’s definition of reasonable. In the night because it was January the water lines froze and no water was available for teeth or hand cleaning. Nowhere was there a bar of soap in sight. When the cook came out of the squat toilet and headed back to the restaurant, my desire to explore food offered in the dining car diminished to nothingness.

The woman pushing the food trolley thru the train was also responsible for cleaning the toilets. The conductor gathered garbage and swept the carpet with a broom and dust bin. Neither restaurant car food nor wrapped trays did I partake in. I had instant noodles, nuts, mandarins, apples and juice.

In car five the hot water dispenser was not working for the duration of the trip. Hot water for the noodle soups had to be accessed in the next car. Here in the hard sleeper six people slept three on each side of the compartment. No door closed off this arrangement. How one got to the top bunk I do not know. Even the top bunk, which was mine in the soft sleeper, did not have a ladder. I stepped on the trash can and then there was a collapsible step that came out of the wall for the next foot. Made it to the top by holding on to the handles provided. Only fell down once! Still have scar below right knee where I broke the skin thru my tights!

Even though it was difficult to get up to and there were no sight lines out the window of the top bunk, it was a good idea to be at the top because by the end of the two days all four adults and the kid were sitting wherever on the two bottom bunks.

In my compartment a young woman who was a Mickey Mouse fan slept under me. On the other bottom bunk a mother with her pampered six year old made themselves wide with masses of luggage. I waited for the time when she had to leave the train. How was she going to carry four bags and keep the kid in hand? The man, a teacher in Lhasa, said she was a super woman because she did somehow manage. I did not witness that because I was watching the luggage left in the compartment. Both women left the train at the same time … one stop before Beijing.

From 14:20 on Monday till 08:30 Wednesday the train travelled past rounded mountains, strata lines from an ancient lake that had been pushed to the vertical, sharp white peaks of young mountains, flat rock strewn river beds with small rivulets running over them, empty fields waiting for spring seeding, dry terraced patches, long stretches of black asphalt, and the never ending rail track.

Evidence of crops that used to be could still be seen; barley, corn, wheat and hay. Fields lay empty beside the track. At one point for hours of travel tree farms lined both sides of the track. Could it be that this is where the trees in Beijing and Shanghai get their beginnings? Both cities are trying to fight the pollution problem by planting plenty of greenery … even under the overpass highways and along all thoroughfares.

All four of us in compartment eight including the kid in his little black mink coat got off the train twice while passengers disembarked.

At the first major stop the Tibetans that had been waiting in Lhasa with their humungous sacks and bags got off the train. The stop was at a sizable city. Feed for animals could not be in the sacks. Did the people perhaps stock up on Tibetan crafts and were they then going to sell them here in this city at small kiosks or even at an open market?

The next time the train stopped we found one woman selling fruit and wrapped snacks. A second woman with her window enclosed kiosk offered cooked chicken legs and corn on the cob … REAL corn! not that peaches&cream stuff. For 15CNY = $3 I had food that I immediately sunk my teeth into. It was the first food eaten with gusto since Nov. 27, 2014.

The landscape on the outskirts of cities was taken up with fallow fields, ploughed squares, grazing cows, goats, or sheep. While in the Tibet Plateau numerous herds of yak were seen in the distance. If a few yak stood close to the track the camera was always too late out of the pocket or case to get a good shot. Nowhere in Lhasa did I find yak wool.

The houses seen along the track, some solitary, some in community groups were made of mud brick. Many were in good shape with smoke coming out of tin chimneys. Others were falling apart victim to the wind and invariably spring rains. Compound walls were made of the same material. The compounds held chickens, stray sheep or goats. Every now and again a big lorry, or a small old Mao era tractor, or a moped and sometimes even a newish Kia rested inside the mud walls.

In the approach of the city the sheep were fewer, the compound more strewn with city things like old tires, parts of furniture, motor pieces, garbage, recyclables and just leftover stuff that had found a corner to decay in. The one story houses gave way to high apartment blocks with crowded balconies filled with laundry lines and stored objects. The buildings themselves old and worn seemed to bleed years of exposure to weather, pollution and sand storms.

The closer the train came to Beijing the more numerous were smoke stacks spewing carcinogens and coal generators poisoning the atmosphere.

The train trip was a much desired experience. I am so happy that I did it. Sorry I missed the 5,068 Tanggula Train Station and the burst of oxygen. There were four outlets, one above each pillow in each berth. A Health Statement was filled out and signed by all passengers and collected by the conductor when he checked the tickets. It was a real blessing that the teacher spoke some English. By the end of the trip I was communicating with the two women and the kid …sparingly … but we did share food and a joke or two.

The teacher was being picked up at Beijing West station. I was heading towards the subway. For a day and a half I would stay at Hotel161, visit the National Library and go to the Olympic Park to visit the Bird’s Nest Stadium and The Water Cube.

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Photos

Recycled Grain Sacks
So much baggage. Each family had a surplus of bags, suitcases, boxes, trunks ... anything that could hold stuff!

Catching the Z22
Once the word was heard at 14:15 that train was loading a blur of passengers and belongings made for the tracks.

Lhasa to Beijing
Every day the train leaves on its the journey across the 4000m+ Tibetan Plateau, high thru the 5068m Tanggula Pass and ends at sea level in Beijing.

Narrow Corridor
There are collapsable seats and plugs to charge personal devices in the corridor. Not every seat has a plug.

The Schedule
Times, station names and points of interest are depicted ... all in Mandarin except the times of day.

For Ablution
Three sinks, big constantly full garbage and mirrors to show you how travel worn you have become. Bring your own soap, towel and water to brush teeth.

The Compartment - for four
Comfy if you are with family and/or friends. The top bunk is cheaper. I paid $275.17 for two sleeps, two barley pillows and a warm quilt all in clean white linen. Bring your own ladder!

Restaurant Car
Food smelled good. Had seen the chef exit the squat toilet and seen his leavings. Only looked into dining car!

Peaks Village Yaks
The views flashed by ... eye overload!

Tibetan Community
Breathtaking ... at every turn, for every kilometer.

January Snowfall
There is no central heat anywhere in Tibet. One can buy electric heaters. For food cooking and heat in small room dried cow dung is the cheapest.

Yak Heard
Did not get close enough toa yak to hear its voice. The herds are owned by the community and sold for mega bucks. Unless I misheard my guide said a whole yak can sell for 10,000CNY = $2000

On Pilgrimage
With the support truck these pilgrims can take years getting to Lhasa, depending on where their home village is, as they prostrate themselves every meter of the way.

Kilometer upon Kilometer
The peaks, the fields, the road, the electrical lines ... all binding together the second largest country in the world all in one time zone! Still can't figure that one out.

Herds of Sheep
There were a lot of sheep once the yak herds were left behind. Most sheep looked very ragged making on wonder how much work had to be done to clean the fleece. I saw numerousmen spinning wool as they walked about.

Millions of Trees
Once the sheep were left behind kilometers of tree farms were in evidence. Trees doabsorbcarbon monoxide in the summer! Probably smarter to go to Beijing and Shanghai in August or July.

Greenhouses with Straw Matting
There were hectares upon hectares of greenhouses in evidence along the roads travelled and along the kilometers of railroad track. In the areas where snow fell woven straw mats (the yellow rolls) were used to cover the plastic during cooler spells and at night.

Coal
Coal is still the main fuel used. That in combination with exhaust fumes makes for a toxic mix that is keeping the mask sellers busy ... all to no avail... respitory ailments rampant!

Apartment Living
If no laundry is hanging from balconies the apartment building has not yet been occupied. There are a lot of empty buildings andeven more under construction.

Dwarf and Giant
Its just a nice shot ...

Beijing is Reached
A good ride come to an end. It was a long train and when it went around a curve the front could be seen. Of course the camera never came to the ready in time!