We are now off to Beijing Xi Railway Station. We took a bus to Beijing Xi Railway Station and it was anywhere from 75 to 90 minutes by bus. It was about 5pm when were leaving and it started to rain that was just great. The bus ride from Beijing airport to Beijing Xi is actually quite nice and comfortable. Of course being a foreigner and the only on the bus which was packed I was heavily stared at. This is nothing unusual to me since I have similar experience in Japan. If you are going there try hard to not let the staring overwhelm you because it can be pretty heavy at times. We arrive at Beijing Xi and we are mugged by a myriad of cab drivers I was a little shocked. When the bus stops at Beijing Xi it is still about 400 meters away. Therefore the myriad of cabbies and I mean cabs of all forms trikes, bikes with coaches in the back and some other motorcycle like thing that's my description for this vehicle. I hop on one trike and she hops on another and we go to the railway station A tidbit of information Beijing Xi means Beijing West in English.
We arrive at the railway station and yes it is HUGE!! and a little intimidating. Plenty of places to eat at the railway station so no problem there but everyone of them was packed. ALERT this is usual so just hang in there and be patient. We finally eat at at fast food Chinese place go figure! She insists that I eat a lot and I am hungry so I do but I am wondering why so much insisting. ??? WHAT'S THE DEAL HERE?? After this we head to the train we are catching a K-train I am of course only expecting something really nice. Hahaha!! wrong you are. We get to the platform I look at the train and it looks like some kind of cattle car. Remember what I said about trains in the previous post heed my warning on this do not ever ride a slow train in China if you are a Westerner. You will have a terrible experience pay a little extra and get a sleeper car if you are riding a slow train. The cost for a sleeper car on a slow train is about 8 dollars more. JUST DO IT!!
We head for the train with my three heavy bags and my little helper is carrying two of the bags. She seriously insisted on this I tried to stop her from carrying those bags and she got very upset. ALERT do not try and stop Chinese woman from helping you they will get very upset and I mean VERY UPSET! They just really want to help. We finally get to our seats after hopping from one car to another car and we are exhausted. I look around and the train is packed just like sardines haha! I am sitting and this dude;s butt is right in my face. SO PLEASANT! ALERT this is also the usual on trains in China they are packed so just deal with it. At this moment is when I ask the school assistant "how long is the train ride?" She looks at me and says about 5 hours. The dude's butt is REALLY in my face. Well this is going to be such a nice ride. An hour into the ride with the dude's butt still in my face she turns to me and says "Can you teach tomorrow?" ALERT this is the usual deal when you are going to be teaching in China so no freaking out. I looked at her and said let me think about that. Five and half hours later we arrive in Handan with the dude's butt in my face the whole way. After we arrive I tell her yes I can teach tomorrow but not until the afternoon. To be continued.
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