I spent 12 hours and 12 minutes on a train. I decided to take an overnight train back to Nanjing where I would then switch to another train that goes back to Yangzhou. My train left at 20:44 (8:44pm) and got to Nanjing at 8:56am. Then I would have an hour to get to the next train into Yangzhou arriving there at 11ish. I had to be at work at 2pm so that would give me 3 hours to get home, shower and change. Looking back I was cutting it a little close if something had gone wrong. (hint nothing went wrong)

Anyway I was completely exhausted from the last couple days and looked forward to sleeping on the train. Both trains I took to get to Xi’an were very nice. They had reclining seats, power outlets, and lots of leg room. This train nowhere near resembled what I pictured riding a train would be like. Let me paint the scene because I did not take any pictures.

The aisle was about 1.5 feet wide so anytime someone walked down it they hit everyone sitting the in aisle. There were no indivdual seats. Instead there were benches in a booth like setting. Three people to a bench, six people to a booth facing each other. The people closest to the window had a little table that folded down in between everyone which an ashtray sat. The seats did not recline and there was not a power outlet to be seen which was a bad thing because my phone was almost dead. This was going to be a very long 12 hours. On my ticket it says I should have the window seat but I’m late to my booth and someone is already sitting there. I’m not about to start drawing attention to myself by making this guy move. My booth mates consist of (1 woman, 1 man) dressed in business suits, the old guy who stole my window seat and 2 other old men. The booth across the aisle contains 6 old men. 4 of which are smoking despite signs everywhere that say no smoking. In fact the majority of this train seems to be old men or people dressed in business suits. And then there’s me. I’m dressed in my field pants, a blue fleece, slip on shoes, a top bun, thick plastic black glasses and my backpack. I get a lot of stares by the old men when I sit down.

Hour 1: I try to master the art of not breathing. Everyone on the train is smoking. The security guards, the ticket taker and the conductor are smoking. The windows do not go down that I know of. I think that I might suffocate to death.

Hour 2: One of the old men offers me a cigarette and then everyone else in my booth. My high school DARE class prepared me for this moment and I shake my head. The other two old men laugh and take a cigarette. I secretly hope they run out soon. No such luck. A vendor comes down the aisle selling snacks, little toys and you guessed it cigarettes.

Hour 3: The old men buy a bunch of snacks from the vendor. I get offered some by the cigarette old man which I try and decline but he pushes it in my hand. It’s a black looking egg. The only food I have is some Werther original candies and a snickers bar. I offer a werther’s to the old man. Immediately the two other old men offer me some of their snacks. So this is where I started a snack swap in my booth. Everyone ends up putting their snacks on the table. In addition to the egg I end up with some dried meat strips, a rice crispy square thing, miniature loaves of bread, a cluster of beans sprouts, spicy green peas, sunflower seeds and what looks like a moon pie (it wasn’t a moon pie). I give everyone a werther’s. One guy tries to bite in in half. One guy I think swallowed it whole and one of the old men spits in on the floor. I don’t think they like it.

Hour 4: It’s past midnight and I’m using my powers of car-colepsy to sleep upright. The train lights are very florescent and no one else seems to plan on sleeping. I sacrifice some of my phone battery to listen to white noise.

Hour 5: The old men have bought a glowing top from the train vendor. Every time it stops spinning they cheer. I think they are having a contest to see who can keep it spinning the longest but what do I know? I try and go back to sleep.

Hour 6: I’m awoken to the old men clearing the table of the snacks. They are setting up a card game. I realize I’m staring and pretend to be playing on my phone. In reality I’m not since it’s less than 30%. I end up dozing only to wake up to two of the old men arguing over their cards. I’m almost halfway done with this train ride.

Hour 7: Giving up on sleeping, I watch the old men play cards. After about 15 minutes the one who offered me a cigarette (I’ve dubbed the leader) says something to me in Chinese. I don’t know what he’s saying so I just smile and shrug my shoulders. He holds up his hands and wrinkles his eyebrows. Very slowly he says ‘hello, nice to meet you.’ I almost don’t understand the last part but it’s a phrase that a lot of people know and people have sometimes shouted at me on the street. I say ‘nice to meet you’ (in English) back very slowly. The other two old men say something to him in Chinese which makes him smile and gives me a thumbs up. Since he’s on the other side of the bench he switches spots with one of the business suit people. He holds out his cards. This is the part where I learn a new card game without actually knowing any of the rules.

Hour 8: I still don’t know the rules of this card game. I think the old man helping me is making me lose on purpose. He’s basically playing two hands. His and mine. Every time it’s my turn he takes my cards and puts down a move for me. I think if it’s a good move the other two argue with him, if it’s a bad move they laugh at me. It’s surprising fun.

Hour 9: The train stops and the old men leave. I am sad to see them go but I now have the bench to myself so I half lay down and fall asleep.

Hour 10: Someone is poking me awake. The train stopped again to let more people off/on and I’m lying in someone’s seat. Opps.

Hour 11: The new people aren’t nearly as fun as the old men. They just play on their phones and don’t share their snacks. I fall back asleep sitting upright.

Hour 12: This is the slowest hour ever. I promise myself that if I ever get an overnight train again I’ll spend the extra money to buy a sleeper seat. I saved exactly 22 dollars by buying a normal seat. A bed was 44 dollars and I don’t think I’ve ever regretted not spending extra money on something as much as this train ride.

In a haze I get off the train at Nanjing and breathe my first breath of ‘fresh’ air in what feels like 12 years. I make it to the next train terminal with time to spare. My train to Yangzhou doesn’t leave for another 50 minutes. My phone is nearly dead. I’m hoping I can pronounce the name of my apartment complex when I get a taxi. I only have the address on my phone. Using a rouge pencil in my backpack and an old train ticket stub I painstakingly copy the Chinese characters that says my address. I have no idea if I copied them right.

The train ride to Yangzhou is luxury. The seats go back and I set an alarm for 45 minutes so I don’t miss my stop. I think I fall asleep before the train starts moving. After getting into Yangzhou I get a taxi and pronounce the name of my apartment correctly because I don’t have to use my paper! I’m impressed with myself.

And that concludes my first traveling experience by myself in China. Most of it was fun, some of it was frustrating but 100% of it was educational. All I can say is I can’t wait to do it again! What city should I go to next?