Cloudy in Beijing Blogging about my time in China

The hard seat

Trains are the main way people travel long-distance in China. And like an airplane, there are different classes of seats, depending on how much you want to pay.

The hard seat, or what is effectively economy class, is the most notorious among foreign travelers. One person described it on the Internet as "what hell must feel like." Nevertheless, most Chinese commoners buy hard seat tickets when riding the trains.

Today I decided to ride the hard seat to see what it was like.

9:40 p.m.

I'm on the train heading to Taiyuan, a city that's going to be about an 11 hour train ride to. The hard seat is not as bad as I thought. Just a very flat and thin cushion bench with no arm rests, that makes you feel pressed up against a green wall.

The train is moving and all the seats are all filled. It's loud from all the chatting going on. Several people are standing in the aisle, all of whom I guess must have a bought a "standing room" tickets. I can't even believe the train stations sells such things.

As I'm writing this a few girls siting next to me are trying to decipher what I'm trying to write.

11:00 p.m.

I introduced myself to the three girls sitting next to me. They thought I was a graduate student, so they were somewhat shocked when I said I was a Chinese-American. They are very nice and I've been playing card games with them.

I have also found out that I am apparently 25 years-old, not 24. The girls tell me that Chinese people often determine age by looking at the year they were born, not the specific date. So once 2009 came along I was 25, even though my real birth date was seven months away. It's unsettling to think that one year completely went by just like that.

It is still very loud on the train. At one point, the train workers were selling toys to the passengers. The toys were spinning tops that glittered with neon lights and even played music.

12:00 a.m.

I tell the girls I'm going to Taiyuan because it's my ancestral Chinese hometown. One of them says Taiyuan is the same as Xi'an. If you just changed the name of the place, you wouldn't notice much of difference, she adds.

I let one of the girls look at my journal. The first time I've ever let anyone read my journal. She can't understand any of it, except for the occasional "I".

I continue to play cards with the girls. One of them notices how I can't speak Chinese and play cards at the same time. I try to do both, but end up screwing up my card hand. "That's alright," one of the girls jokingly says in English.

An old man in front of me somehow sleeps while sitting up, his body not resting against anything. Impressive.

The girls also offer me biscuits to eat.

2:00 a.m.

Now I can see why the hard seats are like hell. It's early morning and I still can't fall asleep even as I'm exhausted. I have no where to rest my head since I'm in the middle between two people. Next to me is a man from which I can smell the stench of sweat.

There is a table between the seats. All three of the girls lay their heads on it as if they would be sleeping on a desk at school. I've already tried it, finding that sweat quickly drenches my face when I do so.

There is no air- conditioner on the train, only green fans that are hooked up above, all of which are turned off for some reason.

6 or 7 more hours of this. But at least things are quieter.

3:00 a.m.

I don't know how local Chinese people can take this. No one in America would stand for this. I haven't even dared to check the bathrooms.

I notice there are no trashcans on the train. Instead, one of the girls throws out all the trash by opening the window. There's goes her tea bottle.

4:00 a.m.

Two of the girls leave as the train stops at a place called Lingfeng. I say goodbye to them and desperately try to go to sleep. I notice that the train is much less crowded now, with some of the seats now open. Finally, I can rest my head against the train window.

A man next to me gives me a piece of dove chocolate. I don't know why, but I nod my head with a thank you.

5:14 a.m.

A woman train worker yells, waking me up. Everyone else looks like they are asleep. The train is silent except for this shrill voice. She declares that she is selling "360 degree" toothbrushes.

A man later asks, "do you sell toothpaste too?"

"No we don't," the woman says.

8:00 a.m.

My body feels likes it completely covered with sweat. I need a shower. Thankfully the train makes it final stop to Taiyuan. I estimate I only got around 4 hours of sleep. The last remaining girl, who is also heading to Taiyuan, hands me a moist towelette.

Once I get off to the train, I go buy a return ticket to Xi'an. I want a ticket for a soft bed, I think to myself. I don't care the price.