Cloudy in Beijing Blogging about my time in China

The standing ticket

The train ride back to Beijing was more of an endurance test to see how long I could bare standing.

For over 5 hours I stood in the back of the passenger, with nothing but my backpack to sit on. This is what I get for buying a standing ticket.

It was all the ticket sellers had left since the train heading back to Beijing was going to be packed. I didn't think much of it since the train ride wouldn't be too long. If I was lucky maybe I'd find an empty seat.

That didn't happen. When I first boarded the train, already several people were standing in the aisle way. As the train traveled on and made several stops, more and more people came on board. Eventually five people were sitting around me, using their luggage as seat cushions.

For the most part, I basically stood there, afraid I'd crush something if I sat on my backpack. Periodically I'd have to move out of the way, allowing a passenger or train worker to squeeze on by. I tried stretching my legs, and standing in different positions. But eventually I decided to screw it, and sat on my backpack.

With the holiday coming to an end, things were especially busy around Beijing. Walking through here made me feel like a cog in a machine. To get back to my dorm, I had to switch subway lines twice, and then finally walk to the university. It took me over an hour. Home sweet home.