train tickets

China is all about train travel.  They have a pretty awesome system of various trains that will take you almost anywhere you need to go.  While I refuse to be on a train for over 24 hours (I'll take the couple hour flight thank you very much) traveling overnight on a train is the perfect solution.


Buying tickets...that takes a little bit of skill.  First you have to locate a place to locate tickets, and try not to be there when there are really long lines, which can be impossible.  Then, you have to wait until at least 10 days before you plan to leave, as most tickets are not available until at least then.  Luckily, there is a place to buy tickets not too far from campus that is usually not very crowded.


Early last week I decided I would travel to see some students this break.  Originally I had an adventurous plan of seeing students in multiple cities, but, since I will be by myself I scaled back and am just going to that area.  After a little research to find out which train I would take I headed to the ticket office with the train information, the city name in pinyin and characters and my phrasebook to hopefully bail me out of any communication gone wrong.


I walk up and to my surprise there is no one there!  I successfully tell the lady which city I want to travel to on the first try which automatically upped my confidence and then we were able to figure out which day I wanted to leave.  Then came the nerve-wracking part...telling her what kind of seat/sleeper I wanted.  It started ok, but then I began to crash and burn but luckily just as that was happening a man came into line who could speak English!  With his help we were able to finish and I happily left with the tickets I wanted :)


So, in a few days I am off to Jiaxiang, Shandong.  I'm pretty sure I'll see my students school and maybe teach a lesson, tour around her hometown and one day we'll go to Qufu, which is where Confucius is from.  Should be a fun time!