I had a lousy morning which ended up being a good evening.
Today, was to be my big trip to Hefei in Anhui province. I bought my ticket last week, and packed a small bag last night.
I woke up before my alarm this morning, and thought that 1 hour and 45 minutes would suffice to get me from my apartment to the train station in plenty of time.
I forgot it takes about 10 minutes to walk across the gigantic campus to the main road. I also didm't think about how long it takes to hail a taxi on the street when it is raining.
I ended up hiring a van from in front of a nearby hotel. I spent like a half an hour waving frantically at passing taxis.
It is my luck that I got a driver who was taking a leisurely attitude towards her job. She is likely a lovely human being, but was not quite up to speed in getting me from Langyang Dadao to the Hankou train station.
I arrived at the train station 15 minutes before the train was to depart. I ended up getting my ticket with 5 minutes to get to the train gate. Enough time you might say. Indeed, I was eager to board my train, as perhaps you might expect. I pretty much ran pell mell through the station.
When I got to my gate, the ticket man waved me away. I appealed to a uniformed train official (they wear rather officious looking jackets with epaulets). He did have the social graces to use the honorific form Nin when he told me to basically go screw.
Sadly, I watched the train depart. Alas, they close the gate about 5 minutes before a train leaves.
I called my chinese handler in Hefei, who calmly said to go and exchange the ticket. I was somewhat peeved at this point, although I restrained my ire and did not entertain the throngs of holiday travelers who took keen interest in my plight. I kind of felt like I was a person of interest to a couple hundred entertainment starved chinese folk.
I went back to the ticket window, where, after only about a half an hour wait, I was booked through on a new train.
So I waited about 4 hours in the train station and neighboring McDonalds. I had a chinese couple try ernestly to hold a conversation with me, despite the fact that neither of us could understand pretty much anything the other was saying.
An odd little thing I noticed was what looked like a stray Chihuahua wandering underneath the seats in the station. It was definitely, on its own, and looked scared. It made me very sad to see it. I mentally planned out how I would catch the dog, bring it home, bathe it, and raise it as my own.
The train ride was uneventful. The ticket lady was gracious enough to book me in a hard sleeper, which allowed me to sprawl out on a padded bunk where I dozed much of the way to Hefei.
In Hefei, I was encountered a cleaner, and somewhat less frenetic Wuhan. The air seems cleaner, and the roads are not as choked with cars.
I tried to get a ride in a three wheeled rickshaw thing, but the driver said I had to far to travel to meet my friend.
My Chinese handler and I met at his new job, which is in a somewhat dreary communist era office complex. It kind of reminded me of something from the cold war. I have pictures below.
I had a delightful meal with his older sister, her husband and their very very cute 6 year old daughter. Some pictures below.
It was really good to see my friend and to share a meal with some very nice people. So my trip to Hefei, so far, is a success.
Another view of the gate of an austere communist era office park.
My Chinese handler and his niece, who sings and dances quite well!
His sister, her husband and their very cute daughter.
Today, was to be my big trip to Hefei in Anhui province. I bought my ticket last week, and packed a small bag last night.
I woke up before my alarm this morning, and thought that 1 hour and 45 minutes would suffice to get me from my apartment to the train station in plenty of time.
I forgot it takes about 10 minutes to walk across the gigantic campus to the main road. I also didm't think about how long it takes to hail a taxi on the street when it is raining.
I ended up hiring a van from in front of a nearby hotel. I spent like a half an hour waving frantically at passing taxis.
It is my luck that I got a driver who was taking a leisurely attitude towards her job. She is likely a lovely human being, but was not quite up to speed in getting me from Langyang Dadao to the Hankou train station.
I arrived at the train station 15 minutes before the train was to depart. I ended up getting my ticket with 5 minutes to get to the train gate. Enough time you might say. Indeed, I was eager to board my train, as perhaps you might expect. I pretty much ran pell mell through the station.
When I got to my gate, the ticket man waved me away. I appealed to a uniformed train official (they wear rather officious looking jackets with epaulets). He did have the social graces to use the honorific form Nin when he told me to basically go screw.
Sadly, I watched the train depart. Alas, they close the gate about 5 minutes before a train leaves.
I called my chinese handler in Hefei, who calmly said to go and exchange the ticket. I was somewhat peeved at this point, although I restrained my ire and did not entertain the throngs of holiday travelers who took keen interest in my plight. I kind of felt like I was a person of interest to a couple hundred entertainment starved chinese folk.
I went back to the ticket window, where, after only about a half an hour wait, I was booked through on a new train.
So I waited about 4 hours in the train station and neighboring McDonalds. I had a chinese couple try ernestly to hold a conversation with me, despite the fact that neither of us could understand pretty much anything the other was saying.
An odd little thing I noticed was what looked like a stray Chihuahua wandering underneath the seats in the station. It was definitely, on its own, and looked scared. It made me very sad to see it. I mentally planned out how I would catch the dog, bring it home, bathe it, and raise it as my own.
The train ride was uneventful. The ticket lady was gracious enough to book me in a hard sleeper, which allowed me to sprawl out on a padded bunk where I dozed much of the way to Hefei.
In Hefei, I was encountered a cleaner, and somewhat less frenetic Wuhan. The air seems cleaner, and the roads are not as choked with cars.
I tried to get a ride in a three wheeled rickshaw thing, but the driver said I had to far to travel to meet my friend.
My Chinese handler and I met at his new job, which is in a somewhat dreary communist era office complex. It kind of reminded me of something from the cold war. I have pictures below.
I had a delightful meal with his older sister, her husband and their very very cute 6 year old daughter. Some pictures below.
It was really good to see my friend and to share a meal with some very nice people. So my trip to Hefei, so far, is a success.
An austere communist era office park.
Another view of the gate of an austere communist era office park.
My Chinese handler and his niece, who sings and dances quite well!
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