Lhasa to Xian

On the 36 hour spectacular train ride from Lhasa to Xian there was plenty of time for reflection. The brand new pressurized-train for high altitude and railway built by the Chinese Government was excellent. … The toilets were clean, sheets and blankets provided. The Tibetan Plateau’s panoramas made me regret the economy of my mini digital camera.

Chinese train accommodations are not labeled - First Class, Second Class or Economy. Instead the choice is for Soft Bed, Hard Bed, Soft or Hard Seat. Prices vary accordingly. Upper or lower berth for Soft Bed, upper, lower, or middle berths for Hard Bed, soft or hard seat…

The dining car was busy, the food ok, considering the size of the kitchen and the high demand… Beverage selection ranged from bottled water to a bottle of Scotch Whisky…

Getting to the Lhasa train station however, had not been easy for four of us. We had no ride, buses were not running. Impossible to CALL a taxi or even book one in advance; our exhausted travel agent’s advice was to go out on the main avenue and flag one down.

In the outskirts of Lhasa 3 days after the riot, one needed a load of good karma to get a taxi ride at 5:30am. Even our multiple sets of arms madly gesticulating failed to attract the attention of taxi drivers, either they were traveling on the opposite direction, or chose to avoid tourists engaged in some western-style hullabaloo…

The train station was not far, but too far to walk, especially difficult over the bridge lined with military check points. I don’t know about my companions but I was sure to miss the train while challenged to explain (after locating an English speaking officer) why I was afoot in Tibet without the peculiar TTB Permit...

Clock ticking… we crossed the road and as if by magic a taxi stopped for us. Under the faint street-light I recognized the driver, even as I write I remember his smile and the face of other taxi drivers who mysteriously appeared in the nick of time…

On the bridge we were stopped at a military check point, everyone including the driver was asked out of the cab. There was nothing seditious to be found about us or on us, even Louis, suspiciously bald as a Buddhist monk, passed inspection… Nothing subversive in the front or back seat of the cab, nothing in the boot, not even luggage…

After some dialogue between the military and taxi driver we were off, towards the station and to the train waiting to be boarded…

Text and Photos Coyright©2008 M.Della Marina