Early alarm at 5.40 am this morning as travel day back to Beijing.
Quick juice, meusli bar and room sachet coffee for brekky this morning as we
leave before the restaurant opens. Not to worry as Jane has a backpack full of
unhealthy things for the train journey, including our favourite prunes.
Checkout was easy (not a word of English, hehe) and the taxi
booked the previous evening was waiting for us for the 20 minute ride to the
Datong Railway Station. Through security twice, both times opening my bag to
show the small scissors in my toiletry bag. Then a gentle wait of 40 minutes
before boarding the No. 1134 from platform 5 to Beijing. On board, another soft
sleeper compartment which we were sharing with two women. One a younger girl
that jumped straight onto the bunk and the other a mother (who spoke a little English)
who was travelling to Beijing to visit her 10 year old son who had been there
studying since 3. He was to sit the Cambridge English exams this week.
This was a little slower train today and would take 7 hours getting us in about 3pm,no hurryso just sit back and relax and enjoy the views. The countryside is very dry around this area with minimal vegetation, especially on the hillsides. Along the way we say many hills covered with solar panels again and of course quite a number of wind turbines. There were of course the necessary coal fired power stations and at least one hydro station that I saw. As you got closer to Beijing the scenery started to green up and became mountainous which was a relief from the flat dusty plains.
An uneventful journey and we eventually arrived just after 3 pm and navigated our way through the bustling Beijing West Train Station to the subway and caught 8 stops on Line 7 before changing to line 5 back to the same hotel we stayed in the first time. I must say we have mastered this subway system very well. It is quite simple (yes I know it must be if we can use it) and gets you around Beijing extremely efficiently.
No trouble checking in and collecting Janes' suitcase we had left behind. It was then drop off everything and go for a walk to stretch the legs and back from all the sitting over the last few days. We walked through the same park as our first time here (which is really pleasant) ad there are many roses in bloom at the moment. It seems to be the flower of choice in this area, probably due to the cold winters. We walked towards the main shopping centre to get a few things for tomorrows trip and have a bite of dinner as we had had really nothing but rubbish on the train. Have been taking many photos of the 3 wheeled bikes (tricycles?) with their various trays on the back as well as the numerous brooms and mops that are all around, exciting I know.
Ended up having a great chicken meal at the restaurant next to the one we went out with Alec and Helen the first night and then it was buy some supplies and back to the room; nothing eventful I'm afraid. A bit of a lazy wasted day really but sometimes a good thing and a necessary requirement for travel.
Early night 9.30 pm as we have a very early start in the morning to catch the Bullet train to Xi'an to see a life long dream, the Terracotta Warriors.
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| View of Datong as we leave |
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| Ski Runs out of Datong |
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| Part of the Great Wall visible in the distance |
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| Gorgeous roses everywhere |
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| Sculpture in the park |
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| No cold hands on a winters day here |
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