Leisurely start and 4 of us plus massive luggage packed into a taxi heading for Chengdu East rail station. Beijing Station had been predictably Third World Grubby but this was an eye opener. A hugely massive building, sparklingly clean. Marble and chrome everywhere. We had to pass the luggage through xrays and we were frisked. I guess when you have trains travelling at 400km/h you need to be careful who and what goes on them.
After a very orderly embarkation we settled into the extremely comfortable seats. All facing forwards and with very generous legroom, even by Western standards. The train accelerated away almost imperceptibly and it was hard to believe that we were soon up to cruising speed of 196 km/h.
As usual, the Chinese all around us immediately brought out bags of snacks and hoed into them. After a while, I became aware of a persistent and insistent noise as if nails were being clipped close by. Regularly, infuriatingly regularly. On closer auditory scrutiny I discerned that it was more like nuts being cracked. Grnch-crigggt 2 3 4 Grnch-crigggt 2 3 4 Grnch-crigggt 2 3 4. The train went through a tunnel, which offered the opportunity to observe the reflection in the window of this wretched little man in the row in front cracking sunflower seeds with his teeth and reloading and unloading the husks with one hand. Practice has obviously made perfect. Grnch-crigggt 2 3 4. Pandas at the Research Centre had the ability to roll totally flat onto their backs and settle into a metronomic rhythm of cracking the bamboo shell and twisting it to expose the soft inner flesh Grnch-crigggt 2 3 4 then biting off a length. They did it with staggering efficiency and utter precision. Grnch-crigggt 2 3 4 Grnch-crigggt 2 3 4. This man is a Panda-morph. Heaven can he keep this up all the way to Chong Qing? Grnch-crigggt 2 3 4 How many seeds can he have?
The hostesses strode through the carriages offering hot coffee from large, steaming percolating jugs, but they didn’t have any cups and were gone too fast to allow enquiry. We reached Chong Qing (where?) after 2 hours and filed off. Sorry did you ask a question? It’s a city of 5 million people astride the Yangtze River and is the jumping off point for the 3 day Gorges cruises.
Kevin had arranged someone to meet us but as we loitered on the rapidly emptying platform we realised that they weren’t coming. Mike rang and a taxi was arranged. We boarded the Blue Whale at about 4 and went back ashore to stock up on drinks and grog. Mike spent $18 in the belief that he was getting Absolut vodka and we spent 18 yuan for what might be glycol but doesn’t seem to have damaged us yet.
Don't have any good pics of Chongquing as smog so thick. This is dinner cruise boats.
The boat cast off by 9.30pm and headed downstream. The high rise buildings were ablaze with lights, including a fair few laser and cascading effects and it was a very picturesque start to the trip. The cabins are thoroughly clean and very comfortable and the public areas pretty good, except for some thin decking steel which tends to sag under our weight and then spring back. No don’t snigger. The headroom is barely sufficient for us and you do have to watch out for the smoke detectors . . that extra 2cm could easily scalp you.
There was no mention of a Briefing for English Speakers on the printed Programme, so the sudden summons over the intercom caught me about to get into the shower. I arrived late and thus received the full attentions of the massage ladies and the neck manipulator while the others enjoyed Herbert’s detailed lecture about shipboard routine and regulations.
On boat. Lower sign says 'Stuff only" should be staff.
These 3 wheel cars(red) are pretty cute.
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