The following day, it was raining, and I left for the train far too early. In the past, this wouldn’t have been an issue, as you could simply sit in the square outside the station and enjoy some tasty street food. But not anymore; that used to be my favorite part of China—having fried rice or noodles with a beer while waiting to depart. Nowadays, taking a train is a completely unpleasant experience. Sure, it’s fast and clean, but is it enjoyable and flavorful? Absolutely not. I found myself in the sterile, white marble waiting area, sipping tea and munching on some odd snacks I bought in Xanadu. That night, I reached Yinchuan after spending eight hours cramped in second class with five Chinese men who were very inquisitive about everything I did. I consumed quite a bit of baijiu that day and finished the leftover snacks I had bought on a massive discount the day before. I recall feeling as though I had really overindulged in salt and MSG. Getting from the train station to the hostel was a breeze. I hadn’t made any reservations since you can never be sure. I noticed a Chinese man with a large red backpack getting off the bus, so I decided to follow him, thinking he was likely headed to my hostel. I was correct! Even though I got off two stops later, we arrived at the hostel simultaneously. It was quite odd. The owner was there waiting for him, which worked out perfectly for me. The owner informed us that the next day at 9 a.m., we would need to go to the police station to officially register, as he didn’t have the computer system to do it on his end.
The following day, it was raining, and I headed out for the train far too early. In the past, this wouldn’t have been an issue because you could simply sit in the square outside the station and enjoy some tasty street food. Unfortunately, that's no longer the case. That used to be my favorite aspect of China—having fried rice or noodles along with a beer while waiting to depart. These days, taking a train is a completely disappointing experience. While it may be fast and clean, it's neither enjoyable nor delicious. I found myself in the sterile white marble waiting room, sipping tea and nibbling on some odd snacks I had purchased in Xanadu.