Sunday was spent walking around West Street and getting our las minute souvenirs. We found a place that sold normal ice-cream. NORMAL ICE CREAM PEOPLE. I accidentally had to two, three scoop cones but thats besides the point. We thought we were leaving two days from then, but had an epiphany and realized we were leaving the next morning.
Monday was nothing short of an adventure. We woke up at 3am. 3am. Who even knew that time of day even existed. My alarm went off at 3:00 and my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandpa face timed me at 3:02. Weirdest thing ever. I was totally not coherent and probably a little grumpy, but it was nice to talk to them. They wanted to see the toilets, but very evidently forgot about the time difference.
We checked out of the hostel at 3:30am and walked down the alley ways to the van that was awaiting us. Very drug dealer type stuff. We had called and rented a van for seven people. This van only had 6 seats and no trunk. We had our huge bags stuffed to the brim with our souvenirs plus... us. Only the Lord knows how we fit everyone into that van.
Please note there were four people squished in the backseat. Kenzie sat on Maddi's lap the whole way to the train station!
We began our two hour journey to the train station cramped nice and tight. The driver took some crazy back roads and yet again we found ourselves off roading. It was too early for my mind an body to be bounced around at such high speeds. It was quite eerie traveling through a forest in a van with a Chinese stranger, but we survived (barely). There was no AC and a couple of us began to get really car sick and then the sharts hit and it was chaos from that moment on.
Ahh, more pictures of how little leg room was available from two different angles for your enjoyment ft. Courtney aka Cocaine aka mom
We arrived at the train station and hour 24 hour train ride back to our temporary home began. TWENTY FOUR HOUR TRAIN RIDE ROUND TWO. This time we were not as fortunate to have beds. We had to sit straight up for the entire ride. The seats didn't recline at all because the backs were shared with the people behind you. Straight. Up. Twenty. Four. Hours. And just because its China, they sell tickets for standing room. Our train was jam packed. Because there were so many people standing and laying on the floor it was impossible to get up and walk around to stretch your legs out. I will never again complain about the 6 hour drive to visit my family in Salt Lake.
My neck pillow became my best friend. I do not know how I ever lived my life without one. I would spend good money on a neck pillow if I had to. Those things are life savers.
Hours rolled by and my sanity did too. As the hours passed we made pb and j sandwiches and that was much more hard than it should've been. People were falling on us and leaning on us, eyes were staring into our souls silently begging for a bite. It was really difficult. Later I got my cards out and we played go fish for like 12 hours. Kenzie got up to go to the bathroom for the 347084708 time and the lady sitting across from me (who I was sure hated me for numerous reasons) stole her cards and began playing go fish with me. This led to a lady sitting on the floor joining in and before you know it we had a nice little game of go fish/charades going.
People were ALWAYS leaning on us. At one point this lady with one eye fell asleep leaning over Kenzie and it was quite uncomfortable in many ways.
Hour 3 of our adventure..
They were always staring at us. The whole train ride we were stared at and it was a joke between us, "1, 2, 3... All eyes on me."
I think this was only like hour 9...
Hour 15....
Passed time by scraping our teeth with Oreos...
Hour 18.... idk.
It was so miserable. I would never wish this train ride on my worst enemy. It was so cramped and hot and uncomfortable. My butt was screaming for help by the end of it. My back was croaking. I was an 18 year old when I got on, but I felt like an 80 year old woman getting off the train. I remember waking up at 1 in the morning and like whimper crying to myself because we still had 5 hours left on the train. I began praying with everything I had in me asking the time to pass by quickly. God and I became real close during that train ride. I prayed so much. I barely made it out of there alive.
I don't know why, but my feet swelled up so huge while we were on the train. I left my flip flops on the entire time because the floors were absolutely disgusting and I had bruises along the straps of my shoes because my feet swelled so big. It was the weirdest thing ever.
I swear my toes are not that chubby and I really don't have kankles!
I don't even know how I am alive to share the train stories with you. Writing about it makes feelings of hatred and anger come back. I could never do anything like that ever again. My great friend Jennie made a really great video describing our train rides if you would like to watch it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9na-TjwjhdM
She has made videos of every adventure we have gone on. Feel free to watch them over and over and see all the cool things we have gotten to experience!
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