Xian Train

We didn't want to leave Lhasa, but the Capt had a bad sinus infection and we were just out of time. In hindsight we could have stayed much longer and be happy with an arrangement of at least ten days! China does not allow tourists to wander around Tibet without a guide. At this point it was impossible to overstay our prearranged itinerary. Goodbye Lhasa.

We weren't allowed to leave until we had turned in this form. What's it's all mean? We knew it had to do with affirming you wouldn't keel over from altitude sickness (that's the 3000, as in meters of altitude), but we had no idea what a lot of the blanks were for. On the other hand, the conductor had no idea what we wrote.

No, this is not a New Mexico pueblo though they do look quite Indian from a distance. These ruins were probably left from the 1950's when the Han Chinese tried to 'civilize' Tibet. We can only speculate that they were left behind from previous idealistic and enthusiastic communists who attempted to tame the tundra. We saw many of these skeletal communities in the middle of nowhere.

The Outback, Tibetan style.

This is not the Colorado Rockies either, but managed to get this fine glimpse of two young Tibetans waving at tourists speeding by in absolute comfort. Surprisingly, most Tibetans near the tracks were happy to wave, maybe because they were waving us goodbye.

Never tiring of the majestic scenery, it was hard to imagine we were already at 18000 feet when capturing these mountains. They look SO close.

Another grand snow capped peak at the dome of the world!

Another snowfield which literally lands in your lap due to the altitude.

Remember, we are taking these shots while riding at 100 kph or more. Can feel the thin air and delicious scent of ice cold mountain air. Pristine.

Obviously, Capt Hub didn't listen to the wise Admiral's advice that he put down the stupid book about Chinese train travel and experience Chinese train travel. Some people never learn...

At least he can knock back some Chinese tea in China. Maybe there's hope...

The Admiral tried to keep a positive attitude, in spite of her slow-witted companion.

There is nothing like a family picnic in an isolated gorgeous lakeside setting. As we zoomed by, we could see nothing that would support a group of people who were out 'for the day'. Where did they come from? Did not even see a motorcycle. If you look to right of the party you'll see the large thermoses that say "tea" anywhere in China.

This is the lake where the picnic is happenin'.

This lake is huge, remote and awesome.

This lake even has a great, high-altitude beach, beckoning but cold.

Meanwhile, inside the dining car, life, such as it is, goes on.

Here's a seat, waiting for you, at 20,000', with a semi-cold Bud and stir-fried something...

Contemplative as ever, Capt Hub surveys the rainy scenery as he seemingly grows in age and girth...

As he contemplates and grows, the train drops down the Tibetan Plateau, back into the cultivated and totally domesticated and terraced world that is Old China.

Stoical, Old China pushing a snack cart in the rain.

Typical of China, amidst the dreary reality we bits of whimsy, in this case lace curtains...

And always, the train keeps moving, hour after hour, down and down.

And everywhere, the most cultivated land you can imagine. Here we see the kind of greenhouse agriculture that one finds all over China.

Haystacks and caves. Everywhere, the land is cultivated by hand.

Caves are a prominent feature of the Chinese countryside. They used to be common dwellings for millions, now they seem mostly used as tool sheds. They are not natural, but are easily dug from the friable rock.

Fields of Chinese mustard, all hand-grown.

Just a view out the window of small-town China in the rain, looking remarkably familiar except for the signs.

A drizzly, smoggy view of the (in)famous Yellow River, aka Hwang He, aka "China's Sorrow". It's colored yellow by the massive load of silt it carries as a vast amount of Chinese topsoil is washed away each year. The other reason it's sorrowful is because its massive floods have killed millions, up to 4 million in 1931 alone. Like most of China's rivers, it is a blessing and a curse. This shot was taken near Lanzhou, where it flows very, very fast in most places; this is one of the slow spots.

Earth scientist GeoHub saw this striking angular unconformity, where the reddish rocks were tilted and eroded, then the lighter tan layer was deposited on top. The top is probably the most famous of Chinese rocks, formed from loess, silt blown down from Siberia during the ice ages. This is what makes the Yellow River yellow and why caves are so easy to dig. It's also good earth to cultivate but erodes easily.

Real Chinese peasants doing real hard work using woven baskets. It is hard to describe the intensity of Chinese agriculture. What would pass for scrub or a vacant lot anywhere else becomes arable land. They seem to be using some kind of plastic ground cover for these cabbages. The kind of attention you see in a backyard garden is applied here entirely by hand, everywhere something might grow.

The intensity on a large scale, showing fields planted down to the water's edge and every other spot terraced. Trees are at a premium as they block out the sunshine. The funny artifact on the left-hand side is the reflection of the ^^%$ silver camera in the train window.

We're sure you're thinking, "Gawd, are they ever going to get there? We sometimes wondered the same thing. But get there we did. Please join us as we start to see the incredible stuff in Xian!