So much happened today. Took the tour bus to the train station. The bus had to be push-started! After that it was fairly smooth.
Wow! A train ride! This is exciting! I'm in a compartment with two Danish expatriates from New Zealand and a fellow American. Asmus and Karine are the Danish couple and the American's name is Gil. They are all pleasant people.
On the ride we crossed the Great Wall and the Gobi Desert. The Great Wall was really something. The Gobi Desert is not as desolate as one might think. However, the dust and sand seem to settle on everything, even between your teeth. As I stood by the window the fact would hit me that I was in the Gobi Desert. Staggering.
The steppes are beautiful. Generally, it is rolling ground, but at intervals it will be completely flat. Like the ocean.
We had quite a wait at the border. First, on the Chinese side we had about an hour wait while the carriages were switched to different gauges. When it was done we had to wait almost another hour while they processed our passports. After we got going all of us went to bed tired, as it was around midnight. At around 2am we stopped at the Mongolian checkpoint, filling out forms fresh out of deep sleep. There was another long delay. When you're very tired and have to wait it can tax your patience, you know? Finally, at around 3am we were underway again. And the air was cool, unlike the warm Beijing nights.
The stop at the Chinese border was interesting. I decided that I wanted to see if I could spend all my yuan, 183 to be exact. I failed, miserably. Ended up buying one orange soda, two light beers(1.25l each), some packaged bread and a box of Donald (Duck) bubble gum. Afterwards, Gil, James(from London), Gregory(from London), and myself sat down, drinking beer, telling tales.