We checked-out of the hostel for the second time and made our way to the 'Muslim quarter', where there were backstreets of stalls selling all sorts of conterfeit and cheesy things. James had to buy some warmer things for the Trans-Siberian leg of his journey and we had lots of fun watching and helping him barter. The prices were inflated to at least 6 times what they were worth and many of the people selling on he stalls could be quite good humoured if approached the right way. James did get on the wrong side of one woman though and she hurled abuse at him all the way down the street.
Matt was tired of his innappropriate Chairman Mao bag already and although he didn't take too long finding the one he wanted, seemed to take forever choosing the colour. His bartering skills were quite impressive though and he bargained the bloke down to just 41Yuan. I quite liked the same bag and since my rice sack bag was perishing unsurprisingly quickly, I was getting quite needy. However, since we already had not one but two matching coats, I didn't want to take it much further.
We stopped for lunch where Matt had local speciality - Yang Rou Pao Muo. It's a kind of lamb soup with shredded bread and noodles but the meat looked far too flobbly for me so I had beef noodles but without the beef. At least they were accommodating though because quite often they just refuse to serve me once I show them my little sign.
After a bit of dried fruit shopping to try and keep the vitamin levels up and a trip back to fetch me a matching bag after all, we said our goodbyes to James and headed to the train station.
The queues at the station were horrific. We had to join one of about 8 queues stretching the out into the square just to get through the door. Once inside, we headed to our gate where they seem to have a special queuing system. Basically, this involves anyone who can't be bothered queueing down the middle while the less patient jam themselves down either side of this queue until eventually no-one can move and we're all just a tangle of bodies and bags.
The train itself wasn't bad though, even though we had a 16 hour journey. Now we knew that they take your ticket so they can wake you up before your stop, we were a little more relaxed. The Chinese are disgusting eaters though so I had to keep going for walks when the bloke next to me started clacking and panting his way through the obligatory pile of stinky food that they all seem to carry. Everyone seems to travel with a carrier bag at least half their size and just eat constantly for the entire journey.
The train company also put you to bed which is quite interesting. They start warning you about 9.30 so that you can have a wash and fill up your bottles with hot water, then a man comes round and closes the curtains and moves anything dangerous off the tables, and then about 10pm they turn all the lights off so you have to go to bed. It's actually quite a relaxing process.
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