The train ticket cost £13 and was actually very good value for money. Chinese people are very clean and organised. The condition of the toilets was much better than UK train toilets (even though they were swat toilets). There are 6 bunks per cabin but there was actually plenty of room. The size of the space etc was the same as Indian trains but the experience was much more pleasant. On Indian trains there are always random extras that don't have a ticket that just sleep on the floor or hang around and so it can be claustrophobic. Chinese trains are much better.
I woke up many times through the night when people where moving about in the train and we stopped at stations and so did not get a very good nights sleep. I got up about 8.30 and changed and then went to find some hot water for my coffee and oats. They have an awesome system where every 2 carriages they have a big boiler for customers to get hot water any time they like. Hot water is often easy to get in China because the Chinese version of a snack or sandwich is a pot noodle and so many places provide hot water for this purpose - and for tea of course.
There had been 6 people in the carriage but 4 had left through the night and so there was only me and another lad (who spoke some English).
It took me 1 hour 30 minutes to find my way out of the station. Chengdu East railway station is huge but obviously not big enough to have lifts! They clearly do not have people in wheel chairs in China. The whole place is brand spanking new with ticket offices everywhere and escalators everywhere but the ticket offices were all closed and most of the escalators were turned off. It meant that I had to wonder round for ages before I found a security man to help me with my bike up 4 flights of stairs, another one to help me down 4 flights of stairs and then a final one to help me up the last 4 flights to get out of the building.
I then wanted to see if I could get a train out of Chengdu later in the evening towards where Jenna is. In order just to get to the ticket office you need to go through security and they would not allow my bike through so I left that with the security guys and managed to get a ticket from the North Railway station (across town) at 7.45 to go to Dujiangyan. Perfect I thought. I could explore Chengdu on the way across town for the next 3 or so hours and then get out of the city without having to bike in the boring suburbs and industrial parts.....
I passed a McDonalds on the way into town and for the sake of just eating something that was not rice and vegetables bought myself a burger and a hot chocolate (sorry Mum, sorry environment for supporting such a company) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I then headed into the city itself only to find a Starbucks on the way. I could not help myself but get a latte and a New York Style Vanilla cheesecake to go (even though I was running out of time to visit all the sights and also to catch my train). Jacob Clarke would be proud of me with a Starbucks in my bottle cage (if only it was in my hand instead, I was wearing designer clothing and not traveling the world I would no longer be a constant disappointment). It was lovely to have a treat and something that is not Chinese.
Chengdu is not very impressive. It is just a big city without many distinguishing features. It felt older and not as clean and wealthy as Guangzhou. It was not the best day to see the city as it had been raining all morning and was rather gray and murky. `
They have bike lanes everywhere. There are loads of electric bikes that are a cross between a normal bicycle and a motor bike. This is a photo of a popular design with a tiny second seat behind the main driver. Most of the electric bikes have pedals like a bicycle. Motorbikes, electric bikes, bicycles and pedestrians all use the same lanes where as the cars, buses and lorries use main road lanes. I used my guide book and map to bike round the major sites.
There are several large parks. As there are so many bicycles they are very strict on where bicycles are allowed and where they are not. In order to get into the parks I had to leave my bike and bags with security as I was not allow to walk my bike through.
Mao was ever present.
I wish I had stayed here - Soaring Genital Hotel.....
Under a fly over is the best place to gamble at card and other games...... Apparently gambling is illegal in China but money exchanges hands at the these games everywhere.
There is a small predestrianised area in the middle of Chengdu which did not sercome to the modernisation exercise in the last few decades and has old buildings with traditional architecture that have all been renovated and now form a series of quaint little streets with lots of expensive restaurants, boutiques, coffee and tea shops and tourist outlets.
The renovation as probably left very little of original material and so although old in style it all felt very new. The rest of Chengdu is lacking in interesting architecture. The old area is very popular with and the place was heaving. Obviously the place to be in Chengdu.
In the old region I saw several people having acupuncture in the middle of the street. Sticking needles in your ear can not be good surely?!
These have to be other tourists! Cute :-)
I arrived at the railway station 30 minute before the departure time only to be refused entry at the gate. They gestured no bicycle and pointed to me to go somewhere else. I followed the direction that they pointed but I could not see where to go. Having walked back and forth several times and finding the security guys at the gates thoroughly un-helpful 2 girls that speak English came up to me and asked if I needed any help. They were so lovely. They took me to a baggage handling place that said that it would not be possible to get my bike on that train and suggested I get a bus instead or go through the other way. We then went back to the security gates and explained that I could make my bike much smaller and get on to the train. They said OK but by this time it was too late to get on the train that I was booked on. It was the last train of the day. The girls kindly helped me find out about alternative buses tomorrow to get to Danba to meet Jenna. It took about 1 hour to do all of this and eventually I had the information that I needed to get a bus from a bus station on the other-side of town at 6.30 tomorrow morning. I was very grateful to the girls for their help.
Time was getting on and I biked a few km to find a cheap hostel to stay at about 8.30-9. I felt really tired and grotty by the time I arrived at the hostel. I was still covered in oil from the rush to the train the night before (I had tried to wipe it off with tissues but it really needed soap and water). It was a great to have a lovely hot shower and get clean. I tried to get an early night but I kept on waking up through the night as I knew I had to be up early for the bus.
I woke up many times through the night when people where moving about in the train and we stopped at stations and so did not get a very good nights sleep. I got up about 8.30 and changed and then went to find some hot water for my coffee and oats. They have an awesome system where every 2 carriages they have a big boiler for customers to get hot water any time they like. Hot water is often easy to get in China because the Chinese version of a snack or sandwich is a pot noodle and so many places provide hot water for this purpose - and for tea of course.There had been 6 people in the carriage but 4 had left through the night and so there was only me and another lad (who spoke some English).
It took me 1 hour 30 minutes to find my way out of the station. Chengdu East railway station is huge but obviously not big enough to have lifts! They clearly do not have people in wheel chairs in China. The whole place is brand spanking new with ticket offices everywhere and escalators everywhere but the ticket offices were all closed and most of the escalators were turned off. It meant that I had to wonder round for ages before I found a security man to help me with my bike up 4 flights of stairs, another one to help me down 4 flights of stairs and then a final one to help me up the last 4 flights to get out of the building.I then wanted to see if I could get a train out of Chengdu later in the evening towards where Jenna is. In order just to get to the ticket office you need to go through security and they would not allow my bike through so I left that with the security guys and managed to get a ticket from the North Railway station (across town) at 7.45 to go to Dujiangyan. Perfect I thought. I could explore Chengdu on the way across town for the next 3 or so hours and then get out of the city without having to bike in the boring suburbs and industrial parts.....
I passed a McDonalds on the way into town and for the sake of just eating something that was not rice and vegetables bought myself a burger and a hot chocolate (sorry Mum, sorry environment for supporting such a company) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I then headed into the city itself only to find a Starbucks on the way. I could not help myself but get a latte and a New York Style Vanilla cheesecake to go (even though I was running out of time to visit all the sights and also to catch my train). Jacob Clarke would be proud of me with a Starbucks in my bottle cage (if only it was in my hand instead, I was wearing designer clothing and not traveling the world I would no longer be a constant disappointment). It was lovely to have a treat and something that is not Chinese. 
Chengdu is not very impressive. It is just a big city without many distinguishing features. It felt older and not as clean and wealthy as Guangzhou. It was not the best day to see the city as it had been raining all morning and was rather gray and murky. `
They have bike lanes everywhere. There are loads of electric bikes that are a cross between a normal bicycle and a motor bike. This is a photo of a popular design with a tiny second seat behind the main driver. Most of the electric bikes have pedals like a bicycle. Motorbikes, electric bikes, bicycles and pedestrians all use the same lanes where as the cars, buses and lorries use main road lanes. I used my guide book and map to bike round the major sites. 
There are several large parks. As there are so many bicycles they are very strict on where bicycles are allowed and where they are not. In order to get into the parks I had to leave my bike and bags with security as I was not allow to walk my bike through. 
Mao was ever present. 
I wish I had stayed here - Soaring Genital Hotel..... 
Under a fly over is the best place to gamble at card and other games...... Apparently gambling is illegal in China but money exchanges hands at the these games everywhere. 
There is a small predestrianised area in the middle of Chengdu which did not sercome to the modernisation exercise in the last few decades and has old buildings with traditional architecture that have all been renovated and now form a series of quaint little streets with lots of expensive restaurants, boutiques, coffee and tea shops and tourist outlets.The renovation as probably left very little of original material and so although old in style it all felt very new. The rest of Chengdu is lacking in interesting architecture. The old area is very popular with and the place was heaving. Obviously the place to be in Chengdu.
In the old region I saw several people having acupuncture in the middle of the street. Sticking needles in your ear can not be good surely?! 
These have to be other tourists! Cute :-) 
I arrived at the railway station 30 minute before the departure time only to be refused entry at the gate. They gestured no bicycle and pointed to me to go somewhere else. I followed the direction that they pointed but I could not see where to go. Having walked back and forth several times and finding the security guys at the gates thoroughly un-helpful 2 girls that speak English came up to me and asked if I needed any help. They were so lovely. They took me to a baggage handling place that said that it would not be possible to get my bike on that train and suggested I get a bus instead or go through the other way. We then went back to the security gates and explained that I could make my bike much smaller and get on to the train. They said OK but by this time it was too late to get on the train that I was booked on. It was the last train of the day. The girls kindly helped me find out about alternative buses tomorrow to get to Danba to meet Jenna. It took about 1 hour to do all of this and eventually I had the information that I needed to get a bus from a bus station on the other-side of town at 6.30 tomorrow morning. I was very grateful to the girls for their help. 
Time was getting on and I biked a few km to find a cheap hostel to stay at about 8.30-9. I felt really tired and grotty by the time I arrived at the hostel. I was still covered in oil from the rush to the train the night before (I had tried to wipe it off with tissues but it really needed soap and water). It was a great to have a lovely hot shower and get clean. I tried to get an early night but I kept on waking up through the night as I knew I had to be up early for the bus. 
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