3rd July 1992 Day 349

The Diary

The start of the big train ride. Hong Kong customs was as straightforward as ever and everybody was processed prior to getting on the train. The express to Guangzhou took 2 1/2 hours and it was almost like being on BR - except everyone else spoke in Cantonese. The express pulled into a special international train station and the immigration / customs / health formalities were simple & straightforward.

Temple of the 6 Banyan Trees

Tai Chi

Pearl River

Then it was out into the Chinese world. I quickly found the left luggage at the real railway station & deposited my backpack, paying in HK dollars. The square outside the station was heaving with people but I got across without any bother and found a hotel to change some money. With that done I set off to kill 9 hours in Guangzhou.

Nutters

Chopstick Architects

The roads were wide & long and all the main roads had accompanying cycle tracks. Traffic? Buses & bikes. I found the Temple of the 6 Banyan Trees and then I walked to the river. Here I caused a huge crowd by catching the attention of one of the local nutters. I didn't mind being the centre of attention - I feel quite relaxed after India. There might be more Chinese but they pressure you less. I found a cafe and had a chicken curry, walked through a park and watched the OAPs doing their tai chi shadow exercises, wandered round a friendship store (McVities Digestives, Polos, Liptons Tea, etc.) and then headed towards the station.

At the station the entrance hall was chaos, but I wandered around and soon worked out that the big electronic scoreboard allocated waiting rooms to trains. I found which one was mine and went to wait. I chatted for a while to an English girl who seemed a bit stressed out & then we were joined by a 19-year-old English lad and his 35kg rucksack, bongo drum, bag of cassettes and his hi-fi. Travelling light. 


About half-an-hour before the train was due to go we were let on. A luxury cabin, with Arthur & Jenny, two ex-pat Brits and Wilbert from HK. No smokers. Heaven. In the cabin on one side: Trevor & Carolyn, on the other: Ken & Deborah. Plenty of people to talk to & the more Brits, the fewer Chinese spitters. I managed to get some rice & chicken in a polystyrene box from a man with a trolley & then I hit the bed. Highlight of the day: the market in Guangzhou that sold all kinds of meat to eat including crabs, toads, big slimy, crawly things, small birds and....kittens.


2012
I think Guangzhou has changed radically in 20 years judging by some of the pictures of the place. Mind you that's true of all Chinese cities.