There are several categories of train tickets in China. There are Soft Beds, Hard Beds, Soft Seats, Hard Seats and Standing. For our 14-hour train ride from Chengdu to Bekah’s adoptive city of Liupanshui, we aimed for Hard Beds but landed in Hard Seats. We boarded the train at 3 in the afternoon, and when I first sat down the term Hard Seat seemed like an unfair misnomer. “This isn’t so hard,” I thought. Now, after 12 hours in the aforementioned Very Hard Seat I can see the sense.

People sleep as they can, as you can see here. And they eat a lot. There is a hot water tap near the bathroom, and people open half-gallon sized paper bowls with noodles and spices and pour the water in. Then they seal the foil top back up with a clever method and let it steep.

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