The Sichuanese hotpot experience

3026 km and 49 hours later: we made it to Chengdu, Sichuan province, in southwest China. OK, we didn't pedal this distance but we hung in long 49 hours in a small train compartment. Actually the train ride itself wasn't as bad as we had imagined. That is probably due to the so called soft sleeper beds (4 beds in one compartment) that we had. Initially we wanted to have the cheaper hard sleeper versions (6 beds in an open compartment), but they were all sold out. We didn't regret the soft sleeper variant: much more comfort and more place for our many panniers (no idea how that would have fit the hard sleeper wagons). Also surprising was the cleanliness in the train. More than that, we also had nice 'compartment-mates', two Chinese girls on the way to meet the family-in-law of one of them. We were so lucky not to have old, spitting, snoring men that gnaw on chicken feet in our compartment.

 Probably everybody knows the Chinese instant noodles. Really every passenger on the train brought many of the noodle cups for the long ride and there is hot water supply in each wagon. Actually it was surprising how much food the Chinese took with them. We did understand later why. There is not much to do on such a train ride. Eating is the best time filler.

We arrived in Chengdu today. The train station is one of the busiest train station in China. When we got off the train, we went to pick up our bicycles. Did they survive? Yes, they did! And they survived even better than on the Air Baltic flight from Helsinki to Dushanbe. Both bicycles - unpacked by the way - were in impeccable conditions. As you can imagine we were really happy to get have them back!!

James and Sophia, if you read this post ... we are in the same hostel again where we stayed altogether 4 years ago. You always come to a place twice :-) And another second visit, we went to the same hotpot restaurant just around the corner. We ordered the spicy version of course and thought we would be used to it now. Oh, I was so wrong! Gosh, it was so spicy that I couldn't eat much. Sarah didn't mind the spice. Brave! I once read that the Sichuanese food is so spicy because in the past food quality wasn't that good, so they used the spice to hide the bad taste. I do confirm: Sichuanese hotput destroyed my taste buds!