Chengdu, Here I Come

Chengdu, September 16 2010

From inside the train it looked foggy. I prepared put on my coat, but surprisingly it wasn't cold at all when I got of the train.

Standing on Chengdu Railway Station's platform, I was transfixed. I had a mixture of feelings. I couldn't believe that I had made it through the 20 hours-train-journey on hard seat. I felt like that I had achieved something. But on the other hand, I still couldn't believe what I had seen and experienced in the train. Traumatized, one can say. I promised myself that I would never ride on a Chinese train again. I crossed "Hanoi - Beijing Train" from my dream list.

Dina said that her camera batteries ran down, so she wanted to go buy some new ones first. Off she went with Hendro. While waiting for them laid down my backpack on the ground near the exit gate of the station. I opened my backpack to put back my coat in. While folding my coat, from the side of my eyes, I noticed a lady holding up a big piece of white paper written "Shuni Vashti".

I said to myself, "Hey, this is the first time I know someone has the same name with me. Aha! Sure enough then, my name fits in China!" I smiled to myself.

What?? As if someone had just slapped my face to wake me up. Mustn't that be our tour guide that is going to take us to Pingle Ancient Town?

I ran to her just like a kid running to her mom after school. "Are you from Melissa?" I asked.

"Yes, I am," she answered. "You are Shuni?"

"Yes, yes! That's me!"

Her name was Angel. When I told her my silliness, she told me that actually she already suspected me. She was wondering because the gate was already closed and no other passenger seemed to be coming again. She wondered why none of us came to her. Aha, probably we were still not awake yet.

Angel ushered us to a big spacious comfortable van.

"Would you like to have breakfast first?" Angel asked.

"Sure!! Please!" We were like eight starving chicks.

Authentic Chinese breakfast...

I immediately fell in love with Chengdu.
So clean and peaceful.

I wonder, how is it like to live here?

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