25 hours in a confined space

We took the train to Guilin, and unfortunately we had the top bunk on the sleeper train. Chinese sleeper trains are 3 bunks high, and I guesstimate the amount of space between the bed and the roof to be about 2.5 feet or less. Getting up there was challenging for me, and Meng said he nearly fell getting down. I did not enjoy that experience 10 years ago when we went to Dalian from Beijing, and I did not enjoy it this time around either. Every time the train stopped, I felt that I was going to fall off the bunk. I think it was only about 6 inches wider than me lying down, so it was terribly difficult to find a way to be comfortable. 

Fortunately, the person using the lower bunk got off the train around 7am, and I quickly claimed her spot. Later, as the car emptied out, we found a completely empty section and reclaimed it as our own. We were able to take a little nap as well. 

I was just waking up when I heard a cell phone playing music. It really annoys me when people use their cell phone as a boom box circa the 1980s. So when the person didn't answer it, I was already irritated. Then I realized my cell phone was also vibrating (the noise part of the ring is silent). It was Yingna. Meng was sleeping so soundly that he did not hear his phone. I figured it must be important if Yingna was ringing me and Meng too probably. 

Turns out they wanted to return Meng's passport that he had dropped of the previous afternoon. We started to get really nervous because we were certain that there was something wrong. I was sure that Meng had screwed up yet again. He is good at doing just that. I started to complain about how he doesn't ever plan or prepare well for things. The reality is that neither of us are all that good at doing it anymore because we do not really like to. To be able to tolerate living in China you have to give up some control in your life and be more willing to let things be and happen as the do. Waiting to the last minute usually is not a problem as things generally just have a way to work out. There is always a way to make them work. So now that we decided to take this trip, it seemed that it was a bad decision because now Meng wasn't going to get his visa.

It turned out to be a good opportunity for us to talk about some of the things we will need to work out when we get back to the US. I know there will be a long list of things to do and people to see. My feeling is the the important things will get done and the others will just work themselves out. Neither Meng nor I are big on planning. It isn't that we cannot do it, it is just that we do not often find a greater value in doing things that way. Life is an adventure, and we are going to enjoy the journey. If everything in life is all planned out, than where is all the excitement? I know if we were so big on planning, this current journey never would have happened. In fact, no one we asked to join us was able to just drop everything and come. Perhaps, had we planned it a month in advance, we would be accompanied by some friends; however, perhaps something else would have came up and we would have had to cancel the trip.

The talk made both of us feel the trip was a good idea. We tend to have the majority of our good conversations when we are on the road. It gives us both a chance to be free from distractions and focus on appreciating each other. I do really enjoy to travel with Meng. He is my favorite person to go on a trip with. Generally, we are on the same page although he always likes to enjoy more of the nightlife than I do. I guess I have to wait for him to get just a little older and he will probably grow out of it. 

Towards the end, we felt like the journey would never be over. 25 hours is a very long time to be on a train. We got tickets to go back, and we will be enjoying the comfort of the bottom bunk in the soft sleeper (4 people share one compartment).  Plus, the ride back is only 19 hours.