And we've arrived.

33 hours later, we're here. The train was actually pleasant, although i managed to avoid spending more than 1 minute in the bathroom at a time (which doesn't get cleaned for 33 hours...), and survived on raman noodle and apples; apparently those not wanting horrible stomach problems don't eat train food in China. By the end I was sweating cup-a-noodle. We sat/slept next to some interesting people, including the train's conductor while he was on 12 hour break; he told me driving a train is simpler than riding a bike, and that he'd done this route for 21 years. "I know every tree. Sometimes I'll drive and say 'hey! where'd that tree go?'" he said. He wasn't overly enthusiastic about going back to work... Also, our cab driver on the way to the hostel taught us some of the local dialect, including how to "holler at girls"... Anyways, Chengdu seems like a good city... Friendly cabbies, funny local dialect, huge tea drinking culture, relatively fresh air, and probably the best food in China. I'm looking forward to it. 再见！ zai jian!