Never Buy a Standing Ticket - Xian, China

We weren't sure if we'd have time to go see the Terracotta Warriors but I really wanted to, so we took an overnight train to save time. To save money we were told that we could buy one sleeper ticket (sleep in a bed) and one standing ticket (literally stand for 12 hours!) and both sleep in the bed. However, the ticket checker had no intentions of letting us sleep in just one bed and forced Andrew into the restaurant car. I met him in the restaurant car to try and hatch a plan . . .

The standing cars were so packed with people sitting/standing/leaning/lying that it was impossible for Andrew to get back to the car that he was assigned to. Unable to purchase another sleeper ticket or find anyone who could speak any English, we decided to take shifts sitting in the restaurant car and sleeping in the bed. Andrew loving said he would sit first.

I went back to get him a book, pillow and some water only to find that the "lower class" ticket holders had been locked in the back cars so as to not bother the people sleeping. A worker was able to let me give Andrew the things I had gathered but I knew it was a bad omen when he locked to door behind me again. I tried waking up 3 more times in the night only to be turned back by an evil conductor and stuck behind the locked door in the morning. Thankfully a nice Chinese medical student who spoke English told Andrew that he could buy a seat in the restaurant car, lie his head on the table and get breakfast for only 30 yuan (about $5). Thank God for her!

Here is Andrew during happier times before being kicked-out.


After finding the bus to the Terracotta Warriors (about a 45 minute ride) with the help of a nice Italian girl who spoke both English and Chinese, we finally arrived at our destination. This is Pit 3 with the highest ranking officers of the army.


The ripples in the dirt are parts of the pit that have not been excavated yet. Only about 30% of the entire site has been excavated to date.



Pit 1 is the most impressive pit with the largest number of warriors - over 6000!!


Each pit is enclosed in a building that sort of feels like an arena.


Each warrior has a unique facial expression, suit of armor and shoe tread. Incredible, huh!?!?


For thousands of years no one knew the warriors existed. In 1974 a farmer drilling a well re-discovered them.



Less than 10 hours after arriving in Xian we were on the train again. We had another guardian angel help us get tickets at the train station - the room to get tickets had hundreds of people all pushing and shoving to try and buy tickets. We managed to purchase tickets within 15 minutes at the information desk with only minor pushing ;) This time we were sure to buy two beds . . .

K & A