Published on July 16, 2007 in Tibet

Our friends from Hong Kong, whom had departed earlier, were doing some site-seeing in Xining. After departing the train we went to a little Muslim-owned eatery, got stared at constantly, then called my parents. Because we didn't know much about Xining, and didn't have much time, we decided to just wander in a local shopping center, and eventually found a giant bookstore. After several hours in the bookstore, I ultimately bought a English classics, for below bargain prices, and we left to walk through a market.

One item we didn't have for the trip so far was a portable alarm clock. We typically used phones for this purpose, but in one of the markets decided to buy a $1 alarm blue tiny alarm clock. It worked, although the alarm was a bit weak.

After the little market we met our friends from Hong Kong back at their hotel, which was plagued with people smoking inside the lobby, and went up to their room. They generously lent us their shower, which after our overnight train-ride was much needed. I'm a firm believer that simple things in live can be pleasurably enhanced if we are denied access. For instance, taking a shower after a dirty overnight train ride - the shower might not have been the best, but I'll always remember the great feeling of getting clean.

We said goodbye to our friend, again, and made promises to see each other sometime in the future. Just around the corner was the train, and we boarded it to BaoJi, pretending we were prepared for another overnight train ride.