Well, there's been a glitch. I seem to be encountering just about every single possible problem on this journey, but on the bright side, I am surprising myself with my ability to cope. Last night I left Chengdu for Xichang. I had chosen to ride "hard seat" instead of my usual "hard bed," and let me tell you, you do not want to do that. Hard bed is the only way to travel. "Hard seat" evokes splintery wooden boards, and actually it was not too far off, aside from the splinters. The seats are arranged, picnic table style, in clusters of two benches with a table in between. I was with two girls and a boy probably about my age and two older people whom I gathered were Tibetan. I'd have liked to talk to them, but chose instead to attempt sleep, as the train didn't leave until ten and I was tired.

Sleeping, however, proved to be an elusive dream. It's hrd to sleep on a bumpy train on a hard wooden bench with two other people. I tried every possible configuration of my limbs, but to no avail. It was not a comfortable evening.

When we got to Xichang, I was dismayed to find that I had missed the only bus to Luguhu. This was scary, as Fan laoshi had specifically told me not to hang around in Xichang. "It's full of ethnic minorities," she said. "It's very chaotic." Then she hugged me. All in all, I was not so thrilled. I got a cab and asked to be taken to a "safe hotel," where I instantly locked myself in and slept for several hours.

(Here's the part where it starts to be about food again - I know you were waiting.) When I woke up, I was hungry - maybe I hadn't eaten in awhile or something, I'm going to be vague for the sake of my relatives. But I was kind of afraid to leave my room. I watched some English television (oh so exciting!) and ate some raisins, but the pangs of hunger were not to be ignored. Not to mention thirst, as this particular hotel room lacked a kettle for boiling water. So I took a shower in the oddly-designed Asian shower (which is to say, just a tap on the wall, flowing onto
the undifferentiated floor), dressed, and went out to find supplies.

I had a bowl of rather bad noodles containing tomato, cucumber, and what I took to be pork, but did not ask. I was on my way back to the hotel to lock myself in for the night when I saw those magic characters: internet cafe.