I've just bought our train tickets from Zhengzhou to Shanghai for April 19th. We leave at 6.40pm and arrive the next day (somebody's birthday, right?) at just after 7am.
The bunks in the sleeper trains are three-high, six in a compartment - we've got the two lower ones, the two middle and one up high, which I don't mind taking, which is great as we can sit, chat, play cards, eat noodles and discuss the classical realist approach towards narratized description.
I took Fonda, one of my students, to the ticket-booking office with me for help. He then cam back to the apartment and insisted (seriously insisted, I couldn't stop him) on doing all the washing up - eight of us had had lunch. He said he "enjoys doing housework on the weekends" but that there isn't much in the student dormitories... Each to their own, eh? I'm going to buy him lunch or dinner, and possibly hire him!
I'll be on Skype this afternoon if you guys are about. I hope packing's going well - don't forget passports, cameras, comfy shoes...
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