Muslim Quarter
A vast hive of activity like work bees swarming around the queen. This is where the action lies in Xi,an. We visited the most unusual mosque I gave ever seen rather strange. Looked like a classic Taoist temple not a minaret in site. Then to my shock the called to prayer normally given from a minaret was a given from a pagoda!

Surrounding the quarter was a very busy market where the kids instantly dashed into to continue on their quest to spend copious amount of money on fake rip offs of headphones!

It was like a ticking bomb waiting to go off... The tension was rising, you could feel it in the air minute by minute, the slightest movement or twitch could start it off. I give you the soft sleeper holding pen that they call a waiting room in Xi'an train station. Our ticket needed us to check through together, the slight problem being there were 400 people all waiting to race through the gate as well. Desperate not to contend with our fellow sheep we gradually began to form a cue without any other travellers realising. Painstakingly one by one like ninjas we stealthily rose and took our places... 16, 17, 18, 19, 20.

Then an air raid like siren crackled into life blurting out unintelligible Chinese. The room burst into life! Bursting, pushing, spitting, squabbling and grabbing for the gate.

Pupils formed up ranks like a well trained unit swatting at the pushing/squeezing locals. Trolly cases were pulled over feet, bags used as battering rams and trailers dragged through. Final we broke through onto the platform and then the train itself.

So once again I find myself back upon an Asian sleeper train. What contrast it is to sit, conversing, drinking wine and then sleeping 2 to a room instead of 8 in the same space as in Vietnam last time.