After 24 hours

I have arrived back home after two nights in Chengdu.

Coming home was first a 17 hour train ride full of male energy, snoring, spitting, smoking, slamming doors, and sleeping in your boxers only.

Then a 7 hour bus ride that under the best circumstances can take as little as 3-4 hours.

Three traffic jams...

During the first one we had to wait for a bunch of men to dig out a big heavy truck. There is a mud mountain that no one wants to pay to pave; therefore, it is a spot where lots of accidents happen. Usually it is a dry dirt road but today it turned into sliding mud. Lots of spinning wheels and braked wheels still continuing down. One truck ran off the road. Luckily a tree kept it from continuing down into the valley.

The next two traffic jams were faster than usual. I think because of the rain there wasn't much traffic out on the streets. Right now the little countryside road is having major construction done so large parts of the road have become one lane. Sometimes there is traffic police stopping traffic. Other times it is a free for all. Tonight there was traffic police plus not a lot of traffic so an hour wait was only 10-20 minutes.

Still 24 hours is a long time! I think I would prefer a 24 hour train ride rather than a train then a bus. Buses are too unpredictable and have no toilets.

Chengdu medical was fine:

• no cavities
• no illnesses
• no large weight gain, still haven't hit the over 145 lbs yet
• will have my cheek mole that is growing removed in the US by a plastic surgeon who will try not to leave a large scar

Chengdu eating was delicious:

• Indian food
• Japanese buffet
• loads of coffee
• sadly no hot pot or shou kou; it is hard to eat such a meal alone