Are you new to traveling or being an expat in China? One of the beautiful forms of transportation in China are the slow trains that allow you to soak in the countrysides. Just kidding, no I would highly recommend a fast bullet train, they are way more comfortable.
It is cheaper to have a Chinese friend book your train tickets online. If you don’t, there is a higher premium fee you pay because the site is in English. Tickets range in prices depending on your distances.
This is what our “normal class” cabin looked like. (I have rode another fast train and the “second class economy” seats were not in cabins but looked similar to spacious seats on a plane.)
We put our luggage in the space above our heads. In some cabins people chose to sleep up there. 
This is what it looked like in the hallways. Some people had seats in the hallway. 
The best thing about the train were the people who were in our cabin.
This young woman practiced her English on us.
The older woman across from me was teaching us Mandarin. Denny and I joked that we should ride more trains for our Mandarin tutoring sessions.
sun: tai(4)yang(2)
table: zhuo(1)
light: deng(1)
One of the highlights on the trip, besides attacking portrait victims, there’s no place to run on a bullet train =), for my 10,000 Smiles Project was the mini concert we held in our cabin. The 80 year old Chinese woman sang to us some Chinese opera and Joseph, Denny and I sung “Amazing Grace”. You can listen to her singing here. It will seriously make you smile. It was a moment to be written in the history books “Singing cargos in China, book your tickets today!”.
On another note, you don’t have to worry about holding your bladder for the “X amount of” hours you are on the train. They have native deluxe squatties and toilet paper. Did you noticed I said toilet paper? Well, if you’re an expat you can understand why I am thrilled when a public restroom provides it. I will never look at toilet paper the same way. It’s something I would miss if there is an end of the world. #firstworldproblems 
The train also has a hot water dispenser so you can make tea or cook some quick Chinese Ramon noodles.
10,000 Smiles
Below are pictures that contribute to my 10,000 Smiles Project. You can learn the reasons behind the project by clicking on the left tab labeled “10,000 Smiles” on my blog.
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