Joy Ride

I decided to wait after the rush hour to take the subway with my backpack. The girl in hostel told me to go Xizhimen to catch the bus there. Silly me forgot to ask about the exact address and bus schedule. When I arrived at that subway station, no one seemed to know there is a bus to go to Chengde. So I tried to get closer to train station and tried to find if there is a long distance bus station to ask. I found a ticket booth next to a bus parking lot. The lady at the ticket booth told me the earliest ride to Chengde is 3:00pm, and it was 9am at that time! She also told me to go to Beijing station and they have an earlier ride. I quickly hopped onto the subway to go to Beijing station and was slightly annoyed with myself that I forgot to ask the bus schedule when I left the hostel. I took out my lonely planet and it mentioned there is two long distance bus station and have bus leaving every hour. Now I am in dilemma. Should I trust lonely planet, or try what that lady told me. I figured I had enough time to check out what the lady said first. And I was a bit worried that the lonely planet information is out of date since it is not travelling season. When I arrived at Beijing station, I found I made a bigger mistake. It is a HUGE station and I had no way to know where to find the bus station. I figure I would check the train schedule first since I am this close already. The lady at the ticket booth told me the earliest train is leaving at 12:30, which is exactly what the other lady at Beijing north station told me. I finally realized I have been talking to train ticket people the whole time!!! She gave me a very annoyed look and I figured I will get a ticket since I am here anyway. After I got my ticket, then I remembered that that train is actually that super slow train and it would take 6-7 hours to arrive compared to a 4 hour bus ride. Here I am standing at Beijing station again debating if I should suck up with my mistake, or really see if lonely planet is correct. Since I had another 2 hour to kill, I rather went check it out than standing at the bus station guarding my belonging. Once I arrived at one of the closer bus station that Lonely Planet mentioned, I found my bus. It is leaving at 11:30am and will take 4 hour. So after I wasted 2 subway ride ($2 each) and 1 train ticket ($20 and I should have refund it if I know better) and 3 hours of running around like a mad woman, I am on my bus to Chengde.

PS. I just checked the train schedule and apparently it is just a 5 hour ride for the ticket I got. I should have taken the train instead since the bus ride took closed to 5 hour anyway. Oh well.


PPS. What is a trip without me injuring myself. Here is the bruise I got from tripping in Beijing station while trying to figure the bus situation. I swear I will bring my hiking boot to travel next time. The whole time wearing my backpack, I feel that i will trip anytime. Good thing is that my laptop survived the fall with me landing on it :)