Our friends from Hong Kong, who had departed earlier, were sightseeing in Xining. After leaving the train, we ate at a small Muslim-owned restaurant, attracted plenty of attention, and called my parents. Because we knew little about Xining and did not have much time, we wandered through a local shopping centre and eventually found a huge bookstore. After several hours there, I bought a volume of English classics at a bargain price, and we left to walk through a market.

One thing we had lacked throughout the trip was a portable alarm clock. We typically used our phones, but at one market we decided to buy a tiny blue alarm clock for $1. It worked, although the alarm was a little weak.

After the market, we met our friends from Hong Kong at their hotel, where the lobby was thick with cigarette smoke, and went up to their room. They generously let us use their shower, which was much needed after the overnight train ride. I firmly believe that being denied simple comforts can make them much more pleasurable. The shower itself may not have been exceptional, but I will always remember how good it felt to be clean again.

We said goodbye to our friends once more and promised to meet again someday. The station was just around the corner, and we boarded a train to Baoji, pretending we were prepared for another overnight journey.