China by train is easier than I expected as seems to be the case for traveling China in general. I had no problem finding the train station nor did I have any problem finding the right platform, carriage, and bed. I think part of the ease comes from past experience and having a general sense of how these things usually work.
The trip to Kunming lasted close to 18 hours. I shared a 3 tiered berth for six as the only westerner on the carriage and one of just a few on the train. I couldn't converse with anyone but two other backpackers I met before boarding. I ate the train dinner and slurped noodles for breakfast. My top bunk afforded interrupted but decent sleep.
Smoking in the main carriage is not allowed but you can smoke in the areas at either end so smoke was a bit of an issue. Kind of like the days of flying on a plane when the smokers sat at one end and the non smokers sat at the other end.
Kids ran up and down the aisles and people bumped into one another with no apologies as we rocked down the rails as a tolerant family of strangers just going from one point to another.
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