Travel has long been important to me. It is a passion that started through reading in my early school days and has stayed with me throughout my life. Often I would set off on long distance railway journeys, not so much for the destination, but for the actual experience of seeing new landscapes and meeting new people.
In 1987, I was attracted by the idea of travelling by rail from my homeland, Scotland, to eventually reach Hong Kong. That journey, of course, would take me north to south through China, a country I knew next-to-nothing about! China had not featured in my education.
On the section through Mongolia, approaching the border with China, I felt some apprehension. I had no idea of what to expect, or of what would happen there. However, crossing into China proved to be the opposite. Formalities such as customs checks, passport and health declarations were both polite and smooth.
I had entered China, an unknown entity to me, and I knew nothing of the language. While the checks were happening, I noticed a Chinese man watching me quietly. I am sure he realized I was a bit tense. Approaching, he smiled, put his hand out to shake my hand, saying in English, “Welcome to China. You are welcome in China”.
Li was the first Chinese person I had spoken with, aside from the border officials. We chatted and got down onto the platform at Erlian. Meanwhile, the long, green train was slowly moving backwards. I wondered what was happening. Li took me by the arm, saying “Come with me”. He led me onto a path alongside the railway tracks. As we followed the train, which was being shunted into a large shed, he said “You will see something really special here.” He went on to explain that the railway tracks in Mongolia are wider than the standard gauge used in China. We watched the wheel bogies being changed, I was even allowed under the train to get a closer look. For a train travel enthusiast, such as myself, this was an unforgettable experience.
Back to the station platform, and boarding the train, it was both time to head south and also time to sleep, it was midnight! The next morning, after breakfast, I sat with Li as he talked with me about China - introducing places and scenery we were passing. This included long sections of the Great Wall and several abandoned earthen walled towns. It was amazing to watch the world go by while being told, in English, what I was seeing.
Li went on to give me detailed information about Beijing, of what to expect in the city, places to visit, the food I would experience - which would prove to be so different to Chinese cuisine I enjoyed back in Scotland.
Soon, we approached a tunnel. Emerging from it, the train pulled into Qinglongqiao at the top of Badaling Pass. Time to step down onto the platform and look up at the Great Wall as it rose from the very rail tracks our train was standing on. Then, back on board, descending the pass was simply amazing as we arrived at the town of Nankou. Shortly we would be arriving in Beijing. I went back along to Li’s compartment, and thanked him for his friendship. Again, smiling, he shook hands with me, this time saying, “Welcome to Beijing!” Amazingly, above the international arrivals platform at Beijing Railway Station a sign read, “Welcome to Beijing”. It was a great moment but also time to say “Goodbye” to Li.
What had happened on that section of the journey, I feel was a very important moment in my personal “China story”. Simply being welcomed like that into what, at that time, was an almost completely unknown country was a great start. Li had put me at ease and it marked the beginning of my understanding China of its people and of course seeing it as the people’s country.
It also helped me realize the importance of language. The first Chinese person I met, he spoke excellent English, whereas I could speak no Chinese. This was an encouragement to both try to learn some of the language and very importantly, to learn something about the story and history of China.
Yuan Liao（Cecilia）contributed to the story.
