Saturday 5 January

Flight from Birmingham to Amsterdam, with an onward connection to Beijing on a KLM Boeing 747. All very efficient and equally dull and couldn't find ANYWHERE to smoke in Amsterdam Airport!

Flight left on time. Listened to iPod to pass the time - but the nine hours DRAGGED. Tried to doze or sleep, but no joy!

Sunday 6 January

We got to Beijing, but Ken's case didn't. Really felt for him as both Roger and I had our bags and were ready to move, and he stood watching the largely empty conveyor go round and round. Got amongst doing something about it, experiencing Chinese bureaucracy at its very best. Still hadn't had a smoke! Eventually got outside to light up, followed by a Starbucks coffee - the last real coffee for 12 days!

Had lunch in a café in Beijing - really spicy and delicious - enjoyed every mouthful. A first attempt at rediscovering my skill with chopsticks - passed the tests but not an A+ yet. Roger asks a perfectly reasonable question. If the Chinese are so good at copying things, why haven't they had a crack at a fork?

Then off to the railway museum - so tired crashed on the bus on the way there. Museum dull, dull dull and COLD. Just the same as I remember it from last time - sad that such powerful and enigmatic beasts are stuffed and mounted.

Back to hotel for a brief rest then off for dinner. 'Do it yourself' raw meat boiled in your own pot thing - delicious. Back to hotel - ah sleep!

Monday 7 January

Early start and off to airport for internal flight to Manzhouli. Beijing Airport very busy - but found a smoking room right next to the gate to have a smoke before leaving.

Amused on the flight by the attendants lining up in the aisle after take off to be introduced to the passengers - never seen that before!

As the aircraft started its approach there was all the normal safety stuff plus a warning of the extreme cold on the ground - minus 20 degrees C.

We were the only aircraft at the airport - and judging by the facilities - traffic is light to say the least. Big hassle with busses - only one was available and just not big enough to take our group of 23 big western guys, 23 big suitcases and 23 big camera bags. After some messing about, a second bus was found and the world got much more comfortable.

Off to Zhalai Nur and the first pics of the trip. Initial location pretty so so, but some good smoke effects. After a brief stop moved on to the main pit - so big we could see it plainly from the plane on the way in.

A really amazing place - great light, lots of locos shuffling around in the pit, constant activity. We stood on the rim of the pit looking down open mouthed with the scale and the activity, Roger asking 'Where's the shot then?' We walked down into the pit, stopping repeatedly to take pics, some really amazing sights to see.

Time passed fast - so didn't notice the cold seeping in. As the sun went down so the temperature plummeted. Because I'd wandered so far it was a long walk back to the bus. With about ten minutes left to walk I found Ken - really glad I did because by that time I was so cold I could have given up and died on the spot.

Despite the biting cold it's been a very good day - about 750 pics.

Back to the hotel - modern, clean and a BRILLIANT shower - first of the trip. Felt great to be clean again! Dinner so so and then back to room to finish the downloading and recharging regime.

Tuesday 8 January

Got up at six, brekkie (disgusting) at seven, out at seven thirty to get the best of the early morning light.

Did some shots at a station place, then at a spoil tip, then of a passenger train.

For the latter climbed a small hill, but then fully exposed to the wind. The cold waiting for the train was EXTREME. After ten minutes I nearly gave up!

Then more spoil train shots and then off to the loco shed. BRILLIANT! Lots of steam, sun rays, stuff - just BRILLIANT!

Back to the other end of the pit - and then walked the length of it over three hours - it's a very big pit.

Saw some blasting going on. We'd heard about and been warned about it - but the reality was something else.

As we watched, a man waved a red flag, blew a whistle - and then in a big flash part of the side of the pit opposite us crumbled to dust. It seemed like an age before we heard a loud, dull 'Whump' and the whole pit shook.

Took loads of pics of backlit steam and locos (and some straight shots too!) - final score over 1,000 frames today.

Towards the end of the afternoon it got really cold - so cold that I really struggled to change the battery in the camera and needed Ken's help.

With the last of the light gone we were back to the bus and off for dinner - Russian style. Manzhouli is only 3km from the Russian border so the influence is strong.

The town is like no other I've seen in China - modern, clean, colourful. Most are none of these things - complete shitholes actually!

The 'Russian' style dinner turned out to be just like Chinese - but eaten with a knife and fork.

Everybody is really tired after a long but good day. Two days full sun and snow is brilliant.

To station to get overnight train - like all Chinese stations a complete hassle. Did some fancy footwork to ensure Roger, Ken, George and I could share a four berth compartment. We're going to be on it for 15 hours so need decent company!

Ken's still missing case (Roger and I have lent him some clothes) is reputed to turn up later tonight at a station on the way.

We all stayed up eating Roger's Kit-Kat bars and drinking beer. As usual it's OK to smoke in the vestibules at each end of the coach - toilet ugh - sinks ughish - but OK for a night!

Despite the intense cold, very happy and feeling good.

Ken feeling good now too. Sure enough at some station in the middle of the night he is reunited with his case. Only problem then is he can't remember the combination to open it!

Wednesday 9 January

Slept well on train - woke about 8am - a luxury after the last few days!

Bright sunshine on dead flat Chinese landscape - strangely beautiful.

Compartment the normal morning mess - clothes, boots, people, bags, awful coffee, Kit-Kat bars!

Struggled along for a pee and first fag - ah the day starts!

One of Roger's boots has been hidden - should be a laugh when we get to Harbin!

Got to Harbin about 11.30am. After the warmth of the train the cold outside is EXTREME! Had lunch in a grotty café near the station - OK and edible but a plate of bacon and chips would have been very welcome!

Watched in fascination as a woman in a cupboard peeled a mountain of potatoes, carrots and courgettes. Amazing she still has any fingers. As an alternative, perhaps working for T-Systems isn't so bad after all.

Back to Harbin Station to catch onward train to Mudanjiang. Station a complete nightmare - completely packed with a mass of people travelling somewhere.

Got on the train - hard class - and its completely packed. Luckily we have reserved seats!

Been on this train now for four hours and still half an hour to go - China really is enormous. And then a four hour bus ride to Huanan. After yesterday's euphoria, twenty four hours constant travelling is getting everybody down.

Mudanjiang is a sight. It's amazing how big Chinese cities that look so drab and dull by day come alive at night. Everything is brightly and wildly colourfully lit - a bit like Christmas on steroids.

Get into what looks a pretty crap bus for the final leg of the journey to Huanan and only disgusting dumplings to eat, so its Frueslis and Snickers for dinner tonight, washed down with a chateau bottled coke - so healthy!

Really looking forward to shower number two in China when we get to Huanan - there'd better be hot water! Not looking forward to tonight's download and recharge session - everything needs to be done so an hour plus before bed. Tired? Yep - 24 hours travelling takes its toll.

Just caught my hot shower before the hot water is turned off at 10.30pm - bliss! What sort of a country turns off the hot water in a hotel at 10.30pm? First notice something's not right with my nose - it looks slightly blistered?

 

As I lie in bed dropping off ponder the stains on the wall. Let's see...That's just dirt, that's blood, what's that? Turn over and don't think about!

 

Last thoughts before lights out

>  Being clean is good - enjoyed shower number two in China - despite the truly awful bathroom

>  Being warm is good - it's nice not to have to wear five layers

>  Getting boots off is good - ah!

>  Communication is good - listening and sharing. Really appreciate having such good mates

>  Everything's downloaded and charged for three days in the wild

Thursday 10 January

Out at 6.30am to loco shed at Huanan.

As we arrived they quickly closed the gates to keep us out - 20+ gricers arriving at 7am must be a daunting sight for anyone!

Despite this got some nice pics over the wall of two C2 gently festering in the yard.

One then worked across to the station to head the first train of the day - got some great pics of the departure.

Then had great fun chasing the train in the bus along the flat section of the line between Huanan and Tuoyaozi.

It was on mone of the many lap outs from the bus I did a face plant in the snow.  Everybody thought that was just hilarious, except me.

It doesn't get any better - sun, snow, steam - just wonderful.

At the half way point on the line at Tuoyaozi got a cracking departure shot complete with an ox cart - a bit of posing required but well worth it!

From here on Tuoyaozi is officially renamed 'Oxenholme'.

Now for the hard bit. The next 12km to Lixin is on foot - there is no road access at all.

So, walk 12 km, carrying a 15kg camera bag. Through snow. Exhausting and extremely cold. It's OK when you keep moving, but when you stop, the cold becomes unbearable in moments.

There was an option to go on a horse-drawn sledge, but we decide against it. Just sitting on a sledge sounds like a pretty reliable way of getting hypothermia so we start walking.

Got some pics of a train going in the opposite direction near the summit, then delighted to be walking downhill. The last 2-3km to Lixin are a real trial. Ached all over and bitterly, bitterly cold.

Got to Lixin - and from Bernd's description recognised instantly the famous 'Three Black Holes' accommodation. It totally lives up to its name - but it's WARM!

Went into the first door we found - assuming that's where we were staying - and crashed on the family bed. Turns out it's the local shop!

Warmed up a bit and then got some shots of a loco in the station. Really struck lucky with the fire dropping shot - though the snowman shot was a little more questionable.

Big fuss back at the 'Three Black Holes' over who's sleeping where.

It turns out only six can sleep in the station building, the rest get accommodated in other houses in the village. And the only one with electricity (and therefore lighting) is the station building.

Managed to get us into the station house - even though its very primitive and unbelievably dirty - but a known quantity.

This is the real deal for Chinamen!

Had a laugh with three antipodeans we ended up sharing with who were trying night flash shots.

They set up about ten flashguns connected by radio control aimed at where their subject would pass - firing the flashes as the train passes.

When it all goes off in the wilds above Lixin the engine driver must shit himself!

Terrified of the possible need to go to the loo - I've seen it outside at the bottom of the 'garden' - not a prospect you want to be involved with in any way. A hole in the ground around which many have had a very poor aim!

The 'front garden' has a frozen pee pile outside the front door of the house.

Having to get off the raised bed board thing, find and pull on boots, go out in biting cold - I'd rather piss myself I think!

As always, the camaraderie sees it through - Roger, Ken, three antipodeans and me.

The snoring though was something else - with six in a bed there's always one. Realise nose is now pretty bad as everybody keeps commenting on it.

Friday 11 January

Up at 6am with a train already outside. Normal morning regime much abbreviated - outside for pee and fag - tooth cleaning can wait for another day. Haven't even got a razor with me...

Breakfast of noodles (ugh) and bread (yum). Bustle of getting up quite a laugh.

Another sunny day - that's four out of four for photography. The cold is extreme - minus 32 degrees C - everything freezes instantly. This includes the ski suntan crème I've been using - skiers must be wimps.

Nose very sore today - what I thought was extreme sunburn is now variously diagnosed as either a cold blister or frostbite.

Of course I prefer the latter - sounds more dramatic.

Went out to do a departure shot - nice just before sunrise.

Straight back to the house to warm up and decide what to do next.

Agreed on a plan to walk the 5km to the summit - get the train coming up the other side - and then walk back a bit to get the return working climbing up the other side.

When walking the cold is bearable - when you stop its awful, just awful. When you start to move again putting your camera bag back on is very difficult - we all needed help with our 'bra straps'.

After fotting the two trains -walked the 5km back to the house - warmed up and had a coffee - and then back out the other way towards the mine.

Bernd recommended a place on the top of a hill - a huge climb that winded me.

Roger and Ken wussed out so felt good to have made it. Definitely worth the effort - could see the train coming for at least ten minutes winding its way around the hills.

The climb back down was much easier!

Back at the house nobody wants to eat anything to minimise any need to go to the 'toilet'. Still a day and a half before being back in a hotel!

It's spooky being away from everything. Lixin has about a dozen 'houses' - there's no road here and certainly no mobile signal. Everything comes in by train or by horse and cart along the railway line.

Given the harsh 'Manchurian' winter, living here is no easy option.

It's now the end of the day, dinner will arrive soon.

The 'kitchen' is a delight - two coal burning stoves that heat two pans - standards of cleanliness would not be acceptable in a pigsty at home! Despite this the food is perfectly edible - simple but fresh and tasty.

The feeling of being completely out of touch is on the one hand unsettling and on the other liberating. Suppose it's a bit like looking at both sides of the situation. It's going to be odd rejoining the 21st century tomorrow - this feels more than 100 years ago.

Ha - just got wet wipes out to clean face and hands - even they're frozen solid!

Dinner a fun experience. Served on a 'table' on the 'bed' thing.

Sat cross-legged to eat. Onions, potatoes, eggs, tomatoes - very tasty. All washed down with a beer.

House comprises two rooms - one to live in, one a 'kitchen'.

Went into the latter for a smoke to keep away from the rest of the party.

The Chinese guys made a fuss of some sort, so gave away a packet of Marlboro Lights.

Ended up with a chair, a cup of Chinese tea, and giving away another pack. Now have four life long friends!

Saturday 12 January

Crap night's sleep. I reckon New Zealand could win the Olympics for snoring.

One of them kept up a robust performance all night - and when he stopped another took over to keep the performance going.

The good bit was hearing the train arrive and depart in the middle of the night - lovely sound to hear from your bed.

Now done over two days without washing, cleaning teeth, shaving or even taking contact lenses out.

Roger also points out the mind over matter argument - if you know you can't have a crap, you don't. It's still going to be bloody marvellous to get to a hotel tonight to have a dump, shave, shower and clean teeth.

Worried about 'frostbite' in nose, but there's nothing to do about it here.

Morning Regime in Lixin

Wake up, stretch, fart, moan about cold.

Whilst in bed, pull boots on.

Go into front garden for pee.

Go into kitchen, light fag, warm hands on stove.

Go back into bedroom, finish fag, stub out on floor.

Make coffee, stir with broken chopstick.

Freezing Camera Syndrome

Whilst you're out, all is OK. The camera gets covered in frost, but works fine. The problem is when you come back indoors.

The camera (black, metal) instantly covers in condensation, that equally instantly freezes solid. Lens, body, filters, tripod - everything covers in a layer of ice.

Freezing Tripod Syndrome

As you walk, metal/carbon fibre tripod gets VERY cold.

When you hold any part of it, it acts like a cold radiator in your hand.  Even the thickest gloves don't stop the cold getting through to your hand.  Next time, need to bring a tripod bag to get round this.

This morning's dragging. We got up at 5.30am, but discover there are no trains operating until midday. Time passes slowly in a 'Three Black Hole' style residence!

We persuade the crew of a loco parked in the station to do two 'runpasts' for us, very nice!

Today is the coldest yet - minus 38 degrees C - yes, minus 38 degrees C!  And exactly how cold is that?  Put it this way, just went out for a pee in the 'front garden'. It's so cold the pee froze INSTANTLY on hitting the ground!

Updated news is train is to leave Huanan at 12.20. Its 11.30am now - we decide to set out to catch it on the uphill section - and then continue the walk back to civilisation at Tuoyaozi from there.

The walk is brisk to say the least. Straight into the wind with a few cm of fallen snow - it hurts. I reckon that the windchill probably made the actual minus 38 degrees C feel more like minus 45 degrees C.

We walk about an hour and reach the summit. From here on we're looking for a position to fot the climbing train. Eventually we find an ideal place - framed by silver birches, low raking sun, perfect.After a thirty minute wait the cold becomes completely unbearable, and as the sun is steadily dipping behind a hill and there's no sound of a climbing train, we decide to move on.

The last few miles are bad. We trudge remorselessly into the teeth of the wind that's whipping the snow up, the cold intense.

Eventually we make it back to Tuoyaozi, and find the rest of the group in what passes for a shop cum café. Ate an orange, and then Bernd had one of his 'Gentlemen there is a train' moments. The supposed 12.20 departure still hadn't left, but was reputed to about now. The plan is to get a sunset shot on the flat bit of the line, so we head off towards Huanan in the bus.

Given the quality of the day's information, we should have known this was a dream! So it turned out to be. We got to Huanan, but still no train. Time to give up!

Collected our luggage from the hotel in Huanan where we'd left it, and then back on the bus for the 90 minute ride to Jixi.

Ken and I are sharing tonight - race for first to the loo! He won, but I got in the shower first - splash number three in China. Everything on to download and recharge, then downstairs for dinner.

Spectacular to be clean again, and dinner spot on. Sleep, glorious sleep!

Sunday 13 January

Up at 5.30am for brekkie (ugh) and out at 6.15am.

Jixi system is good. Lots of branch lines leading to lots of mines in a very industrial landscape. Very different to yesterday!

First point of call at Dongchang. A hive of activity with constant comings and goings, all bathed in a golden sunrise.

An hour passed in moments - and so did 200 frames. The on to Xinghua, then Donghai-Kueng, then Didao Hebei. Bernd is setting a cracking pace today.

Didao is one of the furthest extremities of the system. Did a mine, and then a huge discussion about what to do next.

Bernd ended up drawing a map of the system and photo positions in the snow to help thinking!

Tried to take some pics over some houses, but nothing came along to photograph before the sun set.

Annoyingly, having dumped the idea, two trains passed. Can't win them all!

Did however discover that a Yorkshireman talking about a 'baby monkey' is in fact one of the most ridiculous things you could ever hear. Next time you meet one, ask him about it.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped at Dongchang to try some night shots. Not much going on, so spend most of the time sheltering from the wind in what turned out to be a shithole - literally! Cold? Bitter!

Back to hotel for a very quick turnaround and then out for dinner - so, so food but good fun.

Finally back to the hotel for a download and recharge to be ready for tomorrow. Score now at approximately 3,200 frames, and nose starting on the road to the mend.

Monday 14 January

Another bright and sunny day dawning, leaving the hotel in twilight to be at Didao for sunrise.

Temperature still minus 20 something. This cold is now getting me down.

Wearing three layers on the bottom half and six layers on the top is a drag! It even needs two layers on head and hands!

Struck lucky on the way to Didao - picked up a passing SY in the twilight at Xi Jixi - needed to crank up to 500 ISO - but looks OK on the back of the camera.

On to Didao - pure magic. Sunrise, golden light, drifting steam, SYs shuffling around, lots of local colour - it doesn't get any better than this!  

It is however bitingly cold - had to retreat to the bus for a warm up at one point! (And then of course had to de-ice the camera!).

From Didao headed off to the washery at Dongchang.

Again terrific - including some horse carts being loaded with some sort of disgusting looking slurry. What on earth do they do with this stuff?

From there to the 'Pink Mine' at Pinggang - midday light very blue and contrasty - especially so with the full sun - but very good.

After Pinggang, a two and a half hour drive back to Mudanjiang to get the train south. Very open and interesting rolling scenery - given the numbers that live in China it's easy to forget great chunks of the country are completely uninhabited.

Time passed fast on the bus. Driving standards in China are amazing. No lane discipline at all - and still very few private cars either. Most vehicles are lorries, busses or taxis. All interspersed with donkey carts (yes, including double-headers!) and every variation of a 'bike'.

The way things get loaded up is also a laugh - the impossible becomes possible. All this makes for an interesting cocktail in towns - the horn seems to be the most used control!

The concept of 'give way' is unknown - you go where you want to go with no respect at all for anybody else. Whoever gets there first has their own right of way.

These guys could pass out with honours at the 'How to drive a BMW' course!

Needless to say the carnage on Chinese roads is appalling. In our short stay we saw two 'incidents'. A guy had skidded off the road such that his car was balanced on a pile of snow with only one or two wheels on the ground. The other was a large lorry that had ploughed through a barrier and ended up perched on top of it.

Got to Mudanjiang Station to catch our train. Luckily our compartment on the train had a power socket - Roger's camera is completely out of charge.

I don't understand why Chinese stations are so passenger unfriendly - once again had to hump cases up and down lots of stairs to get to our platform.

As always, a real hassle to get on, but once settled, perfectly comfy. We've adopted George as our 'fourth' so we can sleep without constant snoring!

Dumplings for dinner (again, and ugh again). Bought some odds and bits from a trolley dolly to survive including a bag of tiny oranges about 3cm in diameter - delicious!

We're here now for fourteen and a half hours - luckily compartment has a power point, so again all downloaded and recharged and ready for tomorrow. Amazingly one of the coach's toilets is European style - I'll enjoy that later!

Tuesday 15 January

Got off the overnight train at 6.44am, and straight onto a bus to Nanpiao. Still minus 20 degrees C, but reputed to warm up a bit later.

We've been to Nanpiao before, but as always, Bernd's knowledge took us to a load of new places.

Climbed a hill to get an into the sun departure shot - once again felt superior because out climbed both Roger and Ken. Resulting pic very 'Giffordesque'!

Did the stabling point with some nice pics of a crane and a water tower.

Moments late heading back to bus so Roger got bollocking from Bernd. He's a bit tetchy today, and Roger's taking it hard.

More chasing around the countryside, before going to the shed.

Somebody said it was so big and quiet it was like a cathedral. I'd go to church more often if they had SYs in them.

Bernd then got some information about a freight leaving a mine - but we weren't quick enough and had to watch it pull out from behind a wall.

More chasing around in the afternoon - Bernd is really setting a hot pace today. It's going to take some figuring out at home to identify all the places we went. Best two were a departure shot alongside a street market and a slightly post-sunset silhouette crossing a bridge over a frozen river. Whilst waiting for the train tried peeing on the ice to see if it would melt. It wouldn't!

All in all a good last day's photography. Must have done 600-650 frames today.

Bus back to Jinzhou a complete nightmare. Started off ambling along a motorway at about 30mph. Then fairly obviously got lost. Ended up turning onto a motorway in the dark and driving the wrong way along it into three lanes of oncoming headlights.

With death imminent a strange cocktail of anger and panic broke out in the bus until the driver crossed the central reservation to resume right side driving.

Caught train to Beijing - a super fast TGV/ICE style thing. It needs to be fast - it's got three hours to cover about 400km.

Again very badly designed station - had to hump case up three flights of stairs and then down again - no ramps for wheeled cases (and the escalator out of service of course).

Once on the train mayhem broke out as we struggled to find our seats. Found one of them so just sat down - nearly caused an international incident as some of our German fellow travellers got really pissy about it all. Eventually it was sorted and everybody was happy - and we didn't move.

Amazed to go to loo and discover even on a 21st century train like this that the loo is still a hole in the floor.

Bernd's just been along to see if we want dinner, so will get to sample high speed China Rail fare.

Ken reckons I've caught the sun. I'm not so sure. Given the state of my hands, I reckon its dirt!

We were just getting restless about when to go to the dining car when a trolley dolly turned up with our dinners, airline style. Very tasty, but impossible to eat chicken wings delicately with chopsticks on a moving train. Ended up with most of it on my chin. Is this the 'end of term' test before going home?

Big disappointment was the 'coffee' that turned up. It looked like a Starbucks, but turned out to be more bloody tomato and egg soup!

On arrival at Beijing the usual hassle of getting off the train and into a bus, and then off to hotel. Bliss! A room to myself. Dumped clothes - long johns and ski legs really grubby - and had long, hot shower. It really is good to be clean!

Wednesday 16 January

Ha - lie in. Alarm set for 8am - leisurely amble through shaving, showering and getting ready for journey home. Gentle pace broken by Ken on the phone - breakfast finishes at 9am so need to hustle it to make it. Worth it - first bacon sandwich for twelve days.

Airport is its normal self - paperwork and forms to keep you going for ages. Queue for this, get that stamped, get this rechecked, queue for something else. Charming girl at Air France Check In arranges for us to sit together on both flights, and does her best to expedite the tight connection at Paris.

Sat now in the most expensive café in Beijing with two coffees and a coke for the same price as a ten course banquet anywhere else in China.

Air France 777 arrives, and soon enough we're on our way. It's equipped with a camera so that as a passenger you can have the pilot's view. We watch the screen as he lines up on the runway and applies full power. The noise increases and the massive aircraft gathers pace thundering along the runway. At what point will a minibus come out of a side turning and start coming down the runway in the other direction, and when will the New Zealander's flashes go off?

Final Picture Score

>  Beijing - 38 frames

>  Zhalai Nur (two days) - 1,681 frames

>  Huanan (three days) - 691 frames

>  Jixi (two days) - 1,179 fames

>  Nanpiao - 575 frames

>  Total 4,163 Frames