22 hours on a sleeper train in China! (Shanghai to Jishou)

[@ycjason1]

I think the little shaking motion and the white noise actually helps people to fall into sleep.

[@linhaiwang9398]

You are excellent environmentalists. I haven't seen anyone bring their own beverage cups yet. I think you can witness China's latest miracle. They have surrounded the Taklama Desert, which is over 1100 kilometers long from east to west and 550 kilometers wide from north to south. It covers an area of about 337600 square kilometers, accounting for half of China's desert area and is the largest desert in China. China wants to turn the entire desert into an oasis.

[@JKENLAO-pi7to]

Some regions in China as well as the Middle East are relatively lacking in trees. However, both China and the Middle East have large amounts of oil from which a great deal of plastic can be refined. On the other hand, the United States, Australia, Canada and Europe possess abundant tree resources, yet there is a situation of extensive deforestation. Some people hold the view that using plastic is environmentally friendly in China, while using paper and wood is considered environmentally friendly in the West.

[@MAX-ky2ew]

India no.1

[@静思-k9q]

@@MAX-ky2ew Learn to build toilets first

[@CTCS-international]

@@JKENLAO-pi7to 建议你了解一下中国的垃圾焚烧发电站，因为建设的太多，中国很多垃圾电站是缺少焚烧用的垃圾。。。。并且这种电站非常的环保

[@JKENLAO-pi7to]

@@CTCS-international 所以你完全不了解我说什么

[@hong3170]

The train is smooth because the track maintenance in China is one of the best. They use long rail and welding them together up to 20km long. Also this line is built for 200 km/h. For the normal speed trains, they run at 120- 160km/h.

[@sealtrader]

可以啊兄弟，我也喜歡坐綠皮火車。我來自台灣省的同胞。😃😃

[@hong3170]

@sealtrader 我坐过台湾的慢车。台北去花莲。饭盒挺好吃的。现在还是100台币一个吗？涨价了吗？

[@ntof141]

可惜我好怀念小时候绿皮火车过轨道接缝时的那种“嗒嗒、嗒嗒”声😭

[@tonycanton5611]

Oh, true travel, honest from the heart, thank you for the video.

[@yongjoy5486]

The distance from Shanghai to Jishou is 1400 kilometers, which is equivalent to Paris to Budapest. The price of 360 RMB per person is really not expensive

[@WaleandMe]

No of course not, we just meant for us and our budget 🙂

[@mj-qs3bt]

Yes, if you travel by car, the cost will be at least 6 times the ticket price.

[@Memecoinwizard]

Would there be a cheaper way to travel from Shanghai to Jishou? Maybe a bus to zhangjiajie?

[@yongjoy5486]

@ The bus ticket for 1,400 kilometres is not cheap. The train is already the cheapest way to travel. You can choose an ordinary seat ticket.

[@xyyoung4326]

@@Memecoinwizard I think the cheapest way of a 1600km trip is hard seat of train, around 200RMB (less than 30 euro) per person. In the same train of China, the price of hard seat is almost a half of hard sleeper, or a third of soft sleeper.

[@TheRealIronMan]

16:51 You guys are such thoughtful travelers, that's such a great point, in most of those "tourist villages" tourism is usually the only thing that can actually uplift villagers living standard, and honestly the ppl left in the village are as authentic as it gets cos the young & everybody else already left for big cities.

[@TRAVELADVENTURES-xm2vo]

Taking the train offers the opportunity to admire the stunning scenery as the train passes through less populated areas.

[@Siolengung]

Thank you.the train is so clean.

[@I3ULL3T96]

Gotta say I love the editing here, super immersive video

[@stukadax]

So much of my childhood was spent on trains like this and eating different ramen using the hot water they provide. Thanks for brining them back!

[@fj5563]

What a gentle, elegant, thoughtful, and poetic couple! Welcome to Sichuan for a stroll

[@irmafernandez2887]

I enjoyed this vlog of your travels, especially being on the train. I also like the way you accommodate your eating preferences as you travel.😊

[@WaleandMe]

Glad you enjoyed it! ♥️♥️

[@TheAtanyrate]

I really enjoyed how relaxed you both seemed. Thanks for sharing! ❤

[@winstonwu1335]

In China, lots of people like hard mattress, as people think it is better for your back. in Wester world, i noticed often firm mattress is a bit more expensive than soft one as well. May be Chinese one is a bit extreme on the firmess.

[@chiayaolam]

I really enjoy your conversations by the car window; I love this slow travel style. Looking forward to more of your content.

[@jeanholdstock3695]

So happy that Ali managed to get some much needed sleep. Now you can arrive refreshed and ready to enjoy a fabulous experience. The train looked clean and comfortable, and your fellow travelers were very friendly. I love that you carry everything that you need to eat, and eat with. It really ensures that you cut down on disposable plastic items, and is so easy to do with just a little forethought. As always, thank you so much for the work you put into making sure we are able to come along with you xxxx

[@WaleandMe]

♥️♥️

[@neutonrenda2303]

The train gave a great time to get some sleep and rest up.👍

[@haiere]

You can sleep better on the train without the worries of the land.

[@xxxmong4619]

I highly recommend Yunnan Province(云南省), especially the ancient towns of Heshun（和顺古镇) and Shaxi(沙溪古镇). There are stunning natural landscapes in Yunnan, such as majestic mountains, and its locals enjoy a relatively peaceful lifestyle. Thanks to nature's bounty, the region is renowned for its diverse mushrooms and delicious vegetarian dishes like all kinds of tofu and flower cake. Some of the foreigners have chosen to settle there, establishing farms and restaurants etc. Since you guys love random traveling, I think Yunnan is full of random surprises that kind of place：)

[@alanmiller8457]

Interesting video with lots of great insights on train travel, thanks for sharing 😊

[@theCornerOfChina]

The older generation in China, such as men born in the 1960s to 1980s, often smoke because it was seen as essential for integrating into social circles. There are approximately 300 million smokers in China, and tobacco taxes generate as much as $200 billion annually. As a result, trains often have a strong smell of smoke (although smoking is prohibited in passenger compartments, it is still allowed in the connecting areas between train cars). However, among younger generations, such as those born after 1995 or 2000, the smoking rate has significantly decreased due to changes in health awareness and a stronger sense of public responsibility. Additionally, China's high-speed trains are completely smoke-free. Regarding the price, Chinese trains are actually very affordable. You may not realize how far you've traveled-at least 1,500 kilometers-which, in Europe, would already mean crossing several countries. If you calculate the cost per kilometer, it’s safe to say that you won’t find such low prices for train travel anywhere else in the world.

[@Oldbrow]

听了很不爽！我们70后都是老一代了吗？😅😅😅我感觉还是很年轻呢。。。

[@krisyeung1795]

5:17 那个女人说的是：hello美女，你是到湖南去旅游的吗？你会中文吗？The woman said: "Hello, beautiful. Are you traveling to Hunan? Do you speak Chinese?"

[@hdzy121]

5:20 She was saying: beauty, are you going to Hunan? Are you traveling? Do you speak Chinese?

[@WaleandMe]

What a sweetheart! We really need to do better to understand. Thanks for the translation ♥️

[@howardcheung5809]

​@@WaleandMethe most common thing people will say hi and ask where you are from. You can say xi ban ya for Spain. You can say hi back then the rest you will have to pick up with translator😊😊.

[@tamstrainworld3754]

The hard sleeper train was the most enjoyable train ride I experience in my China trip.

[@zhc6876]

I'm a Hunanese. Welcome!

[@zzcwx1020]

If you are budget travellers, you don't have to go across the distance from London to Berlin. Take a train to a small city in Zhejiang. Rent a bike. You will see nice rivers, mountains and villages. That's the place we have a summer break.

[@bunnyfreakz]

I like this channel. So chill, no rush. Just talking and explaining what they doing.

[@brianlee844]

So much fun to take sleeper train, just bring back my memory for my first time trying this 30 years ago.

[@del6184]

omg,i love your videos, vibes/bg mucis etc, so i instantly followed you guys, hope you two really enjoy your trip here in china :)

[@valerierodriguez7222]

I envy you in a good way , I wish I was younger again and do the things you do, and I also like the way you support each other and get alone so well. Have a wonderful trip and enjoy it guys, God bless you and keep you safe every way you go.

[@TheTopher3000]

Love the vids. For your reference, Yen is the Japanese currency. Yuan is the Chinese one. You can also use Kuai or RMB.

[@jbyrd2516]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[@s._3560]

Mochi is the same thing as sticky rice roll, basically both are made with glutinous rice. You can buy dry glutinous rice flour and mix with water and knead it. Another way is to pound steamed cooked glutinous rice into a paste and knead it. Both methods will then produce the chewy texture of mochi. There are many foods in China made with glutinous rice. Many Southern Chinese also eat glutinous rice as rice grains where it is grown. It is also in a very famous food Zongzi - rice dumplings wrapped in reed leaves or sometimes lotus leaves.

[@andyluo104]

I’m 35, the ‘green skin’ strain is so different from what it was in my childhood, the train has upgraded so much, newer, cleaner, and more facilities

[@loongsiu4766]

please keep doing your videos in this format, ive finished two of your China videos, watched every second of it. i like the way you two talking to each other, avoid the most famous tourist sites that most tourists do, because you mentioned little chinese everywhere, then it all makes sense. the filming is great, even in the end of every video you ask each other how you feel about the trip, i enjoy the videos thoroughly, thank you!

[@WaleandMe]

Thank you so much! ♥️

[@brianwang4828]

I still remember one time , me and my mum & dad to take this green sleeper train from Wuhan to Guilin when i was around 4 ,5 years old in 80s . we only managed to get one bed ticket and one standing ticket ( i was free to ride ) , so i sleep with mum and dad in turns at night in the middle bunk. My mum and dad will sit at the folding seat on the side of the window when another at the turn to sleep. I almost forget the entire trip to Guilin now but i still remember the train ride , and remember one night i woke up saw dad is sitting at the one folding seats opposite the bed. great memories 😊

[@hong3170]

Another way to avoid touristic places is to take the bus to mountain villages. But make sure you can find hostel in nearby towns.

[@ingridyichen2631]

try Chinese corn. As you like sticky rice, I'm sure you'd love the sticky texture of Chinese corn. My favourite Chinese special!

[@bryanlee3337]

excellent! That is quite similar to Europe Train trip, and so envy u can enjoy beautiful scene in train! So amazing!

[@fargr5926]

great presentation, love your style, peaceful and calm. Enjoyed your journey, thanks!

[@SWilford]

You can warm up the buns using the hot water provided. Try using a translation App or a translation device that may help you to communicate with locals.

[@PaperBoat689]

Welcome here. 😊

[@PtParker9]

I'm a huge fan of Little Chinese Everywhere too! Glad u mentioned her.😊

[@linhuachang98]

欢迎来中国，我来自江西南昌，目前在上海工作，敬佩你们的旅行探索

[@CatMindy2187-o4v]

That was fascinating!!!!

[@shaoxingzheng]

Welcome !

[@cheungchingtong]

I'm a bit curious, cause I have never taken a sleeper train, the distance you guys took was around 1400-1500 km from Shanghai to Hunan, roughly the same from Berlin to Barcelona, is it 47 Euros per person counted expensive for a distance like that?

[@WaleandMe]

No, it’s all relative to where you are and what your budget it. Compared to Europe this is a steal! I (Ale) had to take a night train from the Netherlands to Germany and it cost nearly 200€. But for us, taking into account our travel budget, this is quite a lot. And because we’ve taken many loooong train rides in other parts of Asia, we know that in other places train rides like this one are more attainable for us. We just wanted to mention it because before coming we had seen many comments saying how cheap travelling in China is, but being here we’ve realised that transportation really adds up. 😊

[@cheungchingtong]

@@WaleandMe Yes, so I checked, a relatively the same train in Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh, about the same distance, for 34 or plus hours, second class berth ticket, cost around 58 Euro. Don't let that 22 hrs of time tricks you, it's the 1450 km distance costs the most. I asked because I do also travel a lot, tho I don't do sleeper train, but I know public transportation especially the green train you took in China is quite inexpensive by comparison, China now owns 350 km/h plus HSR, the main reason that green train is kept using, is to serve the budget public. China is about the size of Europe, so it is very easy for ones not knowing how far ones had been travelling through from one city to another, one province to another.

[@yongzhu8454]

@@cheungchingtong 真的离谱，欧洲来的人竟然觉得中国绿皮火车贵。。

[@changsheng-s2z]

​@@yongzhu8454 其实对中国人来说都是非常便宜的了，谁都知道绿皮火车完全是照顾普通人的亏本买卖，何况西班牙这样高收入的国家，不过也很理解两位博主现实面临的问题，毕竟旅行时间短，还有回上海的行程就是翻倍了，不像普通人都是单行程，各自谅解就好，这两位是很好的客人

[@銀爆潮流]

@@changsheng-s2z 西班牙其实还挺穷，人均1K多工资，扣完税吃喝拉撒几乎不存钱

[@DoreenHorn-u7l]

Your videos make me feel calm and I hope everything goes well with yours -------------love from hunan/china

[@jtbc7401]

I, like you all, enjoy traveling to places that people don't often go to. This feeling is very wonderful, especially in rural areas where one can feel inner peace and beautiful scenery. If given the opportunity, you can try riding a motorcycle to travel in China at the beginning of spring next time, which will be very pleasant.

[@toxic-jyh]

As you said, there are a lot of tunnels on this railroad and the construction of this railroad is to tunnel into the mountains and build Bridges into the rivers and this is not a plain area and the cost should be higher

[@whitewhite4426]

I really like your way of travelling, very open minded, but insist with your own flavor. Unique travel log!

[@akkmok]

5:15 I didn't catch the beginning (I think she asked if you were also going to a certain place?) but she then asked if you were travelling, and finally asked if you spoke Chinese.

[@yitezeng1035]

I love to sleep in those sleepers. It gentally rock you into sleep and it is so comfy

[@ChefAyin]

It’s so interesting to see European people to choose a very traditional way through the southern China to go to a not-that-famous city, and I’m impressed by your full preparation of food and snacks, especially the steel can also very classic in China.

[@neutonrenda2303]

Hello guys, your berth brings back memories of my overnight from Germany to Italy. It was very funny because I ended up in a four sleeper with three women, who were a bit nervous at first and didn't speak English. I completely changed the whole vibe with flapping hand signs and let them know that I was gay, it was hilarious and we all ended up giggling and having a really great laugh. I will definitely remember it forever. I can't imagine how very different everything is there, the smoking for instance, I can't imagine that in Europe. 😂❤️

[@WaleandMe]

😂 what a great memory! We love making connections on overnight journeys because it really feels like you’re on an adventure together.

[@ntof141]

Well done, good video. Keep going😊

[@marieratcliffe4804]

another lovely vlog. bless you my lovelies. im with you on smoking. im not anti smoker but i have to avoid smoker due to having brittle asthma and any form of smoking triggers an attack, though im grateful my dogs dont trigger as id be lost with out my girls. last week i went for counseling for grief and someone smoked a vapour in front of me and triggered a attack so the receptionist ended up dialing 999 for me and i spent 48hrs in hospital on constant nebs to clear my lungs and my girls ended up in kennels. we are all home now, but im still a bit on the week side so im having to space out my energy. i know smoking is a drug and people cant go with out, but to me it puts my health at risk. glad you got some sleep on the train, their train system look pretty amazing. glad you are still enjoyng your travels. you will be glad to get home to your own beds. it will be the best sleep you get that first night home xx take care and stay safe my lovelies

[@hnyushuo681]

Your videos are great!

[@kunchen3278]

wow thats my where i was born. west of 湘. great food😊

[@janusli8820]

Plastic knives should be able to pass security. Also, if the blade is shorter than 5cm it can pass too

[@coolleekary8255]

the train's trip is so cool

[@xiangyangzhang2286]

Have a nice trip. welcome

[@buxi9428]

Again, really enjoy your Bohemian lifestyle. Can't wait to see what you experience in Hunan. I think you could have experienced the train breakfast safely - porridge, soy milk, dough, mostly vegan dishes.

[@yo-yoyou6727]

Trains can be smoking, and if you want to do without smoking, you can do high-speed rail

[@whitewhite4426]

If you like traveling with train, makes ure to take the train that starts from Qinghai, goes all the way up to Tibet!!! The view of this Qinghai-tibet train is amazing.

[@子笙赵-h6n]

Bienvenidos a China！ Hay muchos países lindos en China. No se preocupen por ustedes seguridad si respetan a los pueblos y costumbres aquí. Buen viaje en China！

[@starlook-zx4sp]

To yearn for the idyllic scenery, you must go to Xinjiang, where there are world-class idyllic scenery, cattle and sheep wooden houses everywhere (in the Hemukashi area of Kanas Baihaba), Yunnan Province (Tengchong, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri La), Sichuan Province, Ganzi Aba (Xichang Lugu Lake, Sedaying Rice City, Kangding), Gansu Province (Gannan), and the budget is enough to consider heaven on earth, Xizang

[@EllieinShanghai]

23:52 i am Shanghainese. I also love to buy those rice cookies for my children. They sell in front of the primary school 😂.

[@mikeandashley]

Oof, this was quite the journey. What a way to experience China though! The longest overland transport we've ever taken was on a 24-hour bus from Chiang Mai to Phuket, but we wouldn't recommend it. 😅

[@JKENLAO-pi7to]

Some regions in China as well as the Middle East are relatively lacking in trees. However, both China and the Middle East have large amounts of oil from which a great deal of plastic can be refined. On the other hand, the United States, Australia, Canada and Europe possess abundant tree resources, yet there is a situation of extensive deforestation. Some people hold the view that using plastic is environmentally friendly in China, while using paper and wood is considered environmentally friendly in the West.

[@hgos7211]

Like your Wes Anderson style of filming 😂

[@桃桃之夭]

What is mochi anyway… To me, it seems like a word loosely used for any rice or sticky rice flour products. I can already think of several Chinese words equivalent to mochi. 麻薯，还是年糕，米糕，黏糕？

[@mingxeper6384]

As a Chinese, I have not seen this kind of green leather train for more than ten years. This kind of retro train is also very cheap and is a kind of memory.

[@hong3170]

The distance from Shanghai to Jishou is about 1800km by this train. It's the same distance as from Madrid to Berlin. So the tickets are not expensive for the distance. But it's for sure more expensive than in India or south east Asia.

[@luyisu6880]

in india, people get the exterior ride. The sleeper sure cost more

[@张木子]

看车厢的内部构造是中国比较慢的而且老旧的火车，我们称之为绿皮车，价格便宜，环境不好，很多小站都会停靠。

[@anneliesjoss]

I think the saying should be “sleeping like teanagers”! 😆

[@el3879]

i really enjoy your vedio, thanks!

[@张奇-v4f]

Excellent environmentalist. You can go to the countryside in Jiangxi Province and experience the real Chinese life

[@nickey-e5v]

real? you meant rural? Urban life is also a real Chinese life.

[@xl959]

i was born in JIshou, welcome to my hometown

[@arjayandjasmina]

tiffin is such a golden move

[@zimuli3549]

我很喜欢这对可爱的情侣，简谱，低调，欢迎你们来中国！

[@EchoJUN1983_com]

So cool!

[@吴元峰-q6y]

在中国，谷歌地图无法正常使用。你需要使用苹果地图，或者高德地图，或者百度地图。

[@系色-s3r]

omg ，where is jishou? I have never heard such a city though i have been china for 25 years

[@yongzhu8454]

凤凰古城听说过没。。就在吉首下辖的一个县，是少数民族自治区。

[@chaixiyao]

Very interesting trip

[@jason34007]

Thank you for your effort. Really enjoy. I thought china was another India, but it seems I was wrong.

[@你看看我看看你1981]

in fact, that is the type of trains that we are abanding.

[@WaleandMe]

Yes, it’s quite different. But at the same time it has a lot of the same charms in our opinion (and we say that as a good thing because we love India).

[@Martini0827]

@@WaleandMe在现实中和中国人交流时，尽量不要把印度和中国做比较，这是相当冒犯和侮辱性的。对中国人而言，这并不是种族主义偏见，而是对印度没有谦虚的、脚踏实地的造福印度，改善人民生活水平的鄙视。

[@niliu9635]

Hi! If you have trouble sleeping, maybe traditional Chinese medicine can help you. There are traditional Chinese medicine hospitals in almost every city in China. Have a nice trip!

[@や印-x9g]

Knives under 10 cm are allowed on trains as they are not classified as controlled items.

[@chenalyx]

damn! this is very very old train, But it is still operating in China, but very rarely, because some people need these very affordable train tickets to save money

[@NCYG]

我们确实应该减少一次性塑料制品的使用。 在中国，当你需要外带食物，并且你有自己的饭盒时，可以要求商家直接装到你的饭盒里，大部分商家都会同意，火车上也许可以去餐车问问工作人员（？

[@zlz-h2o]

trains is still the most environmentally friendly transportation.

[@陈立豪]

How many Km you have go cross during 22 hours?

[@Annlouisekakoschke]

Your trip looks amazing. Can you tell me if that is pollution in the sky all the time or just clouds?

[@Luiri61]

No one knows for sure. But I can help you speculate. Firstly, it's clearly a very rural area in the mountains, and it's an early winter morning. The mention of mountains and water suggests a likely presence of fog or clouds. Furthermore, there are no factories deep in the mountains, so the lack of industrial pollution is unquestionable. Of course, the perception of pollution depends on individual standards, but it's also true that smoking is common in China.

[@iamsunrui]

感觉你俩很适合在中国生活。喜欢寺庙去山西省，喜欢自然去云南。另外餐厅和服务员交流一下都有纯素食提供。来自中国人的建议。

[@DaliDaysInn]

Hi there! I stumbled upon your video and just fell in love with how you two communicate and connect with the world. If you still have some time in China, I'd highly recommend checking out Yunnan-the most diverse place in China, both in scenery and culture. I see you guys enjoy nature and local experiences. There are so many hidden gems, like Shaxi (沙溪) and Nuodeng (诺邓). And there's the famous hiking trail, Tiger Leaping Gorge. Seeing that you're into temples, you'll love Dali-it was once the Buddhist capitals of southwest China, full of beautiful temples (most of them are free) in the Cangshang mountain. If you're lucky, you might even catch a free vegan meal at the right time. A friend of mine runs a beautiful little inn near Erhai Lake-PM me if you'd like more info about Yunnan. IMO it's the best time of year to travel to Yunnan, low tourists season, albeit a little chilly. And you could leave China from Yunnan via plane to South East Asia or the new high speed rail to Laos. Anyway, have an amazing time in China, and again, just listening to the two of you talk to each other is such a pleasure!

[@WaleandMe]

Thank you so much for the lovely comment and for the recommendations! We’re actually so excited for Yunnan that we have reserved our whole second entry to travel there. We would love to go now in January of February but are concerned it’ll be too cold. Also we’d have to figure out how to navigate the Chinese new year. So we’d love to hear you insights and would absolutely like to get the contact of your friend’s inn. Could you please send us an email at [e-mail] 😊 Thank you again!!

[@xyyoung4326]

Maybe you both think it's too far rather than too expensive. That's make sense. For example, if I go to the United States, it will cost more than 10,000 RMB for flight. Of course, I will think it's expensive, but I won't think it's not worth it, because the distance is really so far, and there is no cheaper and more convenient way.

[@datang-nomad]

年轻人你们好！在中国旅途愉快！

[@marienorlander7139]

Was that smog or fog everywhere you went?

[@土馒头]

厉害👍

[@tamirose8562]

Never been to China,til y'all took me.

[@WaleandMe]

👏👏👏

[@sdsdj626]

That kind of pastry is too sweet for most Chinese people to accept. Only a small group of people eat it, and it can occasionally be seen only at tourist attractions

[@kapk]

Always feel uneasy seeing all that one-time plastic being flagrantly used.... great idea for tiffin and water bottle while travelling~ Currency is rmb/ yuan (yen is Japanese), but for everyday use, it's kuai, the equivalent of bucks.

[@uiyjffghj-zu9fl]

中国的塑料回收再利用工作一直做的不错，著名反华媒体德国之声近期都做了报道，当然，还是祖传的滤镜。

[@WaleandMe]

Ahh kuai, good to know! We did mean to say yuan but the pronunciation is a bit off 😂

[@partyhu]

现在的一次性餐具，大部分都是可降解的。