7 October 2018
Fast Trains
We travelled from Chengdu to Choncqing a distance of 321 km in less than 1hour 45 minutes in one of China’s modern high speed trains. Choncqing is a city of about 34 million and we met everyone of them on the streets of old the city. It was the national holiday and everyone was out – I do mean every one.
This city is a manufacturing hub with an ability to deliver new computers into Europe in 11 days via trains crossing Russia and in 25 days to Pacific countries via the Yangtze River and the Port of Shanghai. I kept wondering which of all those people I met on the streets of the old town assembled my iPhone.
Escaping Choncqing
Three days on the Yangtze river was the best way to escape the crowds of Choncqing; no traffic, no queues, no hordes of people. Peace and quiet on the Yangtze, of course I am not referring to meal time in the ship’s restaurant.
Great facilities, comfortable cabins and the opportunity to learn mahjong and the opportunity to take more pictures of the Chinese landscape.
A Very Big Dam
The trip down the Yangtze is only possible because of the Three Gorges Dam which has created a 600 km long lake, about 100 metres deep.
The Three Gorges Dam generates about 10% of China’s electricity. It includes locks for the ships that transport goods to Shanghai and a ship lift for smaller boats. And more locks are on the drawing board. Prior to the construction of the dam teams of men in harness, manually hauled ships up steam against the flow of the fast flowing water in the gorges.
Shanghai and Maglev Trains
Another city that eclipses the population of Australia. If Beijing is about government then Shanghai is about the money.
Still it’s the National Holiday and the crowds are so great the army and police are directing pedestrian traffic on the streets and narrow alleyways. You can only walk in the direction they set and no turning around, the sea of humanity just won’t allow for the free radical that wants to go the other way.
If the fast trains are very fast then the Maglev is ridiculously fast. We reached a speed of 431 kph in 3 minutes from a standing start. The train covered 30 km in 7 minutes. I have never travelled so fast in a land based vehicle. Wow!
Next Log will be the Epliogue to this trip and my final thoughts.
A Traveller's Tale 
Have just caught up with your latest. Sounds like a great trip. Catch up when you get back. Cheers
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