That’s it for China for now! I only got given a 2 week visa so had rush around the country like a madman! Will be back next year for sure to do it properly 🇨🇳 thank you to all those watching 👊🏼 which country do you wanna see me in next????
Chinese young generations don’t take sleeper trains anymore, but I still miss the time in these trains when I was a little child. People from different regions chatted and shared their food with each other, they talked about their hometowns, their life, their jobs and their families, strangers immediately became friends. At each station, people came and people went, then your friends might have to get off, it was a bit sad but also warm to say goodbye .
@@joenroute9646 They still won't take it even if they don't have money. They've become spoilt from being the sole child in the family growing up in prosperity & affluence. They don't understand what's like to be poor and are not capable to "eat bitter". These days they rather parasite off their parents & grandparents savings and tang ping (lie flat) & bai lan (let it rot)
@@joenroute9646Flights and high-speed railways are super affordable and accessible to nearly every corner of China, so sleeper train is kinda an obsolete and deceasing transport today.
4:24 Ben, They were not arguing, they were literally discussing if they gonna eat these cup noodles and burgers as supper or save them to Guangzhou. That is Shanghainese especially Shanghainese middle age women's normal volume.
The first train you took is indeed "the worst train" operating for decades in China, the only reason that they are still operating is for people who are not financially rich enough get their chances to travel by railway. The second one you took from Guangzhou to Shenzhen is actually a mid speed train, around 200km/h, has been operating for more than decade.
Believe me, those shanghainese aunties and uncles are not poor by any standards. Lot of them took this train because of the convenience going into touristy areas, and they actually love the vibe of group travels by train, reminiscing some good/bad old times
You and Kat will be married in two years ! She is a keeper ! Positive, almost fearless and you two have much in common, and she has an great sense of humor ! Lol!
Lol, how do you know what they have in common? She's definitely a keeper, quite frankly if he waits two years then she should move on. He's definitely not going to do any better but she certainly could. I know he's not sharpest knife in the drawer, but this is one of those situations where I really hope he wises up a bit and hopefully makes some prudent decisions. I know too many dudes who just took their partner for granted and never considered what they actually wanted, and certainly never thought to maybe sacrifice their own wishes despite them being basically meaningless. Edit: In case it's not obvious, the above opinion is all just assuming that she actually wants more (because of course she does, she's not getting any younger and I'm sure she knows she's got a lot to offer).
india is making its own bullet trains already semi fast trains are quality westerners are living in their own life keep hating india all the money the europeans have is stolen from east indian Empire by poor westerners
ben, i know you're trying to get clicks from sensationalist headlines and thumbnails but must you make out like china is "chaotic" and an ordeal with the looks on your faces in every SINGLE video you upload? you are clearly trying to capitalise on the anti-china sentiment and propaganda in the west but understandd how this might affect asian-appearing people's residing in the west. it adds to negativity they may experience. perhaps think about someone beyond yourself.
20 years ago, when I was a university student in Chongqing, the fastest train between Guangzhou and Chongqing took about 33 hours, and the slower one took more than 40 hours. Nowadays, it can be reached in just over 7 hours by high-speed train. The increase in the speed of trains is also a profile of China's rapid development in the past 20 years.
9:52 There WAS a restaurant cart in the train. At 6:51 you can hear the announcement saying the restaurant cart is in Carriage 10, which is the middle of the train. You guys went the wrong way! It was not up in the front. It was behind!
I don't get it why people keep comparing china with india. I've been to both and they're not comparable. In terms of infra China is near the top of the world whereas india is at the bottom. India doesn't have "best trains". They don't meet the basic hygiene standard. Most importantly, they're not reliable. They're rarely on time. My train was late for 6 hours at midnight. Terrible experience.
As someone who used to live in Shenzhen and Hong Kong - this was quite a nostalgic watch! There's so much to see and do in this part of Southern China. Great video Ben.
After India Mate, I would say the WORST is a pretty subjective thing That looks like Paradice compared to those India trains! Great video sir, you and Kat are Troopers! Best investment I could recommend, Noise Canceling headphones!
@@loongsiu4766 I guess it must be if even the locals said don't take it, I was just saying worst is subjective. After those trains in India, that "worst" train looked like luxury.
hahaha, that's a nice one. Only very few people take this kind of train from the begining to the end, becuase most of them will get off in the middle somewhere. Here is to the bravery of puting yourselves through this! BTW Ben, the big hairy crab that auntie offered to you as a gesture costs at least 5 pounds sterling each :D An those aunties and uncles were not arguing. They were just verbally fighting each other for the honor of paying for the stuff they bought for the group :) That's a way to express their passions and friendship.
Thank You, Danny. Loved your Response. 👍 The sheer kindness & cheer of those adorable Aunties & Uncles have stolen my heart. Low Bow to All the amazing Chinese People across the age spectrum that we get to see via the expat vloggers posting from CHINA. NAMASKAR 🙏 from India 🇮🇳
Excellent series, my wife and I have really taken a liking to you and your awesome sidekick, first series we have actually watched after seeing you in a bald video. Can’t wait to see where you go next.
Rode the Green train (no High Speed option then) for 36 hours from Shanghai to Guilin in the 90's. Went with 6 people from my wife's family. They thought I, the Westerner, would want a 'Soft Sleeper' which is the one you were in. The 'Hard Sleeper' had 8 beds per stall and no door to the isle. Being 6' 3" I didn't fit in the Soft Sleeper so I changed with another family member for a Hard Sleeper. Like someone else commented, the Hard Sleeper was much more entertaining. I talked with a bunch of young people trying to learn English and even had a marriage proposal (squashed by my family escort unfortunately). After that experience I also rode a Hard Sleeper from Shagha to Garamud over 3 days (stopped for a day in Xining) on my way to Lhasa with a Japanese friend. Again, it was a blast. Now you can go just about everywhere on High Speed trains (my wife and I did over 2,500 miles last fall). No conversations. No interactions. Sure, they were fast and efficient but you lose something.
Interesting, I grow up in China and never heard of 8-beds configuration for the train. I think the 6-bed configuration is the hard sleeper, 4-bed configuration is soft sleeper, and there are also some VIP configuration where they have two bed (top/bottom) and other side is just a sofa.
@@BackpackerBen Next time you can try the maglev train in Shanghai and the suspension train in Wuhan, so you have tried almost all the trains in China. Enjoy...😊😊😊
Hearing the familiar Shanghainese dialect feels very comforting. My parents recently took a sleeper train to travel inland in China. It’s purely a matter of personal preference-some people prefer flying, while others enjoy the traditional train experience. In terms of cost, it’s definitely cheaper than flying, but the real appeal is being able to spend quality time together with friends. These uncles and aunts probably aren't lacking in money, haha.
So proud of Catarina! She really knows Portuguese history and culture. Contrasts with Ben that never heard about Lord Byron(Shangai epidode) one of the greatest English poets
He should know the name Byron. Even streets etc named after him in many towns. Either way Bryon's myth about his horse saddle is interesting story (Greek/Turk).
I notice the comments about squat toilets. These facilities are actually the preferred choice in many parts of Asia and other regions worldwide. Squat toilets offer certain hygiene advantages since they eliminate direct contact with the toilet surface. They're also considered more ergonomic for the human body's natural positioning. While they may seem unfamiliar to some travelers, they represent cultural differences in bathroom practices rather than any measure of development or sophistication. Perhaps we could focus on understanding and respecting these cultural variations instead of making fun of them.
Your right , and you WILL get a better bowel movement with a STOOP type toilet , its a scientific fact , when you sit to s###, you are twisting the bowel , ,,, Dr Tim
It is a Chinese cultural custom. Everyone in the room knows who is obligated to pay, but it is polite to grab the bill and then another will grab it from you and in the end the right person will end up with it after much "arguing."
I really enjoyed the coverage of your trip to China - it's definitely now on my wish list. As an Irish bloke - I totally agree that Guinness doesn't travel well :) Looking forward to your next destination. Keep up the good work.
For your kind information, China is spitting infrastructure development on your countries infrastructure as well. Rather than comparing it with india, compare it with your country first.
....because he just recently travelled in Indian ...with Bald remember...personally I love Indian trains....even sleeper class...but not when people without a ticket try to share yr seat.
China was the largest victim country in World War II. However, the sovereignty of Hong Kong and Macau has been recovered. Britain and Portugal were the colonizers.
@@yonight6871 In the context of WWII specifically I think USSR had biggest losses. At the time WWII was not the only issue facing China, it was a large compound of past issues mended together you could say China faced the largest overall losses.
Ben , Kat … first I would like to say you 2 really fill my ❤️ I love how you get along and are always in a good mood no matter what. I think your gonna share enough memories to stock your future. Thank you for the coverage of all the trips , transit, food and memories!! 💯
At 9:22 you can see two compartments with foldable steps pulled out that can be used to get into the top bunks. Surprised Ben and Kat's neighbors didn't explain or help! Restaurants on these slow trains are usually great, although slightly pricey. (Restaurant car was probably on the other end of the train, connected to the Soft Sleepers).
such a pleasure to watch you guys. I wish you the best of luck. Hopefully you stay together for the rest of your lives. If that´s what you want. Cheers!
India cant even afford to feed their own people because people at the top are so corrupt. I know this because my family is one of them, my dad works in the government and we have a such amazing life that 99% WONT GET EVEN CLOSE. I want tp thanl all teh servants that helped us to be wealthy. Hahahah
I am sure that there is definitely a dining car on that Chinese Worst sleeper train (the announcement here at 6:52 has already told you that the dining car is in the No. 10 car in the middle of the train ) and there is definitely a SIT toilet (usually it should be in the soft sleeper car ), but it is difficult to communicate because of the language barrier and you can't understand the announcement
3:48 this is why I've always wanted the bottom bunk. You look down and you're like oh crap quite a drop! What if you need to take a tinkle in the night? Good luck climbing down in the dark. Big fan of the channel!
One video covers four cities (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Macau and Hong Kong) ! Again, your trip is far too rush.....though I am pleased things were not going too bad for you while you were there.
@@BackpackerBen OK but im pretty sure HK and Macau aint counting. fact is once you are in either of them you are good to enter mainland china for another 14 days. Many people conveniently extend their journey in China this way
For the last 12 months or so certain suburbs have been trialling drone food delivery Melbourne, Australia They operate from the roof of one of our biggest shopping centres
I like what you said Ben we “ We do it so you don’t have to.” I felt sorry for you guys. Thank you guys for enduring this miserable train. 👏👏👏Watching from Minnesota.
33:02 WHOA! It's the Asian version of Bald and Bankrupt just walked behind them! ☺ Man each video of China just makes me want to hurry up & plan my trip there ASAP. Maybe it's just me, but China seems to do cities like no other. Not only that, but have you all noticed how cool and carefree the place is? And the Price? How can you go wrong with everything being on an app? You never can get scammed that way or taken for a ride on the price. And best of all? CHINA seems to be extremely price competitive with just about any other place on the map. Me personaly, I want to check out the Manufacturing hubs where they make things like Speakers & Audio products.
at 6:57 The background speaker can be heard loud and clear as：“dining car is in the middle of the train at No.10 carriage, welcome to enjoy you meal there”. But obviously they don't understand Chinese,so they claimed there was no dining car there.
@@buxi9428 maybe they did, but sometimes it is hard to get communication going with old people as they don’t get the concept of talking to a translator 😅 You see Kat using translator on the train but again you might have signal coming and going on those journeys! ☹️
You only see a small corner of China… and that’s not a full China. China is very diverse-each region feels like its own world. Southern China has a unique vibe, but northern, western, and central China are completely different in people, food, culture, and mentality. You’ve got beautiful places like Yangshuo with its karst mountains, Hangzhou with serene lakes, and coastal spots like Qingdao( like a mini Germany 🇩🇪) Then there’s Harbin in the far north( strong Russia culture mixed with Korea culture)famous for its ice festivals, and Xinjiang, Tibet, and Inner Mongolia, each with their own landscapes, traditions, and ethnic groups. Small towns and countryside areas have such charm, and there’s something distinct to discover in each corner of the country.
does your comments to do anyghing with this video? did they said: they has only got 2 weeks visa from Chinese goverment? so how can they use just 2 weeks of time to explore whole China?
If you want them to discover everything in China they need more than 2 weeks visa. Ben and Kat should visit this country with better preparation next time. It would be great content. The downside is people gonna call them sucking CCP D 😂
I've just come home from a day in surgery, floating on thin air wrapped up in bed. This video was a really refreshing escape for me. Thoroughly enjoy you and katerinas videos. As much as I love bald and I was his 120th subscriber, he's hilarious, but there's something down to earth about you and Kat, might be because I'm a Devon lad myself lol x
Morning after video is a must, Just a few minutes. Loved the series, Ending it with Portugal and England was GREAT. Also you saying we do this so you dont have to... Makes me want to do it
Ben you walked past my daily jogging route in SZ (before you got up the didi ride) lol. Hopefully you had good memories in China pal, good luck on your next trip!✌
This was such an enjoyable video, i loved every minute of it, you two are so perfect for each other, and i so love your British humour. Cant wait for the next one, until next time.
Before I studies aboard in US, I used to take this sleep train a lot from Beijing to my hometown for 13 hours. I can just sleep for one night and when I wake up, it gets my city. Although it’s kinda slower and narrow(your position on the top is the most uncomfortable but quietest, tho middle one is the best to me), but it’s very economical friendly(costing only $dollars as a college student, cannot expect this in US). Your video really reminded me of my memorial experience, and now even I can afford the high speed train, I still prefer this sleep train because I don’t want to sit on the day. It’s really rare to see foreigners to try this slow train, but glad you made it! It’s worth exploring it, can get more sense of what ordinary Chinese’s life look like.
Greatings, from Canada... awesomely enjoy your presentations, ... lol cheeky Mr Bald, all off you 3, really got it... fav group. Thx man. Keep going...
China's green trains (very slow) make people nostalgic, especially for some retired people. They have plenty of time and are not shortage of money. The price of that crab may be the same as the train ticket.
The best experience for green-skin sleepers is to beer-chat with random people, I personally found heaps of very interesting stories from them all the time, and get to share snacks we brought on board, even get wasted together with the shots of spirit. But too bad that you don’t know the language.
When I was growing up in a Cantonese speaking family, it always seemed that normal conversation would sound like an argument to anyone who didn't understand Cantonese. You can always hear a Cantonese restaurant from a mile away.
Rural China is also great to visit, in fact much better as well since you can see the raw China with ancient and natural sites. For Panda sight seeing it was much better to check them out in Chongqing actually where you've been to. Panda's home is Chengdu but most of them are in hidden in reserve/incubation area. You can check out Lijiang and many ancient towns there. Harbin is best for winter because it has the largest ice festival. Hainan Island for summer, they have many nice beaches there. Tibet for hiking and spiritual journey. Xinjiang for desert sight seeing.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
That’s it for China for now! I only got given a 2 week visa so had rush around the country like a madman! Will be back next year for sure to do it properly 🇨🇳 thank you to all those watching 👊🏼 which country do you wanna see me in next????
North Korea plsss
Why did you only get a two week Visa?
Japan, or South Korea.
Go to Ethiopia
@@m389nkfpe03 it's a visa on Arrival
Chinese young generations don’t take sleeper trains anymore, but I still miss the time in these trains when I was a little child. People from different regions chatted and shared their food with each other, they talked about their hometowns, their life, their jobs and their families, strangers immediately became friends. At each station, people came and people went, then your friends might have to get off, it was a bit sad but also warm to say goodbye .
Young generation with money ??
@@joenroute9646 They still won't take it even if they don't have money. They've become spoilt from being the sole child in the family growing up in prosperity & affluence. They don't understand what's like to be poor and are not capable to "eat bitter". These days they rather parasite off their parents & grandparents savings and tang ping (lie flat) & bai lan (let it rot)
@@joenroute9646 Now there are more options
@@joenroute9646 They take the high speed trains now
@@joenroute9646Flights and high-speed railways are super affordable and accessible to nearly every corner of China, so sleeper train is kinda an obsolete and deceasing transport today.
Clean sheets, pillows, and a clean bathroom. The lowest-class cabin in China looks like a first-class cabin in India's trains.
Better than India in every way.
朋友们 为什么总喜欢拿中国跟印度比较？ 除了人口 完全没有可比性好吗？ 我的意思是印度是宇宙第一
Better than the UK @@Skippymizzle
India rich people have their private jet, why even bother to have a nice train?
why china always compare India its meaningless
4:24 Ben, They were not arguing, they were literally discussing if they gonna eat these cup noodles and burgers as supper or save them to Guangzhou. That is Shanghainese especially Shanghainese middle age women's normal volume.
so uncivilized
@@bhoomeerg8045😂 it's a cultural thing man, like slurping in Japan and Vietnam, if you ain't loud enough you ain't respecting the conversation 😂
@@bhoomeerg8045wtf?
@@Luukjaj187 see how Ben keeps his voice down when he walks through a quiet part of the train? thats what civilized peope do.
@@bhoomeerg8045 lol, go travel, see something of the world you ignorant loser.
“Different then i’m used to, so it is bad”
Modi：India is a superpower.
Xi：China is a developing country.
The art of being humble
Bro, you got it
ture
The first train you took is indeed "the worst train" operating for decades in China, the only reason that they are still operating is for people who are not financially rich enough get their chances to travel by railway. The second one you took from Guangzhou to Shenzhen is actually a mid speed train, around 200km/h, has been operating for more than decade.
Believe me, those shanghainese aunties and uncles are not poor by any standards. Lot of them took this train because of the convenience going into touristy areas, and they actually love the vibe of group travels by train, reminiscing some good/bad old times
@@DannyChean I know, but this kind of green train indeed is kept for that reason mainly.
@@DannyChean True, only Chinese know this, foreigners know nothing about it 😜😜😜
Provide options for people, acturally some of the people like this kind of trains not because of the finance issues😜😜😜
I thought travel by railway is affordable, why you need to be rich?
You and Kat will be married in two years ! She is a keeper ! Positive, almost fearless and you two have much in common, and she has an great sense of humor ! Lol!
Lol, how do you know what they have in common? She's definitely a keeper, quite frankly if he waits two years then she should move on. He's definitely not going to do any better but she certainly could. I know he's not sharpest knife in the drawer, but this is one of those situations where I really hope he wises up a bit and hopefully makes some prudent decisions. I know too many dudes who just took their partner for granted and never considered what they actually wanted, and certainly never thought to maybe sacrifice their own wishes despite them being basically meaningless.
Edit: In case it's not obvious, the above opinion is all just assuming that she actually wants more (because of course she does, she's not getting any younger and I'm sure she knows she's got a lot to offer).
Does Kat have a cute single sister? Asking for a friend..
THIS!
I second that advise. I have friends who didn’t tie the knot with the right girl, and the girl moved on, and it was a huge pity.
China worst trains > India's best trains
india is making its own bullet trains already semi fast trains are quality westerners are living in their own life keep hating india all the money the europeans have is stolen from east indian Empire by poor westerners
Modi：India is a superpower.
Xi：China is a developing country.
dude 21:10 Macao was so empty when you visited it. Lucky!!
Please google Maharaja Express, Deccan Odyssey and Palace on Wheels you ignorant folks.
You know they always have opposite humour 😂
Only the one who goes through hardships with you is the one who loves you the most. Cherish the girl around you and enjoy the good time with her.
ben, i know you're trying to get clicks from sensationalist headlines and thumbnails but must you make out like china is "chaotic" and an ordeal with the looks on your faces in every SINGLE video you upload?
you are clearly trying to capitalise on the anti-china sentiment and propaganda in the west but understandd how this might affect asian-appearing people's residing in the west. it adds to negativity they may experience.
perhaps think about someone beyond yourself.
20 years ago, when I was a university student in Chongqing, the fastest train between Guangzhou and Chongqing took about 33 hours, and the slower one took more than 40 hours. Nowadays, it can be reached in just over 7 hours by high-speed train. The increase in the speed of trains is also a profile of China's rapid development in the past 20 years.
那时有无乘民航飞机的可行选项？
@@linwoodhucse628那时候飞机不是学生选择
@@linwoodhucse628 你既然用中文，就不该问出这样的问题。过去的飞机票价在学生的经济承受能力之内吗？并且铁路有学生票半价优惠，航空公司有吗？
@@rain2016-hz人家可能是海外华人，别这么敏感
@@linwoodhucse628 学生，铁路半价。不过家境好的同学当然可以选择飞机。
9:52 There WAS a restaurant cart in the train. At 6:51 you can hear the announcement saying the restaurant cart is in Carriage 10, which is the middle of the train. You guys went the wrong way! It was not up in the front. It was behind!
Ben can not speak Chinese, unfortunately 😂😂😂
@@vitocorleone19 They have traslator app, so they could ask someone for help. Very simple quesiton: "where is dining car? aka. 餐车在哪？"
this ben dude comes across a bit condescending when he travels. don't like it and it's alienating.
@@lowkeyconvert8971 他们只是来赚流量的。他们几乎在每个国家都这样。
I was curious why they simply gave up after searching in one direction. Did they think their car was the last one or something?
Cat is certainly a keeper with what you put her through, she just keeps being positive, great video.
Gorgeous too
I don't get it why people keep comparing china with india. I've been to both and they're not comparable. In terms of infra China is near the top of the world whereas india is at the bottom. India doesn't have "best trains". They don't meet the basic hygiene standard. Most importantly, they're not reliable. They're rarely on time. My train was late for 6 hours at midnight. Terrible experience.
Many Indians believe that India is more advanced than China.
As someone who used to live in Shenzhen and Hong Kong - this was quite a nostalgic watch! There's so much to see and do in this part of Southern China. Great video Ben.
A U.S. American here and I will be going to China soon!! Beautiful people and beautiful country..
Welcome mate!
我是在纽约的中国人 中国不会让你失望的 中国欢迎你😂
Welcome but we don't allow you to destroy our culture
@@slowsolo77that’s fair
I'm Tom Cotton: What are you doing in China? Are you associated or affiliated with CCP?
After India Mate, I would say the WORST is a pretty subjective thing That looks like Paradice compared to those India trains! Great video sir, you and Kat are Troopers! Best investment I could recommend, Noise Canceling headphones!
Hi mate?
Where are you from?
this is objectively the worst train you ccould find in China, so hes not wrong😅
@@loongsiu4766 I guess it must be if even the locals said don't take it, I was just saying worst is subjective. After those trains in India, that "worst" train looked like luxury.
Egyptian invented the first sitting toilet, the Brits stole it and displayed it in the British Loot Museum.
hahaha, that's a nice one. Only very few people take this kind of train from the begining to the end, becuase most of them will get off in the middle somewhere.
Here is to the bravery of puting yourselves through this!
BTW Ben, the big hairy crab that auntie offered to you as a gesture costs at least 5 pounds sterling each :D An those aunties and uncles were not arguing. They were just verbally fighting each other for the honor of paying for the stuff they bought for the group :) That's a way to express their passions and friendship.
Typical Chinese uncles and aunties lmao
Thank You, Danny.
Loved your Response. 👍 The sheer kindness & cheer of those adorable Aunties & Uncles have stolen my heart.
Low Bow to All the amazing Chinese People across the age spectrum that we get to see via the expat vloggers posting from CHINA.
NAMASKAR 🙏 from India 🇮🇳
😂😂😂叔叔阿姨浓浓的口音 应该是我的同乡
Being brazilian, when I visited Macau it felt I was getting into an alternate reality Brazil where everyone was Chinese, so strange.
知道为什么吗？因为中国政府承诺的一国两制，50年不变是认真执行的，而且现在的澳门比以前更好，中国同样也认真的在香港执行同样的一国两制制度，可英国政府离开香港前改变了之前香港的制度给中国政府留下了一个陷阱，而美国人和其盟友英国等国家却利用这些陷阱在香港发动颜色革命，美国英国把香港变成了一个巨大的间谍城市，他们利用在香港发展的NGO组织训练暴徒，甚至还找来了乌克兰的亚述营人员训练指挥暴徒发动颜色革命，这些都有视频和照片作证，香港的暴徒不尊重一国两制的制度，一国两制，先有一国后有两制，他们烧毁国旗，冲进香港立法院侮辱中国国徽，砸公共设施，砸死老人，用火烧老人，要求香港独立，还在香港商城里宣布建国，用花在街道上纪念根本没有死的逝者，纪念自己从还在施工的高楼上准备用自制气枪射击警察的暴徒，因为这个暴徒自己从这座未完工的高楼上攀岩外壁自己摔死，有监控录像拍到，他们却说是警察打死了在街道上摆满花纪念，直到中国政府在香港推行国安法才让香港恢复安定！这些暴徒不要一国，想摧毁中国一国两制的政策，还造谣中国政府破坏一国两制
Don't you know that Macau is a China city? That's why it's full of Chinese people.
Excellent series, my wife and I have really taken a liking to you and your awesome sidekick, first series we have actually watched after seeing you in a bald video. Can’t wait to see where you go next.
Rode the Green train (no High Speed option then) for 36 hours from Shanghai to Guilin in the 90's. Went with 6 people from my wife's family. They thought I, the Westerner, would want a 'Soft Sleeper' which is the one you were in. The 'Hard Sleeper' had 8 beds per stall and no door to the isle. Being 6' 3" I didn't fit in the Soft Sleeper so I changed with another family member for a Hard Sleeper. Like someone else commented, the Hard Sleeper was much more entertaining. I talked with a bunch of young people trying to learn English and even had a marriage proposal (squashed by my family escort unfortunately). After that experience I also rode a Hard Sleeper from Shagha to Garamud over 3 days (stopped for a day in Xining) on my way to Lhasa with a Japanese friend. Again, it was a blast. Now you can go just about everywhere on High Speed trains (my wife and I did over 2,500 miles last fall). No conversations. No interactions. Sure, they were fast and efficient but you lose something.
Interesting, I grow up in China and never heard of 8-beds configuration for the train. I think the 6-bed configuration is the hard sleeper, 4-bed configuration is soft sleeper, and there are also some VIP configuration where they have two bed (top/bottom) and other side is just a sofa.
@@ycjason1 I think you are right. 6 bed hard sleeper and 4 bed soft sleeper.
The China series has been top notch.
Another sleeper train. What a mad man 😂
Back is destroyed
@@BackpackerBen Next time you can try the maglev train in Shanghai and the suspension train in Wuhan, so you have tried almost all the trains in China. Enjoy...😊😊😊
@TheBibleIsWorldPeace chill bruh finish ya Jack Daniel’s
That was such a nice vlog Ben good to see you two so happy together.
Hearing the familiar Shanghainese dialect feels very comforting. My parents recently took a sleeper train to travel inland in China. It’s purely a matter of personal preference-some people prefer flying, while others enjoy the traditional train experience. In terms of cost, it’s definitely cheaper than flying, but the real appeal is being able to spend quality time together with friends. These uncles and aunts probably aren't lacking in money, haha.
So proud of Catarina! She really knows Portuguese history and culture. Contrasts with Ben that never heard about Lord Byron(Shangai epidode) one of the greatest English poets
Yep, that was pretty lame on his part. I mean, who's Byron? He's just one of the greatest poets in British history.
@@mementomori9790is he Byron Bay in Australia?
Yeah, that was pretty nuts. I yelled at my laptop.
Poor old Ben ! Bless him ! 😊
He should know the name Byron. Even streets etc named after him in many towns. Either way Bryon's myth about his horse saddle is interesting story (Greek/Turk).
Delivering food to highrise buildings with drone is actually crazy. Cant believe how advanced china have gotten
I notice the comments about squat toilets. These facilities are actually the preferred choice in many parts of Asia and other regions worldwide. Squat toilets offer certain hygiene advantages since they eliminate direct contact with the toilet surface. They're also considered more ergonomic for the human body's natural positioning. While they may seem unfamiliar to some travelers, they represent cultural differences in bathroom practices rather than any measure of development or sophistication. Perhaps we could focus on understanding and respecting these cultural variations instead of making fun of them.
Your right , and you WILL get a better bowel movement with a STOOP type toilet , its a scientific fact , when you sit to s###, you are twisting the bowel , ,,, Dr Tim
我很难接受公共场合的马桶..
FULLY AGREE 👍💯
"more ergonomic for the human body's natural positioning"....provided you have strong leg muscles and joints.
Even Japan still got lots of these toilets.
Thank you for your wonderful videos, Ben and Katerina! She's absolutely lovely and so cheerful, no matter what. A keeper!
Kat is so lucky. She needs zero makeup, zero fancy hair style and no special clothes but always looks attractive.
Great family genes.
You are so right ... she's adorable even trying to sleep underneath a fluorescent light!
You and Kat make a great team. Awesome videos
most places you travel i have no desire to go there, but you really made me want to go to china.
欢迎您 🎉 ❤❤❤
welcome🎉
4:20 The older generation in China is always battling to pay the bill. it’s like a tradition, LOL.
yes 😂
确实，传说中的人情世故，核心技术😂😂
@@demianl736 the polite fight, always happens after dinner
It's not just the older generation, the younger people do it too
It is a Chinese cultural custom. Everyone in the room knows who is obligated to pay, but it is polite to grab the bill and then another will grab it from you and in the end the right person will end up with it after much "arguing."
I like your videos💪🤟
Greetings fron Finland🇫🇮
🇫🇮 👊🏼
I really enjoyed the coverage of your trip to China - it's definitely now on my wish list. As an Irish bloke - I totally agree that Guinness doesn't travel well :) Looking forward to your next destination. Keep up the good work.
I like the sense of humour a lot. Thank you, sir and ma'am.
You two make a very nice coupple. Love your traveling stories!
China worst trains feels like 5 stars hotel compare to India's best trains
For your kind information, China is spitting infrastructure development on your countries infrastructure as well.
Rather than comparing it with india, compare it with your country first.
@@hiwfpoordia
Exactly, This is kind of 5 star compare to Indian first class
@@Jackflights because i am Indian, i only know my country situation, that's the reason
....because he just recently travelled in Indian ...with Bald remember...personally I love Indian trains....even sleeper class...but not when people without a ticket try to share yr seat.
You first went to Macau, a former Portuguese colony; and then you visited Hong Kong, a former British colony. How ironically cool!
China was the largest victim country in World War II. However, the sovereignty of Hong Kong and Macau has been recovered. Britain and Portugal were the colonizers.
@@yonight6871 I'm not justifying colonialism btw, I was just pointing out this since Ben is English and Cat is Portuguese :)
@@sarahhaaniaxoxo lol got it
@@yonight6871 In the context of WWII specifically I think USSR had biggest losses. At the time WWII was not the only issue facing China, it was a large compound of past issues mended together you could say China faced the largest overall losses.
Tsingtao aas a former german colony
Ben , Kat … first I would like to say you 2 really fill my ❤️ I love how you get along and are always in a good mood no matter what. I think your gonna share enough memories to stock your future. Thank you for the coverage of all the trips , transit, food and memories!! 💯
At 9:22 you can see two compartments with foldable steps pulled out that can be used to get into the top bunks. Surprised Ben and Kat's neighbors didn't explain or help! Restaurants on these slow trains are usually great, although slightly pricey. (Restaurant car was probably on the other end of the train, connected to the Soft Sleepers).
Was actually screaming, use the foldable steps!!😁😁
@@ea7366Snap but finally in one of the last scenes of them getting up the steps were out 😁
We did a sleeper train from Shanghai to Beijing years ago. This was very nostalgic
Loved the video. Thank you
Fantastic content Ben and Kat we love Hong Kong x
such a pleasure to watch you guys. I wish you the best of luck. Hopefully you stay together for the rest of your lives. If that´s what you want. Cheers!
Somehow China's 'worst' sleeper train is still very clean compared to India 🤭🫢🤭🫢 Shocking!!
India cant even afford to feed their own people because people at the top are so corrupt. I know this because my family is one of them, my dad works in the government and we have a such amazing life that 99% WONT GET EVEN CLOSE. I want tp thanl all teh servants that helped us to be wealthy. Hahahah
Why are many of you guys are obssessed with India? 🤣🤣
India giving ptsd to the world again 😂
Love this channel. Good find.👍🏴
i took my wife to take 76 hours sleeper train for hour honeymoon,I wanted to show her around of China,she loved it.
Are you a Muslim? You can go to Xinjiang in China, which is very beautiful. You can also go to Xi 'an.
@ I'm Chinese muslim and my wife is Arabic
@@HanChinesemuslim As such you can not be Han
@@HanChinesemuslim Xinjiang has the most natural beauty
Thanks
I am sure that there is definitely a dining car on that Chinese Worst sleeper train (the announcement here at 6:52 has already told you that the dining car is in the No. 10 car in the middle of the train
) and there is definitely a SIT toilet (usually it should be in the soft sleeper car
), but it is difficult to communicate because of the language barrier and you can't understand the announcement
WOW you got the top bunk with extra storage compartment and an AC.
What a luxury.
Meanwhile in UK , people have started to worry about the heating cost of this winter and food as well 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
3:48 this is why I've always wanted the bottom bunk. You look down and you're like oh crap quite a drop! What if you need to take a tinkle in the night? Good luck climbing down in the dark. Big fan of the channel!
One video covers four cities (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Macau and Hong Kong) ! Again, your trip is far too rush.....though I am pleased things were not going too bad for you while you were there.
Mad rush but like I said. 2 week visa. China is massive, all I could do for now. Doing it properly next year 🫡
@@BackpackerBenlooking forward to that 😊😊
Chinese tourist visa is usually for one month, right? why you only get two weeks?@@BackpackerBen
@@BackpackerBen OK but im pretty sure HK and Macau aint counting. fact is once you are in either of them you are good to enter mainland china for another 14 days. Many people conveniently extend their journey in China this way
Vietnam done me. Was fuming
loved the intro. these videos have been so fun to watch.
For the last 12 months or so certain suburbs have been trialling drone food delivery
Melbourne, Australia
They operate from the roof of one of our biggest shopping centres
You should get an earplug sponsor. I’ll buy some.👍
I like what you said Ben we “ We do it so you don’t have to.” I felt sorry for you guys. Thank you guys for enduring this miserable train. 👏👏👏Watching from Minnesota.
🇺🇸 👊🏼
@@bobbaker8263 From a country with an awful railway . 😂
this series has been some of your best content! loved it
33:02 WHOA! It's the Asian version of Bald and Bankrupt just walked behind them! ☺
Man each video of China just makes me want to hurry up & plan my trip there ASAP.
Maybe it's just me, but China seems to do cities like no other.
Not only that, but have you all noticed how cool and carefree the place is?
And the Price?
How can you go wrong with everything being on an app?
You never can get scammed that way or taken for a ride on the price.
And best of all?
CHINA seems to be extremely price competitive with just about any other place on the map.
Me personaly, I want to check out the Manufacturing hubs where they make things like Speakers & Audio products.
Go to Shenzhen... Btw I'm living in New York and I use Applepay for a lot of things so Alipay is just similar to Applypay in US
3am noodle slurping in the dark got me laugh so badly. Lol😂😂😂 good work guys! Hope you enjoy the trip!❤
Ben, there IS a dining car on the green trains, usually towards the end carriage of the train. You just have to ask which end of the train.
at 6:57 The background speaker can be heard loud and clear as：“dining car is in the middle of the train at No.10 carriage, welcome to enjoy you meal there”. But obviously they don't understand Chinese,so they claimed there was no dining car there.
@@ronin_myaus Next time, use your phone to ask where the dining car is
Yea Ben and Kat are pretty isolated on these trips... Didn't try to use the translator or really engage with the locals.
@@buxi9428 maybe they did, but sometimes it is hard to get communication going with old people as they don’t get the concept of talking to a translator 😅
You see Kat using translator on the train but again you might have signal coming and going on those journeys! ☹️
中间，卧铺车厢和座位车厢中间
Ben I like your style. You've obviously learned from the best !
You only see a small corner of China… and that’s not a full China. China is very diverse-each region feels like its own world. Southern China has a unique vibe, but northern, western, and central China are completely different in people, food, culture, and mentality. You’ve got beautiful places like Yangshuo with its karst mountains, Hangzhou with serene lakes, and coastal spots like Qingdao( like a mini Germany 🇩🇪) Then there’s Harbin in the far north( strong Russia culture mixed with Korea culture)famous for its ice festivals, and Xinjiang, Tibet, and Inner Mongolia, each with their own landscapes, traditions, and ethnic groups. Small towns and countryside areas have such charm, and there’s something distinct to discover in each corner of the country.
Nonsense.
@ noted
does your comments to do anyghing with this video? did they said: they has only got 2 weeks visa from Chinese goverment? so how can they use just 2 weeks of time to explore whole China?
If you want them to discover everything in China they need more than 2 weeks visa. Ben and Kat should visit this country with better preparation next time. It would be great content.
The downside is people gonna call them sucking CCP D 😂
Superb vlog Ben and Katarina 👍Thank you .
Loved this China series
I've just come home from a day in surgery, floating on thin air wrapped up in bed.
This video was a really refreshing escape for me.
Thoroughly enjoy you and katerinas videos.
As much as I love bald and I was his 120th subscriber, he's hilarious, but there's something down to earth about you and Kat, might be because I'm a Devon lad myself lol x
Westerner living in America I don’t get to travel a lot. These are my vacations watching your videos!
Thats one of the shitest china travel videos probably. Watch “Little Chinese Everywhere”
Morning after video is a must, Just a few minutes. Loved the series, Ending it with Portugal and England was GREAT. Also you saying we do this so you dont have to... Makes me want to do it
Ben you walked past my daily jogging route in SZ (before you got up the didi ride) lol. Hopefully you had good memories in China pal, good luck on your next trip!✌
Thanks for sharing ❤ I can’t wait for your return to China 🇨🇳
3am noodle slurpin relatable af! 🤣
This was such an enjoyable video, i loved every minute of it, you two are so perfect for each other, and i so love your British humour.
Cant wait for the next one, until next time.
Straight banger of a vid!
Before I studies aboard in US, I used to take this sleep train a lot from Beijing to my hometown for 13 hours. I can just sleep for one night and when I wake up, it gets my city. Although it’s kinda slower and narrow(your position on the top is the most uncomfortable but quietest, tho middle one is the best to me), but it’s very economical friendly(costing only $dollars as a college student, cannot expect this in US). Your video really reminded me of my memorial experience, and now even I can afford the high speed train, I still prefer this sleep train because I don’t want to sit on the day. It’s really rare to see foreigners to try this slow train, but glad you made it! It’s worth exploring it, can get more sense of what ordinary Chinese’s life look like.
Business class on High Speed trains there are the top , the have angle flat beds seats , and small / semi private cabin
Greatings, from Canada... awesomely enjoy your presentations, ... lol cheeky Mr Bald, all off you 3, really got it... fav group. Thx man. Keep going...
My Ali Express package was in Shenzhen at the same time as Ben and Kat. I feel such a connection
Lol
It is true
Well done very entertaining. Two thumbs up from Vancouver Canada.
Your a lucky guy. Kat is such a sweet girl,don't let her get away.
I love You and Kat together on these trips. There's a great dynamic. She seems very sweet.
Your channel should be called train traveller ben, all your content just revolves around trains
and whinging of course....
I admire your travel series 😊❤
His name should be complain box ben
@@protrontoko9125 dont watch then lol
@@ramborambokitchenkitchen6357 i like to see him struggle lol and i dont watch him all the way anyway
I was in Shenzen in 1982, there was only a few houses a fire station and department store, unbelievable how its transformed.
aww man 4am and you uploaded, looks like im sleeping 5 😢
SAME HERE HAHAHAHA
5 here!😂
Its over for us yall 😭
Respect the commitment 🫡
I have really enjoyed watching your videos from China Ben and Kat, looking forward to your next ones from another country xx
not bad， the old carriage has 3 tiers of sleeping bed
Thank You Ben & Kat 🙂💙👍China is Amazing 🙂💗👍Safe Travels🙂💙👍
People's Republic have gone through a great path to success, simply inspiring.
#13:00 Guy on Lowe bunk ! 😄 You have to be fit to get into that bed! Great film
If you go to neighboring countries, or stay in Hong Kong or Macau for one night, you can get a 144-hour visa exemption.
Like how straightforward and honest this channel is
🫡
It's probably the best way to meet the real working class in China. It's warming to see that even the worst, it's still fairly decent.
China's green trains (very slow) make people nostalgic, especially for some retired people. They have plenty of time and are not shortage of money. The price of that crab may be the same as the train ticket.
@@jenniferzhang864 Indeed，但是在火车上吃螃蟹。。。这也是年轻人不想坐绿皮车的原因之一。。。
The best experience for green-skin sleepers is to beer-chat with random people, I personally found heaps of very interesting stories from them all the time, and get to share snacks we brought on board, even get wasted together with the shots of spirit. But too bad that you don’t know the language.
Aw man these are the best trains. I much prefer these locomotive hauled trains to the high speed. Soft sleeper is better, but hard sleeper does me
I prefer the high speed train. It’ll take 1/5th the time
. I learned so much about China. Hong Kong looks pretty cool. Great video
Go to China and you'll find everything looks pretty cool,that's all they care about... how things look. It's a facade.
I visited Macau 4 weeks ago. Thought it was quite a fascinating place
Love your videos. Awesome! Keep up the good work.
It is your huge loss skipping Guangzhou, which is much much more fun than Shenzhen.
When I was growing up in a Cantonese speaking family, it always seemed that normal conversation would sound like an argument to anyone who didn't understand Cantonese. You can always hear a Cantonese restaurant from a mile away.
12:47 "There was some dude slurping noodles on the bed below me"
That guy had an immediate "oh shit!" guilty look 😂
Shenzen is an interesting city. Main tech hub of China. No wonder the city looks so futuristic.
Rural China is also great to visit, in fact much better as well since you can see the raw China with ancient and natural sites. For Panda sight seeing it was much better to check them out in Chongqing actually where you've been to. Panda's home is Chengdu but most of them are in hidden in reserve/incubation area. You can check out Lijiang and many ancient towns there. Harbin is best for winter because it has the largest ice festival. Hainan Island for summer, they have many nice beaches there. Tibet for hiking and spiritual journey. Xinjiang for desert sight seeing.
Trust me, it does have a restaurant carriage. You most likely went the wrong direction.