(This picture may be broken) Mysterious Chinglish in Zhoaxing, central southern China.

Trying to buy a train ticket, Guiyang, China. Is there a queue? Every station ticket office that we have seen has an enormous number of people trying to secure tickets.

This tremendously helpful official helped us beat the chaos in Guiyang by marching past all the hoards and grabbing us tickets. She didn't want bribing or anything.

Our 'hard seat' carriage en route from Guiyang to Chengdu, a 21 hour challenge. The carriage seats 130 folk, and this shot was taken early on. It is also possible, indeed positively popular, to buy the cheapest standing tickets, which get you on the train but no more. These floaters then mouch about the train hanging out whereever they can find some seat or floor space. By the time the train had been through a few stations there was little more room to be had, and overnight conditions predictably deteriorated. China shouts loudly about development, but this was third world train travel without question. It is a little suprising that the Chinese Authorities actually allow foreigners to travel on these trains as they are otherwise usually keen to prevent one from observing or experiencing the lower classes of society. An interesting experience.

The Panda breeding centre near Chengdu, China.