On the tracks again

With Xiamen done it was time to move on to Shanghai and with the whole Nation, soon on National holiday, there was no better time than now. With ticket in hand, bags on my back, taxi hailed and destination reached, I was aboard the train. (After much ogleing from the locals)
As usual I purchased a ticket for a top, hard, sleeper. This always means a steady climb to my bunk but ampleage of air conditioning and privacy. A very nice young man helped me to hoist my overstuffed backpack, in to the overhead rack. Tackle my front pack and find somewhere to stash my third bag full of booty. I tell you my luggage is multiplying by the minute! Then I settled in to my bunk and read away the beginning of a 27 hour train trip.
After dinner, of pot noodles, I made friends with the people sharing the bunks below. There was a lovely elderly couple, as cute as can be. The helpful young fella who helped me and a few shy others. The young guy, Sam, was able to string together a few sentences, enough to translate for all of us. I instantly fell in love with the couple and we chatted a good part of the night away.
When I woke in the morning, my poor eyes were swollen and I looked like I'd be socked in both eyes. I think it was a result of lying, what felt like, head down in an arctic gale. My companions were a bit concerned and I had to assure them that I was a-OK before they ran off looking for the train doctor. Then they made me eat up more pot noodle for breaky, before starting a new onslaught of questions. It was so much fun though. Different from the usual questions and these guys we so cute, I was considering adopting them for my own.
The trip I was dreading passed quickly, due to great company and was over sooner than I hoped. Sam had departed the train, followed closely by the lovely two. Soon it was me and I would be arriving in Shanghai. To something that looked like chaos....