Warriors no worries!

After hearing some disappointing testimonies about the Terrecotta warriors from fellow backpackers I head off in the morning with no great expectations. I catch the 306 bus opposite the train station, finding it tough to ignore the homeless children running up to me, shaking their plastic cups and attaching themselves to the straps of my bags. But after that heartbreaking scene, I'm on the bus heading to the Warriors just slightly out of town. Once there, pay the low season fee and once again fight through hordes of tour guides, all competing to give me the tour. Once past the main gates however I find a nice guy who offers me the tour at a discounted rate and we head off to explore the pits. The tour is enlightening and the dude paints a fine picture of ancient china during the Qin dynasty. The actual warriors were great to see in real life - no matter what anybody says.Arrive back in Xian and hit the sack early. Next day is spent exploring the city walls where I meet a lively Israeli geologist girl and we spend the rest of the foggy day exploring back alleys of markets in the poorest parts of town. We buy pens and shoehorns off elderly homeless for a handful of Kwei and they are more than grateful. We befriend some school children and practice our 'hello how are you's, I'm fine thank you's' They take us into their school and we play some games before an angry teacher kicks us out! Fine...no free English lesson! I grab some fruit and bread for the nights train journey to Kaifeng at the markets and after having dinner together in the Muslim quarter I part ways with Karen and head back to the train station.On the overnight train, I squeeze into the top bunk of hard sleepers and sleep like a log until the train attendant shakes me awake at 4:00am, as the train pulls into my stop.Today is spent looking around the ancient capital of the Chinese Jewish community. Tomorrow it's off to Zhengzhou before zipping up to Beijing!