I wanted to ride the rails all over again

When I heard I was being sent on a two-week interview tour along the route of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, it felt like I had hit the jackpot.

According to guide books and friends who had experienced the journey, when I rode the train from Xining, capital of the northwestern province of Qinghai, to Lhasa, capital of the Tibet autonomous region, I would be entranced by the amazing scenery during the climb to our destination.

I flew to Xining for my first stop. To be honest, I felt let down by the low-population, fourth-tier city and its quiet, shabby downtown.