Lessons learned in China #7

A guide book, despite being large and cumbersome, can be very useful in certain settings. Say for example that you are on a 12 hour train ride.  It's 2AM and you still have about six hours left and your friend has been rushing for the bathroom every half hour for the past 5 hours.  If you have a guide book, you find an available hostel at the next stop.  But calling ahead and letting them know that you are coming is only possible because of lesson #8....