There are restaurants there and even KFC. So, do not worry aout the meal.

Mr. James, thank you very much. The more I read the different forums, the more I think I can do the tours myself!

Xian is not big and if you prepare more, it is not a big problem for you to explore this city. Welcome to my city and my pleasure to help if you have any question about Xian. :-)

Dear Mr. James,
Sorry to bother you again but it seems you are an expert in Xian since it is your hometown. We are coming from Beijing and I really want to visit Shaolin temple (before I pass from this earth!I am ethnic chinese- never been to China; onlhy to hongkong. I also do not speak chinese) So is it better- in terms of train time/ availability, etc- to come from beijing to luoyang and then Xian, or beijing-xian- then luoyang. Thank you very much

My pleasure to help. Both Beijing-Xian-Luoyang and Beijing-luoyang-Xian are fine. Luoyang are closer to Beijing. Some Beijing-Xian trains passes Luoyang. Luoyang Longmen has high speed trains to Xian. So, you can also think about Longmen Caves. Shaolin Temple is closer to Zhengzhou than Luoyang, but it is easy to get there from Luoyang too. So, if your only visit SHaolin Temple, you can take bullet train from Beijing to Zhengzhou first. Opposite the railway station is Zhengzhou's Central Bus Station. Get there are buy tourist bus ticket to Shaolin Temple. Back to Zhengzhou and take high speed G Trains (only two hours or so) to Xian then. Beijing-Xian-Zhengzhou is good too, if you are going back to Beijing again after you finish all sighseeing. If other places, choose Xian or Zhengzhou/Luoyang as last stop which is closer to it.