Saturday 2nd May, 2015                 2100

Despite turning in at an appropriate time on Thursday night I woke up  at a ridiculous hour and as usual couldn’t get back to sleep. The result was that I started our trip absolutely cream crackered and knowing I faced a six and a half hour train journey during which I had no hope of dozing off.

We set off for breakfast so we wouldn’t be hungry on the train (even the Chinese don’t buy the food on offer aboard) and then got to the station. I got Joan to ride the bike and park it in the bus station car park and then met one of my old students, who by chance was taking the same train but getting off in Wuhu. She informed me that we could have in fact left the e-bike parked at the train station. Considering the number of times I have had a gruelling route march from the bus station to the train station, this was galling to learn, although useful for future trips.

My pelvis now seems to have healed with only the previous lack of activity from my thigh muscles to trouble me. The worry now is my foot. After ten weeks it is still swollen (remember they originally said the cast only needed to be on for four weeks), as is my calf. I can only hope that by getting around on crutches as early as I did I didn’t cause anything adverse because I have no intention of submitting to yet more wrought iron being inserted inside my person.

By the time I made the train I had had enough. The train of course, after Tongling, became full and people with standing tickets (and doubtless quite a few with no ticket at all) crowded the walkways and worse, the smoking vestibules. There is something about getting nasty looks when I smoke somewhere it is permitted that brings out the devil in me - after all, nearly all of them appeared to be able to afford to have purchased a seat, they all had fancy phones on which to watch videos and play games. I can’t do that!

The hotel is the same one I stayed at last summer and it hasn’t improved despite still being listed as number one here on Trip Advisor. Two nights in a business executive room totals 756y yet they demanded 1500y to include a deposit almost equivalent to the cost of the stay! I don’t have a credit card so I use cash, naturally this served to further irk me. I “blew up” very calmly and with Joan translating (International hotel where nobody speaks English!) it was made plain I had stayed there ten nights less than a year ago and paid all my bills. After some consultation the deposit was reduced beyond my wildest expectations to just 44y!

Sadly Air never got to meet us last night because though she finished teaching at seven, a load of parents who wanted to discuss their children with her turned up. Joan and I went to Pizza Hut where the service was appalling. After five minutes of waiting for a menu I went and got one myself. Despite the lack of service the food was good and I got to try the escargots, which were surprisingly nice. Pity the same could not be said about the garlic bread.

Earlier we had asked the hotel what time breakfast was served and whether there would be anything remotely western. Until eleven and yes there would be western food were the answers. We went down at ten this morning and on finding the buffet empty, were told breakfast finished at 0930 because a wedding was taking place - the same one that had disturbed the entire hotel since seven with their enormous fireworks at fifteen minute intervals also inconvenienced all the guests who wanted to eat. I can’t wait to review this place again.

With no breakfast on offer and even though I can quite easily go all day without eating, Joan was going to want something so a taxi to McDonald’s was in order. We could make it for their breakfast as long as we got there before 1030. Unless of course they changed menus early. They did. That and the rain convinced me I am jinxed any time I plan something!

When we returned it was to find the room made up but hardly any toiletries replenished. Having spotted the cleaning trolley in the alleyway I left the room and pilfered armloads of soap, shampoo, razors etc and brought them back. Remembering that Joan and Anna like using the slippers when they come to mine for a shower, I made a second visit to get some of those. This time the maid opened the door behind the trolley and almost caught me. I retained presence of mind and politely asked if we could have some more slippers. Ok, I only got one pair but at least I wasn’t caught!

Tonight we met Air at Pizza Hut - yes, only fair to give them a chance to redeem themselves and anyway the food is fine - where they proceeded to rub salt in by completely omitting my lasagne from the order. Sometimes I could cry.

Air’s fiance Leslie had been at a family wedding but returned in time to meet us back at the hotel for a few games of pool. Most enjoyable, from last time I was ten games up and if I reach a margin of fifteen I told him I get to marry Air. I am now twelve up and he had to leave before I could increase my lead. You never know, it may spur him to make an honest woman of her before I ever come back here again!

Monday 4th May                                1430

An inspection of the breakfast buffet on Sunday morning revealed that there was absolutely nothing western to be had - not even a fried egg. I can’t see myself staying there again if I ever return.

If anything the return train journey was even more packed, so much so that I confined my smoking to the periods when we stopped at stations en route. At least that way I could get off and stand on the platform rather than be barged out of the way by people pushing past. I spent all night with the sensation I was still on the train.

This morning I went to town for breakfast and was going to do some shopping but ended up just eating and coming back. Instead, I went to the bank just outside of campus and annoyed the tellers by taking all my containers of coins. I do separate them into denominations to make it easier but at one point I had the entire staff bar the manager piling up coins and counting. Fair play, it only took them twenty minutes and the bank wasn’t busy. I was disappointed to have only amassed 773y because it looked so much more.

However, that money is my birthday treat to myself on Saturday. I have booked an hotel in Tongling for the night and will be going to the restaurant where Qing’s mother works to sample again the deliciously sweet and virtually boneless fish they do. And the train only takes an hour.