Thursday 1st September, 2016                          1245

So today is the day I officially start a contract I have yet to sign!

I did go out to find the restaurant I was using when I was in the hotel. I walked to the BRT (Bus Rapid Transport for those like me who never knew what the acronym stood for) and I have to say it is indeed rapid. It’s 1y per journey, the only drawback is that the stops are in the middle of the road, so to get to or from the bus you have to walk over a flyover or through an underpass. But they are really frequent, just a few minutes between each one and they do shift! I couldn’t help but notice other cars and taxis often sneaked into the dedicated lane but the bus drivers are swift to blast their horn and clear them if they think they will be delayed or impeded.

I sat on the right side of the bus, searching for familiar landmarks - remember I had only been to the hotel once and then once to get here. I saw a tobacco company (now there’s a thought, I wonder if they have a shop?) I had spotted before so I knew I was going the right way. In case I got lost I counted the number of stops so I knew how many to go back. When I counted to 8 stops everyone bar me got off. The driver gave me a funny look and then I knew I was in trouble. The bus pulled into a depot and parked up, leaving me with a hike to get back to the stop to return.

As I hadn’t seen the hotel and I knew I had passed familiar places, I had to have been looking the wrong side of the road so again sat on the right, counting stops. At stop 5 Bingo! I am only three stops away.

I went to the supermarket and got everything else on my shopping list besides bedding and pillow. They may well have to wait until payday, I don’t want to leave myself skint a few days before. Then I went to the restaurant.

As I walked in I was greeted with amazement by the owner and the half a dozen fuyuans I had come to know when I stayed around the corner. There was excited chatter, big smiles and it was clear that despite my trying to tell them I would return they never thought they would see me again. Well, they will.

Dinner wasn’t so good but if you don’t try, you never know. I ordered braised bacon which came with small man-tos, little white steamed buns into which you put the bacon. The bacon comes complete with fat and rind (the Chinese eat it but I don’t) so I used the chopsticks to separate the meat and only used that. Unfortunately for me the dish smelt strongly of coriander and that spoilt it.

There is one dish I want to try but have no idea whether it is shredded meat, livers or intestines. Very popular with the locals and you roll it inside pancakes. Meat or liver is fine but intestines? Yuk!!

I went to bed early in case the chap returned to fix my lights, so I was up at 0830 (twice a week in future I will have to rise at 0500) and just as well, for he arrived just after nine. It took three hours and three people to change the strips on two lights plus countless phone calls trying to get the right sizes sent round.

I did however pick their brains re the washing machine. It won’t start unless there’s enough water in it (and it needs to be REALLY full) so I learnt that. Did the wash, then a rinse and that involved stop and start operations when refilling or pumping out into a bucket. In total I lugged 17 buckets of water betwixt bathroom and machine. Perhaps now you see why I am demanding it be properly plumbed in. But I still couldn’t get it to spin. This was demonstrated by one of the men and explains why there is a bowl on the nearby table because the bucket is too tall to drain all of the water. Unless it is empty, no spin. What a palaver.

An hour ago Harriett called to say she would take me to open a bank account and foreign affairs needed a photo. I was to bring my passport (can’t open an account without it). I don’t have my passport. Are you sure? Well let me check.

Now of course I am wondering if I have lost it because I certainly had it when I came back from Hong Kong. I wracked my brains and then remembered that it was Harriett who had taken it from me so they could apply for another document! Also there is a plastic envelope in the back with photos I already had because I knew I would need some.

That caused consternation and doubtless a few phone calls and so now, as they won’t get my passport back from wherever until next week, I can’t open a bank account. Instead she is meeting me to go and take yet more photos - which despite having been prepared with plenty, I will have to pay for. Grrr.

Round the corner from my flat (ground floor thank God and no mould) there is a small hotel. At the back on the “main” road running past the entrance road to here and where I have been buying my jing jo and fruit from the stalls set up to catch the student cash, I discovered what looks like a nice restaurant which may belong to the hotel. I shall certainly investigate at some point and pray they have either English or pictures on the menu. A man can only take so many noodles.