Monday 18^th June, 2018 1300

The outcome I suspected has manifested. Despite it being a holiday here for Dragon Boat festival, Alice received the result of her UK visa application. I don't need to spell it out.

I am fuming because the rejection stated the usual (not convinced she will return to her home country etc) and also that she had told them in interview that she was funding a fortnight in the UK herself. Given that her parents had deposited monies in her account only a few weeks ago that looked suspicious in itself but she failed (as she has with every mortal thing I have told her to do) to tell them once in the UK I would be paying for accommodation, travel and living expenses. Sure, she told them she would be with me but not that her expenses would be covered by me, so although it may not have made a difference it may well have because I am sure the embassy would have phoned me to verify. Too bloody late now.

So I shall not be making it back to England again this year. I don't even know if I am going anywhere now!

The agency still hasn't applied for the Schengen visas for the students yet so I have no idea whether we will at least go to Europe. If there is a sea change in my normally appalling travel luck then maybe we can visit Paris and Rome. If not, God only knows. Either way, waiting for the Schengen result will surely mean flights will increase in price. I am really beginning to wish I had booked up for a solo holiday to the Maldives or Seychelles in a luxury wooden hut sitting atop the Indian ocean, where I could simply eat, drink and sleep for ten days.

With my summer plans now aping confetti thrown at a wedding, I can but concentrate on the World Cup. I know I said I wasn't that interested and I'm not but what I forgot was that it always pushes anything worth viewing off the box, leaving little else to do indoors, the alternative being going out and spending money.

I suppose there's always next year.