Saturday 2^nd June, 2018 2150

Getting a little but back to normal now. Even made a roast beef dinner tonight with Yorkshire pudding, everything was delicious except for the beef, even after four hours of slow roasting it was still akin to eating a nurse's Croc sandals after a night shift. I said months ago the only thing I would do with beef bought here was put it in a stew and leave it simmering the entire night and I should have stuck with that.

Hotter than Africa today, forecast to be colder than the UK tomorrow, that's the nature of north China.

With next year's contract tucked away ( well, in China a contract for a foreigner can last but a millisecond although by now I do have backing) I have fired off an email to Brenda. In reality she probably has less influence in the important things to me than I do but all my adult life I have had the chain of command instilled in me, a chain I will bypass happily if necessary but not if it will cause her trouble.

I may be jinxing matters but I am hoping before the week is out to be finally booking flights and such. Given what was said regarding business/economy flights, boarding passes AFTER the flights etc I have to say someone has to to stand up and be counted. Especially the after bit if you ain't coming back.

I have asked her to relay my thoughts. Especially on the trust thing with the farce of boarding cards.

My contract states reimbursement of reasonable economy fares to/from here to the airport nearest my hometown (presumably where I ”live/lived”). I have previously stated the argument regarding my choice to pay extra to fly business internally. Currently a return Guangzhou-LHR flight economy with Malaysian is showing as 4400\ and 9300\ with China Southern. They are obliged to pay either of my choosing. The former takes twice as long but I am willing if the finance dept are equally flexible in accommodating me. If not, then bollocks, I will book CS, the departure and arrival times are much better too. Leaving LHR late at night instead of mid-morning removes most of the threats of motorway incidents making you miss the flight and arriving in the afternoon means you don't have to kick your heels in the hotel bar waiting for check in time.

I am hardly being militant (not suggested in China) but stupidity such as not to look out of the window to see if it is raining when the forecast says sunshine gets my back up. If the numbercrunchers want to play hardball then I will take the short route and they will pay more. Watch this space! But from here to Guangzhou it is business regardless.

I was also looking at BA LHR-GLA again. I noted from my scribblings a while ago that business returns were 450 pounds for two. Today they are 680. For a free plastic lunch, booking baggage and a couple of large G&Ts????? The 450 I was budgeted to pay, we will downgrade to economy plus to allow bags (can't leave them at Heathrow) and even at twenty-five quid for a soft drink, gins for me and a bacon buttie for her it makes arrant sense!

In my naivete I even once again looked at the train (even though my timetable doesn't allow it) and first class – not sleeper – wasn't short of a grand! How on earth are train companies still In business????

I know it will be a shock to take buses that cost more than 15p again and taxis that charge a fiver before you move but bloody hell.........