Monday 20^th July, 2020 1900

Brenda sent me a load of injunctions earlier because I am going away. I have done so every summer but this was the first time she's done it. Turn the electricity off. Really? And lose a fridge/freezer full of food? Turn the water off. Where's the stopcock? If there's a bloody flood they can call me, there will be a spare key hidden. Don't forget to lock your windows. That's a laugh, most don't lock and those that do, a child could bend the flimsy bits of tin they laughably call locks. I reminded her that I am on the ground floor and every window is caged by iron bars – in fact if there is an emergency and my door is jammed I am trapped!

Did I have the green health code and was I sure it would work? Well that one was a good point because right now I still don't know if it will work since Alice sorted it out. I'd hate to get to the airport and be refused boarding so in a couple of days or so I will do the cheapest thing possible to check it out. I will go to the local train station and buy a ticket to the town centre. It costs 5¥ for a 12min ride and if the code works fine. Then I can go to the Burger King inside and have a meal. Maybe afterwards I will leave without taking the train or maybe I will take it and get the bus back from town. At least I will still have time to remedy any problems with the phone thing.

Speaking of Alice, she got to Everest and it seems was quite in awe of it. She didn't climb it of course, I think her group went as far as base camp. She had a great time in Tibet.

She's now back home in Wuhu, relieved her family residence is not underwater although she sent me a short video of her local park which is now a boating lake and informed me all the lanes were flooded and sealed off. I'm wondering how the Doubletree there is doing, it's mere yards from the Yangtze.

Just now I went to the local supermarket as I needed a couple of bits for a Spam salad. As soon as I got in, the tallest of their security guards (the one who until a day or so ago was taking temperatures and enforcing mask wearing) accosted me and took me up to the cashiers. Not a soul spoke any English but they gave me a till receipt. I had no clue what they were on about but they wanted to see my phone. I showed them and they were disappointed because presumably in hindsight they wanted to see a smartphone.

I was getting the impression the woman had undercharged someone and they thought it was me – they never tell you when they overcharge, do they? So I was thinking ok, if you made a mistake can I go and get my shopping and sort it out when I pay? They kept pointing at the receipt so I took a closer look.

It was dated and timed at 12:34 today! I said hang on, this is the first time I've been in today! I received an apology and was allowed to go and shop. I couldn't help thinking though, just how many foreigners are in this locale? And fat ones at that!? My best guess is someone used their phone to pay and it bounced, if that's at all possible.

Whilst we are sweating it out awaiting news of the cruise, Joanna had a rethink regarding Plan B. Now remember, she suggested Xiamen or Hainan. She now thinks Xiamen will be too hot – and Hainan will not only be hotter still but full of Chinese tourists. So now it may be that I take her on a trip down Memory Lane to Chizhou. Couple of decent hotels there, we can go and see how the school has changed and maybe look up some old friends for dinner. I haven't dared to tell her Nanning is a furnace at this time of year!

Please God for once my plans come to fruition and we take that ship.