Saturday 29^th August 2020 1500

I am a tad concerned at the news Adriana just imparted. She had intended to go travelling to Dunhuang but now cannot because she has a fever. My first question was had she been tested for Covid and she replied no, she had seen a doctor and he was of the opinion it wasn't the dreaded lurgy. I bloody hope he's right or Jody and I might have to isolate!

So here we are still in August and this afternoon I turned my office heater on! It's cold, wet and miserable, supposedly for the weekend but warmer in the week. We've certainly had more rain here this year than the previous three combined and the Huanghe (Yellow River) is once again the highest I have ever seen it – and looking particularly babyshit-coloured into the bargain.

Yesterday we went to BHG for supplies, good job I bought potatoes, which means I only need to go to the jing jo shop today. I was going to get a new watch battery but it will have to wait. Monday morning I have to meet Brenda at the PSB to surrender my passport and apply for another year.

I was looking on Chizhou university's website this morning and noted they are restarting a week from Monday, the same as us – some unis start this Monday. And hell are they taking the virus seriously. Existing students are instructed to return over the course of next week and they are only allowed to return on the day allocated for their major. The foreign language department are designated for Thursday but history and art drew the short straw with Monday. And if the students come in their parents' cars they must part company at the south gate – only students and teachers are allowed in. Normally the parents can drop them off at their dormitories, most of them have a lot of luggage, especially for the colder part of the year. Nothing wrong with being careful but the south gate? You can't get further from the dorms that that! I think it was almost 2km from my flat and on arriving it is all uphill. The west gate would halve the distance but that's far too sensible a solution I suppose. They really should create an east gate too, that would be even better.

Monday 31^st 1500

It transpired that Adriana had simply caught a cold (the Chinese immediately go to hospital at the slightest sniffle) and so embarked on her trip to Dunhuang after all.

This morning it was arranged that I would meet Brenda at the PSB at 1030 but first she had to go and apply to renew my work permit. I was early and she was late (not her fault as she was delayed getting the work permit), resulting in my sitting in the bus shelter outside the place for nearly an hour, smoking three cigars for my sins.

The hold-up with the work permit was because, as so often happens, some jobsworth decided to interpret the “rules” (there are none I believe, merely guidance notes) and decided at 64 I couldn't have one. The fact that I was already outside the guidelines when I first came to Lanzhou and have been granted three permits since so far was apparently lost on the official. She asked Brenda “Do you really want to employ this foreigner?” and I am unaware of her answer other than it having been affirmative. I think my sarcasm were I in her shoes would have come to the fore – no I'm here for the fun of it. With the expiry date looming she pointed out it was imperative it was submitted today and the jobsworth casually said oh, it's ok, the foreigner can leave and come back. What???? I'm made of money? And where the hell could I go that would even let me in, let alone not make me quarantine for a fortnight and then again on my return here? Officials eh?

Anyway, the PSB for once was an absolute treat. Normally you have to take a number and wait for ages. We were the only ones because laowei are a bit thin on the ground lately. Fifteen minutes and we were done. My passport now consists of a sheet of A5 for the next three weeks but I should have the real thing back in time for the combined mid autumn festival and golden week. We are being swindled out of the former as the lunar calendar dictates this year it falls on China's 71^st birthday. I very much doubt they'll extend the break for us!

Jody has agreed to come and spend two nights with me in Xining during the holiday (she hasn't left Lanzhou in a year) and you may recall I eschewed a refund last term when the government scuppered my plans by commandeering the entire hotel so it's all prepaid.

And Roland now has my new glasses so I should have them on Thursday with luck.