Friday 9^th October, 2020 2000

Breakfast ended up being a glass of orange juice. I had as you now set my mind to getting some baguette with pork bangers but lo and behold, just those misbegotten chicken ones were on offer. With not enough time to complain and wait for them to cook, I abandoned my mission. There has clearly been a change of leadership there and one for the worse. I think that's the last time they will see me.

And then I had yet another “first”. I checked out and got a taxi. Halfway to the station I had the awful realisation that perhaps I wouldn't be leaving a new TripAdvisor review after all. They would have charged my bank account for my cold burger but I didn't recall hearing an incoming text from the bank to notify me. Now I'm not someone who is glued to their phone every waking minute and the phone would cost little to replace. Oh I had the green code phone but not my Grandad one – and that was what struck terror. All my phone numbers are stored on it. I have never stored them on the laptop, basically because I have no idea how to do it. And I had left the phone in the room.

Luckily I had a hotel card and so I made the only call from the smartphone to date, alerting them that when I was home I would send them my address in Chinese to mail it to me. Well Jody sorted that out in the evening.

The slow train (yes I did get a bottom bunk although I had to turf a girl out of it to claim it) I discovered, despite my ticket being all the way downtown, also stopped at Lanzhou West! Additionally – and remember it was a slow train – it only took twelve minutes longer and I could easily get a cab home. I was in fact home by the time the train was due to arrive downtown.

I woke up on Thursday wondering if I was long for this world though. Nope, no virus indications but I was even more shakier on my feet than ever and symptoms somewhere approaching my little problem which required pipe cleaners being shoved down my duodenum a while back. Bunged up, weak and despite the heater I was frozen. I only moved from my office to take a leak all day.

Last night I never slept a wink until the sweepers had been outside in the courtyard, so it had to be after 0500 and I had the sweats. The weakness I put down to lack of food. Today I was still unsteady on my pins (nearly delayed BHG until Sunday) but persevered. As I am in school all day tomorrow I needed a lunch so made sandwiches for my evening mean and my lunch. Salmon and mayonnaise spread which turned out to be disgusting so thank God I had some of my sausage rolls in the freezer. I guess I had better make another batch on Sunday.

When I went to see Mr Jing Jo my phone hadn't arrived. Eeek -no idea how to set the alarm on the smartphone for the morning! All is now well, once he knew I was anxious to get it he brought it here for me and relieved me of the 24¥ P&P costs.

I will confess I am not relishing an entire day of teaching.