Tuesday 12^th January, 2021 1600

Have you ever watched a much-anticipated holiday slipping away in slow motion?

I think that's exactly what I am doing.

After reading about the migrant workers yesterday, this morning I had a call from Brenda. Yesterday there was a meeting at the school about the foreign students and foreign teachers, or rather teacher. Because I live a long way away they decided not to ask me to attend (good!) and Brenda was updating me on developments.

Gansu provincial education and foreign affairs officials have been to the school. Teachers have been advised not to travel outside the province during the holiday, ditto foreign students. Now of course I have already submitted my travel plans for Yunnan. They (the school) have been instructed to treat foreigners as Chinese. That would be great if I had the medical card and other benefits but what they meant was during the holiday I am supposed to report in every day before 1000hours to confirm I am not sick or dead. Well that's never going to happen. I do follow their rules but sometimes I stay in bed on vacation until after ten!

Luckily Brenda knows that and she suggested that I only email her if I am sick and I said don't expect one if I have died. No email from me, she will email the authorities to say I am hale and hearty even if I feel dreadful after a night on the booze. So far so good.

Do you still intend going to Yunnan? Well, I still want to but if there is quarantine involved then no and I am waiting for further developments before I decide. Will you lose a lot of money if you cancel? Actually no, I have only paid for my flight to Kunming, not the return as the prices are still too high, so that would cost me 59¥ - hardly a fortune. The hotels can all be cancelled without penalty. Ok we respect you so if you go it is fine. For that read Chinese diplomacy for “we only have you so we want to keep you”!

My crystal ball says I am once again a prisoner in China, albeit in a big cell but to be honest, Gansu; being the poorest province in the country; is not really an exciting area to go travelling in. Hardly any western chain hotels and very few western restaurants – you only have to look at the capital city (here) to realise that.

It's feeling even less like a holiday now.