Saturday 5^th June, 2021 1500

I hate stress. Well, very few people like it although some admittedly thrive on it. One of the wonderful things that have come out of my coming to China has been the reduction in stress in my life. Hair-pulling annoyances aplenty to be sure but stress has been blissfully at a minimum.

So I am not particularly happy at present.

Firstly the health code on the phone packed up but fortunately, and mysteriously, has now reinstated itself.

Secondly replacing my passport has presented its own difficulties, perhaps I should have foreseen them but I didn't. With luck my replacement will be in Shanghai in about ten days or so, in which case it could be fine because it may be that the new one will return from Beijing in time for my Holiday Head to be on. I am really not confident about jetting off all over China using a bit of paper. Oh, and the cost of transferring the residence permit from passport to passport? 400¥ - the same as it costs to get a new one! I could cut the old one out and glue it in myself for nothing!

Thirdly, I am unable to book any flights/trains because I have no passport details. I could probably book hotels but that is scant comfort. And what the hell do I do if it never arrives in time at all?

Fourthly, I still can't log in to my banking. Don't worry, they say, you can always call us and do whatever you need over the phone. Well thank God for Skype but if they don't fix this before I start spending I am going to lose track of my balance very quickly. In theory there is no problem. A rough estimation of flights and hotels says I will spend approximately half of what I have saved this year in my UK account. Plus my Chinese account will have a respectable balance.

But I am one of those people who really doesn't like to travel without having some serious back-up cash behind them, always have been. I will never forget my horror that first year when I went to Shanghai, hotel and flights prepaid and effectively £1,000 to last (I think) five days. You would think that would be ample but it wasn't and over the succeeding years the “Bank Of Pudong” has bailed me me out each summer. Last summer was a Red Letter occasion because I was self-sufficient!

This year however, I am looking at being away for a full month and staying in seven hotels, all of them high-end. Ah well, whatever will be will be as they say.

Once again I find myself completely unmotivated to do anything on a Saturday, following a gruelling Friday at work. And the kids wanted me to go to a cookery day tomorrow???

This may sound odd but I saw a post on Facebook this morning from an old shipmate. It made me happy. He posted that he had fallen twice in two days and the second time sustained bruising – and he never touches alcohol. It isn't just me! He's going to the quack so i hope he posts the result. Mine are usually the result of stubbing a toe or similar, although I confess there was one I can solely attribute to being legless!

And if I do actually get to holiday, I'm rather hoping that herd of elephants that has invaded Kunming are still there at the end of July, I'd love to see them.