Thursday 27th June, 2013         1345

The rains are dragging on. I made a foray into town yesterday and the first port of call was Ke Bi Wang following the news that they had started the sweet pork again. Mind you, I was very nearly disappointed because I bagged the last portion. Next was the bike shop to buy some bungee straps (needed to hold the top box down to stop it rattling) and then the bank of China to put money on Joanna’s card. She wasn’t best pleased as I put it on the wrong card but I shall know better next time! At least now I shall have enough baked and kidney beans to last until school reopens in September after the shutdown - it’s inconvenient when parcels are sent downtown as they go to different places dotted around the city.

Next was Lottemart, where I found another shirt that fits - well as long as it doesn’t shrink in the wash! I had intentions of going to east street to buy my laptop bag but when I came out it was raining again so it seemed eminently more sensible to come home and leave that for another, dryer, day.

It has only now stopped raining today. I had made arrangements to meet Joanna in town at lunchtime, she was having lunch with classmates and going on to KTV for an afternoon of karaoke but said she would help me at the bank with the currency exchange. That was the plan until Kevin visited me and informed me he was there with Daisy yesterday and they were there for two hours. Clearly that would have ruined Joanna’s party so I cancelled it and unless I can find another student who is free in the next few days I won’t be able to do it until the exams have finished. Nothing is ever easy here.

Friday 28th                 2200

Today was a nothing day, not least because I stayed up until 0400 this morning drinking Jing Jo and consequently never got up until eleven!

The rain stayed away all day and disappointingly it will probably do likewise tomorrow, which will mean the scheduled all day blackout will proceed. I will be spending some time in the city in that case but annoyingly it means I have to set an early alarm to be sure of getting a shower before the water fails. I really wish they could have arranged it for when I am away but at least they warned us.

I went to the shops earlier with Muttley and was joined by Shadow. She is a rather beautiful lass of 26 (sadly getting married next term) and whenever she sees me on campus she sits and chats with me, tonight for over two hours. She is a teacher at the nurses college opposite and they don’t have shops and restaurants as we do so often comes to buy bits and bobs - mainly boring healthy stuff that the Chinese like such as drinking yoghurt, fruit etc.

During the proceedings we were joined by YoYo (I think her real name is pronounced YouYow or similar but YoYo is easier to remember). She is a 19 year old hairdresser who can’t keep away from me and who is actually very cute. She is a bad influence on me because I have promised that this weekend I will go in for my final haircut to last me until next term and she can do it. If my usual barber Barry Manilow in the other shop sees me (which he will because they are 50 yards apart) I won’t be able to look him in the eye!