Tuesday 27th August, 2013               2115

The only thing to report today is that I was treated to a Japanese dinner this evening and sadly had to decline an invitation from Angela (the IELTS candidate) who wanted to treat me before she goes back to school in Beijing tomorrow. Actually I was terribly sorry there was a conflict but having agreed with Lynda I could hardly let her down.

Last night Lynda called me to ask if I wanted to meet but I was in the middle of dinner in the sweet pork place with Kevin so told her I would text her later. As she paid last time it was my turn to treat her and I gave her the choice of Japanese or western (I was thinking of trying the new place). I heard nothing for an hour or so and then got a message she had booked and paid for the Japanese place online! Online booking attracts a discount but then so does my VIP card and anyway I was going to spring for the bill. I was horrified when she said she had ordered 316y worth of food (after the discount!) as I knew there was no way we could eat all that. After I told her she got the message and said she would bring her cousin Tien Tien along to help.

Just before six I arrived and sent a message saying I was there. Shortly afterwards she rang - they were there too but upstairs. My request for them to sit with me downstairs was refused so I had to go upstairs where the food arrived. And arrived. And arrived. In fairness we didn’t leave that much and at the end I insisted they come downstairs for the fire ice cream - after I gave her the gifts of a fluffy cygnet and Marlow coaster, both manufactured in the UK. As we went down the stairs I caught the chef;s eye, held up two fingers and put a finger to my lips. It was as always to be a surprise and paid for by me. I think those two took the record for how far and how quickly their chairs went back on ignition.

A really nice evening and now she is fully aware that I will be taking her (hopefully on her own) to the new western restaurant. I may well do that Thursday or Friday.

Wednesday 28th           1945

Having been reasonably good all holiday in not going to bed too late, I am becoming naughty when it’s nearly time for work again. Four o’clock bedtimes and eleven rousings will have to be curtailed methinks - even though I only have one day a week where I work before lunchtime. I blame the tonic water.

I had another expedition to town, first getting another carton of cigars and then going to the repair shop. The saddle lock needed oiling - last night I only just managed to extricate the key - and an oilcan (or indeed oil for that matter) is not something I possess. I also got them to put air in the rear tyre as cornering felt slightly off. Then I did the double supermarket run, double because I wanted a baguette for dinner today - it’s all I need after the surfeit of gourmet grub last night.

I came home, dumped the shopping and took Pepsi out while the aircon started to cool the place. I have started turning it off when I leave as I think the problem with my unit is an ice build up. It seems to be the case because today was 36C and my room very pleasant after the iceberg had melted.

On the way home the bike definitely wasn’t handling well. Yes, the tyre was deflating. All I wanted was to get it to my charger for the night and then get a Chinese to call the bike shop for someone to come and repair it in the morning. I got halfway. Well I wasn’t going to hang around in the heat for a couple of hours for the chap from the shop to reach me, so I accosted two boys and got one of them to call the local old man and ask him to come. He turned out to be on campus already, at the shops where he has stored all the rusty old bikes he bought for a song from students leaving at the end of term and then sells to freshmen when they arrive. To my disgust he suggested I push the bike uphill with a flat rear tyre. Out of the question, so, annoyed, I set off walking to kidnap him and force him to come and fix it. Of course I had no lead for Pepsi, and while she happily accompanied me to a certain point, she refused to follow me on a road she didn’t recognise from her rides on the bike. In the end I thought to hell with it and left her to her own devices.

I did get the old boy to effect the repair and the puncture was caused by a needle of some sort. At least I can go to town tomorrow if I want. And while I was waiting for the repair Cinny came by. We will take her and her boyfriend for western fodder on Sunday evening. Oh, and Pepsi was waiting for me at the charging station when I finally made it.