Tuesday 6th August, 2013         1800

Sunday was indeed a day for doing zilch. I never even bothered going to town. The problem is, even after more than a week back here I am still struggling to adjust times.

Monday and today were a trial at the small school, not because the kids were badly behaved because they weren’t . Monday was purely lack of sleep and today was a combination of that plus a dodgy stomach from being too enthusiastic with the chilli in a cottage pie.

Our “ship” hotel/restaurant is coming on in leaps and bounds now so maybe on Saturday I will take a ride out with my camera. It now sports a hideous combination of colours on both “funnels” as well as blue and orange striping on each deck (trust me, blue and orange in this setting don’t go) as well as minuscule dummy lifeboats. The best of it is, the decorating has been confined merely to the port (landward) side so looking from across the lake at her she looks the same bar some flags at the bow and the stars and stripes fluttering from the jack.

Qing has decided not to return here and stay with me for a couple of days, instead she wants me to go to Tongling because her family really want to see me again. Hopefully this is to show appreciation for my managing (somehow) to get a pass for her in IELTS and then after further work, a high enough one to negate additional English lessons in Australia - rather than for her dad to arrest me. This will take place either at the end of this month or sometime in September, probably once she has packed in her job at KFC. It will involve an overnight stay of course so whilst I can leave the cats, Pepsi will have to return to “prison” for a night. Considering she came back last time a lot skinnier than she went in, for now one night is ample. The deal is of course that I am wined and dined and that fabulous fish I had last time will feature on the menu. I wonder if I might just pluck up the courage to take my first train ride in China - although in the current temperatures it may be wiser to take the airconditioned bus.

My holiday seems to be getting busier and busier. Next Wednesday I have a morning of pronunciation testing as the really small school I like and yesterday a Chinese English teacher here; who in three years I have never laid eyes on; contacted me and took me for lunch. Her niece wants to study in the UK and failed IELTS - can I help? Yet more work and I sincerely hope my 100% record in that area will remain untarnished.

I am now in the position of wishing my life away and looking forward to the freezing cold spring festival when I can be utterly alone and unemployed for a whole month! But then just maybe another IELTS hopeful will surface………