Tuesday 19th January, 2016                                  1400

After posting the last entry things took a downward turn. Anna started being sick after she took a shower when we were in the room. I put it down to overindulgence of the snacks or red wine, for she took the bathroom bin to the side of the bed and turned in. I was tired myself and so did likewise soon after.

As much as I didn’t want to get up for breakfast I felt compelled, knowing instructions had supposedly been left for the chef for my breakfast. I rose and showered, made us both a cup of Twinings and then Anna went in the bathroom, emerging only when her tea was stone cold. Then she informed me it felt as if something was lodged in her throat, nothing she had complained of last night. If true, I have no idea what it is because the fried fish snacks were akin to fish fingers and were boneless.

She said she didn’t feel like breakfast. By now I did, so I left her in the room and went down. Only chicken sausages on display and no French toast after all that the night before. I did however ask regarding pork bangers, they had them and the cook fried some for me along with my eggs. I am henceforth never going to order eggs sunny side up in China. Aside from the lady in the Hefei Hilton who amazingly cooks fried eggs with chopsticks, the cooks here seem to think I like my eggs with the top half consisting of snot. I wonder if they can do them “over-easy”? And tomorrow I will ask for French toast.

Whilst waiting for my breakfast to be cooked I put a slice of bread into the toaster, a conveyor belt affair that in theory spits out golden slices at the bottom eventually. When I collected my plate and added tomato and mushrooms, I went to get my toast. Nothing there. Assuming someone had pinched it, I put another slice in and turned up the heat. I stayed there to ensure it never fell into enemy hands and was rewarded with the perfect slice.

Back at the table I was eating away watching a Chinese woman making some for herself whilst smoke spiralled upwards from the machine. I alerted a waitress to the “fire” which I think was caused by my first piece of bread falling off the belt at the back and was now being incinerated. Sated, I grabbed a couple of yoghurts to take to Anna in the room because it is highly unusual for her not to eat. In my absence she had decided she needed to go to hospital, so with Alice on her way I said they could go together while I grabbed an hour’s sleep. They left, I laid down and minutes later they returned. Anna had forgotten her ID. She also became rather melodramatic and informed me that she wanted to go to Hefei today instead of tomorrow because she didn’t want to die far away from her hometown and she wanted to die in front of her family. My comment that she could just as easily die in Chizhou and if she felt that way she could never ever leave Hefei again to guarantee this had no effect.

They left for the hospital and have only just arrived after two hours so God knows where it is. She’ll be back, if only to collect her luggage. Hopefully by then she will have changed her mind.  #

2330

Well this is bizarre.

I met with Alice and Anna in town eventually where we had dinner in Pizza Hut. Certainly the food is crap but it is at least western and in fact due to the fact they never had the bases for a mega pizza we were given two smaller ones for the same price, meaning Alice got a whole one to take home for her family and Anna got part of one to take on the train home.

Yes, Anna has taken a powder. She wasted over five hours today of her and Alice’s time going to the hospital only to be diagnosed with stuff all besides being nervous. Her throat blockage was probably caused by her sticking her fingers or the toothbrush down it last night but she has vowed to get a second opinion in Hefei tomorrow. Perhaps they will commit her to a mental institution if they have any sense. She was sufficiently well though to come and partake of the free drinks and snacks in the executive lounge before buggering off and leaving me alone.

Alice stayed for a bit though and I swear had it not been for her overbearing parents she would have stayed the night (there is a free breakfast going begging tomorrow morning) but she did stay for a bit of the Philippino cabaret. Not the same couple from last year as it turned out but equally as good and I had a great evening of 60s, 70s and 80s music.

So as I type I am alone in my executive room. I don’t have any disturbances or anyone else to worry about having a shower in the morning. My only concern is getting myself cleaned up and having breakfast before leaving to catch my train.

Certainly having female company is desirable at times but really this marriage thing where you are stuck with someone or even having a girlfriend is beyond me. The truth is I would love to have Joan or Joanna with me because they would argue with me but still stay and not leave over a non-existent terminal illness, Anna will never be invited anywhere again as much as I hold her dear in my heart.

I know as long as I live I will never understand women but the Chinese flavour are particularly unfathomable.