Monday was my final night in Shanghai. Savannah in the end never made it but Roland and Tutu complete with boyfriend did. And as they always do in the end, Joanna broke my heart by arriving with her boyfriend, one I never even knew existed. I know I’m an old fool and I’m not so foolish as to have thought I had one iota of a chance but it still hurt, just as much as when Joan did the same. Even old people have their dreams.
Anyway, we went to La Pistolera for Mexican food. I sensed I had upset Joanna by not sourcing the ingredients and cooking in the rented apartment, for as Joan loved my Bolognese, so Joanna did my chilli. Before that of course there was the obligatory happy hour in The Big Bamboo which was the rendezvous point and we had our pool games. There were a couple of American lads playing pool and looking idiotic to me, one of them had a mini camera attached to his cue! Later he suckered it to the table to film the game. Who films a pub pool game?
I did later ask (my curiosity is never denied) what in God’s name they were doing and was told it was for a school project. Apparently they volunteer to do these things each year so at least that explained it!
The Mexican food was great, especially as Joanna had a huge chilli burrito and we all had a couple of shots of tequila and chasers just before closing time. Then I asked for the bill. I nearly died. 2,300y!!!! Nearly two weeks wages!!!
Now I had told Roland we would split the cost of going to both places down the middle so I reckon it was 3,000 in total. I had enough but Roland took out his gold card and settled the lot.
Nobody wants to feel like the poor cousin and I am no exception. There are some real arseholes in life but sometimes there are people who are exceptionally kind - Roland didn’t know at the time how kind it would turn out to be, neither did I. He refused my offer to pay (I must reciprocate next time but I am buggered if we will go THERE!) and between him and Joanna fronting up for my accommodation they saved me probably 3,000y (I wouldn’t have booked such an expensive hotel but I am not complaining.) So to Roland who will read this and Joanna who won’t, a very big thank you - even bigger now.
On Tuesday I checked out just after noon. It was plenty early enough, too early in fact, but I was determined to use the VIP lounge seeing as I gave the awful breakfast a body swerve. Bloody hell. My flight was taking off from gate 221 and the sodding lounge was gate 70! I could apparently have demanded an e-car to take me as I had been given vouchers but nobody told me that so I had one hell of a walk to go and grab a bite for lunch.
I was going to be most upset if this lounge was the same as the one I paid extra for last year with Joan, where she was fine getting some nosh but I had to go and buy beer elsewhere. Well it was different in that there was beer and wine and snacks but when I first looked the only warm food was corn on the cob and disgusting sweet potatoes. Sod it, I had some plonk, a spam sandwich and some crackers. Maybe they saw my disgusted expression because at some point dumplings were added to the bain-maries. Strangest I have tasted but I had some and even managed to get on the wifi before we departed.
I had complained on arrival about the time it took to hike there and that I would need to leave about an hour before boarding, which was when I was informed all I had to do as a first class passenger was to tell them when the flight was called and they would get a car to come. I will know for next time.
As glad as I was to be driven from lounge to gate along with others, I admit to feeling a bit silly whizzing past pedestrians dragging their bags but my legs said “thanks very much”.
The flight was great, left 15 mins late but arrived 10 mins early, doubtless down to the fact airlines falsify timetables to make themselves appear more punctual. A rather nice white wine was availed of and the in-flight meal was edible, I had a main course of prawns and rice which was very tasty and due to indulging in the lounge I couldn’t quite finish. I wasn’t going to need dinner in Lanzhou! I did at points gaze incredulously out of the window at the landscape below, wondering if I was on the wrong flight and we were over Afghanistan. Nothing but a vista of barren mountains, not a lake in sight and no roads I could discern. No wonder there are no fast trains serving here. I have learnt that in the spring this place gets three or four sandstorms!
I was met on arrival by the company car and after insisting on a five minute chance for a puff, we left. After all, I HAD offered to take a bus. They have got shedloads of road works and it was almost two hours before we got to my hotel. Mr Wei (not quite sure of his role, he is a teacher with a little English who seems to do a bit for foreign affairs) came in to make sure there were no problems and once he saw me to my room he left and I don’t blame him.
Being by now parched, I immediately went in search of bin pijou. There is a small road right outside the hotel (which itself is on the main road in the district) which looked vibrant with many food stalls so I opted for a stroll up there. It wasn’t long before I chanced upon a very clean and nicely furnished restaurant so decided I would drop anchor there until my thirst was slaked. I couldn’t stay too late as I had been asked to meet the foreign affairs officer Mr Zhang at 1000 this morning. Eleven would have suited me better as I was all in.
Anyway, no English whatever in that restaurant but I got across I only wanted beer. I was given a fat bottle of Huang He, new for me but actually really nice. After a while I noticed other patrons being given Snow and another beer in skinny bottles and the sceptic in me started to think the foreigner had been given the expensive beer. It didn’t matter, they wouldn’t catch me again and anyway, I was really thirsty.
Everyone was really friendly and had it not been that I had to get up early today I would have stayed longer. I went to pay and my money was refused. For some reason in my fatigue I thought perhaps they only took cards so I took out my UnionPay and that was refused. “Anyone here speak English?” Someone piped up, “a little”. The beer was free. What? Why? “She likes you!”
I left promising to return.
Back at the hotel I discovered just how basic it is. For what I need it is adequate but my request for an ashtray was met with a paper coffee cup! No free bottled water, tea, coffee, nothing. I had to take my medicines this morning with a coffee beaker of Merlot! I don’t mind doing it with lager but wine for breakfast is a first for me.
I got a taxi to the new school. Well I got one as far as the blocked road. The driver never twigged my exhortation to take a longer route where there were no blockages because I knew there had to be a way in. I ended up walking up an alleyway wondering if I would in fact find the school.
I did and even managed to find the right building and the right office. Thereafter everything went breast-shaped again in my life. With the usual Chinese lack of communication and language difficulties it transpired the agent should have advised me to stay in Chizhou and not because my apartment was unavailable. Rather, I do after all have to go to Hong Kong to get a work visa! Christ. I am now twice as far from HK than I was and staying in an hotel costing twice as much for fewer amenities.
To say I was unhappy at hearing this would not be an understatement.
Then I got hit with the fact there are three campuses, I will live on one yet teach on another. It got better.
I am welcome to take up a foreign student apartment (apparently equal to teacher accommodation) on the main campus and commute daily to teach on the free school staff bus which leaves at 0650 (what???) and also after lunch. Mr Zhang did say that he had requested my workload be kept to a maximum of 12 hours a week (cheers) but if I stay there my neighbours will be students. That means noisy music, parties etc. no thanks, I will stay with teachers, still noisy but at least I can shout and moan and not put all the students’ backs up. But it is 15km to commute. I ain’t happy. Having seen the roads and traffic here any idea I had of using an e-bike or moped evaporated, ten times as dangerous as Chizhou. I might get one for local shopping and such but no distances.
There was a moment when I thought I would be hopping on a plane to Cambodia when Mr Zhang told me I was teaching at the Early Learning Campus. You can perhaps imagine the vision that flew through my mind of me being expected to wipe the arses of five year olds and sing Baa Baa Black Sheep. With relief I clarified I would be teaching graduates preparing for their MAs who want to teach such horrid little creatures.
Anyway I don’t think I will be able to afford an e-bike for a while after the expense of a self inflicted hotel bill (that’s my choice) and a return flight and stay in Hong Kong. One day, maybe, I will get the throw of the dice.
I returned to the hotel and then to the restaurant for a few wets. I have every intention of eating there tonight, the food looks good with what appears to be Peking duck on offer and also what is listed as sweet and sour pork but which I think may turn out to be sweet but not sour pork. No matter.
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