Tuesday 29th November, 2016                           2020

Monday morning was a wrench. With the alarm set for 0500 I never hit the hay until midnight because I wasn’t tired. Three mornings of not having to get up had come home to roost. I think it was nearer two o’clock before I actually fell asleep and about ten minutes before the alarm when my bladder forced me out of bed. When the alarm did sound, I really wanted to hit “snooze” but realised if I did that there was a danger I would simply continue doing so. So I hauled my carcase upright and staggered to the bathroom.

Luckily I had spent all weekend scouring for topics on the internet so never needed to do any “work” before leaving.

Having eaten lunch AND dinner on Sunday (a rarety for me) on Monday I polished off the last of the macaroni. I had made two trays and I wasn’t about to waste any. Today was one of my easier days with just two periods this afternoon, nothing else to do bar stick some clothes in the washing machine when I got home and stick a frozen curry shepherds pie in the oven for dinner.

However, when I got home at 1730, as always before opening my front door (well I only have one door!), I waited for the digital electricity meter to flash up how many units I had left. It took an inordinately long time to do so and whilst waiting, my elderly neighbours emerged on their way out, all togged up against the cold. They saw me and guessed what I was doing and indicated what presumably is in Lanzhoese “mayo”.

Great. No power. As it was only twilight I hadn’t noticed the campus was in darkness. No water either. As I sat in the darkening gloom Harriett sent me a text with a message from Brenda. Tomorrow is the annual fire extinguisher inspection (I have two) and could I take them to the security guards at the gate by 1130 tomorrow.

I replied that if the power and water returned soon I might do that, otherwise mine would be late as I would be in an hotel. Why? What happened? I told her. Sometime later she sent a message that students had told her it would be fixed in 5 or 6 six hours. That meant midnight. I had not eaten all day, I wasn’t about to fry a shepherds pie on the hob any more than I was going to sit in utter darkness and freezing cold all night. I have yet to find candles and never bought a rechargeable desk lamp because I thought what with being in a capital city I wouldn’t be subjected to the regular “maintenance” and bad weather power cuts Chizhou gets. I have a torch but that’s for emergencies.

So tomorrow I will be the bad boy by returning my extinguishers late (I’m going to have breakfast and then go shopping for my dinner party Thursday first) and I really don’t care. I waited until 1900 and then left and took a taxi to the Hampton hotel, part of the Hilton Group. I couldn’t check the prices or get a deal online (naturally with no power) and certainly I could have gone to a cheaper hotel but ever since I saw how easy it was to get to from home I have harboured thoughts of just going there for breakfast, an English breakfast. That in itself is 48y but for a very occasional treat?

Anyway, I checked in. I have a large room with two big single beds which cost the jaw-dropping amount of 468y including breakfast and oh boy, will I be having BREAKFAST!

And of course, because this is me I am talking about, as I was taking my room card and bags to the lift, I received a text from Harriett saying the power had just come back! Well it was too late, I mean how do you go back to reception and tell them you made a mistake? I suppose you could but would YOU do it?

Sod it. I now had breakfast in my head, no work tomorrow and yes, a huge amount to squander but it was done. So here I am with a big TV and cable channels and I have kicked everything off. I was going to order room service for dinner (28y for a Hampton sandwich but it doesn’t say what’s in it, Hawaiian chicken etc) but I decided to fast. Why? So just maybe I can be a perfect pig at breakfast! I brought a bottle of wine and jing jo with me so I don’t need to use the bar with its inflated prices.

Nice hotel (and another Trip Advisor review coming up) but bugger me, no bar soap and only a little tube of gel and no disposable razor. For the price I at least expect a razor even though with a day off I don’t need to shave. I just hope they can input my Hhonors membership number in the morning - I forgot I had my membership card in my wallet!

I am comforting myself by reminding myself that what I have spent tonight I have saved more than next month by finding my cheap cigars. And I get a lovely, lovely soft mattress to sleep on - Hilton has the best mattresses in China. I wonder if my friend Steve in Doubletree Shenyang would ship me one when they have a refurb???