Wednesday 9th November, 2016                     1200

I am probably doing what millions around the world are, watching live results of the end of the world as we know it. Without knowing how many votes each state has off the cuff, one could have been forgiven for thinking Trump was storming up Pennsylvania Avenue at one point, with a 50 vote lead. However, strange things happen in US elections.

I meant to pop out for some groceries and cigars earlier but time flew. Remembering the hordes of pupils swarming the BRT the last time I was foolhardy enough to try travelling during the lunch break, I shall delay until 1400. We weren’t paid yesterday (although when I arrived here I was told it was the 10th of each month it has been the 8th) and neither had my “swift” money from the UK turned up. Well they said 3-4 working days and today is the 4th. No text from Bank of China as yet but then UK banks won’t open until early evening time here. Knowing me, the money will be lost in cyberspace for months anyway.

I looked at our weather forecast for next Monday and it is looking good as far as clouds go. With the biggest supermoon in 78 years appearing that night I would quite like to see it. There are three more this year but not as big.

Thursday 10th                                               1900

Oh dear, Lanzhou thus far has been anything but Lucky for me. Still no pay and currently less than 10y to my name in China. I can but hope tomorrow sees my fortunes replenished because if they make everyone wait over the weekend then I am in a fix. I spent time on Skype this afternoon contacting my UK bank. I couldn’t contact Bank of China because every single number listed for them on the internet is not in service.

My transfer should have arrived by now so I had checked the small print on the form I was given when we opened my account. Chinese banks will refuse to accept a payment unless every minutiae is absolutely spot on even though it is obvious that Bloggs, Joe is the intended recipient. I spotted that unlike my Chizhou bank, where, were you to put Joe Bloggs the payment would be returned, Bank of China had me down as Joe Bloggs and I had automatically given my UK bank the way it is in the passport (the way the Chinese read them) and they had sent the money to Bloggs, Joe when it needed to be Joe Bloggs.

Accordingly, yesterday the payment was sent back to the UK. Had my new debit card arrived I would have said fine, put it back in my account and I will use the cash point. Only costs £2 instead of Christ knows how much it is now - probably half of what I transferred. China said the account number was wrong as their reason but as it tallied with the paperwork they gave me it HAS to be the name - and remember my name was a huge problem when trying to open the account. Will the money be in my Chinese account tomorrow? Of course not, another 2 or 3 days. I’ve been skint before but with access to funds in the UK or a colleague such as Kevin wanting to buy my Amazon credits (I do online surveys) off me. Here I have to plead poverty and look like the village idiot.

The Chinese can’t grasp why westerners spend all their salary. They don’t understand that what would be cheap in our country is an arm and a leg here, or that we like to set up home with the right gear. It’s not as if I have a social life, so far that has been a couple of meals for students here at home.

The price of everything here is also way higher than Chizhou yet my pay is the same, so where I could save there, I still have cold weather gear to buy etc and find it impossible without giving up my comforts (western ingredients, cigars, plonk) and if I did that I may as well start up a temperance society and become a hermit or more likely, go to the doctor and ask to be put down.

Fingers crossed there is money in the morning. If there is I may well do an evening run to the supermarket and have to take a taxi back as I will have bought so much stuff.

One of these days my Lanzhou posts simply have to take a turn for the happy!!