Wednesday 30th August, 2017 1810
Well I woke up early enough this morning but bone-idleness beat me. Shopping will now be done tomorrow.
I managed to find the hotel opposite online but for some reason it says they are fully booked, as indeed do many other hotels. I never had Lanzhou down as a hotspot for tourists! I have given the phone number to Joanna, maybe she can swing something, it would certainly be more convenient to have them staying on my doorstep.
Aside from doing nothing but kill two flies, I did actually get out to source the constituents of a roast pork dinner and splashed out on a big enough lump to make a load of ham, which will be ready for Sunday night.
I was in pensive mood earlier. The euphoria of last night and the impending visits had calmed and my thoughts turned to my bucket list. God how I hate that expression! Five hours later I only have three items on it!
Thursday 31st 1720
Still no teaching rota as yet although I did get a text to say it would be done at the end of the week so presumably I shall know what I am at sometime tomorrow.
Today the temperature has shot up from low teens to mid 20s, meaning when I went shopping I was too hot in my fleece. The flat is too cool to gauge what it’s like outside before dressing. I went and had a curry (having abandoned any notion of cooking tonight). That was a palaver in itself. It’s a standard dish in Dico’s but the girl kept wittering on in Chinese and inevitably I failed to understand. Until that is, a delivery courier came over and showed me a beaker. She was asking if I wanted a drink! I didn’t because I had my hip flask but I pointed out to the lass that had she mimed putting a cup to her mouth and drinking, anyone in the world would be able to comprehend! And then I spent 300y on food in BHG. Well, a litre of milk and a pack of bacon to be precise! The bulk was wine, toothbrushes and a new attendance book for school.
Incidentally, the potatoes I bought downtown the other day worked fine as roasties last night.
When I returned in a taxi security stopped the car. The driver asked out of the window the reason why and the guard approached, saw me in it and immediately waved us through! Of course! Students are still returning so although it’s the first time I have witnessed it here, evidently they are no different to Chizhou on that front. I do think it unfair though when some of them have a lot of luggage to hump.
I went to check the mail room later. I have heard construction work occurring since I returned but had no idea what they were doing. They have completely demolished an entire administration block and the engineering factory the students used to make bits in. God knows what will be erected instead.
Wednesday, 30 August 2017
Wednesday 30th August, 2017 0100
So yesterday I did sod all. I need to do a shop today though as the wine lake is dry.
I found out that school started on Monday but I had to ask! Everyone is working except me. I was beginning to suspect I had been given the bullet and nobody had told me!
No, my classes start next week.
So nothing happened.
Except in the last couple of hours (hence I am still up) I have received two pledges.
In October Joanna (sadly with boyfriend!) is coming to visit me. They are going to his hometown of Xi’an (know it well now myself) and then coming here for maybe four days. Now I need to check out the hotel opposite to see if it is any good. Seems to be a knocking shop for students but I also see businessmen, corporate groups etc staying so I will inspect a sample room so I know it is not only cheap but decent. I will happily cook breakfast if required. It is 30 seconds walk away.
And just to make life complete, Joan has indicated she will visit in January after her exams.
Can life get any better than two angels committing to coming to see me?
Of course there will be photos posted at the time to silence the unbelievers (you know who you are Ginge!) and I just hope I can show them a good time and good food in my new city.
One thing is for sure, for both I will not need to take them out for dinner on at least one night, just cook. October will require chilli con carne and January “Italy Noodles” or spagbol to the rest of us. Western Wednesdays live on and are remembered. I just need to find a student who wants to earn money by cleaning my home!
There are highs and lows in life and right now I think you may guess where I am now.
So yesterday I did sod all. I need to do a shop today though as the wine lake is dry.
I found out that school started on Monday but I had to ask! Everyone is working except me. I was beginning to suspect I had been given the bullet and nobody had told me!
No, my classes start next week.
So nothing happened.
Except in the last couple of hours (hence I am still up) I have received two pledges.
In October Joanna (sadly with boyfriend!) is coming to visit me. They are going to his hometown of Xi’an (know it well now myself) and then coming here for maybe four days. Now I need to check out the hotel opposite to see if it is any good. Seems to be a knocking shop for students but I also see businessmen, corporate groups etc staying so I will inspect a sample room so I know it is not only cheap but decent. I will happily cook breakfast if required. It is 30 seconds walk away.
And just to make life complete, Joan has indicated she will visit in January after her exams.
Can life get any better than two angels committing to coming to see me?
Of course there will be photos posted at the time to silence the unbelievers (you know who you are Ginge!) and I just hope I can show them a good time and good food in my new city.
One thing is for sure, for both I will not need to take them out for dinner on at least one night, just cook. October will require chilli con carne and January “Italy Noodles” or spagbol to the rest of us. Western Wednesdays live on and are remembered. I just need to find a student who wants to earn money by cleaning my home!
There are highs and lows in life and right now I think you may guess where I am now.
Monday, 28 August 2017
Monday 28th August, 2017 1740
I have days like today occasionally.
The cheese I bought in Shanghai didn’t travel very well and it is certainly not as strong/sharp as advertised on the tin. In fact because it went a week in (admittedly airconditioned ) hotel rooms, on arrival in Lanzhou the edges were noticeably creamy. Edible but not a belting good cheddar as befits Andy Magor’s pickled onions.
So I decided to take a trip to the only place I know of in Lanzhou where you can buy decent, if expensive, cheese. I hate taking the number 15 bus. Whilst it drops you off on the return at the terminus, on the outbound leg you have to go up the stairs and cross the overhead walkway. I am not a fan of stairs - even going down them.
Then of course you have to scrum down the moment a bus does pull up and the doors slide open, even if you were the first one in the queue, which I was, given that I had narrowly missed one on getting into the stop. All I can say is that I may be unsteady on my pins these days but thank God I don’t weigh seven stones wringing wet, I can still bulldoze my way through all these people to whom “time means nothing” and still bag a decent seat.
At the shopping centre I eagerly awaited a cornucopia of western goods. By then of course my nether regions were aching like mad but buoyed with the prospect of really mature cheddar I felt it a small price to pay.
Not only did they have no proper cheese but they never even had burger cheese slices! Not that I wanted any of those anyway yet suddenly the only sure-fire outlet for one of my most basic needs had let me down. Just to rub salt in the wound, I started to think that they had dispensed with all the other imported goods as well, however eventually I did locate a small area with some miserable offerings. Having anticipated spending a couple of hundred yuan there, I left with some pasta, a tin of peas and some sweets - total cost 34y.
By this time my body and brain were telling me to simply go home. My heart said sod it, you’ve come all this way for bugger all, you may as well carry on. The Shenyang Slags had advised me of a market wherein there was beef aplenty and I wanted to buy some steaks and maybe a small joint for my freezer. In high dudgeon I set off.
So I duly went, found it and entered. Very good for vegetables. This was particularly opportune for the only potatoes around here now either turn into cement when you make chips or mush when you want mash, as happened last night. Diabolical. What happened to the good variety? Are they seasonal? I scoured the entire market and all but one stall had the floury variety - and by floury I MEAN floury. One stall had some that didn’t look like the good ones but they are different to the others, so I bought a kilo - fingers crossed.
Then it was time to go and get some lovely, dark red beef. Great market for fish, chicken, pork and lamb but despite my valiant pantomime efforts at depicting a cow, of beef there was not a whiff. If the spuds turn out to be decent then only two good things happened in that market today, the other being rather nice sweet peppers which I shall probably stuff tomorrow.
I caught a return bus feeling somewhat deflated and spent the entire journey frantically thinking of where I could eat that didn’t involve lengthy walks. I really didn’t want either a walk or noodles so I had no idea.
As the bus approached the terminus I kept my eyes peeled and spotted a couple of spit’n’sawdust cafes so decided they were close enough to warrant a more detailed inspection. The first one I came to was the one I went in, enticed by the fact they had a few pictures on the wall so at least I could point and order.
Their sweet pork was actually very good. At least now I know of somewhere I can get that and a beer within 5 minutes of my home.
Welcome to my largely wasted day.
I have days like today occasionally.
The cheese I bought in Shanghai didn’t travel very well and it is certainly not as strong/sharp as advertised on the tin. In fact because it went a week in (admittedly airconditioned ) hotel rooms, on arrival in Lanzhou the edges were noticeably creamy. Edible but not a belting good cheddar as befits Andy Magor’s pickled onions.
So I decided to take a trip to the only place I know of in Lanzhou where you can buy decent, if expensive, cheese. I hate taking the number 15 bus. Whilst it drops you off on the return at the terminus, on the outbound leg you have to go up the stairs and cross the overhead walkway. I am not a fan of stairs - even going down them.
Then of course you have to scrum down the moment a bus does pull up and the doors slide open, even if you were the first one in the queue, which I was, given that I had narrowly missed one on getting into the stop. All I can say is that I may be unsteady on my pins these days but thank God I don’t weigh seven stones wringing wet, I can still bulldoze my way through all these people to whom “time means nothing” and still bag a decent seat.
At the shopping centre I eagerly awaited a cornucopia of western goods. By then of course my nether regions were aching like mad but buoyed with the prospect of really mature cheddar I felt it a small price to pay.
Not only did they have no proper cheese but they never even had burger cheese slices! Not that I wanted any of those anyway yet suddenly the only sure-fire outlet for one of my most basic needs had let me down. Just to rub salt in the wound, I started to think that they had dispensed with all the other imported goods as well, however eventually I did locate a small area with some miserable offerings. Having anticipated spending a couple of hundred yuan there, I left with some pasta, a tin of peas and some sweets - total cost 34y.
By this time my body and brain were telling me to simply go home. My heart said sod it, you’ve come all this way for bugger all, you may as well carry on. The Shenyang Slags had advised me of a market wherein there was beef aplenty and I wanted to buy some steaks and maybe a small joint for my freezer. In high dudgeon I set off.
So I duly went, found it and entered. Very good for vegetables. This was particularly opportune for the only potatoes around here now either turn into cement when you make chips or mush when you want mash, as happened last night. Diabolical. What happened to the good variety? Are they seasonal? I scoured the entire market and all but one stall had the floury variety - and by floury I MEAN floury. One stall had some that didn’t look like the good ones but they are different to the others, so I bought a kilo - fingers crossed.
Then it was time to go and get some lovely, dark red beef. Great market for fish, chicken, pork and lamb but despite my valiant pantomime efforts at depicting a cow, of beef there was not a whiff. If the spuds turn out to be decent then only two good things happened in that market today, the other being rather nice sweet peppers which I shall probably stuff tomorrow.
I caught a return bus feeling somewhat deflated and spent the entire journey frantically thinking of where I could eat that didn’t involve lengthy walks. I really didn’t want either a walk or noodles so I had no idea.
As the bus approached the terminus I kept my eyes peeled and spotted a couple of spit’n’sawdust cafes so decided they were close enough to warrant a more detailed inspection. The first one I came to was the one I went in, enticed by the fact they had a few pictures on the wall so at least I could point and order.
Their sweet pork was actually very good. At least now I know of somewhere I can get that and a beer within 5 minutes of my home.
Welcome to my largely wasted day.
Saturday, 26 August 2017
Saturday 26th August, 2017 1400
It was so miserable yesterday I only popped out briefly for liquids and ice lollies. On the plus side, it meant I actually got to finish the loaf I baked a few days ago, making a simple dinner with sardines on toast.
Inexplicably, by 2230 last night I was so tired I called it a day. This morning I awoke feeling like Herman Munster. In fact my stiff neck was the cause of rousing me at 0500 - for the life of me I couldn’t find a position where it didn’t hurt so I got up.
There was no excuse for not going for that haircut although I did procrastinate until lunchtime. I was disappointed to find only the owner in residence at the barber’s, my “girlfriend “ was, I assumed, at lunch. I was wrong. She has left. However, the owner has observed her doing my hair often enough that he knows what I like and I have to say, took half the time doing it. Straight in with the clippers set on 1 and less than 10 minutes later I was done. I can’t ask for more, forget all that faffing about with scissors, quiffs and the latest “fashion”, just reduce my shampoo consumption and I’m happy.
Then it was off to the underground market to buy a replacement USB memory stick for the one that was pilfered at the end of last term. I asked for the biggest (I saw online there is now one that takes half a terabyte!) and was pleased to see they had a 64Gb one. Bit pricey I thought at 230y but I asked nicely for a discount and it came down to 200y - done. I probably was! Next it was to look for a penknife. Finally I found one that just might be small enough to escape the WMD police at train stations. The blade is about 1.5” long. Any smaller and it would be a drawing pin. Didn’t ask for a discount that time, at 18y I thought the asking price was reasonable. And if it gets confiscated again at least I won’t cry over the price.
If I thought I would be up to it later I would go out for dinner but I know I won’t. And yet the idea of a roast doesn’t enthuse me. What I did was buy a chicken breast, onion, garlic and a slightly hot green pepper. No idea what I shall do but it will become some form of stir fry, probably with soy and sesame oil. The nice potatoes seem to have disappeared, both from the supermarket and the little stall nearby. I used one the other night to make chips and they turned out so hard they skidded off the plate when I tried to impale them with the fork! I wish I could import King Edwards and grow my own.
Talking of growing your own veg, I see Chizhou have now stopped teachers on campus from doing so. Quite what harm it is doing I know not and it seems rather petty to me. Mind you (and I am pretty sure I have not mentioned this before) about a month ago I learnt that the leader of Chizhou university fell from grace with a loud bang earlier this year, although they never put THAT on their website!
It would explain why salaries were often paid late, why the teaching blocks were allowed to deteriorate without the occasional lick of whitewash, possibly why money was squandered on importing huge boulders that served no purpose and why neither Kevin nor I received a pay rise for 5 years.
He was found to have abused his position by way of chauffeur driven cars, expenses, nepotism, failing to pay proper salaries, taking bungs - in fact the whole gamut that can be labelled abuse and embezzlement.
As far as I know he is now doing a lengthy stretch inside (not heard if he was taken out into a field and disposed of ), was relieved of command, Communist Party membership, loss of pension (that WILL hurt) and everything else that they do before executing or locking up officials for life.
That was just plain greed. Nobody can tell me he wasn’t on a decent package.
It was so miserable yesterday I only popped out briefly for liquids and ice lollies. On the plus side, it meant I actually got to finish the loaf I baked a few days ago, making a simple dinner with sardines on toast.
Inexplicably, by 2230 last night I was so tired I called it a day. This morning I awoke feeling like Herman Munster. In fact my stiff neck was the cause of rousing me at 0500 - for the life of me I couldn’t find a position where it didn’t hurt so I got up.
There was no excuse for not going for that haircut although I did procrastinate until lunchtime. I was disappointed to find only the owner in residence at the barber’s, my “girlfriend “ was, I assumed, at lunch. I was wrong. She has left. However, the owner has observed her doing my hair often enough that he knows what I like and I have to say, took half the time doing it. Straight in with the clippers set on 1 and less than 10 minutes later I was done. I can’t ask for more, forget all that faffing about with scissors, quiffs and the latest “fashion”, just reduce my shampoo consumption and I’m happy.
Then it was off to the underground market to buy a replacement USB memory stick for the one that was pilfered at the end of last term. I asked for the biggest (I saw online there is now one that takes half a terabyte!) and was pleased to see they had a 64Gb one. Bit pricey I thought at 230y but I asked nicely for a discount and it came down to 200y - done. I probably was! Next it was to look for a penknife. Finally I found one that just might be small enough to escape the WMD police at train stations. The blade is about 1.5” long. Any smaller and it would be a drawing pin. Didn’t ask for a discount that time, at 18y I thought the asking price was reasonable. And if it gets confiscated again at least I won’t cry over the price.
If I thought I would be up to it later I would go out for dinner but I know I won’t. And yet the idea of a roast doesn’t enthuse me. What I did was buy a chicken breast, onion, garlic and a slightly hot green pepper. No idea what I shall do but it will become some form of stir fry, probably with soy and sesame oil. The nice potatoes seem to have disappeared, both from the supermarket and the little stall nearby. I used one the other night to make chips and they turned out so hard they skidded off the plate when I tried to impale them with the fork! I wish I could import King Edwards and grow my own.
Talking of growing your own veg, I see Chizhou have now stopped teachers on campus from doing so. Quite what harm it is doing I know not and it seems rather petty to me. Mind you (and I am pretty sure I have not mentioned this before) about a month ago I learnt that the leader of Chizhou university fell from grace with a loud bang earlier this year, although they never put THAT on their website!
It would explain why salaries were often paid late, why the teaching blocks were allowed to deteriorate without the occasional lick of whitewash, possibly why money was squandered on importing huge boulders that served no purpose and why neither Kevin nor I received a pay rise for 5 years.
He was found to have abused his position by way of chauffeur driven cars, expenses, nepotism, failing to pay proper salaries, taking bungs - in fact the whole gamut that can be labelled abuse and embezzlement.
As far as I know he is now doing a lengthy stretch inside (not heard if he was taken out into a field and disposed of ), was relieved of command, Communist Party membership, loss of pension (that WILL hurt) and everything else that they do before executing or locking up officials for life.
That was just plain greed. Nobody can tell me he wasn’t on a decent package.
Friday, 25 August 2017
Friday 25th August, 2017 0150
I blame Alice. I keep going to bed very late yet still waking about 5 hours later. Ok, when I start work again and probably find myself with 0500 alarm calls that will be a good thing but to be honest, right now I would be happy to laze on the donkey’s breakfast until eleven occasionally.
Speaking of starting work again, even though it may be late next week when I set foot in a classroom again, I still don’t know when or what my rota is! Even after 7 years I still find it hard to believe the schools don’t know the restart date before they break up for summer.
As I mentioned, Wednesday I baked a loaf of bread. Now the breadmaker I was given by the school for playing Santa, whilst producing reasonable bread, has never once produced one with a crusty exterior. I had a brainwave and just before the program ended I switched on my oven and gave the loaf 10 minutes in that to crisp it up. It worked! Next time I am going to see if I can bake crusty rolls instead.
So I did have bread, cheese and pickled onions, the latter courtesy of Shenyang Steve’s brother. The downside of that was that I ate half my supply in one sitting. Rather than be cheeky and request they be made in industrial sized jars next time, I did some research into making my own in future.
It will be expensive without doubt, all ingredients will need to be imported and bought online but the biggest obstacle I had faced was finding pickling onions. Searching on Taobao produced a crying figure saying “sorry, baby not found”. Google presumably translates “item” as “baby” in the same way it translates “university” as “hospital”. so I translated shallots into Chinese and searched again. I do believe I have found them but I will send some links to Steve who, as a time-served chef, should be able to advise me which ones would be best. If I can crack pickled onions then along with my homemade ham I can have lovely ploughmans lunches!
I only got spat on a few times on the way out shopping and before the supermarket I decided to go for a Generation Game hotpot. I always eat the same items and whilst not cheap, it is not expensive either.
The only actual food I bought in the supermarket afterwards was a pack of bacon! I spent just over 300y, which for me is an expensive shop. Ok, big jar of coffee, some blue dooberries to plop in the loo cistern, a brillo on a stick to try to actually get my kitchen floor clean for once, cooking oil and a few bits and bobs. Of course, it would not be a shop if a bottle of wine wasn’t involved but my helpful girl wasn’t there!
I think at long last, her colleagues have cottoned on to what I look for because one came over and signalled that what I have been buying for the past six months (and had been steadily increasing in price) was now no longer on special offer. She suggested another, new BOGOF. I’ve had it before and it’s potable so I was happy - she even did as her mate does and came and packed my shopping at the checkout. Happy days.
I have no reason to stray far today but I may well get my end of summer haircut and possibly buy another pen knife to replace the one stolen from me by security at the train station.
Life is back to grist to the mill stuff now and whilst I enjoy it I do find myself missing being idle in different hotels and the odd spot of travelling. To be sure the school trip knocked the stuffing out of me simply because it was too much in too short a time but my own arrangements were at a far more stately pace. I think if I was a multi-millionaire I could get used to globetrotting with a week here and five days there in different luxury hotels in different countries!
I blame Alice. I keep going to bed very late yet still waking about 5 hours later. Ok, when I start work again and probably find myself with 0500 alarm calls that will be a good thing but to be honest, right now I would be happy to laze on the donkey’s breakfast until eleven occasionally.
Speaking of starting work again, even though it may be late next week when I set foot in a classroom again, I still don’t know when or what my rota is! Even after 7 years I still find it hard to believe the schools don’t know the restart date before they break up for summer.
As I mentioned, Wednesday I baked a loaf of bread. Now the breadmaker I was given by the school for playing Santa, whilst producing reasonable bread, has never once produced one with a crusty exterior. I had a brainwave and just before the program ended I switched on my oven and gave the loaf 10 minutes in that to crisp it up. It worked! Next time I am going to see if I can bake crusty rolls instead.
So I did have bread, cheese and pickled onions, the latter courtesy of Shenyang Steve’s brother. The downside of that was that I ate half my supply in one sitting. Rather than be cheeky and request they be made in industrial sized jars next time, I did some research into making my own in future.
It will be expensive without doubt, all ingredients will need to be imported and bought online but the biggest obstacle I had faced was finding pickling onions. Searching on Taobao produced a crying figure saying “sorry, baby not found”. Google presumably translates “item” as “baby” in the same way it translates “university” as “hospital”. so I translated shallots into Chinese and searched again. I do believe I have found them but I will send some links to Steve who, as a time-served chef, should be able to advise me which ones would be best. If I can crack pickled onions then along with my homemade ham I can have lovely ploughmans lunches!
I only got spat on a few times on the way out shopping and before the supermarket I decided to go for a Generation Game hotpot. I always eat the same items and whilst not cheap, it is not expensive either.
The only actual food I bought in the supermarket afterwards was a pack of bacon! I spent just over 300y, which for me is an expensive shop. Ok, big jar of coffee, some blue dooberries to plop in the loo cistern, a brillo on a stick to try to actually get my kitchen floor clean for once, cooking oil and a few bits and bobs. Of course, it would not be a shop if a bottle of wine wasn’t involved but my helpful girl wasn’t there!
I think at long last, her colleagues have cottoned on to what I look for because one came over and signalled that what I have been buying for the past six months (and had been steadily increasing in price) was now no longer on special offer. She suggested another, new BOGOF. I’ve had it before and it’s potable so I was happy - she even did as her mate does and came and packed my shopping at the checkout. Happy days.
I have no reason to stray far today but I may well get my end of summer haircut and possibly buy another pen knife to replace the one stolen from me by security at the train station.
Life is back to grist to the mill stuff now and whilst I enjoy it I do find myself missing being idle in different hotels and the odd spot of travelling. To be sure the school trip knocked the stuffing out of me simply because it was too much in too short a time but my own arrangements were at a far more stately pace. I think if I was a multi-millionaire I could get used to globetrotting with a week here and five days there in different luxury hotels in different countries!
Wednesday, 23 August 2017
Tuesday 22nd August, 2017 1515
What a difference a day makes! Yesterday I was wondering if the airconditioning in the taxi taking me to Hefei airport could do a better job of keeping me cool in 30C, this morning when I got up I had to put my fan heater on!
Summers certainly don’t appear to hang around that long in Lanzhou, according to the web for the foreseeable future, daily highs of 15C. Uncharacteristically, the internet says there will be light rain most of the week, more than I saw here in one stretch during the entire past year.
I had intended to go shopping today but lethargy won the argument and I shall go tomorrow. I’m almost out of coffee (ok, so I only drink one mug a day when I get up so a big jar lasts a couple of months) but I do have some sachets pilfered from hotels in my suitcase. Luckily I have a pack of bacon in the freezer so will buy eggs and potatoes and have chips for my dinner. When I woke up, unusually, I pined for a western breakfast. Normally I am not hungry so hotel living has changed that, doubtless though, temporarily.
I have a covering of about an eighth of an inch on dust on the windowsill in my study where I left a window cracked and I have a load of white dust and debris on my fridge/freezer and the windowsill in the bathroom. I can see where it comes from in the dining room, the plaster degrades but I am damned if I can see the source of it in the bathroom because the ceiling is panelled.
I took the time to calculate the mileage travelled on my adventures over the last four weeks. I have not taken into consideration the excursions we took on the bus with the school, just the distances between each city. Incredibly, without once leaving China, I covered 15818km/9828miles - a round trip from Lanzhou to my hometown of Marlow is 15660km/9730miles!!!!
Wednesday 23rd 1345
So much for going to purchase essentials today. It rained in the night, stopped by the time I got up but started again when I was ready to shower and go out. I will have to hope it’s dry tomorrow.
However, it gave me a good excuse to bake a loaf of bread so I can crack open the cheese and those pickled onions for my dinner!
I feel a little like Neighbourhood Watch this afternoon. Earlier I heard an odd sound and looked out to see what had happened. A BMW X1 had reversed into and demolished a stone bench. There are four benches around a square stone table on the pavement, the old people often sit there in dry weather, chatting or playing mahjong, Chinese chess etc. Two females, the passenger got out to survey the damage then got back in and they left. I wonder whether they will report it to the school. I wrote down the registration just in case. Now I am wondering if I should say something. It’s difficult to guess what reaction I would get from the school - would I be seen as a troublemaker?
What a difference a day makes! Yesterday I was wondering if the airconditioning in the taxi taking me to Hefei airport could do a better job of keeping me cool in 30C, this morning when I got up I had to put my fan heater on!
Summers certainly don’t appear to hang around that long in Lanzhou, according to the web for the foreseeable future, daily highs of 15C. Uncharacteristically, the internet says there will be light rain most of the week, more than I saw here in one stretch during the entire past year.
I had intended to go shopping today but lethargy won the argument and I shall go tomorrow. I’m almost out of coffee (ok, so I only drink one mug a day when I get up so a big jar lasts a couple of months) but I do have some sachets pilfered from hotels in my suitcase. Luckily I have a pack of bacon in the freezer so will buy eggs and potatoes and have chips for my dinner. When I woke up, unusually, I pined for a western breakfast. Normally I am not hungry so hotel living has changed that, doubtless though, temporarily.
I have a covering of about an eighth of an inch on dust on the windowsill in my study where I left a window cracked and I have a load of white dust and debris on my fridge/freezer and the windowsill in the bathroom. I can see where it comes from in the dining room, the plaster degrades but I am damned if I can see the source of it in the bathroom because the ceiling is panelled.
I took the time to calculate the mileage travelled on my adventures over the last four weeks. I have not taken into consideration the excursions we took on the bus with the school, just the distances between each city. Incredibly, without once leaving China, I covered 15818km/9828miles - a round trip from Lanzhou to my hometown of Marlow is 15660km/9730miles!!!!
Wednesday 23rd 1345
So much for going to purchase essentials today. It rained in the night, stopped by the time I got up but started again when I was ready to shower and go out. I will have to hope it’s dry tomorrow.
However, it gave me a good excuse to bake a loaf of bread so I can crack open the cheese and those pickled onions for my dinner!
I feel a little like Neighbourhood Watch this afternoon. Earlier I heard an odd sound and looked out to see what had happened. A BMW X1 had reversed into and demolished a stone bench. There are four benches around a square stone table on the pavement, the old people often sit there in dry weather, chatting or playing mahjong, Chinese chess etc. Two females, the passenger got out to survey the damage then got back in and they left. I wonder whether they will report it to the school. I wrote down the registration just in case. Now I am wondering if I should say something. It’s difficult to guess what reaction I would get from the school - would I be seen as a troublemaker?
Tuesday, 22 August 2017
Tuesday 22nd August, 2017 0030
I spoke too soon yesterday. I made it for breakfast basically because it was going to be a long time until I ate again, as it transpired it was even longer than I thought.
With a flight leaving at (allegedly) 1645 and an hour needed by taxi to the airport, the last thing I wanted was to have to check out at noon and twiddle my thumbs for hours in the lobby so after eating I went down to check what time I needed to vacate the room. I thought I had read it somewhere and I was proved right, normally noon but executives get until 1400 - thank you Lord!
Back in the room I checked my flight. On time until 1200. Then delayed 50 minutes. Some time later delayed 1h 30m. Marvellous. Of course the delay notwithstanding, in China even if the delay is 5 hours they still close check-in 20 mins before the original scheduled departure so you still have to turn up on time even when the aircraft is not yet even in the airport!
I had a leisurely beer in the lobby, no point in getting there any earlier than an hour before, in 1st class I would have no queues anywhere. Duly breezed through and into the exec lounge, which actually had alcohol despite the good old internet telling me it was only soft drinks. Had a beer then hit the white wine. Drank all that then found a smoking room despite our friend the internet telling me there was no smoking at all. Came back and asked for another bottle, only to be told there was none. Ok, I will start on the red then. By then the food came out at 1700. I was starving.
Not so hungry as to even consider boiled spinach, stewed weeds and something called stewed foot hoof - what??? I contented myself with a chocolate muffin from the fridge. Normally there is at least something I can take a few mouthfuls of but not today, it was going to be my really lucky day.
The hour and a half delay came and went and still no sign. Just as I finished wiping out the last of the wine stocks the girls came and told me my flight was boarding. I can’t fault her for walking me to the gate and getting me admitted ahead of the queue and I was delighted to find I was the only passenger in 1st class so could sit where I liked. Forget the films on the personal screen, I found Do Di Ju on it and knew that would make the time whizz by!
Would I like an orange juice? Yes please. What would you like after take-off? Déjà vu again. What have you got that’s alcoholic? Nothing. I don’t pay double price for no queues, inedible food in the lounge or a bigger seat, I pay it so I can drink in the air and so I said that I would be very reluctant to fly with China Eastern again in light of this - bad enough we were going to take to the skies 3 hours late as it was.
In she rushed to the cockpit and returned to say the Captain had just radioed the terminal to have emergency supplies of beer sent to the plane. Whoa! Don’t hold the flight up just for that! I was assured it wouldn’t and sure enough some beers were delivered, put in the ice machine to chill and I was a happy bunny.
Thankfully the in-flight meal was halfway decent, beef rice and garlic bread with cheese and ham salad and a fruit salad. I knew there would be no eating in Lanzhou.
Half an hour before we were due to land a man came into first class with cases and boxes. I asked “my” stewardess if he was getting off now and using a parachute. She explained he had a connecting flight to Urumqi and would have little time to catch it considering our delay. Then the man went back to economy.
Many of you reading this will have been in a similar situation and of course so have I. 1st class get off the plane first. I called the hostess over and suggested the man should sit up front to get off quickly and she was amazed. Sorry but I thought it was the decent thing to do. I never knew there were 7 of them so the next thing I had the entire contents of Harvey Nicolls in the area and the first class cabin full!
I have to admit the people were grateful and when we landed I asked if we were going to a pier or taking a bus - the idea being to take these people on the exec bus if necessary. No we were going to a ramp. Ok.
As I heard the ramp connect with the fuselage my stewardess called me, she still insisted I should leave first. I said no, get these people off ahead of me, I have an hour until the last train anyway. I think the Urumqi Union couldn’t believe their luck. All I can hope is that they made their flight.
By the time my bag came out I still had 40 mins until the train. Enough to get my ticket and puff two cigars before going into the train terminal. Inside, my suitcase was stopped and they asked me in Chinese a question. English? That flustered them a little. One enterprising girl brought out a confiscated aerosol of something and gestured to ask if I had one. No. a squeeze pump of oilatum skin cream but nothing gas-operated. In order to put their minds at rest I showed them my 1st class boarding card for the flight I had just left and they were satisfied. Bloody odd to think that a spray can of Right Guard is prohibited on a train though!!
At least the queues for taxis weren’t as horrendous as in Hefei and I got mine, which promptly went out into unfamiliar rain in these parts. No need to water my plant pot and no sign of the peach stone having started to sprout. Might have to buy some seeds of mint again and keep the blighters indoors this time!
I spoke too soon yesterday. I made it for breakfast basically because it was going to be a long time until I ate again, as it transpired it was even longer than I thought.
With a flight leaving at (allegedly) 1645 and an hour needed by taxi to the airport, the last thing I wanted was to have to check out at noon and twiddle my thumbs for hours in the lobby so after eating I went down to check what time I needed to vacate the room. I thought I had read it somewhere and I was proved right, normally noon but executives get until 1400 - thank you Lord!
Back in the room I checked my flight. On time until 1200. Then delayed 50 minutes. Some time later delayed 1h 30m. Marvellous. Of course the delay notwithstanding, in China even if the delay is 5 hours they still close check-in 20 mins before the original scheduled departure so you still have to turn up on time even when the aircraft is not yet even in the airport!
I had a leisurely beer in the lobby, no point in getting there any earlier than an hour before, in 1st class I would have no queues anywhere. Duly breezed through and into the exec lounge, which actually had alcohol despite the good old internet telling me it was only soft drinks. Had a beer then hit the white wine. Drank all that then found a smoking room despite our friend the internet telling me there was no smoking at all. Came back and asked for another bottle, only to be told there was none. Ok, I will start on the red then. By then the food came out at 1700. I was starving.
Not so hungry as to even consider boiled spinach, stewed weeds and something called stewed foot hoof - what??? I contented myself with a chocolate muffin from the fridge. Normally there is at least something I can take a few mouthfuls of but not today, it was going to be my really lucky day.
The hour and a half delay came and went and still no sign. Just as I finished wiping out the last of the wine stocks the girls came and told me my flight was boarding. I can’t fault her for walking me to the gate and getting me admitted ahead of the queue and I was delighted to find I was the only passenger in 1st class so could sit where I liked. Forget the films on the personal screen, I found Do Di Ju on it and knew that would make the time whizz by!
Would I like an orange juice? Yes please. What would you like after take-off? Déjà vu again. What have you got that’s alcoholic? Nothing. I don’t pay double price for no queues, inedible food in the lounge or a bigger seat, I pay it so I can drink in the air and so I said that I would be very reluctant to fly with China Eastern again in light of this - bad enough we were going to take to the skies 3 hours late as it was.
In she rushed to the cockpit and returned to say the Captain had just radioed the terminal to have emergency supplies of beer sent to the plane. Whoa! Don’t hold the flight up just for that! I was assured it wouldn’t and sure enough some beers were delivered, put in the ice machine to chill and I was a happy bunny.
Thankfully the in-flight meal was halfway decent, beef rice and garlic bread with cheese and ham salad and a fruit salad. I knew there would be no eating in Lanzhou.
Half an hour before we were due to land a man came into first class with cases and boxes. I asked “my” stewardess if he was getting off now and using a parachute. She explained he had a connecting flight to Urumqi and would have little time to catch it considering our delay. Then the man went back to economy.
Many of you reading this will have been in a similar situation and of course so have I. 1st class get off the plane first. I called the hostess over and suggested the man should sit up front to get off quickly and she was amazed. Sorry but I thought it was the decent thing to do. I never knew there were 7 of them so the next thing I had the entire contents of Harvey Nicolls in the area and the first class cabin full!
I have to admit the people were grateful and when we landed I asked if we were going to a pier or taking a bus - the idea being to take these people on the exec bus if necessary. No we were going to a ramp. Ok.
As I heard the ramp connect with the fuselage my stewardess called me, she still insisted I should leave first. I said no, get these people off ahead of me, I have an hour until the last train anyway. I think the Urumqi Union couldn’t believe their luck. All I can hope is that they made their flight.
By the time my bag came out I still had 40 mins until the train. Enough to get my ticket and puff two cigars before going into the train terminal. Inside, my suitcase was stopped and they asked me in Chinese a question. English? That flustered them a little. One enterprising girl brought out a confiscated aerosol of something and gestured to ask if I had one. No. a squeeze pump of oilatum skin cream but nothing gas-operated. In order to put their minds at rest I showed them my 1st class boarding card for the flight I had just left and they were satisfied. Bloody odd to think that a spray can of Right Guard is prohibited on a train though!!
At least the queues for taxis weren’t as horrendous as in Hefei and I got mine, which promptly went out into unfamiliar rain in these parts. No need to water my plant pot and no sign of the peach stone having started to sprout. Might have to buy some seeds of mint again and keep the blighters indoors this time!
Sunday, 20 August 2017
Sunday 20th August, 2017 2200
Oh boy.
Tomorrow night I will be home.
Wuhu and Hefei were always intended to be a wind-down at the end and being alone in Hefei with no visitor has meant a quiet time. I never had any intention of going out on a bang, a quiet fizzle was always going to be fine. I just hope it doesn’t end up as a damp squib tomorrow with my flight - today’s was delayed TWO hours!
Having not eaten since breakfast yesterday I was a tad peckish this morning and duly had my fill , including proper pork breakfast sausages. Breakfast ended at 1030 and despite the fact I turned in last night at 2200 and woke at 0630 I nevertheless rose at 0900, showered and took my time.
Damned odd but by the time the dinner buffet opened at 1730 I was ravenous! These days when I am starving I can normally eat a child’s portion and that was the case this evening. Well maybe just a bit more than that what with the pint of ice cream for afters!
Then it was off up to see my “date” Vera in the executive lounge. By now I had posted loads of reviews on TripAdvisor of some of the places I have stayed, others not, because they weren’t listed and to be honest, getting a place a listing is more trouble than it is worth.
Having been fed and watered, the biscuits pretending to be snacks mattered not (although TripAdvisor have been apprised) and nor did the lack of gin. I even took up my own ice bucket and lemon slices from the restaurant to save waiting while Vera phoned down for them. For that I was deemed “awesome”!
After a couple of hours drinking and chatting with Vera, she finished her admin work and I asked her if she liked Kahlua, which was on offer in the free bar. Who the hell drinks it is beyond me. No, she said, I don’t like it. Have you tried it? No.
So I took her a glass and you will guess, she liked it, as did the Japanese contingent who had been on Jim Beam. Too sticky for me.
And so my holiday comes to an end. My last sleep tonight after what for me has been an epic month. I have seen, done and visited so many cities and attractions in such a short space of time it seems as though it happened to someone else. But it didn’t. I have so many, many memories to take away. I regret not having being physically able to take on some tasks but in no way, shape or form will I ever regret any of it. When I get home I will try to calculate the total mileage I travelled without ever leaving the country.
I have to say that whilst eating my solitary dinner this evening I pondered on what I would do if I won millions. Would I take a punt on starting a business? Would I buy a seagoing yacht? No idea, it hasn’t happened and never will but you know, a life flitting from city to city and staying in nice hotels doesn’t seem that bad!
End though it must and tomorrow it is back to real life but bloody hell, the last month has been hectic, exhausting, debilitating at times, humorous, stunning, amazing, memorable, enjoyable, fascinating, educational and so many other descriptive adjectives too numerous to mention. Thank you Life for giving it to me.
I met up with Alice, Steve in Shenyang, Jens, Shona, in Shanghai Roland, Rabbit, Tutu (and oh yes, almost forgot her name!) Zhu Ana (Joanna) - what would I have done in the UK?
This was a summer to beat all summers for me.
Oh boy.
Tomorrow night I will be home.
Wuhu and Hefei were always intended to be a wind-down at the end and being alone in Hefei with no visitor has meant a quiet time. I never had any intention of going out on a bang, a quiet fizzle was always going to be fine. I just hope it doesn’t end up as a damp squib tomorrow with my flight - today’s was delayed TWO hours!
Having not eaten since breakfast yesterday I was a tad peckish this morning and duly had my fill , including proper pork breakfast sausages. Breakfast ended at 1030 and despite the fact I turned in last night at 2200 and woke at 0630 I nevertheless rose at 0900, showered and took my time.
Damned odd but by the time the dinner buffet opened at 1730 I was ravenous! These days when I am starving I can normally eat a child’s portion and that was the case this evening. Well maybe just a bit more than that what with the pint of ice cream for afters!
Then it was off up to see my “date” Vera in the executive lounge. By now I had posted loads of reviews on TripAdvisor of some of the places I have stayed, others not, because they weren’t listed and to be honest, getting a place a listing is more trouble than it is worth.
Having been fed and watered, the biscuits pretending to be snacks mattered not (although TripAdvisor have been apprised) and nor did the lack of gin. I even took up my own ice bucket and lemon slices from the restaurant to save waiting while Vera phoned down for them. For that I was deemed “awesome”!
After a couple of hours drinking and chatting with Vera, she finished her admin work and I asked her if she liked Kahlua, which was on offer in the free bar. Who the hell drinks it is beyond me. No, she said, I don’t like it. Have you tried it? No.
So I took her a glass and you will guess, she liked it, as did the Japanese contingent who had been on Jim Beam. Too sticky for me.
And so my holiday comes to an end. My last sleep tonight after what for me has been an epic month. I have seen, done and visited so many cities and attractions in such a short space of time it seems as though it happened to someone else. But it didn’t. I have so many, many memories to take away. I regret not having being physically able to take on some tasks but in no way, shape or form will I ever regret any of it. When I get home I will try to calculate the total mileage I travelled without ever leaving the country.
I have to say that whilst eating my solitary dinner this evening I pondered on what I would do if I won millions. Would I take a punt on starting a business? Would I buy a seagoing yacht? No idea, it hasn’t happened and never will but you know, a life flitting from city to city and staying in nice hotels doesn’t seem that bad!
End though it must and tomorrow it is back to real life but bloody hell, the last month has been hectic, exhausting, debilitating at times, humorous, stunning, amazing, memorable, enjoyable, fascinating, educational and so many other descriptive adjectives too numerous to mention. Thank you Life for giving it to me.
I met up with Alice, Steve in Shenyang, Jens, Shona, in Shanghai Roland, Rabbit, Tutu (and oh yes, almost forgot her name!) Zhu Ana (Joanna) - what would I have done in the UK?
This was a summer to beat all summers for me.
Saturday, 19 August 2017
Saturday 19th August, 2017 2030
Well, company or nay, it was a good night last night. Apple (I had forgotten her name) had complained on Thursday that we had no requests for her so last night I rectified that. Alice had gone to the party and ultimately never came back until 2230 but what the hell, if I am paying (or in this case using Hhonors points) then I may as well get my money’s worth of unlimited food and beer?
I was delighted to find sweet and sour pork and so refuelled with that, followed by a couple of slices of cheesecake that had never seen cheese in its life - God, what I would give to have Mum make me her “special” one for me again!
However, I did take a list of requests for the duet, after all I didn’t want to disappoint them two nights on the trot. I had a list of 15 songs (ok, took me a couple of hours to compile) and they knew precisely two of them! I did cajole them into trying to perform Hands Up by Ottawan, which they did. That and Brother Louie were the first two songs I danced to with Asya in St Petersburg all those years ago. Music moves me when it recalls times and events. They weren’t too good on the first outing of Hands Up but agreed they ought to include it in future - great for getting the Grannies off their seats!
Sadly the end of the music also heralded my last night of sleep in Wuhu and Alice returned with the news that rather than see me off this morning, she had to leave early. She had lied to her parents to get away for the night by saying she was staying with a Chinese girlfriend.
It meant that not only did she leave early this morning but also woke me and unbelievably wasn’t hungry for breakfast. I suspect she was being given some when she went to her folks. No matter, I was grateful for her company and ultimately, the shopping she did for me without which I would have struggled. That includes more diclofenac although I am not sure it is what I need, funny feeling I may need to pay to see a doctor at some point.
I on the other hand, although not hungry, knew I needed to eat before the journey to Hefei. Frankfurters had been replaced by beef sausages at the breakfast buffet. I don’t know about anyone else but beef, chicken sausages and frankfurters really have no business putting in an appearance at a breakfast buffet. Of course, as a four-time guest I could easily have asked for a couple of pork bangers to be cooked along with my eggs because there was no bacon either, just warm plastic ham. I didn’t. I was quite happy to content myself with one awful sausage, a slice of ham, my eggs, mushrooms, tomato and loads of hash browns all washed down with Liptons tea. And anyway by the time I went down I needed to hurry things along!
With more money than anticipated returned from my deposit at the hotel (betwixt us we had but 4 breakfasts instead of the forecast 6), I asked for a taxi to the train station. Alice had failed spectacularly to obtain any cash for me last night at possibly 6 cash points ( I know, never give your PIN to others but I trust her!) I was now worrying about money in Hefei. Actually, when I figured everything out, I still had enough cash to see me home if I simply used my debit card to pay for the hotel so it wasn’t a major problem.
The taxi dropped me off at the station a full hour before my train and I went to the ticket office. Queues of course, there are perennial lines of people waiting whenever you go and I have no idea why because Chinese ID cards allow you to simply use a dispensing machine whilst foreigners are condemned to queueing at the tellers. Ok so I have to wait a bit.
A bit??? The fat slug at my counter was so slow she was almost stopped in the water! Forty-seven minutes later I just squeaked in to get a ticket for my train before they cut off selling them and then had to break sweat to get to the gate two minutes before they opened it to give us exactly 5 minutes to board before the train left - and no, the gate is nowhere near the train, you cross a bridge, negotiate stairs (thankfully on this occasion escalators) and then I was aboard. ETA 1438 so in the hotel by 1600 - right?
Do you know what I hate about travelling? The travelling. If only they could invent a booth where you simply input your destination and you were teleported! Sure, it was a slow train - 2 hours between Wuhu and Hefei and we even arrived early - but then I needed a taxi. Just like Wuhu train station ticket office, I waited an hour in the “snake” and then had to demand security heft my case into the boot (two young lads had helped me with it on the train). So a 2 hour train trip had taken 4 hours - an hour to get the ticket, 2 hrs actually on the move and then more than an hour to go the final mile. Travelling????
I miss a lot of things about Chizhou and always will but one thing I will not is the rain. Hefei had it tonight in spades. When we got to the hotel I asked the driver if he would get my case out of the boot and he was extremely reluctant to do so, indicating with his hands that just perhaps, seeing as he had managed to find a spot where I could get out without immediately having my ankles engulfed in the new river that used to be a street, I should ask the bellboys to do it. I can’t say I blame him and I did in fact tip him, not something I often do in China. I must find the bellboy who took a shower for me tomorrow and remunerate him. I got soaked just getting under cover.
I had my welcome drink on check-in, went to the room and then the executive lounge. Sadly Vivian is busy so I have a solitary time here rattling around in my executive room. I thought I would go and have a couple of large whatevers in the exec lounge before heading to the buffet dinner.
Never got that far. I ended up chatting to the girl in the executive lounge. A few Chinese came and went after a few minutes and I wondered why they pay the extra if they aren’t even having a pint of wallop or a scotch but I found myself on the opposite side of her reception desk with vodka and tonic and an ashtray when it is non-smoking! According to her name tag her monicker is “Trainee” but as I can’t call her that I now know it is Vera. Studying economics in university here but not bad English.
I have a date for tomorrow night at the desk with her, smoking in a no smoking lounge and I will surely be there. Given that the only food they class as snacks are biscuits (wait until they ask for me to complete their online survey!) I will definitely be using the buffet tomorrow.
But for tonight, after doing serious damage to their vodka and emptying the Remy Martin bottle, I lost interest in food, instead now planning on waking up early and having a damned good breakfast in the morning. And a kip in the afternoon. Ok so this will be a solitary stay but the whole idea was to rest and recuperate before Lanzhou. That’s impossible with someone like Alice who wakes before dawn and no matter how she tried once my “pickledness” had worn off (about 2 hours) I am a very light sleeper.
Well, company or nay, it was a good night last night. Apple (I had forgotten her name) had complained on Thursday that we had no requests for her so last night I rectified that. Alice had gone to the party and ultimately never came back until 2230 but what the hell, if I am paying (or in this case using Hhonors points) then I may as well get my money’s worth of unlimited food and beer?
I was delighted to find sweet and sour pork and so refuelled with that, followed by a couple of slices of cheesecake that had never seen cheese in its life - God, what I would give to have Mum make me her “special” one for me again!
However, I did take a list of requests for the duet, after all I didn’t want to disappoint them two nights on the trot. I had a list of 15 songs (ok, took me a couple of hours to compile) and they knew precisely two of them! I did cajole them into trying to perform Hands Up by Ottawan, which they did. That and Brother Louie were the first two songs I danced to with Asya in St Petersburg all those years ago. Music moves me when it recalls times and events. They weren’t too good on the first outing of Hands Up but agreed they ought to include it in future - great for getting the Grannies off their seats!
Sadly the end of the music also heralded my last night of sleep in Wuhu and Alice returned with the news that rather than see me off this morning, she had to leave early. She had lied to her parents to get away for the night by saying she was staying with a Chinese girlfriend.
It meant that not only did she leave early this morning but also woke me and unbelievably wasn’t hungry for breakfast. I suspect she was being given some when she went to her folks. No matter, I was grateful for her company and ultimately, the shopping she did for me without which I would have struggled. That includes more diclofenac although I am not sure it is what I need, funny feeling I may need to pay to see a doctor at some point.
I on the other hand, although not hungry, knew I needed to eat before the journey to Hefei. Frankfurters had been replaced by beef sausages at the breakfast buffet. I don’t know about anyone else but beef, chicken sausages and frankfurters really have no business putting in an appearance at a breakfast buffet. Of course, as a four-time guest I could easily have asked for a couple of pork bangers to be cooked along with my eggs because there was no bacon either, just warm plastic ham. I didn’t. I was quite happy to content myself with one awful sausage, a slice of ham, my eggs, mushrooms, tomato and loads of hash browns all washed down with Liptons tea. And anyway by the time I went down I needed to hurry things along!
With more money than anticipated returned from my deposit at the hotel (betwixt us we had but 4 breakfasts instead of the forecast 6), I asked for a taxi to the train station. Alice had failed spectacularly to obtain any cash for me last night at possibly 6 cash points ( I know, never give your PIN to others but I trust her!) I was now worrying about money in Hefei. Actually, when I figured everything out, I still had enough cash to see me home if I simply used my debit card to pay for the hotel so it wasn’t a major problem.
The taxi dropped me off at the station a full hour before my train and I went to the ticket office. Queues of course, there are perennial lines of people waiting whenever you go and I have no idea why because Chinese ID cards allow you to simply use a dispensing machine whilst foreigners are condemned to queueing at the tellers. Ok so I have to wait a bit.
A bit??? The fat slug at my counter was so slow she was almost stopped in the water! Forty-seven minutes later I just squeaked in to get a ticket for my train before they cut off selling them and then had to break sweat to get to the gate two minutes before they opened it to give us exactly 5 minutes to board before the train left - and no, the gate is nowhere near the train, you cross a bridge, negotiate stairs (thankfully on this occasion escalators) and then I was aboard. ETA 1438 so in the hotel by 1600 - right?
Do you know what I hate about travelling? The travelling. If only they could invent a booth where you simply input your destination and you were teleported! Sure, it was a slow train - 2 hours between Wuhu and Hefei and we even arrived early - but then I needed a taxi. Just like Wuhu train station ticket office, I waited an hour in the “snake” and then had to demand security heft my case into the boot (two young lads had helped me with it on the train). So a 2 hour train trip had taken 4 hours - an hour to get the ticket, 2 hrs actually on the move and then more than an hour to go the final mile. Travelling????
I miss a lot of things about Chizhou and always will but one thing I will not is the rain. Hefei had it tonight in spades. When we got to the hotel I asked the driver if he would get my case out of the boot and he was extremely reluctant to do so, indicating with his hands that just perhaps, seeing as he had managed to find a spot where I could get out without immediately having my ankles engulfed in the new river that used to be a street, I should ask the bellboys to do it. I can’t say I blame him and I did in fact tip him, not something I often do in China. I must find the bellboy who took a shower for me tomorrow and remunerate him. I got soaked just getting under cover.
I had my welcome drink on check-in, went to the room and then the executive lounge. Sadly Vivian is busy so I have a solitary time here rattling around in my executive room. I thought I would go and have a couple of large whatevers in the exec lounge before heading to the buffet dinner.
Never got that far. I ended up chatting to the girl in the executive lounge. A few Chinese came and went after a few minutes and I wondered why they pay the extra if they aren’t even having a pint of wallop or a scotch but I found myself on the opposite side of her reception desk with vodka and tonic and an ashtray when it is non-smoking! According to her name tag her monicker is “Trainee” but as I can’t call her that I now know it is Vera. Studying economics in university here but not bad English.
I have a date for tomorrow night at the desk with her, smoking in a no smoking lounge and I will surely be there. Given that the only food they class as snacks are biscuits (wait until they ask for me to complete their online survey!) I will definitely be using the buffet tomorrow.
But for tonight, after doing serious damage to their vodka and emptying the Remy Martin bottle, I lost interest in food, instead now planning on waking up early and having a damned good breakfast in the morning. And a kip in the afternoon. Ok so this will be a solitary stay but the whole idea was to rest and recuperate before Lanzhou. That’s impossible with someone like Alice who wakes before dawn and no matter how she tried once my “pickledness” had worn off (about 2 hours) I am a very light sleeper.
Friday, 18 August 2017
Friday 18th August, 2017 1020
Yesterday I did nothing more strenuous than going to the lobby bar for a couple of drinks at lunchtime. I didn’t feel like breakfast and certainly not at the time Alice had hers - she must have been waiting for them to start at 0630!
She had a theory driving lesson in the morning that was about an hour from here and I think she was teaching in the afternoon. She was expected back at 1800 and the plan was to go to a beer festival before having dinner in the hotel and some music from our resident artistes. I just wanted to try and rest up my midsection, perhaps that school round-China trek will take some time to recover from.
When she eventually got back at 1920 it was too late to go out and so it was in-house dining, some music and (for her) an early night at 2200. Being tired also, I called it a day at 0000, praying I would sleep through her 0600 rise to breakfast and leaving to teach. Although disappointed at missing the festival, I could hardly complain seeing as she had taken my laundry home and washed it, saving me a packet. It’s 40y per shirt and even 10y for socks here!!
Anyway, she did wake me and I couldn’t drop off again so I got up, lazed around and after a shower, had my own breakfast. This time I was hungry so enjoyed it. The fact the “sausages” were actually frankfurters was more than compensated for by there being hash browns, grilled tomatoes and sautéed mushrooms on offer. They even, after much use of body language miming a footballer’s one-nostrilled snotting on the pitch, produced two perfectly done sunny side up eggs for me and the girl in charge vowed to explain to tomorrow’s chef for me. She did seem somewhat amused by my pantomime antics even though some of the Chinese guests were clearly perplexed!
Alice is due back soon (no doubt seeking a nap - what is the point of getting up early when you need to sleep a few hours later?) and this afternoon she has a Chinese “Bar Mitzvah” to attend for an 18th birthday, meaning it could be 2100 or later before she returns. I pray she has a lie-in tomorrow, a train to Hefei at lunchtime is my aim.
Tonight will be a solitary evening for the most part but the duo promised to perform until 2200 and for 151y a head in the restaurant even though I eat little, I avail myself of the draught beers on tap, going out would cost me more.
Apologies for the paucity of photographs here but Wuhu and Hefei were always intended to be for rest and recuperation, especially after the rigours of Shanghai, for which I blame Roland…..
Yesterday I did nothing more strenuous than going to the lobby bar for a couple of drinks at lunchtime. I didn’t feel like breakfast and certainly not at the time Alice had hers - she must have been waiting for them to start at 0630!
She had a theory driving lesson in the morning that was about an hour from here and I think she was teaching in the afternoon. She was expected back at 1800 and the plan was to go to a beer festival before having dinner in the hotel and some music from our resident artistes. I just wanted to try and rest up my midsection, perhaps that school round-China trek will take some time to recover from.
When she eventually got back at 1920 it was too late to go out and so it was in-house dining, some music and (for her) an early night at 2200. Being tired also, I called it a day at 0000, praying I would sleep through her 0600 rise to breakfast and leaving to teach. Although disappointed at missing the festival, I could hardly complain seeing as she had taken my laundry home and washed it, saving me a packet. It’s 40y per shirt and even 10y for socks here!!
Anyway, she did wake me and I couldn’t drop off again so I got up, lazed around and after a shower, had my own breakfast. This time I was hungry so enjoyed it. The fact the “sausages” were actually frankfurters was more than compensated for by there being hash browns, grilled tomatoes and sautéed mushrooms on offer. They even, after much use of body language miming a footballer’s one-nostrilled snotting on the pitch, produced two perfectly done sunny side up eggs for me and the girl in charge vowed to explain to tomorrow’s chef for me. She did seem somewhat amused by my pantomime antics even though some of the Chinese guests were clearly perplexed!
Alice is due back soon (no doubt seeking a nap - what is the point of getting up early when you need to sleep a few hours later?) and this afternoon she has a Chinese “Bar Mitzvah” to attend for an 18th birthday, meaning it could be 2100 or later before she returns. I pray she has a lie-in tomorrow, a train to Hefei at lunchtime is my aim.
Tonight will be a solitary evening for the most part but the duo promised to perform until 2200 and for 151y a head in the restaurant even though I eat little, I avail myself of the draught beers on tap, going out would cost me more.
Apologies for the paucity of photographs here but Wuhu and Hefei were always intended to be for rest and recuperation, especially after the rigours of Shanghai, for which I blame Roland…..
Thursday, 17 August 2017
Thursday 17th August, 2017 0940
Tuesday evening ended up being Roland, Angel, TJ and me. Joanna texted to say that she had to take her friend to hospital and so wouldn’t be coming.
That of course was a huge disappointment to me but yesterday morning she sent a message to explain. I do not disbelieve her account for she has never lied to me in the 7 years I have known her.
Her friend had called her and Joanna sensed the girl was unhinged. She hurried to the home of the girl and as she said “we” I assume she took Sean. There was no answer at the door so they called the police. Once the situation was explained, the officers broke the door down, finding Joanna’s friend near to death, having slit her wrists. I would imagine that will have a lasting effect on my friend.
Later that night Roland and I ended up playing pool doubles with Jill and Lucy, the waitresses. Towards the end I had a severe attack of “hipitis” and had resort to plonking myself on a stool. I confess it is now becoming somewhat concerning. Roland kindly took me to my hotel in his car.
Yesterday morning I checked out and took a taxi to the train station, where all tickets for my preferred train had sold out and the subsequent train only had a business seat. I have always wanted to try one but considering the 2 hour trip cost 546y it is more expensive than flying! You do though have an exclusive compartment with only five seats, which are electrically operated and fold down flat into beds. Still can’t smoke though.
Alice met me on arrival, where we had a long wait in the taxi queue. By the time we checked in it was definitely beer o’clock so we went to the restaurant. As we approached I heard live music from within and when I paid for buffet dinners and all the wine and beer you can drink, we entered. Within a second of going in my name was called over the microphone - the singer was the same one from 18 months ago and she remembered my name!! I never expected her to be there because last time she said the hotel wasn’t renewing the contract. She ended up in Nanjing for 3 months and then this place asked her and her partner Rain (he is gay and they are remarkably open about this considering the Chinese attitude to such things).
So that was our evening, listening to music and watching even old ladies dancing together. I didn’t, my problem was getting progressively worse. Indeed this morning even after a night in bed, it is worse still. Back on the pills then!
Tuesday evening ended up being Roland, Angel, TJ and me. Joanna texted to say that she had to take her friend to hospital and so wouldn’t be coming.
That of course was a huge disappointment to me but yesterday morning she sent a message to explain. I do not disbelieve her account for she has never lied to me in the 7 years I have known her.
Her friend had called her and Joanna sensed the girl was unhinged. She hurried to the home of the girl and as she said “we” I assume she took Sean. There was no answer at the door so they called the police. Once the situation was explained, the officers broke the door down, finding Joanna’s friend near to death, having slit her wrists. I would imagine that will have a lasting effect on my friend.
Later that night Roland and I ended up playing pool doubles with Jill and Lucy, the waitresses. Towards the end I had a severe attack of “hipitis” and had resort to plonking myself on a stool. I confess it is now becoming somewhat concerning. Roland kindly took me to my hotel in his car.
Yesterday morning I checked out and took a taxi to the train station, where all tickets for my preferred train had sold out and the subsequent train only had a business seat. I have always wanted to try one but considering the 2 hour trip cost 546y it is more expensive than flying! You do though have an exclusive compartment with only five seats, which are electrically operated and fold down flat into beds. Still can’t smoke though.
Alice met me on arrival, where we had a long wait in the taxi queue. By the time we checked in it was definitely beer o’clock so we went to the restaurant. As we approached I heard live music from within and when I paid for buffet dinners and all the wine and beer you can drink, we entered. Within a second of going in my name was called over the microphone - the singer was the same one from 18 months ago and she remembered my name!! I never expected her to be there because last time she said the hotel wasn’t renewing the contract. She ended up in Nanjing for 3 months and then this place asked her and her partner Rain (he is gay and they are remarkably open about this considering the Chinese attitude to such things).
So that was our evening, listening to music and watching even old ladies dancing together. I didn’t, my problem was getting progressively worse. Indeed this morning even after a night in bed, it is worse still. Back on the pills then!
Tuesday, 15 August 2017
Tuesday 15th August, 2017 1130
Sunday night wasn’t quite as early as I’d expected. We did though solve the mystery of the “overcharging”. BOGOF only applies to Stella Artois, other beers merely have a slight reduction in price.
It was though, quiet. Just Roland, Angel (his forthcoming ayee) and myself. We dined at the Big Bamboo where I excelled by actually eating all of my dish of tacos. Afterwards we went off to the Blue Marlin for some live music, getting rained on in the process. I got about 10 mins of music as I went on a rather fruitless search for a cashpoint I could actually obtain money from.
Yesterday afternoon I took my washing and went in search of a laundrette. Considering the old man was sound asleep behind locked doors and with curtains drawn, it is perhaps unsurprising that I had difficulty in finding it. A local kindly roused the old boy and blearily he worked out that 2 shirts, 5 boxers and 4 pairs of socks would cost 74y. He then pointed to the calendar to indicate they would be ready Wednesday. Err, no, I will be in Wuhu then! The old bugger had nothing else to do so I persuaded him to just wash and dry them quickly - for a price. It was now 90y.
With time to kill, I found a café that served my favourite tea - beer flavour. Delighted to find somewhere I could smoke, I duly lit up and was promptly admonished by the owner. I apologised but pointed out there was no “no smoking” sign and an ashtray on another table with ash and a fag butt in it. I think many others may have drawn the same conclusion I did! Nonetheless, I was relegated to outside when I wanted a puff.
In response to my jibe about the ashtrays, they clearly thought I had a point and threw them in the bin! I protested and asked if I could take them home to Lanzhou. I now have two ashtrays in my suitcase.
Notwithstanding, I spent a pleasant couple of hours there and even ended up “talking” with a chap who had served time in the Chinese coastguard and for some reason had been to London, Rotterdam and Hamburg with them.
Laundry collected, it was time to rendezvous in Big Bamboo again. Roland brought TJ, Angel came later, as did Tutu and even later the moment I wait all year for, Joanna and her boyfriend arrived. I have come to terms with the fact that I am silly old dreamer, and yes, when it happens I shall be proud to go to her/their wedding and also make a speech. And of course, continue to dream………
Joanna and I spent half an hour having a much-needed private chat, by which time the others had voted to dine at Bollywood. Curry it was to be. Quite apart from Roland vastly over-ordering, it was a damned fine dinner. Afterwards it was back to Bamboo and pool, at which I was spectacularly appalling. People peeled away, leaving just Joanna and Sean. In a perfectly parsimonious situation, I showed great largesse in inviting Jill and Lucy the waitresses to join us in having a shot apiece.
And then it was time for bed, said Zebedee………….
Sunday night wasn’t quite as early as I’d expected. We did though solve the mystery of the “overcharging”. BOGOF only applies to Stella Artois, other beers merely have a slight reduction in price.
It was though, quiet. Just Roland, Angel (his forthcoming ayee) and myself. We dined at the Big Bamboo where I excelled by actually eating all of my dish of tacos. Afterwards we went off to the Blue Marlin for some live music, getting rained on in the process. I got about 10 mins of music as I went on a rather fruitless search for a cashpoint I could actually obtain money from.
Yesterday afternoon I took my washing and went in search of a laundrette. Considering the old man was sound asleep behind locked doors and with curtains drawn, it is perhaps unsurprising that I had difficulty in finding it. A local kindly roused the old boy and blearily he worked out that 2 shirts, 5 boxers and 4 pairs of socks would cost 74y. He then pointed to the calendar to indicate they would be ready Wednesday. Err, no, I will be in Wuhu then! The old bugger had nothing else to do so I persuaded him to just wash and dry them quickly - for a price. It was now 90y.
With time to kill, I found a café that served my favourite tea - beer flavour. Delighted to find somewhere I could smoke, I duly lit up and was promptly admonished by the owner. I apologised but pointed out there was no “no smoking” sign and an ashtray on another table with ash and a fag butt in it. I think many others may have drawn the same conclusion I did! Nonetheless, I was relegated to outside when I wanted a puff.
In response to my jibe about the ashtrays, they clearly thought I had a point and threw them in the bin! I protested and asked if I could take them home to Lanzhou. I now have two ashtrays in my suitcase.
Notwithstanding, I spent a pleasant couple of hours there and even ended up “talking” with a chap who had served time in the Chinese coastguard and for some reason had been to London, Rotterdam and Hamburg with them.
Laundry collected, it was time to rendezvous in Big Bamboo again. Roland brought TJ, Angel came later, as did Tutu and even later the moment I wait all year for, Joanna and her boyfriend arrived. I have come to terms with the fact that I am silly old dreamer, and yes, when it happens I shall be proud to go to her/their wedding and also make a speech. And of course, continue to dream………
Joanna and I spent half an hour having a much-needed private chat, by which time the others had voted to dine at Bollywood. Curry it was to be. Quite apart from Roland vastly over-ordering, it was a damned fine dinner. Afterwards it was back to Bamboo and pool, at which I was spectacularly appalling. People peeled away, leaving just Joanna and Sean. In a perfectly parsimonious situation, I showed great largesse in inviting Jill and Lucy the waitresses to join us in having a shot apiece.
And then it was time for bed, said Zebedee………….
Sunday, 13 August 2017
Sunday 13th August, 2017 1615
The second shopping trip also singularly failed to yield all the remaining items on my list, although I did manage to get “shaky” parmesan. I also bought a bottle of malt vinegar for fish and chips plus a couple of packets of strong English cheddar, the latter to go with Steve’s brother’s homemade pickled onions which so far I have valiantly resisted the urge to plunder. It would be a waste not to have them with good cheddar and some crusty bread. I may try to find RT Mart in Lanzhou using buses to get French baguettes (not a short journey), failing which I shall make my own, maybe crusty rolls for a change.
At six we went to Big Bamboo (I may be travelling but I am still a creature of considerable habit, and anyway the lovely Jill was there as my main attraction) where I met up with Rabbit (don’t ask) for the first time since she graduated four years ago. She is now working here in Shanghai for a Chinese IT company specialising in producing APPs for phones and computers. It is good to see someone who was immensely timid during her university days blossom into someone who, whilst not bursting with confidence, is at least standing on her own two feet in the real world.
Roland had brought his son TK and he seems to have grown at the same rate as bamboo since last year. I was staggered to learn he is still merely 13 years of age. The plan was to milk happy hour and then go to an English style eatery (King William I think) and indeed Roland and I enjoyed a gallon of Guinness between ourselves. Before we left I settled the bill and afterwards regretted not taking the receipt, for unless we were diddled a fruit juice, ginger ale and two cans of coke cost more than eight pints of Liffey water! Rest assured the bill will be scrutinised henceforth!
At the King William I had a steak and ale pie with mash and peas, far too much for me but very nice indeed, although the pie did have a slight taste of something I wasn’t expecting and couldn’t identify.
Then it was back to Big Bamboo and more drinking. Rabbit took a Didicar from the other place and we dropped off TJ near home. The Premier League has just restarted the season so we ended up watching one of the big screens (even as someone who doesn’t follow football it’s difficult not to watch) and switching to Magners. It was well after 0100 when we decided to call it a day but the waitresses wouldn’t let us leave! Three of them (Jill included) insisted we join them for “shots” - of course one of us would be doing the paying. I had no idea what the shots were to be but they turned out to be Jaegerbombs. I am none the wiser but they weren’t unpleasant and they never tasted remotely alcoholic but they must have been. Each had two shots before we were released so 10 shots and I was 550y the poorer.
It did though mean that it was 0300 before my head hit the pillow. Mercifully, the first bawling kid never manifested itself until 0915 so I was granted six hours sleep. Even the cleaners started late, it being a Sunday.
As for the laundry, I have worked out that if I go to the laundry on Tuesday morning and (fingers crossed) they can do it in a couple of hours, I shan’t have to get any more done and will last until I travel home to Lanzhou next Monday.
Tonight should be less expensive, TJ has school and Roland work tomorrow. That means we should be able to escape the rottweilers early on as they will still have plenty of other customers to serve. Monday and Tuesday should equally not be so wallet-destroying, hopefully I can flee Shanghai with enough cash to pay for my next two hotels, train/taxi fares and actually have money to play with in Wuhu and Hefei if I‘m careful.
It seems odd that I am now already just past the halfway mark of my 19 day holiday.
The second shopping trip also singularly failed to yield all the remaining items on my list, although I did manage to get “shaky” parmesan. I also bought a bottle of malt vinegar for fish and chips plus a couple of packets of strong English cheddar, the latter to go with Steve’s brother’s homemade pickled onions which so far I have valiantly resisted the urge to plunder. It would be a waste not to have them with good cheddar and some crusty bread. I may try to find RT Mart in Lanzhou using buses to get French baguettes (not a short journey), failing which I shall make my own, maybe crusty rolls for a change.
At six we went to Big Bamboo (I may be travelling but I am still a creature of considerable habit, and anyway the lovely Jill was there as my main attraction) where I met up with Rabbit (don’t ask) for the first time since she graduated four years ago. She is now working here in Shanghai for a Chinese IT company specialising in producing APPs for phones and computers. It is good to see someone who was immensely timid during her university days blossom into someone who, whilst not bursting with confidence, is at least standing on her own two feet in the real world.
Roland had brought his son TK and he seems to have grown at the same rate as bamboo since last year. I was staggered to learn he is still merely 13 years of age. The plan was to milk happy hour and then go to an English style eatery (King William I think) and indeed Roland and I enjoyed a gallon of Guinness between ourselves. Before we left I settled the bill and afterwards regretted not taking the receipt, for unless we were diddled a fruit juice, ginger ale and two cans of coke cost more than eight pints of Liffey water! Rest assured the bill will be scrutinised henceforth!
At the King William I had a steak and ale pie with mash and peas, far too much for me but very nice indeed, although the pie did have a slight taste of something I wasn’t expecting and couldn’t identify.
Then it was back to Big Bamboo and more drinking. Rabbit took a Didicar from the other place and we dropped off TJ near home. The Premier League has just restarted the season so we ended up watching one of the big screens (even as someone who doesn’t follow football it’s difficult not to watch) and switching to Magners. It was well after 0100 when we decided to call it a day but the waitresses wouldn’t let us leave! Three of them (Jill included) insisted we join them for “shots” - of course one of us would be doing the paying. I had no idea what the shots were to be but they turned out to be Jaegerbombs. I am none the wiser but they weren’t unpleasant and they never tasted remotely alcoholic but they must have been. Each had two shots before we were released so 10 shots and I was 550y the poorer.
It did though mean that it was 0300 before my head hit the pillow. Mercifully, the first bawling kid never manifested itself until 0915 so I was granted six hours sleep. Even the cleaners started late, it being a Sunday.
As for the laundry, I have worked out that if I go to the laundry on Tuesday morning and (fingers crossed) they can do it in a couple of hours, I shan’t have to get any more done and will last until I travel home to Lanzhou next Monday.
Tonight should be less expensive, TJ has school and Roland work tomorrow. That means we should be able to escape the rottweilers early on as they will still have plenty of other customers to serve. Monday and Tuesday should equally not be so wallet-destroying, hopefully I can flee Shanghai with enough cash to pay for my next two hotels, train/taxi fares and actually have money to play with in Wuhu and Hefei if I‘m careful.
It seems odd that I am now already just past the halfway mark of my 19 day holiday.
Saturday, 12 August 2017
Saturday 12th August, 2017 1500
Yesterday late morning I paid a visit to City Shop to see what I could buy from the west. I found about half of the items on my shopping list, strolled down to Big Bamboo for a swift couple of pints of the black stuff then returned to the spit and sawdust place for some better-priced beers.
Roland had said to meet at Big Bamboo at 1830 but possibly he would be slightly delayed, he would be there at the latest by 1900. I arrived at 1825and refused all offers of a food menu as I was waiting for a friend. As time passed, the staff kept asking where my friend was. “He texted to say he was leaving the office at 1905 so he should be here very soon,” I told them. I never had an imaginary friend as a child yet by the time Roland finally rolled up at 2030 the staff must surely have been thinking I was Billy No Mates who pretended to know people.
I’m not sure quite how much we made up for lost drinking time because whilst waiting I had taken advantage of Happy Hour and was on my fourth Guinness when he arrived. More glasses of crude oil were obtained and at one point we moved on to Magners cider. I don’t think I look too pie-eyed in the photographs taken after midnight! There was one waitress I remembered from last year - they don’t seem to last long there - mainly due to her beautiful smile. At that time of night/morning, service was slackening off so she came and chatted at times with us. I look forward to seeing her again this evening, albeit briefly as we are going to somewhere that serves up British pub grub, which sounds rather tempting.
I still can’t eat great amounts but last night managed a couple of stuffed potato skins and some chicken “tenders” (strips of chicken breadcrumbed and deep fried). I invited the three ex students to join us tonight but only Rabbit is coming. Tutu’s “college” at work is ill so she is covering her evening classes (but hopes to meet before I leave on Wednesday) and Rinka has to go with her husband to hospital. I seem to remember she had the same problem once last summer so either she married a sickly child or she just doesn’t want to come. She only has to say.
I am absolutely exhausted today, the hotel is typically cheap Chinese - quiet at night but noisy from about 0730 onwards with either guests letting kids run amok in the corridors or cleaning staff bellowing from each end at one another. Needless to say I never slept as long as I would have wished.
I enquired at the desk earlier about laundry. According to the internet they send it to an outside laundry but the reality is that there is one 500 yards away and turn right. Great. With an abundance of shirts now and enough trousers to last until Lanzhou, I merely need boxers and socks washing. I may take a walk tomorrow or perhaps Monday.
Roland should pick me up in his car in half an hour to take me to another City Shop, one I went to the first time I came. There I may be able to obtain the rest of my shopping list. Then off to meet Rabbit at Big Bamboo.
Yesterday late morning I paid a visit to City Shop to see what I could buy from the west. I found about half of the items on my shopping list, strolled down to Big Bamboo for a swift couple of pints of the black stuff then returned to the spit and sawdust place for some better-priced beers.
Roland had said to meet at Big Bamboo at 1830 but possibly he would be slightly delayed, he would be there at the latest by 1900. I arrived at 1825and refused all offers of a food menu as I was waiting for a friend. As time passed, the staff kept asking where my friend was. “He texted to say he was leaving the office at 1905 so he should be here very soon,” I told them. I never had an imaginary friend as a child yet by the time Roland finally rolled up at 2030 the staff must surely have been thinking I was Billy No Mates who pretended to know people.
I’m not sure quite how much we made up for lost drinking time because whilst waiting I had taken advantage of Happy Hour and was on my fourth Guinness when he arrived. More glasses of crude oil were obtained and at one point we moved on to Magners cider. I don’t think I look too pie-eyed in the photographs taken after midnight! There was one waitress I remembered from last year - they don’t seem to last long there - mainly due to her beautiful smile. At that time of night/morning, service was slackening off so she came and chatted at times with us. I look forward to seeing her again this evening, albeit briefly as we are going to somewhere that serves up British pub grub, which sounds rather tempting.
I still can’t eat great amounts but last night managed a couple of stuffed potato skins and some chicken “tenders” (strips of chicken breadcrumbed and deep fried). I invited the three ex students to join us tonight but only Rabbit is coming. Tutu’s “college” at work is ill so she is covering her evening classes (but hopes to meet before I leave on Wednesday) and Rinka has to go with her husband to hospital. I seem to remember she had the same problem once last summer so either she married a sickly child or she just doesn’t want to come. She only has to say.
I am absolutely exhausted today, the hotel is typically cheap Chinese - quiet at night but noisy from about 0730 onwards with either guests letting kids run amok in the corridors or cleaning staff bellowing from each end at one another. Needless to say I never slept as long as I would have wished.
I enquired at the desk earlier about laundry. According to the internet they send it to an outside laundry but the reality is that there is one 500 yards away and turn right. Great. With an abundance of shirts now and enough trousers to last until Lanzhou, I merely need boxers and socks washing. I may take a walk tomorrow or perhaps Monday.
Roland should pick me up in his car in half an hour to take me to another City Shop, one I went to the first time I came. There I may be able to obtain the rest of my shopping list. Then off to meet Rabbit at Big Bamboo.
Thursday, 10 August 2017
Thursday 10th August, 2017 2045
Last night we ate in the executive lounge and then went to the BBQ garden. After a while a group of laowei, once their Mexican friend had retired hurt, invited us to join them. Two Bavarians and a Hungarian. They were in China on business, the Bavarians were engineers dealing with car parts for BMW, VW etc and the Hungarian was their supplier for something. I think we chanced upon the only Germans with a sense of humour and it made a fitting end to our sojourn in Shenyang.
And the travel problems naturally manifested again today, although not in the way I envisaged.
Alice, who was terrified of water until a few days ago, now can’t stay away from the stuff and just had to get in a last swim before we left. I had a late breakfast and then went to the ATM to use my UK card for the first time to get cash in about 2 years. It was rejected twice and I was in high dudgeon because I had called and checked it would work in China. Of course, I couldn’t phone to resolve it until I was at the airport due to banking hours. Later though I had a thought. It had been so long since I had obtained money with the UK card I had forgotten it wasn’t the same as the Chinese ones where you can withdraw any amount if you have the funds, up to 20,000 or 30,000y depending on the machine. There’s a daily limit! I tried again for 2,000y (I had been asking for 3,000) and hey presto it worked!
Before we went down to be met by Mr G I checked the flights online. Alice’s flight was already delayed but mine showed as leaving on time but delayed for landing in Pudong (Shanghai has had problems recently).
As we left, Simon the front of house manager, informed me that there were no smoking booths in Shenyang airport. That pleased me no end. At the airport Alice had no bags to check in but I was confused. I could see no counter for first/business class check in. annoyed at the prospect of having to queue I got Alice to enquire and then encountered another “first”. There was a special VIP lounge to do it. Thank God when they took the case away I never had to go and open it because all the goodies Steve had given us (which Alice promptly purloined) were in there, meaning not only did it weigh a ton but finding anything would have been a monumental task.
Our luck was in when I got to the 1st class lounge, explained the situation and asked nicely if Alice could come in too. The girl was lovely and let her in for free snacks and drinks. Sadly no alcohol so I had to go and source a couple of beers. The snacks were awful but I half expect that in China anyway - Alice filled up though and also sneaked some into her bag!
And then they called my flight for boarding! Alice was running about 100 minutes late so we said our goodbyes and I went in search of gate 81. The flight was indeed boarding but lo and behold there was a smoking room! There was a queue for boarding so of course I nipped in for a few gasps before departure! We took off on time at 1500 and amazingly landed slightly early at 1700. Wonderful.
I took the Maglev and then a taxi. I was incapable of hefting my case into the boot and had to enlist help from security! Then I encountered my own problems. I hadn’t booked the hotel I thought I had. Shouldn’t be a huge drawback as the map said it is near where I want to play at night and I shall find out tomorrow.
Poor Alice. I have no idea when she eventually took off but she never landed in Nanjing until 1930 and to rub salt in the wound the first train to Wuhu where the tickets weren’t sold out will see her getting to her hometown at 2308! She may have been better flying with me and taking the train from here, or better still staying the night with me tonight and leaving in the morning. Travelling in China is never short of surprises!
There is no bar in the hotel but the room, whilst being pokey, is clean and will do me just fine. It has a shop with drinks and snacks so I will be ok. I ventured out for a cold pijou and came across a spit and sawdust, sticky-tabled café with aircon and cold ale plus the added bonus that you couldn’t see for the smoke inside! I will be back there when I have no playmates in the daytime.
Night one has been mercifully cheap.
Last night we ate in the executive lounge and then went to the BBQ garden. After a while a group of laowei, once their Mexican friend had retired hurt, invited us to join them. Two Bavarians and a Hungarian. They were in China on business, the Bavarians were engineers dealing with car parts for BMW, VW etc and the Hungarian was their supplier for something. I think we chanced upon the only Germans with a sense of humour and it made a fitting end to our sojourn in Shenyang.
And the travel problems naturally manifested again today, although not in the way I envisaged.
Alice, who was terrified of water until a few days ago, now can’t stay away from the stuff and just had to get in a last swim before we left. I had a late breakfast and then went to the ATM to use my UK card for the first time to get cash in about 2 years. It was rejected twice and I was in high dudgeon because I had called and checked it would work in China. Of course, I couldn’t phone to resolve it until I was at the airport due to banking hours. Later though I had a thought. It had been so long since I had obtained money with the UK card I had forgotten it wasn’t the same as the Chinese ones where you can withdraw any amount if you have the funds, up to 20,000 or 30,000y depending on the machine. There’s a daily limit! I tried again for 2,000y (I had been asking for 3,000) and hey presto it worked!
Before we went down to be met by Mr G I checked the flights online. Alice’s flight was already delayed but mine showed as leaving on time but delayed for landing in Pudong (Shanghai has had problems recently).
As we left, Simon the front of house manager, informed me that there were no smoking booths in Shenyang airport. That pleased me no end. At the airport Alice had no bags to check in but I was confused. I could see no counter for first/business class check in. annoyed at the prospect of having to queue I got Alice to enquire and then encountered another “first”. There was a special VIP lounge to do it. Thank God when they took the case away I never had to go and open it because all the goodies Steve had given us (which Alice promptly purloined) were in there, meaning not only did it weigh a ton but finding anything would have been a monumental task.
Our luck was in when I got to the 1st class lounge, explained the situation and asked nicely if Alice could come in too. The girl was lovely and let her in for free snacks and drinks. Sadly no alcohol so I had to go and source a couple of beers. The snacks were awful but I half expect that in China anyway - Alice filled up though and also sneaked some into her bag!
And then they called my flight for boarding! Alice was running about 100 minutes late so we said our goodbyes and I went in search of gate 81. The flight was indeed boarding but lo and behold there was a smoking room! There was a queue for boarding so of course I nipped in for a few gasps before departure! We took off on time at 1500 and amazingly landed slightly early at 1700. Wonderful.
I took the Maglev and then a taxi. I was incapable of hefting my case into the boot and had to enlist help from security! Then I encountered my own problems. I hadn’t booked the hotel I thought I had. Shouldn’t be a huge drawback as the map said it is near where I want to play at night and I shall find out tomorrow.
Poor Alice. I have no idea when she eventually took off but she never landed in Nanjing until 1930 and to rub salt in the wound the first train to Wuhu where the tickets weren’t sold out will see her getting to her hometown at 2308! She may have been better flying with me and taking the train from here, or better still staying the night with me tonight and leaving in the morning. Travelling in China is never short of surprises!
There is no bar in the hotel but the room, whilst being pokey, is clean and will do me just fine. It has a shop with drinks and snacks so I will be ok. I ventured out for a cold pijou and came across a spit and sawdust, sticky-tabled café with aircon and cold ale plus the added bonus that you couldn’t see for the smoke inside! I will be back there when I have no playmates in the daytime.
Night one has been mercifully cheap.
Wednesday, 9 August 2017
Wednesday 9th August, 2017 1130
Yesterday Steve departed at noon to catch a train to Beijing. Sensibly, he opted for a 5 hour train ride instead of a flight in order not to be at the mercy of whimsical air traffic controllers. There was a very slim chance of him missing his UK flight that way - nothing quite like falling off a plane and straight into church as father of the bride!
All his managers came out to see him off and after he left his deputy Vivian said he was sure they only saw him off to make sure he had actually gone. I said “Well it’s true isn’t it?” - they all laughed and agreed it was!
We went to the Chinese restaurant in the hotel for lunch, quite nice but the portions would have fed four. After that Alice went for her swimming lesson. She remained for another 90 minutes practising, until almost time to make use of the executive lounge for the first time this visit. A proper lounge with food instead of biscuits masquerading as snacks. That was dinner and will be again tonight.
After that I went to the BBQ beer garden for a drink. I was pleased to see it was nigh on at capacity with everyone eating and drinking. A good move opening that, especially as you can smoke unimpeded there!
Today is a lazy day even for Alice, she has another lesson in the pool, hopefully she will be taught how to breathe this time - yesterday that part wasn’t covered! We strolled to the market after breakfast where she bought a swimming cap and (believe it or not) goggles for the myopic. I decided to splash out another 100y and bought four more shirts. I now have blue, green, red, orange, white, pink, purple and yellow. My airport attire tomorrow will be decidedly lemony. Alice said I looked like broccoli yesterday and a tomato today.
1230
The mermaid was keen today, going to the pool an hour before the lesson to practise. She can do the breaststroke but has not yet mastered that little trick you have to do so that your head leaves the water, enabling one to grab some air. As a result her swimming is a case of forward 5 yards, stop, stand, breathe and then swim again. All very well provided there is no deep end. I went to take a photo but she became uncharacteristically coy now she was wearing her new equipment.
Yesterday Steve departed at noon to catch a train to Beijing. Sensibly, he opted for a 5 hour train ride instead of a flight in order not to be at the mercy of whimsical air traffic controllers. There was a very slim chance of him missing his UK flight that way - nothing quite like falling off a plane and straight into church as father of the bride!
All his managers came out to see him off and after he left his deputy Vivian said he was sure they only saw him off to make sure he had actually gone. I said “Well it’s true isn’t it?” - they all laughed and agreed it was!
We went to the Chinese restaurant in the hotel for lunch, quite nice but the portions would have fed four. After that Alice went for her swimming lesson. She remained for another 90 minutes practising, until almost time to make use of the executive lounge for the first time this visit. A proper lounge with food instead of biscuits masquerading as snacks. That was dinner and will be again tonight.
After that I went to the BBQ beer garden for a drink. I was pleased to see it was nigh on at capacity with everyone eating and drinking. A good move opening that, especially as you can smoke unimpeded there!
Today is a lazy day even for Alice, she has another lesson in the pool, hopefully she will be taught how to breathe this time - yesterday that part wasn’t covered! We strolled to the market after breakfast where she bought a swimming cap and (believe it or not) goggles for the myopic. I decided to splash out another 100y and bought four more shirts. I now have blue, green, red, orange, white, pink, purple and yellow. My airport attire tomorrow will be decidedly lemony. Alice said I looked like broccoli yesterday and a tomato today.
1230
The mermaid was keen today, going to the pool an hour before the lesson to practise. She can do the breaststroke but has not yet mastered that little trick you have to do so that your head leaves the water, enabling one to grab some air. As a result her swimming is a case of forward 5 yards, stop, stand, breathe and then swim again. All very well provided there is no deep end. I went to take a photo but she became uncharacteristically coy now she was wearing her new equipment.
Tuesday, 8 August 2017
Tuesday 8th August, 2017 1000
Yesterday was a day that ultimately drove me to the very limits of my endurance.
Mr G the driver arrived at 0820 and then battled the traffic to get us to the train station. The fast trains take 80-90 minutes and travel at 152mph. On arrival in Dandong we were besieged by an army of people touting for business, be it taxis, tours or whatever. We fled the area and found refuge in an upmarket shopping mall beneath the Hilton Garden hotel. There, for the first time in my life, I entered a Starbucks. A drink and half a pannini each and I felt emboldened enough to head towards the Great Wall.
No trip of mine would seem real without at least one taxi driver ripping me off and this was no exception. Fifty yuan, higher than the going rate, because he “might not get a fare back”. Why should I pay for that??? Pay I did though. It was the Great Wall or bust.
Alice thought I would simply stay at the foot of the wall but no, I missed it in Beijing, I wasn’t going to in Dandong. I had even been taking diclofenac for 36 hours in preparation! Seventy-three very high steps later and had I had the energy I would have done a “Rocky” when he ran up those stairs. I didn’t. My new shirt was decidedly damp by now, it was a warm day.
I took a couple of photos atop the wall and quite a few of Alice using her phone. I then handed my camera to her. She was being foolhardy and going all the way up the mountain - something I would need a cattle sling and a Wessex helicopter to achieve. With steam rising from my shirt, we parted company, she continuing upwards and me descending in search of a cold bottle. I rested for a while under an umbrella table and suddenly realised I had taken loads of Alice up there but there were none of me! Well I wasn’t about to scale the heights again. I know I did it and that’s all that matters.
Next up was a boat trip on the Yalu river, which is a free zone and delineates the border between PRC and DPRK. It is also the closest you can get without getting a visa or indeed being picked off by a sniper. At one point we were no more than twenty feet away from a North Korean shingle riverside. The only clues to the fact one side was China and the other the worlds most secretive state were the barbed wire fences on both sides and the military buildings and patrolling soldiers (on pushbikes!) on the other. Bumboats came out to meet us, selling fruit and cigarettes. I took a photo of the one alongside our boat and the owner was clearly less than pleased, perhaps he thought Kim Jong Fatty III is one of my Facebook friends.
The final treat of the day was the broken bridge, which the Americans bombed during the Korean war. To get there from the boat landings, we took a minibus which also stopped at the Wall to not only fill the seats but also put small stools everywhere so as to overload it. I found myself surrounded by a posse of very talkative females. Being in the bus did however save us from getting drenched when the heavens opened. The Chinese action when driving in heavy rain is to turn on the hazard lights. Forget headlights and foglights. And certainly forget about any indication a vehicle is about to turn!
The bridge per se, although having history, is not something to draw gasps of wonder but it does offer terrific views. I was most interested in how the hell they managed to get (at a guess) a 5,000 tonne vessel high and dry on the bank on the Korean side.
And then it was time to go. 12.5 hours after leaving, we arrived back at base, weary indeed but glad to have made the effort. Not something I would have thought of doing and if I am honest, not something I would have done unaccompanied.
Yesterday was a day that ultimately drove me to the very limits of my endurance.
Mr G the driver arrived at 0820 and then battled the traffic to get us to the train station. The fast trains take 80-90 minutes and travel at 152mph. On arrival in Dandong we were besieged by an army of people touting for business, be it taxis, tours or whatever. We fled the area and found refuge in an upmarket shopping mall beneath the Hilton Garden hotel. There, for the first time in my life, I entered a Starbucks. A drink and half a pannini each and I felt emboldened enough to head towards the Great Wall.
No trip of mine would seem real without at least one taxi driver ripping me off and this was no exception. Fifty yuan, higher than the going rate, because he “might not get a fare back”. Why should I pay for that??? Pay I did though. It was the Great Wall or bust.
Alice thought I would simply stay at the foot of the wall but no, I missed it in Beijing, I wasn’t going to in Dandong. I had even been taking diclofenac for 36 hours in preparation! Seventy-three very high steps later and had I had the energy I would have done a “Rocky” when he ran up those stairs. I didn’t. My new shirt was decidedly damp by now, it was a warm day.
I took a couple of photos atop the wall and quite a few of Alice using her phone. I then handed my camera to her. She was being foolhardy and going all the way up the mountain - something I would need a cattle sling and a Wessex helicopter to achieve. With steam rising from my shirt, we parted company, she continuing upwards and me descending in search of a cold bottle. I rested for a while under an umbrella table and suddenly realised I had taken loads of Alice up there but there were none of me! Well I wasn’t about to scale the heights again. I know I did it and that’s all that matters.
Next up was a boat trip on the Yalu river, which is a free zone and delineates the border between PRC and DPRK. It is also the closest you can get without getting a visa or indeed being picked off by a sniper. At one point we were no more than twenty feet away from a North Korean shingle riverside. The only clues to the fact one side was China and the other the worlds most secretive state were the barbed wire fences on both sides and the military buildings and patrolling soldiers (on pushbikes!) on the other. Bumboats came out to meet us, selling fruit and cigarettes. I took a photo of the one alongside our boat and the owner was clearly less than pleased, perhaps he thought Kim Jong Fatty III is one of my Facebook friends.
The final treat of the day was the broken bridge, which the Americans bombed during the Korean war. To get there from the boat landings, we took a minibus which also stopped at the Wall to not only fill the seats but also put small stools everywhere so as to overload it. I found myself surrounded by a posse of very talkative females. Being in the bus did however save us from getting drenched when the heavens opened. The Chinese action when driving in heavy rain is to turn on the hazard lights. Forget headlights and foglights. And certainly forget about any indication a vehicle is about to turn!
The bridge per se, although having history, is not something to draw gasps of wonder but it does offer terrific views. I was most interested in how the hell they managed to get (at a guess) a 5,000 tonne vessel high and dry on the bank on the Korean side.
And then it was time to go. 12.5 hours after leaving, we arrived back at base, weary indeed but glad to have made the effort. Not something I would have thought of doing and if I am honest, not something I would have done unaccompanied.
