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…..