Thursday 22^nd March, 2018 1930

Well if I didn't like Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays before, this term, I definitely hate Thursdays now.

The lie-in until seven would have been most welcome had I actually not woken up at 0615 but to be fair I felt ok when I left home at 0845. Earlier than perhaps needed but I needed to find out where to go etc and didn't want to be late. I also elected to try and take the 66 bus instead of the 121 – after all I was already faced with ascending 6 floors twice so why make it more?

The 66 came perfectly at 0855 and I even got a seat, sent a text to Pat to tell her I was on my way. I will show you where to go between classes 0950-1010. If she thought I was going to cool my heels for at least half an hour she was wrong and I told her I would find the classroom on my own. I just hoped the 66 went to the same place the 121 did or I was lost.

No! It doesn't, she replied, get off at the second mention of the university and you will still arrive.

Great, not only are the announcements made in Chinese first but the English half-translation comes just as the doors close and the bus is on the move again! I had misgivings regarding the choice of bus I had taken. As the bus pulled away and the university was made reference to the first time, I happened to look across the road and saw half a dozen 121s parked up exactly where I wanted to be! The 66 DOES stop there, just on the other side of the road!

Ok, she said the second mention so maybe I will just get off near a different entrance. Well, it's a big campus but it doesn't sprawl across the Yellow River. Which we crossed. Now of course I was in unknown territory. Resigned to the fact I had little choice but to remain aboard to the end (where that was I had no idea) and take the next bus back.

Everyone eventually got off and I stayed on. The next stop was the depot where the ladies wash the buses. The driver got a fright when he realised he still had a passenger, and one who was asking if he should get on the bus in front of his. It was made clear that passengers were not allowed and so I had to trudge back to where everyone had disembarked.

After a wait, I got another bus and eventually got to where I should have been ages ago. I needed building 4. There is no indication as to building numbers so I stopped a student who gave me directions. To student dormitory block 7. Another student gave me directions to another area of the campus where I arrived at the student canteen! Yet another student sent me to what at least was a teaching block and by that time it was break time and students were pouring out. I stopped a boy, then a girl, nobody seemed to speak English. Then a teacher appeared clutching an English text book. SHE didn't know if it was building 4 or not either! I was about to despair and just go home to try again next week when she dug out a small map of the campus, took me outside and pointed somewhere else again, telling me to go through the “gate” (entranceway) and I would be in 4.

Finally, I was where I should be, knackered legs and Kilimanjaro to climb to get to the students. By an outrageous coincidence, where I needed to be was no more than two minutes from the entrance I had come through! I was somewhat relieved to be able to finish the class a few minutes early so Pat and Ariel could show me where the school bus departed from. I was back home thirty minutes after class finished, at which time I could have some cheese on toast, rest my trotters and prepare myself for Peili campus and the next climb.

It will be easier next week........