Saturday 5^th May, 2018 1130

I signed next year's contract on Thursday morning, surprisingly only six signatures needed. Once finished, Brenda asked me about my travel plans for summer. I asked when I would be reimbursed after actually purchasing the tickets and without a trace of guile and despite a year ago my stating vehement disagreement, she said “when you come back”, meaning maybe September or October.

I reaffirmed my disagreement with such a set-up, reiterating that were I to be leaving China to return to the UK, never to return, the idea was ludicrous. To be fair to her, she does try her best but of course is bound by school bureaucracy, which at times can be implacably idiotic. I also informed her of my intention (prices permitting) of flying the Lanzhou-Guangzhou legs first or business class. She wanted to know why and I was honest and told her I wanted a beer in the airport before flying, pointed out that delays are not uncommon plus I wanted a glass of wine on the three hour flight rather than juice, water or coffee.

She said that I needed to give her the boarding cards and receipts/tickets. Well you don't really get tickets any more, they are e-receipts and boarding cards are issued on check in at the airport, I am not someone who has ever managed to book in online and print my own boarding pass, all I get are errors. She also said that finance would not pay for business travel. I know that but I expect them to reimburse what economy would have cost! She didn't think they would pay out and suggested I asked whoever I booked with to issue an economy receipt. I can't see that happening although I can ask but how inane is that? The school should jump at the chance to pay economy yet present a business receipt when doing their tax returns!

Anyway, I said if it was going to be a problem to get the money before next year (I can't/won't book the flights until Alice's visa is in place) then give me the 3,500\ they would do anyway if I wasn't going home as per the contract and when I return they can refund the difference between that and what I paid. When did you get the 3,500 last year? July. I also pointed out that when she spoke to finance she should point out that were I going solo I would be booking business class for the main flight as well and there would be ructions if they refused to pay me the economy portion – the contract stipulates reasonable economy fares but does not state you have to actually fly it. If I want to upgrade at my own expense what skin is coming off their nose??? Watch this space for updates next term.

It will be a different story next year though because provided I get a further year the hope is to take Joan to Kuala Lumpur for a week and follow it with a week in Jakarta, or at least that's the plan as it stands, in which case the 3,500\ is all I can expect anyway and no receipts are required for that.

It does though seem most of the time that the number crunchers are hell-bent on creating imbecilic laws of their own just to make life difficult for everyone else.

My last class on Friday (the one I cancelled last week in order to judge the dancing) started with a mere ten students, although another half a dozen arrived a few minutes later. Now I have said it before, I don't blame them , having been forced to attend and not speaking English, if they don't want to come. I wouldn't either! One volunteer is worth more than ten pressed men as they say. And do you know, it was a far better lesson for that – there weren't thirty of them surreptitiously watching TV on their phones! Those that came, in the main, did their best to actually participate.

Having been deprived of the Mayday holiday I was rather glad to learn that in two weeks time the sports days will be Wed/Thur/Fri which effectively will give me an 11 day break from teaching. Were I so inclined, I could take a holiday, although I will as usual show my face at the opening ceremonies and observe the sports on the other two days. With most Chinese faculty treating it as a holiday, being seen to care can only stand in good stead.

I am still no wiser as to the local market. No further stalls have been demolished although the ones that were have had the little buildings behind completely gutted.