Sunday 7^th June, 2020 2000

A gloriously unproductive weekend was had by me. I did absolutely nothing bar go to the jing jo shop and tonight the little stall that does barbecue sticks. I don't particularly like them but they fill a hole.

I was in fact looking forward to Burger King seeing as Jody said last night she reckoned she'd be back this afternoon so we could go out together. I don't consider eight at night to be the afternoon! And she isn't back yet.

But happy stuff today.

I started booking the summer holiday. It may of course go tragically south but optimism is the key.

I have booked and paid for our ship. I chose a Friday sailing so I could get the right vessel:
https://www.yangtze-river-cruises.com/ships/victoria-anna.html

Joanna is absolutely delighted for precisely the reason I wanted to book that ship in particular. MV Victoria Anna. Joanna's real name is Zhu (pronounced Jew) Anna, hence I persuaded her nine years ago to alter her English name from Tsunami to Joanna.

I'm not sure which of us is more excited – her for going on a ship with her name or me at the thought of escaping prison after six months. When I said I had done nothing it wasn't strictly true, I have paid for an executive suite aboard, booked hotels at Pudong airport, Chongqing, Nanning and Pudong and also our flights to get to the ship. I need to wait a bit to book the other flights (including mine from here to Shanghai) as they need to reduce in price a bit. You all know I fly up front in China.

It's a bit alarming though watching your bank balance being decimated with each purchase! I think I have done my sums correctly and this year I fervently hope I do not need to seek any financial assistance from elsewhere!

I do appreciate there are readers in other lands who are still unable to move freely (not even sure I will be able to yet) and I sympathise, I have been there and indeed still am there.

But everyone needs something to look forward to regardless of your situation. Maybe the old and infirm (who I am rapidly approaching joining!) long for a visit from grandchildren, younger people want to get back to work and be able to go to the pub for a pint, that sort of thing. I think we are all tired of this global madness? I know I certainly am.

My focus is on either visiting Joan in Suzhou, Anhui for a couple of nights before the big trip (not sure as she will be working), collecting Joanna in Shanghai, cruising Yichang-Chongqing, two nights there, three in Nanning and for me five nights back in Shanghai. If they want to quarantine me in Lanzhou when I return then sod it, I'll miss a week's work.

There are worse things than not being able to plan for the future but not many.