Friday 20^th November, 2020 1840

I can't help but feel sorry for Joanna and think that were I in her place I would need to be hospitalised! Either that or I would go berserk.

She and her colleagues are being fed three meals a day (left outside their room doors) along with three bottles of water (no idea what size) and other items they order, presumably at their own expense, are brought between 1500and 1700 daily.

Smokes are not allowed – presumably a non-smoking hotel but people have been known to poke their heads out of the windows – but even worse, no alcohol!!!

Now let it be said that Joanna is not a drinker by any means. Sure, she had the odd tequila sunrise or two of an evening when we were on holiday in summer but she is one of the very few young ladies I have ever met in China who smokes. She probably smokes sparingly normally but in our hotel rooms she puffed away quite often. She tells me she is fine “in prison” and yes she will come out ok. But me? Hell, I take a container of snuff with me on a two-hour flight!

As for the alcohol ban, how can they expect someone who has drunk regularly for nigh on half a century to just go without? Being honest, I couldn't. I would kick off and probably end up in a real prison unless I could get myself sent back from whence I had come. I understood perfectly when I read the news some months ago about returnees to the UK in quarantine going mad and demanding pizza and wine. Lock me in an hotel room with smokes (even if I brought them with me) and deliver me food I can eat and enough booze and I will be a model inmate. Treat me like a criminal and I am liable to become one,

It was flipping freezing when I went to the jing jo shop earlier, a sudden and dramatic drop from the last few days. Jody came in an hour ago and informed me it was snowing, which came as no big surprise.

Christmas dinner is now in jeopardy.

After first indicating she would be happy to come (and me also inviting the beautiful Maggie to join us) she has now decided she has a test on boxing day and so needs to study all Christmas night. Maggie is married with a young child and so I harbour some doubt as to whether she will come for a “romantic meal for two” - reputations in China mean a lot and can be destroyed in minutes. Maggie's going to try to cajole Jody into coming but if she fails it may well be beans on toast for me. I will not want to cook on a Friday, Thursdays leave me drained.

Of course, I am observing from afar the fiasco in Britain where five days of Christmas may cost 25 days of further lockdown. China locked down on 23^rd January, two days before new year and the day before the big celebrations. Everyone did as they were told and cancelled family gatherings and meals – and their new year is far bigger than our Christmas. Now look at the situation here and in Europe with the refuseniks. Life will never get back to normal at this rate because any vaccine won't keep up with mutations. Imagine a UK with no pubs or restaurants? Sorry, as much as I like Boris, he dithered and blew it.

But enough of that. Anyone actually going abroad for the festive break??