Tuesday 23^rd March, 2021 1720

Another freezing morning start on which I was under-dressed and yet at finishing time would have been over-dressed.

Nothing of interest to report from the actual teaching day, it was run of the mill.

The same cannot be said of it once I had left campus.

I was deliriously happy to only have to wait two cigar puffs before a taxi hove into sight but that never lasted long. Told the guy where we were going and settled back whilst he fiddled around with his GPS dooberry. Wonderful things in the right hands (I swore by my TomTom on the trucks) but give it to an imbecile?

I've had three years now teaching on main campus and I know probably all the routes taxis and buses take. Different taxis take different routes going TO main campus and on very odd occasions the wrong route (which I can correct easily) but coming home? Never.

Until today.

When we got to the last opportunity to turn left (by the mini Eiffel tower) before we did a wrong'un, Vasco was in the straight ahead lane so I pointed out that we needed to turn left. Ok. But he nonetheless went straight ahead! Hold it! Turn around or we will be making long detours. He turned around and went as instructed.

Coming down towards Peili Square he was again in the straight ahead lane and so as what I often have to do with drivers is tell them to edge left so we can turn left. No big deal. Except this guy indicated a u-turn. No, turn left! Lights changed and what did he do? A u-turn!

He then stopped at the 66 bus stop. Well I am not paying 15¥ to be dropped off at where a one yuan bus ride would take me so I had a rant in the back seat. The guy was adamant that his GPS told him he couldn't turn left as I instructed. Trying to get through to this guy was akin to teaching a cat to walk to heel – impossible.

Eventually the chap realised I wasn't going anywhere until he took me where I wanted to go. It was the jing jo shop but I should have made it right to home simply because he would have shit himself at the thought of going through the security gates and I could have had more fun and more blood pressure.

So we went back from whence we came, about a mile, before there's a set of lights to u-turn. Then back again and I sat open-mouthed as he again refused to turn left! Another mile further and another u-turn so he could come back and turn right, which is what his all-powerful GPS had told him. Oh how I wished Jody had been with me!

Apart from being the quintessential “GPS says so and I will drive into the river/onto the railway track” type, I will give him limited credit for turning off his meter and eventually only charging me 12¥. I always pay fifteen but Mr Jing Jo came out to see what the fuss was and it was he who took the three yuan change to give to me. I had given the guy fifteen.

Talk about frustration. Had I known I had a complete numbskull it would have been easier just to point directions instead of naming the location. Trouble is, if I get in his cab again I won't know because he was wearing a mask!

They don't have to pass “The Knowledge” here...........