Saturday 12^th June, 2021 1500

No internet today. The usual farce here where the university goes into cyberlockdown because the students are taking their CET exams. The whole school takes the test regardless of major and so ostensibly this measure is to prevent cheating.

I say it's a farce because although it deprives me of communication with the outside world, the students are still able to use the internet via their mobile phone subscriptions. And Jody was invigilating this morning but returned home at lunchtime. Considering it will be nigh on six o'clock before they switch us back on, I asked why was she here? I am finished, she said. So how come the internet is still off? Oh, this morning was CET4 and this afternoon it's CET6. Why the hell can't they just get all the students in on the Saturday morning and run the exams concurrently and reconnect us at noon???

Yesterday was a good day. I left home at 0740 and there was a yellow taxi across the road showing green. I waited for it to move and hailed it. The driver was a woman I have now had three times and so for the first time I never had to show my destination written in Chinese.

Then at 1000 during the break a couple of girls from my afternoon juniors class sought me out to ask me if they could bunk off so they could revise for CET? How many of you, just two? No, the whole class. YES!!!!!!

So I got to leave at midday and went home for a very rare afternoon nap, believe me it was sorely needed.

I also had a message from Joan. The summer plan as it stood was to tour Yunnan province (currently in the news for the herd of elephants getting drunk and a recent earthquake) followed by a visit to see her prior to going to Shanghai. Except she hated her job so much that after a few years she has quit and finishes at the end of next month. She wondered if we were both free if she could travel with me?

I have suggested she join Alice and me seeing Yunnan. No idea whether it will happen or not, she has a job interview very soon but if it does it is going to escalate the hotel bills! I did some investigating and it seems possible to book a suite with a double bed and pay a surcharge to have another bed put in the room. I normally book rooms with executive/club lounge benefits (drinks and snacks in the evenings and complimentary breakfasts). Seeing as I am an IHG Ambassador entitled to an automatic upgrade, it will be a good test to see if it is worthwhile.

Actually it would be really nice to have a menage à trois for a fortnight, Joan would be company for Alice who is an intrepid explorer and you just know there's no way I am going hiking around attractions – I'll be in the nearest bar!

We shall see. I just need a passport now.