Thursday 16th September, 2021 2120

You know you are viewed as decrepit when you are supposed to start work and they are telling you to take it easy.

Work for me starts next Thursday. They want me to stay in hospital for tests. For what? A Zimmer frame?

If for one moment I thought it was anything but a money-making exercise I might acquiesce. They simply want to milk it. Anyway, it turned out they didn't have any spare beds anyway! I declined regardless.

They have given me a medicine (well several) which is taken after mixing in a glass with water. Fungi-based and as much as I enjoy mushrooms, drinking that concoction I do not enjoy the hallucinogenic effects that come with it.

I am making light of what may or may not be a serious situation for me. As for what transpired both whilst the school posse was here and subsequently, I have eschewed the magic mushroom stuff I'm supposed to take so we shall see.

Sunday 12 September, 2021 2045

I know it's been a while but with a sore arm and a recurrence of my gastric problems from a couple of years ago I haven't felt up to much. Mind you, having been confined to quarters for fourteen days' self-isolation didn't give me much to write about either.

To be honest I haven't wanted to venture out, I still feel a bit shaky on the pins. However, school starts tomorrow. I'm not for once looking forward to it. Purely because I feel ropey although all credit to the school, all my classes are now on the ground floor. And not so many - 7 classes (two of them alternating weekly so 7 over time but actually taking 5 a week) and Wednesdays/Fridays off. Great if I was striding around carefree and not using an adjustable aluminium walking stick but not right now.

I set out with good intentions of posting this today but it won't happen. Stay tuned.

Monday 13th 2300

No I haven't stayed up late, I went for a nap at 1830 and corpsed until 2230. My sustenance today has consisted of Hall's mentholyptus, beer, jing jiu and a salt'n'peppered mug of Bovril.

I was absolutely convinced I started back today - I had read it somewhere I am sure - and indeed some classes had. Not mine. A waste of 30¥ and my time. It wasn't a complete waste of time however, I confirmed I now have serious problems getting about. My kids start next week but nobody saw fit to tell me until five minutes ago.

Depending on when I get back to sleep/wake up, I want to go to the big military hospital, I need help. Good enough for the PLA - good enough for me.

 

Tuesday 31st August, 2021 1500

On Sunday afternoon Brenda decided she would come and collect my passports, preparatory to lodging my application. No opening the door, put them in a bag and hang them on the door handle.

She collected them and whilst walking back to her car, called me. One thing she said was that prior to the restart all teachers needed to be tested for Covid on the first and second of September and that I should go to the main campus main gate either day. Hmmmm.

Hold on Brenda - I'm either in prison or I'm not? My being confined to quarters doesn't end until Sunday night. Oh. Quite what the point of getting tested before I flew back, double-jab and having a green code was for if I was to be banged up anyway I do not know. Now they are going to try and get a doctor/nurse from the Covid Crack Team to do a home visit on Thursday. It's enough to make me want to put a skull and crossbones on the outside of my door.

On a happier note, I have cured my throwing-up problem and am now eating normally. Well, insofar as calling toast with various things is normal anyway.

Brenda was also speaking of having a word with departments I teach for about lightening my workload. I say departments but as they have merged maybe there is now only one. I told her if there are seven freshmen classes then leave well alone, I will teach them as usual. That's not heroics, I will still draw the same salary!

0000 Thursday 3rd - Merchant Navy Day

We've had a few frosty days here at Chez Fatty. No idea what happened between Jody and Mrs Jing Jo but it clearly upset her. Certainly the woman can come across as brusque and offhand but I have always managed to keep her in check. Well, me or what I spend each week in there! Apparently it was all my fault and it took until yesterday for the atmosphere to thaw. Come Sunday I can get my own booze, thanks to Brenda today I have enough in stock to last until then.

Yes, she came today with a doctor who kept out of sight (I am guessing she was treating therm to lunch) and a nurse in a spacesuit. Christ knows what any neighbours who observed their arrival thought. Test done, Brenda went and bought me alcohol and ice cream to last until I am free. As I am tired of toast with everything, later today Jody is going to bring back some chicken chow mien, which she said wasn't too good - until I suggested we try it with Linghams and then things changed! Amazing how Linghams can transform food. And Chinese people.

A week Monday and still I only know of four of my classes - no sign yet of the English majors despite my reminders. The bloody Chinese teachers had their timetables before they even went on summer holidays! But oh no, some people think it's fine just slotting me in as and where. Well, they've come a cropper if they did because Dean Delia is officer I/C the lot now and she has laid down the law re no long lunch breaks or classes above the ground floor for me. Whoops! Best of all, my latest accident proves my fears were justified so I can refuse with impunity.

As for the recovery, slowly slowly but taking place. Saturday is I think four weeks on. At least I can sleep now.

 

Sunday 29th August, 2021 0330

No, not a late drinking session, (although I am drinking a beer because the swines have turned the water off, so no tea or coffee) I just can't sleep. What little shut-eye I did get was plagued with a bizarre dream wherein they had placed my bed next to an Airbus A380 and were expecting me to climb the stairs!

Apropos the errant Uzbekistani students, I suppose it pays testament to both the skill of the school negotiators and the fact that the police here (so often vilified as being Stasist by people who have never been here) are being incredibly lenient in that the transgressors escaped with a fine and a strict injunction to return home and renew their papers within one month. I have no idea of the size of the fine.

Continuing in the vein of Uzbekistani students, Jody has been asked to go to school today to help a different bunch. They need transfer documents in order to repatriate to university in Tashkent, leaving for good. Not her job but never accuse the Chinese of being reluctant to flog a willing - or even unwilling - horse!

As for me, I now have a 20¥ stool on which to sit in the shower. In small degrees I am regaining the use of my right arm and still-swollen hand, albeit not enough yet that I am still typing this left-handed. The legs remain a worry, although as Jody suggested yesterday that could be because for the past three weeks I haven't eaten enough to sustain a guinea pig. Yesterday I did manage to eat two slices of home made toast and marmalade without incident. The horizon just might be appearing.

With an awful lot of time on my hands, when bored with watching films, my thoughts often turn to retirement. Whilst after eleven years - after coming here for one! - I am reasonably au fait with, and very comfortable with in the main, China and the culture, maybe a move would be in order.

I have never said I would see out my golden - that's a laugh - years necessarily in China so once again I researched neighbouring nations. Since I last looked it seems that Cambodia now has an R retirement visa valid 12 months a pop. Handier than Vietnam where you have to leave and return every quarter, and warm.

I was looking at Phnom Penh hotels. I think it makes sense for me personally to be like Major Gowen in Fawlty Towers. No bills, no cleaning. No cooking either, sadly, and possibly still as yet minor internet interference. But only having to worry about laundry, medicines, getting fed and watered rather appeals to me.

I found a place for £270 a month. The Pickled Parrot hotel, bar and restaurant. Well, the name grabbed me!

 

Tuesday 24th August, 2021 1600

So remember I was admonished/lectured/ordered to return early and I refused? No sooner am I back than they put the school start date back a week! Also after all the flapping about me applying for my permit ie deadline yesterday - suddenly it can wait a bit. It does hack me off that everyone mithers me and it's their job to know the regs backwards yet I know more.

Last night thanks to Ibuprofen I got over three hours sleep before pain returned.

Jody has just left for the PSB. where a couple of foreign affairs girls from the school are doing paperwork. She has been asked as a teacher and as she has good English.

Why?

A load of the Uzbekistani students were rounded up in their dorms this morning and taken into custody.

Their student visas expired months ago and they should have gone home to renew before returning but they said flights were too expensive. They were granted no less than three extensions but are now taking the piss. The police have had enough.

I suggested she rip into the students - who by all accounts think it's a joke - for embarrassing the school and also putting their permission to run an international programme at risk of being revoked. They cocked a snook at China's laws - they don't apply to us - and now face consequences.

My guess is deportation, a fine, no graduation and barred from returning to China for five years. Serves them right, I have no sympathy - and I did teach them all!

 

Monday 23rd August, 2021 1230

Home

So the final Friday and Saturday nights I sat out. I think the others enjoyed it more without Grumplestiltskin tagging along, certainly they stayed out longer. At the bottom are some photos of their evenings.

Finally it was Sunday morning and time to head home. Nothing was left to chance. I had emailed the travel firm berating them for the fiasco getting me on the plane in Kunming and again stressed wheelchair and no steps. Alice had called China Eastern also to warn them as well.

And off we set, dropping her off near a subway station to get her train home. We arrived at Hongqiao in good time and by then our negative covid results were in. Wheelchair to plane they said but Lanzhou would be a tarmac disembarkation. They were working on arranging a hoist.

Then it was up, up and away, headed toward the Gansu deserts. Confident that all was in place for my arrival, I was not concerned when they told me I would be last off. Everyone else departed and a load of blokes in hazmat suits got on, bringing with them a small wheelchair. I hadn't heard the hoist in action - or seen it for that matter. During the flight I had considered trying to go down either backwards or on my arse maybe.

I qot in the wheelchair, no seatbelt and flimsy arms, and they wheeled me to the front. I asked the hostess when the hoist was coming?

No hoist.
Well how am I getting off? She nodded towards the half a dozen - admittedly strapping - lads.

Well how are they going to do it? She just smiled. I looked behind me at the mobile boarding/disembarkation stairs and they looked 100ft tall.

They're not going to carry me down are they???? She nodded.

What???? Fuck! I weigh 82kg/180lbs!

I looked at her and said now I really am frightened.

They then turned me facing forward! Nothing whatsoever to keep me in the chair, picked me up and then commenced three minutes of the most terrifying, sphincter-loosening experiences you can imagine. Someone would drop me, another would shout STOP! and a couple of times I was almost pitched out and down onto the parking apron.

It was only when they set me down and started wheeling me to my transport to the terminal that I noticed the bus was full of passengers from our flight - who had all just witnessed the spectacle. For once I was glad of a mask.

The bus never went to the terminal but some other building where I was left outside for ages while my paperwork was done. Eventually an ambulance came to take me to Jody. An ambulance with no tail-lift. And a 3ft lift for the boys. I collapsed in our taxi, thankful to be alive and going home.

I had nightmares last night.

 

Friday 20th August, 2021 1200

Once again apologies for the lack of entries but not only is it time-consuming but damned painful to do.

On Sunday we went to an exclusive Italian restaurant called Goodfellas. Alice and I split a lasagne and I managed half of mine - photos below. Embarrassingly, in the brand new car on the way back home my stomach decided to expel it. With no bag or anything into which to retch it became a frantic hand to mouth to tissue affair in order not to soil the car, successfully I might add. The next morning though Alice was looking for surgical gloves to use when putting the laundry in the hotel bag.

Monday Alice didn't want to play - traumatised no doubt - so we stayed local and went to the Big Bamboo. Tuesday it was local again to Bollywood where everyone else had curry. I had half a bhajia.

Wednesday they chose Chinese, none of which I even contemplated trying. If I can manage it there will be photos below. Last night was bloody Chinese again - not that it matters on hunger strike - and the one dish I fancied trying - pineapple pork -was off! I did manage some very tasty lobster bisque though.

Tonight the others plus Rinka are going to a steakhouse. I am swerving it for a few reasons, two of which are that I feel dreadful and I am tired of sitting watching people eat.

In other news, I got my second shot on Tuesday and Wednesday Alice and I went for a foot massage. I only wanted my toenails - by then they were talons - trimmed. It was great and not a pair of nail clippers in sight. I have been told I should get another covid test. I have no idea whether it is for Lanzhou/the school/Brenda. Bit pricey but Alice excelled herself by finding a service which, for a fee, will come to your hotel room to do the test.

 

Sunday 15^th August, 2021 1115

Ramada Plaza Pudong

On Friday our car came and transported us and our concierge to Kunming airport. I paid to upgrade Alice to business and discovered the lounge was dry. No matter, wouldn't be there long eh?

Time to get this stranded whale aboard, they came and pushed me. The steps on the VIP bus had already started looking high before but now they appeared positively Hitchcockian in their ability to terrify me. After fifteen minutes I was on after many bodies were pushing and heaving, including the first attempt to haul me up by my damaged flipper.

On the long, slow drive the penny started to drop, finally landing with a resounding clang when I was confronted with passenger boarding stairs. I wasn't even going to try. Why wasn't there a hoist? Suddenly it was my fault for not warning them. I did, days ago. And I never even thought I'd be taken to a plane on the tarmac.

Back to the lounge. Now they bandied flights to both Hongqiao and Pudong at six, then five, then finally four. The problem was securing the hoist. I didn't care, they could have slung me on the catering truck with the sandwiches. They were coming for me at three to get me on first. Only problem (for me, not Alice) was there was only one business seat left. They did conjure me up a can of Bud from somewhere though.

They came before three and this time took me to a huge economy bus equipped with a ramp. Plane on the tarmac, hoist, looking not dissimilar to an HMP transport van, in the distance. The cleaners overran resulting in the VIP bus arriving before they had chance to get me up. Ok, do it before economy come.

Nope. They also arrived so they decided to load me at the rear instead. This involved being lifted up, getting on and sitting in a skinny, armless, wheelchair for the push of shame the entire length of the aircraft. This involved attempt two to yank my broken limb.

The wheelchair was half an inch too wide for the aisle of a 737 so I ended up tottering on my own. Once the doors closed I had an empty seat beside me so the obvious thing was to instal Alice in it, after all we had paid business, albeit on an earlier flight. No, we have to go by the boarding card. I was miffed but she didn't care. She just didn't want to travel with me ever again even though I told her it was good practise for when her folks got old.

In the air I was offered an array of drinks but nothing alcoholic. I am having the worst ever day of my travelling career, please tell me you have wine? They did. My miffometer went down.

Roland came and pushed me to the Big Bamboo and we had a few drinks, he had - and finished - the most enormous burger, then back to the room. In all that day there were four efforts to rip my busted appendage from my shoulder.

Alice was going home yesterday but he convinced her to stay, bless him and yesterday his accountant YoYo found somewhere that rents electric wheelchairs, so for 550¥ I can move myself about until I leave next Sunday.

I shall not mention the fact that someone lost my Jab1 paperwork or the aggravation that will cause, not least of all because the less the school know about the state I am in the better.

Tonight we are going downtown to meet Rinka for dinner, at which I hope I can eat something.

I think - and hope - that my perambulatory problems stem from hitting a leg in the fall. My upper right hurts all over so, given time?

 

Thursday 12^th August, 2021 1230

Holiday Inn Kunming

last night I wanted to try and eat something. Fine for her, the cold is easing, she ordered a delivery of what appeared to be a banquet-sized helping of chicken soup and noodles. You can have yours first dear – sorted. Then it was “assisted shower” time.

Ever tried to wash your nether regions with one hand whilst wearing boxers? But at least I was almost properly clean, aided by a shower stool provided by the hotel. She did baulk at doing between my toes, instead just pushing the bar soap in, as if that would clean them. Bit like the Chinese believing simply rinsing under water with no soap will clean your hands after a pee.

And then it was time to order my food. Genius. Order a pizza, maybe manage one slice and then there's enough for breakfast, lunch and dinner today. And you can't go wrong with a Hawaiian, right? Someone up there hates me. No sign whatever of ham, I was given vile sausage and pineapple! Dinner was a bsr of chocolate.

The hospital is actually right next door to the hotel. A nice young man wheeled me there and Alice went to pay for two tests we are not even sure we need to take. After queueing for a while she returned. She had to ask the doctor if it was okay to test a foreigner! So laowei can run around infecting everyone but the Chinese can get tested?

Cleared for the test, it was no-go for the jab, they are not authorised so I will try in Shanghai. The swabbing station seemed to be doing two swabs so I asked Alice to watch and see. BOTH nasal and throat swabs! She went first and was terrified of the nasal invasion, so I told her not be a sissy. Despite what I had heard the snout one was a breeze. The throat swab was a different story. Many years ago a dentist labelled me a “gagger” and that I am! We get the results this afternoon.

Tomorrow the hotel has organised a car to the airport and I demanded our young man come along to help. I will of course pay for his taxi back.

I am now wondering if I can hire an electric wheelchair in Shanghai. Manual only works with someone pushing otherwise with one arm it's like the Bismark going round in circles.

 

Wednesday 11^th August, 2021 1400

Holiday Inn Kunming

This is the Wheelchair Disaster Tour. I know I have form but nothing on this scale before. Puking up for a week before I felt well enough to go out to eat and end up with a busted arm/shoulder plus legs that don't want to work and a sense of balance that has deserted. Worse, if that were possible, Alice has been suffering a dreadful cold. Thankfully she has had two jabs so with luck it's not Covid or we are both up the creek because Mr Shanghai said yesterday we possibly needed tests before flying.

We are going to try to get the hotel to ferry us to and from tomorrow to find out our fate. I have just checked and it will be two days shy of the three-week recommended interval for Jab 2.0 so I may try to get it. Sod it, I will pay!

Yesterday we took the car Alice got for a four-hour drive in the belting rain from Dali to Kunming. Wheelchairs are too low for me to get out of unaided, I can only push up with one arm. One strong concierge was insufficient so our lady driver decided to help. Instant agony. How could anyone possibly miss a black sling over a pink shirt? She did!

We made the trip with two others and a Teddy dog. This time (probably because we arrived in daylight) I got my Ambassador upgrade to a suite. I suggested a nap, after which I would take her to an Irish bar for dinner. After the nap we both felt terrible and so decided to order a delivery.

When it never arrived she called them. She had ordered cheeseburgers and chicken wings to be delivered from a takeaway in Dali to our previous hotel! If you are ever in this hotel do not use room service – anything that might be remotely edible is never available.

So the saga continues.

 

Monday 9^th August, 2021 0830

Remember I am always saying I hate stairs now. Well I especially hate ones I can't even see!

Saturday evening we went to an out of the way little Italian where we had a pleasant time until we left.

There were only a few steps and they were highlighted by yellow and black tape. But not the top two, which were dark granite and in the fading light looked to be just part of the floor. Of course, I found myself treading thin air.

The x-ray clearly shows I have snapped a flying saucer shaped wedge off the ball at the top of my right humerus – and it is anything but funny. Neither is typing left-handed. I spent the entirety of Sunday in the wheelchair, as a result I couldn't get out of it and into bed last night. It took our combined efforts and half an hour of most undignified efforts writhing around in boxers so I could spend a painful, fitful night.

Alice doesn't want to take me by train to Kunming tomorrow and I don't blame her. I have agreed to pay for a car. She is going to try and get me a walking stick today, although that horse bolted on Saturday.

 

Saturday 7^th August, 2021 1115

Indigo hotel, Dali

After the idyll of Lijiang, Hotel Indigo was a comedown. For starters, no Club lounge. Secondly, they “couldn't take” my Visa debit card. I just checked my account and it has double the balance it should have – it seems Lijiang screwed up and haven't billed me anywhere near enough. So I paid with my Lanzhou account.

Here are photos of our rooms in Lijiang.

Last night we went out for dinner. Alice found an “Italian” place online, where she had what was very nice chilli beef and rice and I had the foulest-smelling Italian salami pizza I have ever encountered. I went hungry but did enjoy the most expensive bottle of wine I've ever bought (£60). Well it was a good Barolo!

Breakfast elicited a “yippee!” when I spotted pork sausages! I got some hash browns and eggs – no grilled tomatoes to be seen – but my unconfined joy was to be short-lived. The bangers were 'orrible. Can't win 'em all. Well I can't seem to win any!

And then just to try and ruin my holiday and rain on my parade I had an email from Brenda. Hi Steve, where have you been lately? (Dear Brenda, for flips sake! You know exactly where I have been and where I am now, including the bloody hotel because I sent you a detailed itinerary two months ago!). The provincial education bureau has decreed that foreign teachers are forbidden from visiting medium and high risk Covid areas. (Dear Brenda, Yunnan and Shanghai are GREEN!!!). The director wants you to return earlier than 22^nd, at least 14 days before school starts because you will have to quarantine. (Dear Brenda, My maths says that my return date is in fact 15 days before start of term and if I am teaching freshmen who are doing military training, 25 days early. Quarantine? With a green code? Really???)

They are seriously pissing me off now.

1. It's illegal in many countries to contact employees when they are on holiday

2. The virus has screwed up my plans enough in the past two years

3. They just can't leave well alone.

I have retained a couple of ICBMs for later use if necessary – 1. My contract expired 31^st July and my new one takes effect 1^st September. They are not paying me for August so I am not their employee and 2. Legally until 1^st September I am a tourist and not a teacher anywhere. 3. If I did return early would the Bureau repay me the money for the hotel room I have paid for in advance plus any added flight costs due to changes?

I know I should just let it wash over me but it's dreadfully difficult not to sit here seething.

Anyway, here are some shots of what should be a soothing view from our balcony.

 

Friday 6^th August, 2021 1315

Lijiang station en route to Dali

Breakfast was disappointing today inasmuch as there were no hash browns, rather chips. Didn't fancy egg and chips for breakfast (dinner, fine!) so a couple of yoghurts, two egg tarts (the Chinese do make good egg tarts) and one bite from a croissant that seemed mummified.

Maybe my memory is going the same way as my pins but I don't recall hotels telephoning me before my stay to ask my ETA and any special requirements. Maybe it's something to do with no-shows related to Covid but all of them have done so thus far. Well, we are going to be there mid-afternoon, my luxury “prison” for the next four nights. According to people on her tour, Alice was told two days is all you need to see Dali. This is a girl who walked the length and breadth of Athens in a day!

Alice declared the Intercontinental Hotels Resort Lijiang to be the best hotel she has ever stayed in – and don't forget I treated her to luxury and a view of the Aegean in Greece. Certainly the most expensive I've ever paid for at 2,800¥ a night but you know, in an eccentric sort of way, it's the best I have been in too.

Checkout was interesting. On arrival they had prepaid 15,000¥ from my debit card. For those unfamiliar, if you ever come to China and book a hotel for, say, 500 a night, they will want perhaps another 200 a night as deposit. I have often wondered what happens if you are skint and only have enough for the room.

Anyway, the way I was feeling, I knew it was far too much but not by how much. In the end we racked up a laundry, minibar, bar bill of 1,000¥. This was helped by the inclusive breakfasts and the fact we ate and drank for free in the Club lounge. We had the odd cocktail on the bar's terrace.

So basically they owe me 3,300¥. I know my UK account was cash-rich when I started but so far I have spent about £4,000 on hotels and flights, so their usual trick of crediting back the original and debiting the updated was not going to work for me! It's Friday, it's a debit card and if I am lucky any credit will appear in the middle of next week. In the meantime, their way would see me out by double the amount. No thanks dear, just keep what you took and refund the rest separately, I still have two hotels to deal with.

So it was a fond farewell and the taxi ran straight into a traffic jam. By the time we got to the station we had half an hour and of course there was form-filling to be done because I have no sodding health code. As we arrived in the taxi I said to Alice we needed to pull the wheelchair trick again.

In the event, it was only half a trick but we were taken past huge queues, through a special gate and straight to the train! I wonder if I bought my own electrified one.......

 

Thursday 5^th August, 2021 1200

Intercontinental Hotels Resort, Lijiang

Well, I really thought last night that today I would be posting a considerably more upbeat blog.

I was hungry last night and had a decent amount of pizza (a big slice), so resolved that this morning I would brave breakfast. I'm still taking the anti-emetics in case, so after giving them half an hour to take effect, off we sallied.

I must say the breakfast buffet is quite the spread but I still find it inconceivable in the country that owns half the world's pig population that I still can't find a pork breakfast sausage! Pork is the most-consumed meat in China for God's sake!

Anyway I broke my fast somewhat heartily given my dearth of appetite lately – two small fried eggs, braised cherry tomatoes and two rather overdone hash browns. It was very pleasant, for we ate out on the terrace, the only ones to do so. Nice and sunny but not hot. I was feeling good.

Until it was time to leave.

Alice had intended to part company and go on another jaunt, leaving me to my own devices. As I decided to stand up, before I did I became vertiginous yet again. Maybe it was the sun, said I. I rose and made it as far as one of the fixed decking lights and plonked down on that in the shade. It didn't help. Once again, Alice suggested a wheelchair. Oh God no! The ignominy of being pushed through the restaurant past the other diners........

Ultimately I had to acquiesce if I was to get back to the suite. The staff kindly offered oxygen – which I probably should have accepted in hindsight – and a wheelchair duly appeared. A nice chap actually pushed me in it all the way instead of just taking me to the buggies and so now outside our door sits a wheelchair!

It cannot be the BP medicine, for since the airport fiasco I have taken half in the morning and half before bed and anyway I have been taking those things more than half my life. Sure my legs are getting more tottery every month but dizziness? I am at a loss but perhaps we will find out tomorrow as we ascend to the zenith of our travels, Dali at almost 8,000 feet.

I'll not be leaving the hotel there of course (quelle surprise) but Alice will go out to play. I think the Shanghai contingent will notice a marked change (not for the better) when I get there.

Another thing I have been trying to get is a pedicure, well just my toenails clipping really, but so far it has proved impossible. Alice volunteered and I may have to take her up on it.

Anyway, here are some more photos she took at what look like really beautiful spots.