Journal Entries
Shenzhen
Posted Jan 14, 2016
It's a lifetime since I've been in the PRC (if you are a seven year old child that is) and it has changed greatly in that time.
They are constructing an underground railway system, so crossing roads is even more precarious than usual - pieces of iron over VERY steep drops. They work day and night and work extremely hard, with shovels of heavy clay at shoulder height.
This means the noise doesn't stop either which is hard going for the friend I went to visit in hospital, but my hotel was back from the road and I didn't notice.
My friend is having better care than she had in Hong Kong and her partner is also able to sleep at the hospital. It would help if any of us spoke Mandarin, but various translators have been found/volunteered and how many native English doctors or nurses could manage even the basic smattering of Chinese that her doctor has in English?
The visa process was easy as even Brits are now allowed to buy them at the border, but Shenzhen now has its own home-grown taxi touts and it's quite a job fobbing them off to walk to where the local licensed ones operate from. And of course, although I used to visit often, I don't recognise any of the new skyscrapers. So I didn't know if we were going the right way.
I'm going to spend most of today (Thursday)lazing on the sofa 
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Latest reply: Jan 14, 2016
Here we go again
Posted Jan 8, 2016
I have been back five minutes and have already attended a university department meeting, a very nice Thai restaurant on the waterfront and a very overpriced cocktail bar in Central. This weekend I am supposed to be attending an amateur theatrical performance, a political protest rally (about the disappearing booksellers) and a performance at the comedy club by Milton Jones.
I may need a holiday to get over this - unlikely to find anywhere with better weather in January though 26 degrees outside on the boat at noon (freezing aircon inside) going down to 19 at 9pm.
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Latest reply: Jan 8, 2016
Weight critical
Posted Jan 4, 2016
For the first time in my life I have packed a suitcase more than once.
Years of practice mean I can pack my red cloth extendable to 20kg exactly, but as I am doing a Manchester to Dublin to Hong Kong round trip, winter and summer clothing had to be included. So for the first leg I took a second case with me. The combined weight was EXACTLY 40kg.(ie 25kg+15kg)
Second leg starts tomorrow - Dublin to Amsterdam to Hong Kong and even with a few prezzies, the weight for the trusty red is only two stone, so I'd better buy a couple more books.
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Latest reply: Jan 4, 2016
3 years - that's nothing,
Posted Dec 15, 2015
Yesterday the permanent staff in the cathedral shop gave their annual brunch for the volunteers. A beautifully cooked full English breakfast with Lincolnshire sausages followed by mince pies and upmarket ice cream; I had rhubarb and ginger last year, but went for elderflower yesterday.
The volunteers are given a beautifully wrapped present AND a gift voucher and really feel appreciated, even though getting there in time means a ludicrously early rising.
One volunteer was given a big bunch of flowers and some bigger presents
including a microwavable teddy bear that you use instead of a hot water bottle, to mark her retirement - after 30 years.
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Latest reply: Dec 15, 2015
THE ROAD TO HELL..
Posted Nov 10, 2015
I HAD intended to write a journal every day this month basing them round the first days and other memories of various jobs I've done.
This computer finally died after the first attempt
So here I am nine days later with
a)a flashy new Toshiba laptop which I already love
b)the hard drive recovered from this one and its subsequent repair. Good job (in every sense) as it contains my only access to H2g2. I have forgotten passwords etc., so if I am signed out by mistake (as happened to some of you lately)I may not get back
c)a new phone line from the market square to my wall socket, put in at some peril in a gale by the linesman on Saturday
d)a new socket (I reckon the old one had been in situ for 40 years and the line has had 40 years of birds swinging on it -mostly pigeons)
e)a severely depleted bank account, necessitating talks with generous sons
f) a temporary job working on-line for PhD engineering students, correcting theses for language and format which will pay off in January enabling me to square accounts again.
In my absence I have done two library volunteer stints where the computer is painfully slow and two cathedral volunteer stints where we are already getting covered in glitter. I have used my bus pass to get into Grimsby three times: today I did the full two hour journey from Grimsby to Lincoln. And I went to the fabulous Caistor bonfire on Saturday, where the population doubles for one night every year.
I'm sure I could have woven a daily journal out of that. I shall just continue to read my friends with interest and maybe next year....
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Latest reply: Nov 10, 2015
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