Thursday 24 May
Oh dear! Reg has
a squidgy stomach today, so out comes the Immodium. (He's been fine
up until now, and like me, didn't want to start taking the Paraclens
(gut protecting tablets) until he had to. I've been taking them
since I had a dodgy stomach some weeks back, and, touch wood, have
been ok since. Some Chinese food is very spicy by English standards,
though Reg is normally ok with spicy foods. We decide on one “big
breakfast” between us, as Reg is hungry, so should be ok eating egg
and toast. We talk to a Canadian couple over breakfast; they are
visiting their daughter who is teaching in China. We've actually met
quite a few English and American (and now Canadian) parents who are
visiting children who are working in China.
It's raining
lightly; we haven't seen much rain since we've been travelling.
We're still really tired; however we sum up the energy to go to the
large China Post to try for the second time to post my parcel of
warmer clothes back to England (the smaller post office in Lanzhou
woouldn't take it).
I've done up my
parcel really securely in 2 black bags, entirely covered with wide
sellotape. I needn't have bothered. I watch the person in front of
me hand over some unwrapped items to the counter clerk. The clerk
finds a (brand new) cardboard box exactly the right size, puts in the
items, then deftly and expertly wraps the parcel with that hard,
tight plastic tape, the sort that bounces back at you like a metal tape
measure when you try to throw it away. The clerk also with one flick
of the wrist covers all the edges of the customer's parcel with
sellotape. She pays him 2 yuan (20p)
for this service; she then has to take her parcel to another counter
to be weighed and paid for.
My
turn now and the counter assistant does exactly the same with my
parcel. I pay my 2 yuan,
and take my expertly wrapped parcel to the weighing counter. I have
to fill out a customs form, which takes a bit of time, and say what I
want done with my parcel if they can't deliver it. I decide, in the
event of non-delivery to my home address, to ask for it to be given
to my next door neighbour ( I hope you don't mind, if you're reading
this Pam and Alan). I certainly don't want it to be returned to
sender – the Hang Tang hostel in Xi'an, China.
I send the parcel home by surface mail, which will probably take a
few months, and costs about £18. Reg thinks he might send home some
books, too. I'm relieved to walk out of the post office without my
parcel; not only will my huge suitcase now be a little lighter,
there's room for the dress material I hope to buy in Vietnam.
We were going to to cycle around the walls of Xi'an this afternoon,
but it's still raining a little, and Reg is not feeling so good. We
have a rest, then go out in search of new in-ear headphones for Reg.
He finds some good ones, and knows he is paying more than he would on
the internet, but he needs them now. His music is important to him.
We return to the small cafe we went to yesterday, as I enjoyed my
meal so have the same again (that's me all over). Reg just has a cup
of tea; his tummy is still playing up.
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