We breakfasted with Geoffrey upon dumplings – very nice. And pleasant, too, to have some company over that particular meal. We split up immediately afterwards, both having different things to attend to. Our first stop was the Public Security Office, where we obtained our first month’s extension of our visa with no trouble at all. Mind you, one is supposed to obtain one’s first extension with no trouble, so it was no great feat. Wandered from there along to the cable-car across the river, but altho’ a few people were sitting around, no one was able to tell us why it wasn’t working. As it quite clearly wasn’t. The lady on the gate kept pushing the forefinger of one hand against the open palm of the other, but the only thing we could gather from that was that maybe it was fucked.
We walked from there along to the ferry terminal. We knew the no. of the boat we wanted to catch – they don’t have names here – so wanted to find out where it was coming in, what time etc. After one abortive descent of the steps to the wharf itself – all very confusing, with far too many boats – we climbed back to the noticeboard, + at last were able to decipher it, to some extent at least. The 39 hadn’t yet arrived, was due to pull in at 1.15, in just a few mins. (In the meantime, we ran into Duane, the tall American from the circuit, + he came along with us. He was pleasant enough, but rather dull, + not really on our wavelength at all.) No 39 was a bit late, but made a very pretty sight as she pulled in. She was certainly much larger than I’d thought, almost like a small cruise-liner… which, indeed, is a large part of her purpose.
Duane noticed that the cable-car was running now, so the 3 of us walked up there + paid our 20 fen each way for the crossing – just a bit of fun. D was enthusing a lot about the town, + that sort of American over-reaction generally has the effect of stirring my antipathy, but on this occasion I had to agree with him. Largely because it was built on a hill, + had the river, or rather 2 rivers, flowing alongside, it is picturesque + interesting, far more so, for example, that the clinically laid-out Chengdu. The grey slate cottages perched on the hill leading down to the river’s edge are fascinating + quaint, almost Grimsby-like. But then so much of China can be compared to the cities of the north of England, tho’ of a different era. One of Geoffrey’s points, + it is a well-made one, is the similarity of modern-day industrial China to the paintings of Lowry, especially with the factory smoke-stacks belching smoke, + the people, people scurrying about. But the similarity doesn’t end there. The bikes, the clothing, the shops, the cars, trucks + motor-bikes, even the sewing-machines + cameras, all conjure up a world of 50-60 years ago. We all drank a second cold fizzy drink from the stall on the pavement outside the terminal on our return – none of us had bothered to climb down + explore the land on the other side of the river. After which we all walked back to the hotel.
Val + I spent the rest of the afternoon listening to our tapes – to our delight, we had been able to find an adaptor, so that the mains transformer we bought for our player can fit in China’s other type of socket, the sort they have in the hotel here. And then, at around about 5, we walked back to the wharf. Rather than leave everything until the very last moment, tomorrow morning, we wanted to try out our letter on the Purser this evening. The result was nothing like as positive as we had hoped, however, + the people aboard that we spoke to certainly didn’t seem to suggest that getting on would be a piece of cake. The girl who spoke most to us was very evasive – she even tried to suggest the boat didn’t stop at Yichang. This, we knew, was nonsense. But she was definitely discouraging about us turning up tomorrow. It was with a heavy heart that I finally came away. We shall certainly try tomorrow in any case, but our prospects do not look at all good. And it didn’t help our morale to run into Guiseppini earlier today + be told that she has tickets for the 30th, bought at the terminal too… local price.
In the circumstances, it was quite surprising that I enjoyed the evening. We went out for dinner with Geoffrey to a small local restaurant, hardly more than a noodle shop. But we had some good food + a few bowls of draught beer, which did wonders for my spirits. I couldn’t travel with G for long – he’s far too careful about his money, but he’s good enough company for the time being.
I rushed back after the meal to catch Sports Report – France won the European Football championship – while Val bought some sponge, making, with coffee + jam, a real supper treat. G dug out his one + only tape later on, Monty Python’s “Contractual Obligation” tape, + I rather think the title might have been factual, for it certainly lacked inspiration. As always tho’, a few laughs, + one appropriate song, “I Like Chinese”. (“They’re friendly, + helpful, + only come up to your knees.”) Afterwards, once again, we talked. Mostly travel talk, but not all on the level of information.
Just one other thing, something I forgot from yesterday. Last night we tried to see some Chinese opera – the town is supposed to be good for it. But of the 3 theatres, 2 were locked up + one was showing a film. It was cheap, so we risked it, but could only manage 15 mins. Dreadful stuff, 60s vintage, I’d say, with peasant boy + peasant girl looking bashfully at one another. Not even a smattering of nitty-gritty.
Really another day of hanging around, though enlivened by various short jaunts – the cable-car, food and drink, even a movie. But we are marking time, and just as in so many other cases, allowing ourselves to be wound up by the vagaries of the system. Without good information, we are always looking for an elusive better deal. Even when, sometimes, that deal does not exist.
