* OK, no longer are their two entries for the dates that are being difficult! I've deleted the original entries as I've found that the new entry allows me to manually update the Map Pin BUT as the entry wont allow me to update I still can not weave the photos into the Blog Page so all photos will have to be viewed from the Photo Album.
 
I've been chatting to TP about it and they are trying their hardest to figure it out .
 
************************************************************
 
Hey Hey and a Big G'Day toya,
 
I rose early and headed out to walk the streets around my hotel for a few hours until I got a call from Xie Xiao Lin. I went home to rest and dry off for awhile and we all met around one. Oh yeah, I had a great idea about a week or so ago. Due to the heat everyone walk around half soaked in sweat, so what I do now is soak my tee-shirt prior to leaving the hotel and each time I come across a tap continue to do so through out the day.
 
Much more comfortable and when there is a breeze it keeps me cool!
 
As today was hotter still than yesterday the girls decided we were going to spend the day inside and took me to a beautiful Tea House not far from my hotel. What a wonderful idea! They had booked a room and there was to be continuous treats, tea and dinner provided throughout the day and we had the room until nine in the evening.
 
I was actually stunned at how little it actually cost so after such a wonderful evening last evening along with the food and all the beer I quietly paid the bill on a toilet trip during the afternoon.
 
We started off playing cards for a few hours but they began a game that I seriously couldn't pick up no matter how hard I tried. Each time I thought I understood it they'd do something that really threw me off. So in the end when it came to my turn I would make up my own rules and play whatever. I even won a few hands as I'd tell them they had to pick up thirteen or so cards as punishment and lose . In the end we were almost rolling around the floor in hysterics especially when they began making up their own rules.
 
We ended up playing with five decks of cards to allow for all the 'punishment' collections.
 
Around mid afternoon we were up to our necks in cards and I asked if they wanted me to show them how to play '260 Pick Up'. They seemed very keen on the idea of learning a new game and after gathering all the cards together I got them both ready and threw the cards into the air. We all looked at each other and began laughing as the cards fluttered down covering us.
 
We then ran around the room collecting cards and throwing them at each other.
Children huh!
That's why I teach Primary School!
 
As we were running riot in the room two of their friends arrived and stood at the door in complete wonder at the child like behavior happening before them. When the girls realised they were there they stopped and threw cards at them. So that was my introduced to 'Legs and the Lady Boy Policeman'. We also realised that several of the staff were watching with huge smiles on their face .
 
They had trays of goodies for us but were too scared to enter the room.
We thought it best to stop and act a little more mature...like thirty years older than we had been.
 
The staff helped us put the room back in order and we all sat for more tea and snacks before beginning a new round of cards. I studied the new people and one of them I found rather peculiar and hard to define. I mean I was sure She was a He but His voice was very much a She and many of Her features were very She but She had the build of a He and facial features and big hands of a He. Every one noticed me studying and Cheng Ru asked me if He was a She or She was a He. I thought it best not to give an answer and simply said 'whatever makes He/She happy I am happy to treat Him/Her as such.'  It was obvious that He wanted to be a She as He had on a mini skirt, high heels, a blouse with sweet bugger all beneath in the way of a She and make up.
 
So that was the beginning of my day with the Lady Boy Policeman.
 
After such a friendly and civilized comment from me Lady boy Policeman felt comfortable and happy to be my teacher for the afternoon in the game of Chinese Checkers. We spent the rest of the afternoon playing checkers and laughing as we caught each other cheating. It seems to be the way to play. Maybe it's normal but it sure made the game a lot more exciting!
 
After a huge buffet meal we decided it was time to call it a night.
 
We said goodbye to Lady boy Policeman and I watched as Legs took her amazingly long legs away. The three of us headed back towards my hotel and I thanked them for making my time in Zhenjiang such a wonderful experience. They tried to give me money for the Tea House but I explained that the cost was so little compared to the riches they have given me.
 
No money can buy what a simple act of friendship can give!
 
Beers N Noodles toya.....shane
_________________________
The soundtrack to this entry was Billy Joel
The album was 'Greatest Hits'