Raj, I finally uploaded a movie for you, although not happy that my HD masterpiece has been so reduced in quality to fit on the site. Aw thanks Mum & Dad. Thanks Banu, great picture of you on Facebook too! Glad to have you with us John, doesn't seem to be a lot of optimism in England, perhaps we should stay here and open a bar / dive school.
Up at 7 this morning, dressed in our PE kit and down to the beach for a run. Run along the path parallel to the beach for 6 mins then the path stops. Jo's not feeling well either, thought she could run off an upset stomach, not successful! Walk Jo back to the hotel, then take off in the other direction. Path doesn't last long that way either, get shooed out of another hotel's grounds and I'm back on the street path. It's ok though, path is even and not much traffic. I base my mid point on 15 mins or the next hotel, which works out to be the Sheraton (where there is a PADI centre). Go up to the desk to make enquiries, I'm told it is for hotel guests only, I tell him I respect that but would like to go anyway. Maybe I should have considered that I'm in my PE kit, run 20 mins, I've got a blonde beard since I haven't shaved for three days, so I'm looking a bit like a surfer (albeit a slightly chubby surfer) so maybe I'll come back. Start to run back, a taxi driver offers me a lift (tempted) but tell him that would defeat the object, run along a bit more pass a jogging Chinese man dressed in jeans & polo shirt who says "Hello, I'm pleased to see you", I stop to find out why but he keeps on running, guess he's just please to see me. Last couple hundred metres are tough. Get back, shower, change and breakfast. Buffet is pretty good, fried baguette slices are French toast here (guess there is some logic). Then a monsoon comes and lasts for the rest of the day.
Back to the room while the rain falls and Jo isn't feeling too well at all. I spend the morning updating pictures, checking emails and stuff. A little later Jo feels up to a walk and a sit downstairs. Although it rains all day it's still hot. This doesn't help so we go back to the room, Jo is a poorly bunny! Jo has a sleep, I hang around for a while, then decide its time for a bite of lunch. It's not the weather for exploring so limited to the hotel, most of the restaurants are serving proper food but I just want a sandwich. They've got French bread in the snack bar but I can't get the girl to understand I don't just want a lump of bread, so I have a plain roll (which I know is a lump of bread). We've felt over pampered at times on this holiday, being used to doing things ourselves, this is a good lesson, could we have got a bus from Yichang to Wuhan when I can't even get a sandwich. Have a sit and a read and a coffee.
Back up to the room and Jo's feeling a bit better, so we go for a walk around the grounds, which turns into a walk up the street and then into a little shopping plaza. Find a PADI dive centre, deserted posh shops, a swimwear store where the assistant offers me some white thong trunks, I explain to her that I'm not German (which amuses her, but not sure why) and a little supermarket get supplies then walk back in the rain. I would appear that everything in Yalong Bay is overpriced. Have a little rest / potter in the room.
Go down to the buffet restaurant for dinner, waitress put in 309 in the calculator (dinner is Yuan 309 for two), I type in 80085 which amuses me but confuses the heck out of her. Interesting buffet, it’s not often that fried whole baby squid is the most appetising thing on the menu but it’s pretty good. Have cake again (going to have to run to Hianan City tomorrow!)
As I mentioned the resort is full of Russians, not being one to make generalisations, however I have made two observations 1) They're all miserable, they don't even seem to speak to each other 2) The women look like they've come from Gucci, the men look like they've come from the Gulag.
I take some arty pictures of the grounds and lights at night, which come out pretty good thanks to some DP tips. It was hot at 7:30 this morning and it’s still hot at 10pm, despite a day of rain. Go upstairs for some air conditioned comfort and a Jason Statham movie.