It started badly in that I woke again at 5.30am, I wish it hadn't been so early, it really lengthens the day.  Into the bargain I am functioning on Melbourne time, so it's always way earlier than I feel it should be.

I started very early trying to get fresh towels, linen for my bed (I know we don't change our sheets every day at home however we don't live in/on our beds for 24 hours a day either!), and some means with which to clean my bathroom, and a vacuum cleaner to do something about the disgusting floor in my room (it had never been cleaned I swear).

It took me till 1pm to get the towel (in the interim I received three deliveries of brand new hand towels with price tags attached!!!).  Then came the sheet, and then the vacuum cleaner, and as I suspected the carpet is now an entirely different colour.  Just when I thought things could scarcely get any better, along came a fridge (new with instruction book flapping off the door), and wait there's more!  a carton of 24 bottles of water.  The phone rang and it was the good and lovely Miss Xu who has re-appeared, and she told me she raised our plight (all inmates not just us) at a meeting last night and the Government provided the fridges as a result.  I am assured there is juice, yoghurt and milk to come.  I am glad she's back because she went shopping and bought us some crackers in order for us to continue eating the truckload of cheese which arrived from the outside last night! and they were delivered in under an hour!!!!

I haven't listened to the radio as much today, and I haven't read either - too busy trying to achieve the above.  Lots of phone calls - making and taking.  Everything takes at least 6 phone calls to achieve.

I have a numb bum from the bed - which is very very hard - luckily it hasn't stopped me from sleeping.   The shower is no more than a trickle, so that exercise is confined to once a day, because it's such a trial.

My job for tomorrow is to get something to clean my sink and toilet, and shower base.

We haven't heard yet whether our detention period is to be extended.  That news should come later this evening.  I have already decided that our man at the Embassy is a dud - he is nice enough but not a "doer" I am afraid - the only things I have been asking him to achieve on our behalf have been to use his Mandarin to speak to the hotel and ask them to give us clean towels/sheets and the means with which to clean our bathrooms ourselves, and to protest loudly about the bolted up fire escapes - I am sure there would be some kind of international regulation against that.  He has failed on all counts!!!!

Dinner tonight will be instant noodles - we have asked our friends at the hotel to not worry about us today - they are 90 minutes away, and it is a bit much to have them come out here every day. Tomorrow is Trevor's birthday, so there will be a cake.

I will finish watching Vicky Cristina Barcelona before bed.