Much shorter report on yesterday's activities - or lack of.  You can expect these to get shorter as the days go by I think. I woke at 5.30am - on the one hand, lucky I know, to have done so, but on the other, dreading the hours it would add to the day.

I got my laptop up and running very early and so had 3AW on the entire day.  It felt good to be as in touch with what is happening in the world, as anyone else back home, and it certainly helped the day to pass.    I also got to work learning how to do stuff on the computer, and everyone can stand by when I get home - I will be a fully fledged nerd and might even charge $120 an hour for my services as the nerds do.

I played with my IPod and enjoyed listening to my own favourite music.

Lunch was instant noodles (beef flavour) left over from the day before.  

3AW called during the afternoon for a chat.    

Then things got interesting late in the day.  To begin with the "inmates" in 6234 vanished.  We were eventually told they had gone to another room, but much later our man from the Embassy told us someone in our group had been diagnosed with SF and had gone to hospital.  Given there was a doctor at 6236 the day prior, we have deduced that's who it was.  Our corridors were fumigated by men in very serious white suits (I wish they would fumigate our rooms while they are at it).  I also managed to get some rubbish collected - there are two tiny and extremely grotty - bins in my room, and I wanted them out of here.

Saving the best till last.  Our delivery from the Ritz Carlton arrived.  Gin (Gordons!! but fine with me), and tonic (Schweppes, which is very fine), tissues (for noses).  Cutlery!! Wine glasses, ice in an esky and some lovely pizzas (cold of course however that's the best way to eat them), a selection of French cheeses - enough Brie to feed an army, and crackers.

But then as we were mid way through our picnic, our man (Warwick) from the Embassy called to tell us that the man who had been taken to hospital earlier in the day had tested positive for SF and if the second test (to be done today) is positive, then we must commence our 7 days again.  Barry did the Math and (exaggerating I know), if each of us went down with SF one by one, then it would take 4 months, for the cumulative 7 days to pass for those left behind.  In that sense, one is better off with it than without it!!!

Late last night a knock at the door and a delivery of many recently released movies on DVDs (superb quality too!), for our amusement, courtesy a wonderful ground operator of ours who is based in HK, but with people on the ground here in Shanghai.  So we are ploughing through those.

My projects for today are to get some equipment to clean this room, to try and get some fresh bedding and towels - I know we don't change our beds every day at home however we don't live on them either, as we are having to do here.   I also need to get my hands on some more paper cups to make a cup of tea - the only receptacle I have is my wine glass!.  Those two things are bound to take all day to accomplish.  I will also teach myself something else on the computer.  Unfortunately we seem to have lost the services of the good and lovely Miss Xu - who spoke English, so now there is no-one here who can, and that is a big challenge.

We are so very lucky to have the connections we do here.   I have been telling Barry for years that all the travelling I do is worth it!!!  It is amazing how word travels and who has called/emailed etc with offers to help.   We are eternally grateful, and completely mindful that we are in a much better place than many others who are in here with us.

I just found an enormous mozzie in my room!!!! and a fire bell just went off - the latter is especially scary since they bolted shut all the fire escapes on the day of our arrival.

I will go now and channel Schapelle to scare up some cleaning stuff for my cell.