This week was spent working on my website and preparing to leave for my cruise from Barcelona to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
Monday, 6th November.
I woke up at around 7 am and got myself a coffee. I sat at my computer doing some work on my website, stopping at around 8:30 am. I then got on my disability scooter and went to the doctor's surgery to get my regular blood test for my INR levels. The receptionist was new and, after taking all my details, asked me to sit down and wait. About 5 minutes later, she asked me if I could return at 10 am, so I went to Cafe Espressarse for coffee and a tostada.
I sat and read my Kindle while I had breakfast before returning to the surgery. When I walked in, the receptionist checked me in again, and the nurse called me in. She walked towards me, brandishing a bottle of alcohol and some wipes, looking at my leg. The receptionist didn't understand what I had said, even though I had used a translation service and showed her the translation on my phone. The nurse quickly realised the receptionist's mistake and told me that the receptionist had told her my leg needed treatment. The nurse was excellent, listening to me when I told her which vein to get the blood from, and she managed to get it the first time.
After having my blood test, I went to my cousin Jills to pick up my spare key but when I got there, no one was in apart from two people working in her garden. They told me the owners were out, so I messaged Jill and told her about the people in her garden, but I left because I didn't get a reply. I went home via the Economy Cash supermarket to get a couple of bits of shopping to see me through to the end of the week and then went back to my apartment.
I got in and did some work on my computer, and at about 12:15 pm, my cousin Jill messaged to tell me they were back. I returned to my disability scooter and went back to Jill's house to collect my spare key from her. I didn't stop at Jill´s house but went to Dia supermarket on the way home to get some butter they hadn't had at Economy Cash earlier.
The rest of the day was spent working on the photos for my Chinese photo albums on my website, including a new album from when I went to see the Sichuan Opera and Folk Arts performance in Chengdu.
Tuesday, 7th November.
I woke up at about 8 am and got a coffee before I continued working on my website. At around 10 am, my neighbour Liz knocked on my door, and we walked along to the Buena Vista restaurant for a tostada and a coffee. We sat talking until around 11:30 before heading back to our apartments.
Once again, the day was spent working on the photo albums for the Chinese section of my website and I added photos for the welcome ceremony we attended in Xián and a few pictures for the tea-drinking ceremony we went to in a Chengdu park.
Wednesday, 8th November.
Today, I woke up at around 8 am again. I played a Dungeons and Dragons-type game called the Bards Tale when I was young. I Googled it today and discovered it had been made available in a box set with the next two games in the series for €12.49. It had always helped me kill time, and as it was pretty cheap, I bought it and put it on my computer and laptop.
The game was a great distraction from working on my website, and I played on it all day, stopping to watch the Arsenal vs Sevilla football match on the TV tonight. Arsenal played very well tonight and won the game 2-0 to stay at the top of their group in the Champions League. I put some washing in my washing machine to work overnight and went to bed as soon as the game had finished.
Thursday, 9th November.
I woke up around 7:30 am today. I put away the washing done overnight, did a few jobs around the apartment, and threw some recycling rubbish out. At 10 am, I went to Buena Vista restaurant with Liz. This morning, I had a medium-sized English breakfast with a coffee. We talked until around 11:45 am and then returned to our apartments.
When I got home, I printed off all the paperwork I would need for my holiday: flight tickets, hotel bookings, cruise details, excursion details and train tickets. I then packed all the electrical leads I would need to charge my various electronic items, camera, phone and laptop before sorting all my medicinal tablets out ready to take with me on holiday.
Again, just to kill time, I played the new game on my computer until around 8 pm and then returned to the Buena Vista restaurant for something to eat. I don't usually eat out so much, but I had slowly finished all the food in the apartment before leaving for my trip to Brazil tomorrow.
After eating my Chicken Korma curry, which was nice but needed to be warmer, I read my Kindle for a while before returning to my apartment and going to bed.
Friday, 10th November.
I had set my alarm to go off at 7:30 am today, but as usual, when I set an alarm, I woke up before it went off. I got myself a coffee, stripped the linen from my bed put it in my wash basket and sat at my computer to check any messages I had.
After finishing my first coffee, I had a second one before cutting off what little hair I had. This is my holiday cut and won't be touched again until I get back from holiday. I then have a shave and a shower and pack my case for June to pick me up at 1 pm. Once I got everything ready, I walked to Buena Vista restaurant for a cooked breakfast. My neighbour Liz meets me there and we chat until around 11:30 am and then walk back to the apartments.
Once in I pack the last few bits I need, water my plants and wait for June to message me that she is on the way and that my journey to Barcelona would be starting.
Saturday, 11th November.
Today I woke up in Barcelona and joined the Costa Favalosa for my cruise to Brazil.
Sunday, 12th November.
Today, I woke up in my cabin onboard the Costa Favalosa cruising towards Cadiz.