birthdays

I think Isobel thoroughly enjoyed her birthday. We went out for a meal in the evening at a vietnamese restaurant. I enoyed it. The german girl whose name I do know, joined us again. She was most useful since her chinese is excellent. Midway through I got a phonecall from Esther which made me very happy for it has been a while since I spoke to her. A brief catch up was all that could be comprised form such a short phonecall but she is under strict instructiosn to send me a rambly email thought I know not when she will write such a thing!
I dashed off soon after muching to get back to the hostel and make the final preparations. However, most of the work had already been done by the hostel staff. They had hung the banner I had made earlier saying breith la shona duit (happy bithday in irish) put tinsel and banners everywhere. All thatw as left for me to do was wrap up the pass-the-parcel prizes, squirt some silly string around the place and blow up a few balloons. I did have to make a phonecall instructing them to hurry back as they were late. they had been distracted once izzie had gotton onto the subject of the Irish education system yet again. she can talk about it for hours. I don't think she was completely surprised but was more than pleased to be greeted at the door and each corner following ont he way to the bar by party poppers.
Everybody wanting to enter the bar, since the hostel had allowed us to take it over, was forced to drink some rice wine. A number of people showed up and joined in our silly, children's party games. Fun was had by all I believe. Dick, a staff member, was such a trouble maker and wanted to throw water over everybody. We allowed it only for the birthday girl. Lots of staff and even the odd guest bought Izzie present's which I thought was really sweet especially when they were only identifiable by nationality and not by name! I am fairly certain that a number or odd things happened through out the night but it seems so long ago now and this is teh 4th time I have attempted to write this entry. perhaps I shall be more successful if I do it in stages.
The day after these events turned out to be a little stressful. There were no train tickets to be had back to Guangzhou (the train, it would seem, is not my luckiest form of transport) We ended up getting a flight instead for twice the price.
Being a little stressed by all of this I made a phonecall to my sister who did a wonderful job of cheering me up but it will have cost my parents a fgair amount of money so sorry mummy and daddy!
We finished our second time in Nanjing and checked out for the 4th time, yes 4th, but this was to be our last. With the exception of the birthday party, we had done very little and roved little farther than 10 minutes walk form the hostel. We are so cultured!