Day 14 - Monday, April 14 2008 FORBIDDEN CITY, Beijing, 1030: The dateline is not as expected but at least it defused a potential boxing match. Maybe that was due to visiting the Hall of Domestic Harmony and the Hall of Mental Tranquility. It certainly marked a reasonably auspicious ending to a trip that began with high hopes but deteriorated to fiasco levels along the way. The ship’s agent had obtained seamen’s shore passes for us, the Chiwan passport stamps were still good for Beijing, no unforeseen problems lurking, so all systems go. While filling in the requisite forms, the agent had shown no response on learning that Linda is English, but broke into delighted smiles on hearing my declaration of Scottishness. “You know Stephen Hendry and John Higgins?” Ah, a snooker fan, obviously. Of course
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