How to block your eBay account: Step 1.

Bloody hell so much for him being back to school! It would seem holidays have kicked in (which would explain why Linda was home too) but it felt like the school had been brought here as four of his mates turned up along with some A Yi’s. Jebus. I would have been out the door and to the pub but the air was shite today. 😦 Everyone buggered off after lunch so I was able to really chill then, until I tried to buy something on eBay…

At least this made me smile a bit

I was all set to buy some brewing equipment (shock horror) on Aussie eBay when my account was blocked. Fair enough, I’m in Beijing buying something in Melbourne, it looks kinda suspect. I couldn’t do the verification process as it had an old telephone number and their online chat directed me to a customer service call centre. I was on the phone for 30mins trying to get the block removed but ended with me having to send a photocopy of my driving licence to prove who I am. This process can take 7-10 days. WTF. Slightly pee’d off I resigned to the fact I could do no more and joined Randy and Benjamin for a game of Scrabble. (Mum tell Andy this is for his own good… 😉 )

I’m so proud…

Benjamin’s Dad didn’t arrive today (he’d left by-the-by but was coming back) and Yu was off to Hong Kong. I got my certificate in the mail, yaaaay. At least one thing today fairly perked me up from the eBay nightmare, Nat had emailed saying a group of us would be staying in a pimpin’ beach holiday home after the festival! HELLZ YEAH. 😀 I’m loving Oz all ready.

Where’s the rest of the duck?

We took Benjamin’s RC car out this morning along with a football. Didn’t do much with the car once I showed him how to play Wallie and Kurbie. We ended up making our own game with the ball that was somewhere between Kurbie and basketball, it was good to see him doing a bit more sport. We played for a good wee while until I chipped the ball knocking his glass water bottle to the ground. Smesh. He wasn’t too chuffed after that so we went home.

Did some food shopping today which was great. I didn’t get anything special, Goa A Yi cooks so she gets all the proper food. Daily needs for me which included honey and oats to make porridge. I also received my electric trimmer for my beard, so my face looks a tad more respectable now (this only cost me 50RMB/5pounds). I had also ordered Scrabble from TaoBao and that only cost me less than 20RMB/2pounds, ace!

We went out for tea tonight which is always good and something different. Had a really nom slow cooked pork belly, a battered fish in sweet and sour sauce (this fish was brought to our table alive for inspection before getting battered… then battered again) and ducks feet. Yup. Ducks feet.I’m really keen to try everything and anything in the food world so dived in. The are served cold and de-boned, with only the cartilage holding everything together, alongside a mustard kind of dip. I wouldn’t say they made me want to vomit, nearly flavourless and I won’t be eating them again.

Click here to see a photo of the duck feet – not my snap but served exactly the sameBenjamin didn’t go out tonight so no badminton with Goa A Yi, bummer. I did speak to Randy though about hiking adventure times tomorrow and it’s AWN! 😀 So I will miss a day or two of updates until I’m back.