Tuesday, December 29

Yesterday evening we discussed where we should go to eat on New Year’s Eve. We always used to go to Leo, but now only one of the staff remembers us from the times when we were four, and the new chef seems to be wearing L-plates.

If we want to sit in the same space we should go to Leo. If we want the same atmosphere we should go to Jeevans where Michael and Vincent will get us all crowns and flower petals, and clown around all evening. If we want the same food we should find out where the chef from Leo went and go there.

We decided to explore a fourth option, and so at 13:00 Ani arrived in his rickshaw to take us to the Leela for lunch. They have a New Year buffet with dancing and fireworks, and we want to check out the guests before committing ourselves.

The club sandwiches were fine, the guests were acceptable, and the scenery was magnificent. Naa was ambivalent in part (ironically) because she knew that Auo would have loved it.

Now we are leaving and I notice this statue.

On the way back to the house we will have to stop for a while because a truck is parked across the main road while an elephant is loaded onto it.