Monday, December 26

 

 

When we passed through the duty-free at Dubai airport we bought a bottle of whisky and a bottle of vodka as presents and then, having time to kill, looked for something for ourselves, Yesterday evening, sitting on the balcony, Naa said, “we’ve been here a week and we haven’t even started the Advocaat”. We opened it immediately, and it tasted delicious.

We got up very late this morning.

Irma decided to use the new washing machine and all went well, although it used most of the day doing so. When two full loads finally hung on the washing line we called Anil and took a rickshaw to see Uday. This time we went to his house. We shouted and eventually his wife woke up from her siesta to tell us that we could find him at the beach.

We love irony.

Walking past the temple and along the narrow path we meer a young bull who seems quietly pleased about the attention he gets from us. He nuzzles Naa and happily poses for me.

We will spend five minutes with him and then walk down, turn left before reaching Leo; find Christine, freshly arrived from Sweden, at the Village shop that she owns with Hari; and then finally find Uday at the tailors shop he shares.

We will eat at Lonely Planet. I will choose avial, a Keralan dish of vegetables and nuts cooked in dry coconut, and the women will have different vegetable masalas.

Ninety minutes later we will walk back to the temple to meet Uday who will drive us home in his friend’s car and collect the things we have brought for him.