Monday, May 9

Shaya comes tomorrow to clean the house and she has told us that she needs a new mop-head. She has very clear ideas about what cleaning materials she needs, and she has a very clear idea about the mop-head. We set off for the Mall of Travancore to find one.

On the way in we stop at the McDonalds kiosk for an ice-cream and I photograph the entrance. We then pass in through the security check where our bags buzz, and lights flash, but nobody takes any notice.

We bought the mop at Hymart, the anchor store at the mall, but when we arrive there we find it has shrunk to a quarter of its previous size, and has no buckets, mops, or replacement parts at all. We learn that the shrinkage will soon reverse itself and a new, completely refurbished store will arise phoenix-like.

We strongly suspect that the arrival of Lulu Mall has a lot to do with this. We expect to see an in-house bakery, hot snacks, a fish counter, and all the other things that Hymart did not need to do while it offered the only alleged hypermarket in town.