Saturday, January 4

Eileen came round at 10:45, a taxi arrived at 11:00 and everyone except me went off to Trivandrum for a day of shopping. I showered, sorted out the drying on the roof, replaced it with the contents of the washing machine, and sat down to write.

I am sitting in the front garden. Uday has just picked a couple of jackfruit and I decide to have a break and photograph some of the others while they are still there. It is time to stretch my legs for ten minutes.

The girls will arrive back at 17:30, moments after I have packed my laptop away. They have eaten at Subway and I will get a bowlful of the rice pudding that Anu’s mother gave us. We will examine the purchases and then sit on the verandah until late.