Bhopal - en route south

With Sarita outside their Ujjain house.


I've just enjoyed several days with an old friend Gary from Melbourne, who now lives with his Indian wife Sarita in the central town of Ujjain. It is relentlessly hot, over 40 degrees every day. I remember I was a little amused when the local Hastings newspaper described 29 degrees as a "scorcher" - how I would enjoy a cool 29 now. We spent most of the past few days either trying to keep cool, drinking Fosters beer and watching cricket on tv. The cook would slip in quietly in the morning and make lunch and again in the afternoon, when we would be plied with watermelon juice, or chai, or fried snacks (a local delicacy is mashed potato wrapped in bread with some spices and deep fried and served with coriander chutney) or all of the above. Sarita is a musician, specialising in sitar, practices every moring and a tabla player came each afternoon for more music practice. It was a house full of music at most times. Yesterday afternoon Gary popped out on the scooter and left the main gate ajar: a wandering cow spotted an opportunity, walked in, walked along the narrow front yard nibbling potted herbs along the way, then turned into the hallway and feasted on some indoor plants while I was sound asleep by the front door. Had Sarita not heard it chomping, it would have come into the loungeroom for dessert. This is being written from Bhopal, famous for the worst industrial accident in history - apparently the Union Carbide factory still lies dormant. This afternoon an airconditioned train will take me to Bangalore on a 27 hour cool journey - it must be in excess of 40 degrees here.
Cathy might write some entries for this blog from Thailand, and it sounds like she has fallen on her feet there (no surprise), with yoga classes, a great massage classes, and wonderful food from all reports.