Looks like my stomach isn't going to take kindly to dosai instead of wheat flakes in the morning! I've got The River Ganges In Flood again and I've thrown up once (three-thirty am). I thought I might have malaria at one point because I had a fever but was shivering like anything. I've been in bed all day with this temperature and one of the worst headaches I've ever had. I've sort of got up for a bit at the moment because my bed is intolerably lumpy and I'm covered in aches and pains.
Yesterday was quite fun, we went to the bank, looked for a rug, I got a haircut (not bad – I'm fairly impressed for 30p!) and we found the music shop. The bloke there was very nice, told us what was good and what wasn't. so I bought two tapes of flute music, a tape of violin and one of sitar. I also got Indian, Kadal desam and Kaadhalan. Indian and Kaadhalan have two other dodgy films on the B-Sides so I figured I can record some of Arum's music over them.
In the evening we went to the 'Ruby Lodge' – a garden restaurant recommended by Nic. and probably the cause of my illness. There was a new waiter there who listened to our order then brought us two portions of the standard South Indian Chicken Mank we've come to recognise so well! It's a kind of masala with three ingredients. The worst bits of chicken available, chilli and something that turns it the colour of the Thames. Naturally we re-negotiated our order with the minimum of fuss (quite a lot) and used 'Nandri' as much as we could because the place was full of nasty tourist types.
It's been quite unsettling coming back here and turning into faceless cash dispensers again. We want to cry out that we're not tourists, we're visitors. We've changed our response to 'we're from Ramnad. Are you a tailor?' Something that unsettles them somewhat. We're not so gullible anymore. We know what prices things are meant to be and we can bargain properly. You get a bit carried away sometimes and forget that you're arguing over just 10p. I usually try to stop at about five rupees difference.
After Ruby's, we wandered for a bit and found the flute seller. Not the blind man, it was his day off or something. I sat down and the lad showed me lots of flutes, playing away and finally I bought a big deep one for 75Rs and a small one for 30. they're lovely bamboo flutes, incredibly simple and beautiful sounding (when he played them at least – I sound awful!). So give me a few months. We found a shop with some drums in, they're about one thousand Rupees. I think I'll wait until I get to Madras though, where I'll have more choice and less far to carry it! Nic. told us that our souvenir allowance is £32! I'm planning to spend about £200 so I think a lot of cunning will be required. I'm sure it's not that little, but we'll have to wait and see.
I was talking to C. earlier (there's a turn up for the books!) about our dreams. It would seem that we've both dreamt about going back to England and both had to get back to India somehow. What doth it portend? It's good that we're dreaming about India – it means our subconscious has adjusted to the fact that we're here. In the first month we were still only dreaming about England. I'm still dreaming of white people though, t'other night I found myself wondering why there weren't any coloured people in India! How bizarre. Still, they're only dreams. This morning I had an extremely vivid picture of dad's face, grinning away. Then I started thinking about watching him drive away at CS's house. 1 Not much fun, but I enjoyed the memory-photograph while it lasted. The same thing happened last time I was ill, with mum's face. Just the face, but that's all I need. I wish I had some photos, it's so frustrating relying on memory.
I think I know why God sent me here rather than Africa and why I'm with C. I would have failed completely if I'd had to cope with such a major event on my own. I was so unprepared (I don't think there was any way I could have been) and as for teaching – I'd have fallen apart! There's always music, and I know that I'd have loved the music in Africa and the people. But music isn't everything (though it is for me!) and I would have needed more. Probably.
With C., homesickness is alleviated slightly and because of the vast differences between us my whole personality is challenged. All good stuff I suppose, and if I'd been on my own I might have turned into a right… well you get the picture. I'm glad C.'s here to keep me in check. And to do all the teaching! He's getting quite stressed out about it, trying to prepare lessons etc. he's got to try and use language and examples that they'll understand, ie. Not obscure European cities. I'm sure he'll be fine, but he's getting very worried about how useful his lessons are going to be. Keep it informal and chatty is what I say. It could be difficult as the kids at Schwartz Matriculation are so used to strict rules that any leniency might turn them into riotous animals... we'll have to invest in a cane!
So I'm back on bread and coffee, thankfully! Nic. Has been quite ill lately, she's only eaten a packet of crisps and a jam sandwich in the last three days! The sandwich didn't stay down.
It's awful really, being ill in your last week here. She's going home on Friday so I'll have to write to mum and dad. The railway line is flooded as well so she's got to spend fourteen hours on a bus! What a nightmare. She promised to visit my parents when she gets back, I hope she does - they'll like that.