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 We
arrived in Tuticorin at Chitra's sister's house and met Mary
and her son, daughter and husband. We had a wonderful cup
of tea - with Chitra now expertly negotiating black and sugarless
drinks everywhere we go. The standard here for all hot drinks
being with milk and lots of sugar.
The heat here was palpably different. In the colony where
Mary and her family live 18 small houses, very typical of
our social housing, backed onto a maze of streets which seem
to limit the flow of air and therefore added to the heat.
These houses are privately rented and have no running water.
Small and modest the living room had a small TV, a PC and
a fish tank!
Our fans came out when the electricity cuts occurred- a familiar
experience which we learned was a consequence of under production
of energy which then was rationed or dealt with by cutting
supply to all for short periods.
This village is highly industrialised and polluted. It gets
very little rain fall. Mary works at a paint factory, and
Chitra's cousin, who we met later has a BSc in chemistry,
holds a teaching job down and works in her husband’s
juicing shop. Others in the village work in the water plant.
We left Mary’s and went to visit friends of Chitra who
live in the village. A couple who Chitra had given support
to who were unable to have children. Manuel and Melba's home
was very different from any we had seen - it reflected prosperity
in a nouveau riche kind of way. Bright sunken fluorescent
ceiling light, air conditioning, a large Sony TV in a corner
built in cabinet and many speakers, brand new teddies on display
shelves, large artificial flower displays and a spiral staircase.
The main bed room looked more western too with another big
TV and multiple speaker sets.
We learnt very quickly that Manuel (trained as an Engineer)
was in fact a baker now. Many western looking cakes and pastries
for us to eat came out as did the brightest orange soft drink
I've ever seen. I was able to decline most but gave into an
Indian sweet made of lentils and cashews which was a meal
in itself so I got help from Sandra and Jinksy I also partook
of the orange pop on the grounds that fluorescencing food
whilst to be avoided generally may have some benefits in this
climate as so many seem to produce and eat them.
From here we were taken to our hotel. Each room air conditioned
but the decor was shabby and everything felt a little less
than thoroughly clean. Its great attraction was piping hot
water for the shower and an endless stream of curious waiters
coming to our room offering and bringing room service in unnecessarily
frequent visits.
By now, having packed our 3 sets of belongings in 2 cases
to minimise luggage and having discovered we all sleep better
together, Sandra, Jinksy and I took one room for 2 between
the three of us.
We washed clothes which is now a daily or twice daily task
and put up a line on our balcony which over looked the open
air restaurant.
We snacked, unpacked, and rested ready for the evening - a
trip to the salt mines and then the beach with the extended
family.
The salt mines were remarkable. Shallow pools of murky water
with hills of salt swept up on the side mud paths. From here,
workers scooped unfathomable weights of salt into aluminium
tubs and then two of them lifted one bowl onto one of their
heads for taking back to the salt mountain near the road.
It was a rhythmic and sportsmanlike activity.
From here we went to the beach some of our party; Sandra Sinclair
in particular led the fully clothes swimming troupe. Here
women in saris, children in various states of dress and in
our party men in shorts or underpants jumped and splashed
and swam in the Bay of Bengal. This was the hottest sea water
I have ever paddled in and it was lovely to feel the warm
breeze on our faces. We played and walked and sang until night
fell and then went to a cafe for dinner
Our cafe tonight was interesting. The ant trail up the wall
provided an interesting watch point as did the ants we swilled
off our banana leaves. Jinksy went to loo and came back a
lovely shade of green with colourful stories of what she'd
seen on route through the kitchen to the bathroom and the
state of the loo when she got there.
This added to our excitement of what would come next but Chitra
had yet to take us somewhere where the food had not been great.
So when dinner arrived this was no exception. We ate up and
feeling ready for bed and a decent loo we went back to our
hotel.
Partially undressed and in that state between sorting and
showering I went out on to the balcony to check the laundry.
To my surprise I came face to face (about 8 feet away) with
many diners who were directly opposite the balcony. I'm not
sure who looked more shocked but I leapt back into the bedroom.
Not long after, many waiters appeared at our room offering
room service again!
What they must have made of the 3 of us preparing to sleep
sideways across our two mattresses - they must have thought
the English were even more eccentric then they'd ever previously
imagined!
Another great day and the prospects of a lie in tomorrow.
Hurrah.
Day Fifteen
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