Another day of recovery. I ventured out to buy some fruit and fresh yogurt, which we ate for breakfast; otherwise, a day in the room, reading, writing.
Usha had invited us to her house for dinner, and we left for there a little early, so that I could get myself a haircut. She lives in the heart of Dhangadhi, overlooking the main junction of Main Road and the highway, and almost immediately we were welcomed right up onto the roof to take a look at the view. It is, so far as we can tell, quite an old, historic house, over the top of the pharmacy her father owns. And, judging by the fact that he came in very late, along with her sister who also works there, it demands much of their time. Unfortunately, although Aparna was invited too, she was unable to join us; she had had a huge load of topsoil (or what they call mud) delivered, right in her gateway, more or less trapping her inside.
We met her nephew and niece; as in many homes there, the house is occupied by various members of the extended family. They are a pair of bright kids, the boy taking Val on a tour of Little Ickford via Google Earth, the girl (Johanna) who has aspirations to be a doctor, talking to Val largely about Mary.
The meal was splendid. Usha apparently is generally dissuaded from cooking in the house since she is regarded as “experimental” but her experiments certainly worked with us. It was a serious variation on the usual Nepali approach, being rice with a variety of side dishes (and with the chili and spice toned down considerably mostly for my benefit.) There was a very tasty potato wedge dish, an excellent fish curry, and some dhal, some raita, and vegetables as usual. And rice, of course. I made a respectable effort at my plate (Val, of course, pretty much polished hers off.)
And then it was time to head off home; as usual, we had to make sure we were not locked out from our Bread Box home. A tuk tuk was summoned, and immediately we got home, there was a phone call to check we had arrived safely – I really do not know what sort of town they think Dhangadhi is, as I am never concerned for our safety. There was some talk that, for future such engagements, we should stay over, but apart from the getting in requirement, which is a concern, that is a suggestion which fills me with dismay; I always like to get home to my own bed.
It had, nonetheless, been a most pleasant evening.
