Wednesday, December 20

We started the day with showers and breakfast on the balcony. We noticed that the number of rubbish bags floating in the lake seemed to have increased. We decided that we must tell Anib.

After breakfast Irma called Molly, who called a rickshaw for us. By no coincidence at all the driver announced himself as Molly’s husband’s brother – but not the same brother who usually appears.

We took some things to SISP and talked with Paul for an hour or more. We then drove to Fabindia, where the stock has greatly improved since last year, and to Divine Supermarket. While Irma paid at the checkout Naa and I walked across the road to buy samosas.

At about 14:00 Udaya arrived on his motorcycle and we chatted. He left with some gifts we had brought and a promise that we would come and see him and Lekka soon.

Later we took a rickshaw to Hawa Beach. The driver took a strange shortcut down a narrow path, in order to avoid the roadworks at the bottom, where the village roads join the highway.

We said hello to the waiter at Leo and someone told us that Michael works at Sunset this year.

We walk along the beach looking for Sunset Restaurant. I photograph a man we have known for years, making his annual bid to convince us to sit on his deckchairs. This year he has sunbeds with thick mattresses.

Sunset sits on the second floor, above the entrance to a hotel. We will all hug Michael and sit with a beer and a lemon ginger soda. I will accidentally drink mine undiluted while will cause great mirth among the others.

On the way back to the rickshaw we will meet Anu and several of the surfing instructors.