Lunch that almost was

2:34PM IST

I spoke to Cassie and Angie yesterday (it had been about a day since I last spoke to everyone) and their voices were like sweet music. Whenever I am on the road for a prolonged time, Cassie sounds like she ages years. I well-up every time we speak. Yesterday, she gave me a long list of things that she wanted me to bring back for her. Since the only two gifts remaining to buy were for her and Angie, it was good timing. These are the things that she asked for:

A Sari
A Bindi (the decorative dot that Indians wear on their foreheads)
Bangle Bracelets
Rings
Earrings

She knows what a sari and a bindi are because I brought her back an Indian barbie doll on one of my previous trips. So now I had my mission.

The intention today was to go shopping and to go to a colleague's house for lunch hosted by him and his wife. I was to enjoy a traditional Kerala lunch, and from what it sounds like, would have been wonderful. They were planning to pull out all of the stops for their American visitor. Although quite nervous about the visit (I wanted to make sure I was polite, even if I thought something wouldn't have been good or safe to eat). When I got picked up, my host informed me (quite apologetically, I may add), that their landlord had workers in the house and that lunch had been regrettably cancelled. We did shop and ended up at a crafts bazaar. It was here that my host bought Cassie her outfit. Not quite a sari, but traditional clothes for a young lady. We then went to an area mall and I found her cheap bangle bracelets and bindis. The only things she won't be getting are the rings and the earrings. Clip-ons are unheard of here.

Now it is off to bed before my flight to Singapore, my three hour layover, and my flight on to Manila. Hopefully, I will be able to find Angie something there.

SL