Trichy

John woke up with a swollen eye-lid (the gargoyle look)---so we called for room service and a doctor. Both arrived within 20 minutes. The doctor confirmed that it was some kind of allergic reaction- and a fairly typical tourist problem- most likely caused by a bug bite or something. He prescribed an antihistamine and an allergy medication and charged us 150 rupees (about $3.50!) And, the bellboy fetched our prescription. I think we could get used to the cost of living here!
We spent most of the day lounging…watching BBC News and reading. We ventured down the street for a thali lunch. They directed us from the local non-A/C room into the dark A/C room where they served the thali in bowls with forks and spoons. The locals are served theirs on banana leaves and use their hands
It was great to take a “day-off”—it’s hard to get used to the thought that we’re not really on vacation- but setting up a routine for our new travel lifestyle