Week 8, part 2 - Buffalo curd

I feel the need to counter act my previous melancholic post.

I am feeling a wee bit poorly, and in these times I avoid immediate connection and try to look after myself, alone, which leads to a rather introspective and depressive state. It's all part of the natural unfolding, I keep telling myself.

This afternoon I actually said I was unwell to my fellow team mates, abi and ashley, and isn't it astounding what a few words from someone can do to one's mood! Suddenly I feel I exist again. Just from someone saying "go and get some antibiotics, drink lots of water, is there anything I can do for you". In fact, I wanted to get the antibiotics myself, and I didn't want someone else to do it, but it doesn't mean that I don't need anyone to say those things to me, to make me feel better. If only I could communicate sometimes, but instead I hide away feeling abandoned and unloved. 

After collecting antibiotics, from a rather blasé pharmacist, ready to dish out whatever I asked for, I thought "ah yes, yoghurt, I need yoghurt with its friendly bacteria and what not, it'll sort my belly out". India is famous for its lassi's and curd (yoghurt), and I found a lassi shop just two minutes away. During this two minutes a blockade of tuk tuks, cars, bikes, motorbikes, school buses, goats, buffalo's and rickshaws piled up in the road. A small round indian man on his motorbike, tried to squeeze between my vintage bike and the rather jam packed school bus ( i say school bus, it's much more like push bike with a box on the back, powered by a small wiry indian man). This man and his motorbike inched closer and closer, until I felt like I was sitting on his lap, and I felt the impulse to huff and tutt, but before I could he wobbled his head and laughed, and I laughed. We laughed together. I felt completely alive again, just from this small interaction. 

Back to the curd! On eating this, from the earth made terracotta pots that curd and chai are served in, I now understand more fully why this city is so densely populated with water buffalo's. The curd comes from Buffalo's and it's AMAZING! It's probably about 50% fat, but by golly, I am in love with the curd. So thick, creamy, everything about it is just heavenly, and I have an excuse to eat it every day at the moment, to restore some balance into my intestines. I now feel happy again, and in the right place. I sense these fluctuations of emotions are going to be an ongoing theme of my journey. But the most important thing for me is, I am here, enjoying India, and I feel alive again!