I wish I hadn't said anything about the mice. Dear Vuth is really concerned and so I've had workmen in the apartment every day since Saturday afternoon when I came back from the dentists. The men brought rolls of sheet metal with small holes to cover all the vents. The vents are about 3 metres from the ground so heaven knows how a mouse is supposed to jump through them - unless they come from a circus act. I don't mind the men as they are very friendly and hard working but I do object to the noise. My walls are cement covered with tiles so it's non-stop drilling and hammering. When I left the hotel, after ending the dental programme, I thought I'd left all forms of drilling behind until next year.
In the morning Avikuo arrived. He's from Nagaland, in North East India, and he's been in Battambang for a couple of months; he's now on his way home. When he arrived from India he stayed at my place. I hardly said a dozen words to him as he slept all the time. This time Vuth decided we should take him out for lunch and he chose the restaurant at the National Museum. I would definitely like to go back there again. I had a fish cooked with a mushroom sauce and rice. I thought of getting the dish Vuth ordered but I'm glad I didn't. It was a huge plate with a small bowl in the centre that was filled with a fish paste. Scattered around the dish were the flowers of the water hyacinth and another flower, which people enjoy eating here, and some other native Khmer vegetables. When I saw it, I heaved a sigh of relief that I had the mushroom sauce. We also had a salad to share that consisted of a variety of lettuce, pieces of bread and a dip and slices of avocado. We all had a drink and I opted for a pot of Earl Grey Tea. The bill for the three of us was just $24.
Avikuo had to wait a few hours before he could continue his trip so Vuth suggested he come to my place and relax - and relax he did. He walked straight through the apartment, sat in a chair on the balcony and fell asleep. Later I found him lying on the tiled floor which I presume was cooler. I couldn't stand the hammering and drilling but he slept through all of it. Eventually I decided to read a book in the bedroom. When things quietened down I came out and discovered that Avikuo had gone. So much for fond farewells. I presume arrived home as I've not heard anything - in fact he may still be on the journey as it's a long one. Phnom Penh to Bangkok and then to Kolkata. From there to Dimapur and then up into the mountains by bus to his village.
It seemed to me that the workers had finished so I decided to do some spring cleaning. Every flat surface was covered with the fine powder from the cement so I tried to sweep it up and then I mopped the floor. The stairs to the ground floor were also dusty so I washed all 38 of them. Finally I had my home back and I hope the mice realise there's no point in trying to come in
