Master and Servant

I lie here in the dark after another power cut; tired, stuffed full of orange creams and tea; after a long hard day in and out the saddle looking for new trails in the small village of Kasar Devi.
Anyhow all that can wait, seismic events have unfolded and I am an Uncle at last to 4 day old Tristan. I am away yet for another 4 weeks a crucial time in young Tristan’s development, Dave and Alice will ensure that he develops an early interest in Mountain Biking but whom will instill in him the virtues of Test Cricket and Liverpool Football Club in my absence? Freddie Truman’s Test Match Cricket Game featuring the kid friendly lead bat can’t wait till June.
Last phase of the Indian General elections tomorrow so expect everything to be shut as the villagers head to the electronic voting booths, a source of much pride here in India as the whole election has been paper free. Could have called the whole thing off as far as I was concerned yesterday. The whole town of Almora was closed off to traffic to accomodate the loading of thousands of these lap top sized machines each with an entourage of election officers onto hundreds of buses to be dispatched around the district. It is estimated that over a thousand villages are without roads and electric so donkeys will have to convey the machines to many of the remote polling booths. But back to me. Effect of the road closures was to force me to walk 3 km though Almora town with my bike bag and rucksacks full of tools and clothes. Agony upon agony, much to the amusement of the gathered election officials. Feel very lobsided today as a result.
The last week or so has thrown up a new experience to me that of having servants at my disposal. The Colonel has returned to Delhi leaving me to man the flat on a couple of occasions. My experience shows me that. Servants are good at making coffee. Like to torture animals when given the opportunity. Like watching T.V. Don,t like to watch their masters drink beer alone (so need to provide beer for servants). Become less interested in making coffee after they have ensured their master hasn’t drank alone. Enough master and servant stuff for now. Jeeves bring me my Chappati’s…..