Karma Chameleon

Today was my last day in Tirunelveli. I could have stayed a couple more days, but as it's Friday today so the end of the school week, it made sense to head back over to Kovalam tomorrow. That way I can have an extra day relaxing rather than heading over on Monday.
That said, it is never easy to leave, the goodbyes, the pictures I meant to take but didn't, the packing (I'm still 3kg over so will have a look more thoroughly at my leisure over the next couple of days). I probably don't need to take all my sun cream home with me! But that doesn't weigh 3kg! Then there are the last minute gifts I've been given all of which add to the weight tensions.
I went in to see my friend and his wife again this morning and dropped off some posh chocs to them. I know they both enjoy them and fortunately he can still manage to eat them. That was a hard goodbye. From there we went to another friend's and dropped off my jar of marmalade (not literally that would have made a mess). I just kept enough to see me through breakfast next week. I only get toast at Kovalam and the jam they have here is 'mixed fruit' which is basically pink and very, very, sweet. Another goodbye to Ida.
Into school and a two hour session with the physio talking about my 6 months here and the rationale behind it. It was made easier by the fact that my pupil notes and the notebook I used for planning etc were all still in the cupboard in the classroom, 16 years later!!
I told her about a book my school published on the work we did in Edinburgh and found her a free download of it. I think she can cope with the English. I rather think one of her predecessors must have gone off with the print copy I gave them. If she uses it though, I don't really mind.
After lunch it was time for a goodbye to the rest of the staff and children and back home to finish packing.
Half way through the afternoon I had a call to say that the Bishop, who I have been trying to meet up with but who has been in North India in the missionary field, would be available this evening at 8.30pm. He is arriving back from a meeting some distance away, but if he was late I could sit on the benches outside his house and wait for him! You could imagine my response! He didn't mean it the way it sounded, simply that he would like to see me. Sitting on the benches at 8.30 though would mean running the gamut of mosquitoes!
I went though. We were half way there when I got a call to say he was back and waiting for me, so all was well in the end. Sally 1, Mozzies 0!
After a very jolly half hour chatting, some selfies and a carved copy of the Diocesan shield(more excess baggage), I finally headed off for dinner.
Tomato soup, you remember tomatoes, round red things, lol, followed by butter chicken and naan. I'll not miss eating with my fingers and getting my hands in a disgusting mess! That combined with banana leaf plates does cut down 100% on the washing up though.
My blip today is a chameleon on the tree outside Ida's house. He wasn't very keen on having his picture taken, he kept sliding around the trunk in an attempt to hide, but I got him. He's not very big, maybe 12 inches nose to tail.
Last night here in my lovely cool room where I have slept like a log every night.