Monday 23rd

Feeling a lot better today. Cramps have mostly gone, energy slowly
returning. Try a little breakfast, french toast, so so but the papaya
juice is wonderful. Tea, water, starting to feel hydrated again. Guide
arives to pick us up at eight. Transport problem.. the Italians.. then
head into group of sub-terranean churches we missed yesterday. This group
is my favourite somehow. Older and more gnarly, pre Christian, a maze of
tunnels and passageways, real kids stuff.
Tired, thirsty and hungry, we walk half way then minibus back to hotel for
TV (Something About Mary!) and lunch. Soup with a few noodles and vegies,
boiled potatoes, with added oil, vinigar, salt and pepper. And a kick-ass
ginger tea. We have befriended the Rastafarian chef who gives us special
attention.
Guide picks Tim and I up and we go to cave churches, some seven kilometers
out of town. Starlings flying about, water dripping from roof of cave
which here is blessed and called holy water. Said to cure in particular
'mental illness'. Could come in useful, may take some back to Melbourne.
The priest shows us some nice artifacts, though i'm feeling like a bit of
a historical cynic. Hard to distinguish between the tourist story behind
things and the real story. Gets befuddled like chinese whispers.
Souvenir sellers have heard we're here and have lined up near our car.
Feel so sorry that they've set up just for us! No sale - thought we have
come to regret this stubbornness, missed opportunities in the past.
Home to join Japi on the couch. What is it with this TV?? Hypnotic!
Tim and Ollie sit down to dinner, my first real meal. Rasta man cooks up a
treat, Tim: chicken surprise with mash, beetroot and banana, must be a
Jamaican thing? Ollie: soup, roast beef with mushroom sauce and rice. Add
to this, fresh tomato soup and fruit salad for desert. Since about three
days ago, we've been having food fantasies, Tim for muesli, yoghurt, fresh
fruit and a hamburger. Ollie for Black rice porridge at Kanteen, oh and
Mario's quality eggs Benedict.
Bed early Ollie starting to shift mind back to home - stay awake for hours
thinking.