Chakku – Indian Staff Member HIH

Find a great shop in Villingili called Apollo. Alongside the cabbages and curry paste, it boasts a selection of special creams for: armpit-whitening, nipple-pinkening and Lady a Vergin (don’t ask). There’s also, Dr James’ Traditional Medicine (since 1969) Slimming Capsules.  The marketing message screams in large black lettering: Oil come out with excrement.  Lower the need to eat food.   It’s working already.

Flip through a Dhivehi-English book. The word for elephant is eiy.  The word for paw is vakihunna janavaaruge moggan’du. The numbers section goes up to … 100 trillion. That will come in very handy next time I’m in Alpha Centauri.

Maldivians all chew on betel-nut after meals.  I did try it.  It was just like nibbling on a notice-board, but somehow less appetising. It gets mixed with a green leaf and a white, powdered substance that comes in a tin covered with swastikas.  I knew that Hitler did not invent the symbol but it is odd to see them everywhere.