Saturday

 I did the rounds of the village last night. Firstly I ordered a delicious takeaway of king prawn masala. While it was being prepared I went down the road to buy limes for  lime soda. It's perfect for a hot day.  On my way back I was spotted by Umesh. He is looking so much better now that he is a family man. His new wife must be a good cook.

Anyway he offered me a lift on his scooter which I gladly accepted.

Back at the ranch Helen was really suffering with spasmodic coughing fits which never seemed to end.  We discussed the symptoms and some possible diagnoses and I urged her to see a doctor soon, since we are travelling home in five days. Then we discovered that the phone was out of credit....  Back down to the village to get an instant top up.

I booked Vijay to take me birding early to Succorro plateau.

Sis found a doctor, recommended by Umesh. Today we went to Dr Dukle's clinic by taxi. I went straight to the reception desk and said I thought her heart was bad, because heart failure was one possibility. 

We were taken straight into the emergency room ahead of a European man with a broken arm and a European woman with a bad cough.  The locals were sitting in another area waiting to see the doctor individually. The emergency room had two nurses and another woman who took the payments after patients are treated.

The doctor managed to see a patient in his office plus 3 in the emergency room simultaneously. He listened to sister's chest and said it was unlikely to be a heart problem. He diagnosed bronchitis and gave her a prescription for various medicines which she bought in the adjoining chemists.

Green bee eater