What to eat

I was a bit disconcerted when my project director told me to stop at Macdonalds on my way to work on my first day. The local Macdonalds is apparently a local landmark, and will prove useful in directing tuk-tuk drivers to take me home. But I kind of have a moral stance against Macdo and was hoping this was not going to be the pattern for all my eating options here. Fortunately that was not the case!

The supermarkets certainly have far less variety than what we are used to at home, and the sweets and cakes aisle, and the powdered milk aisle for some reason, are enormous. But there's stuff and the fruit and vege selection, while very different, should keep me well enough fed.

From what I've read so far, there isn't a big culture of eating out, a fact that was reinforced when I needed a bathroom stop on our 16 hour long field trip on Tuesday and there wasn't a cafe or restaurant for at least an hour (along a road that was almost completely lined with buildings and commercial places) for us to stop at. The touristy areas are apparently different.

I've already been introduced to the delights of 'short eats', deep fried pastries such as samosas and fish puffs etc that are a common snack or lunch. Lumpraise (lump rice) is another lunch specialty, basically saffron rice with curry and chicken wrapped in a banana leaf and butchers paper. Pretty tasty.

This blog from Bootsnall gives a great summary of all the food delights I have to look forward to. I've only been eating out with work colleagues so far so I will have to wait til I get out on my own before I start pulling out the camera.