To my Naga homestay

I was booked on the 1000 sumo (jeep) from Mokokchung to Kohima which required a report at 0930.  With a 15 minute walk downhill to the departure point, breakfast, check-out etc, I had to wake at 0700.

The sumo takes ten passengers plus the driver.  That’s two pax by the driver, and four pax for each of the two rows behind.  Fortunately, there were only five passengers today.  With lunch stop and a couple of brief pit stops, we arrived in Kohima before 1600.

At Mokokchung, readying the sumo for the departure to Kohima.

I got fellow passengers to ring up Mr Gugu who had arranged my Naga family homestay.  I was told to wait in the office for him to pick me up.  An hour passed, I got the sumo office man to ring Mr Gugu.  There had been a misunderstanding and I was have meant to take a taxi up to Mission Compound in the north of Kohima.  Both Mr Gugu and I have been waiting for each other unnecessarily for an hour.

The traffic was slow but I made it to the homestay in darkness around 1730.  I placed a dinner order and was served 1830.  Other guests ate after me.  The host family and their made were all delightful to speak to.  They all spoke perfect English and were so well-versed in pleasantries and manners.

In the evening I chatted with a nice Israeli mother and son.  It was nice to speak to people who cannot visit my country and vice versa.

I learnt that today, being the opening of the Hornbill Festival, was a write-off.  The bigshot didn’t turn up till 1530 and nothing much happened all day till then.  Three fighter jets scrambled past during the opening … I had seen them just as I arrived in Kohima.  By the time the festival was officially opened, it was cold, dark and time to finish up!  I was glad I hadn’t wasted my time there today!

I washed down my dinner with a cuppa with the Israeli guy.  Then I ordered a bucket of hot water (to mix with the cold) for my daily wash.  While the bathroom had plumbing, there was no running water.  They refilled the big hip-high bucket/tank with water daily for washing and flushing.

While the homestay didn’t have wifi, I was fortunate enough to pick up stray weak un-passworded signal from the neighbour.  This proved to be just adequate for getting a few messages back and forth with the outside world.