Day 6, way back to Mandalay

Opposite to me the little child smiling in the arms of the mother was a Albino. I felt a little guilty after a little long while's gaze and so I abruptly smiled back and turned my eyes away when the mother noticed me. Maybe to the young couple , such a curisoity from a stranger was too hurting.

Or I just considered too much. For, two young women sitting next to them quickly started conversation with the mother and kindly took a big red apple and put it into the hand of the baby. The kid, with smiling eyes, was totally not afraid of it and tried to grab it and feed it by him/herself, which worried but amused both of the parents. And all during the trip, the child and the family was always the focus, no wonder.

I tried to stop my mad worry about the troulbe the child might experience when he/she grows up because of the specialness. I was so sure of the happy childhood. And I admired more the courage of the young couple peacefully accepting such a fate.

Actually we were already on the right way back to Mandalay, but one of the passengers spoke one word. So the driver backed our way and drove into a left road. End of it was a restaurant. We stopped for half an hour there and then we continued our pleasant journey, under the blue sky and through greet forests, while breathing fresh and crisp air.

I was dropped around the market. I tried at first to take a shortcut through the alleys, but in the end I had to turn back because of the dead ends. While I was looking around, for directions and nearly temples every corner, one man riding bike past me, ' konichiwa, dogo ikimasi ga?' (Japanese, hello, where are you going?'. He was still on the bike.

'ee-do...' I was trying to remember more words, polite refusal ones.

'okay, sa-yo-na-la'( bye!)

He abruptly rode away, even before I finished my sentence..

I looked at myself, really the same as I at the botanical garden the day before, so Japanese. Howver, good news was , when I pushed the door and entered Royal, all girls at the reception remembered me and greeted warmly'

Ni-hao!'

'Ni-hao', I was excited that moment; I knew I was now home. A comfortable little home.