What is a Dress Code?

I sometimes wonder. Yes I know it is monsoon and hot and sticky, but REALLY! Do crotch busting denim cut offs really keep you cool? Honestly, some of the outfits the young tourists wear in a conservative Hindu country have to be seen to be believed; tight revealing shorts, skirts and dresses that stop before they start. And they wonder why the guys leer at them. This is a country, girls and boys, where people live with their parents till they get married (and often afterwards too!). PDA (Public Display of Affection) is frowned upon, and nice young ladies don't drink, swear or smoke. And the accepted national outfit is 6 metres of material for ladies (a sari), or the 'pyjama suit' Kurta Salwar which covers from neck to ankles. So please, have a bit of respect for others if not for yourselves and at least cover those thighs.
That's my rant for the day.
Well the book launch was lovely but SO hot and sticky - lots to drink and lovely snacks and about 100 people turned up. The traffic to get there once again was god-awful so we were melted before we got there - but so was everyone else.We all rehydrated at the bar as quickly as we could before the formalities began. By this time Robin was starting to suffer from a tummy bug - very common this time of year - but managed to get through his speech and meet and greet a few people before we came home, and had to give the newlyweds party a miss. Just as I had convinced Robin to take some tablets the power went off for 2 hours - no TV, no light, no fan and no mozzie killer. Phew it was HOT but there was Robin wrapped up in his blanket. Sure sign of illness. Swift application of Cipro has put him right though and he is fighting fit again.
Saturday was a bit of a dud as Robin wanted to stay close to facilities.... but we went out last night for a cool refreshment and some food before meting up with a friend in Sams, where we were sharing the terrace with a bunch of young British volunteers on 'day release' - and boy were they making the most of it. I have never seen so many different types of shots going out there - I think the worst drink I saw was vodka and fanta but there may have been some other awful ones. Lots of Sambucca and Baileys - just the thing for a hot evening. By 8pm most of them were smashed and dancing badly. Oh dear. Then some of them decided to talk to us while they were ordering drinks - poor darlings. Not a very enlightening conversation but there you go.
Today was Sunday Roast at the British Club - the beef was apparently very good and I enjoyed my lasagne and beer. We had a few friends along: Rafi, Sarah and Robin had beef while Kathryn, Stephen Darling and I had lasagne - except that SD was having a personal drama (as usual) and 'just couldn't face it darling'. So we divided up his meal and ate that too.
Everyone is desperately hoping the monsoon rain which is 2 weeks late finally arrives as the humidity is about 89% right now and you can't move without drowning yourself in sweat. Noice.

Here's me looking hot and intelligent at the cafeteria on the way up to Tigers Nest in Bhutan, with the naughty cat who just about took my arm off when it heard me open the energy bar!