Grasshopper Season

Its grasshopper season – there seem to be two types, brown and green and I don't know what the difference is (green one is probably male though). They don't bother me at all, occasionally a bit gross when you stand on one but I think it is them that make the calming crickety noise at night, so its all good with me.

Apparently they are tasty too. 'Land prawns' I'm told. No rush to find out but judging by the lengths people are going to get them, I think they must be. During the day people stop in the street for no apparent reason, bend down and pick something up, then pocket it - reckon they are nabbing grasshoppers.

At night the street up to the hut is one of the few places with street lights and there are crowds of children hanging round them, grabbing up the hoppers as they come to the light. They are so fixated on grabbing the hoppers they dash in front of our car to get the ones caught up in the headlights, they run alongside to pick up the ones we run over with our wheels! It's madness, it is so dangerous!

But their parents have no regard for traffic either – people cross the road wherever and whenever they want to - across the entrances to roundabouts on very busy roads, behind / in front of buses - vendors will run in front of traffic to sell samosas to bus passengers without thinking or looking twice! Old women, mothers with babies – the lot. I don't buy that people here in the city aren't 'used to' traffic, I think they just don't care that much or have some deep faith that the cars will stop. I also think there must be a rule somewhere that says people have right of way. We will actually be lucky if we don't hurt someone or get caught up in an accident caused by this craziness, grasshoppers or no.

F x

PS – Apparently there is also a flying ant season....someone told me to 'get your cook to fry them up with salt for your sundowners'! Erm, think I'll stick to peanuts.
F x