Back in March I drew reference to Paolo Coelho where he claims that we don´t need to speak the same language to communicate when we are travelling.
Like the true Brit that I am, my foreign Language skills are minimal. I have a few Cantonese phrases that I can use in Hong Kong, a few Hindi words and crappy Spanish (I can understand South American Spanish quite well, but my spoken Espanol is shite!). And I certainly don´t speak any Himalayan dialects.
Yet, whilst hanging out in Keylong, I came across a large group of women (about eight aged between 30 -50 years old) sitting out on the roadside near the communal water-pump. Now in neighbouring Pakistan, in any small village, town or city, it is a very common sight to come across men “just hanging out”; never women. Even in India, it is quite unusual.
I ask them if I can take their photograph and they agree in a giggly sort of way. I keep up the blather as I take five or six photos in quick succession, and they are keen on seeing the results. I pass the camera around so they can see the results in the monitor. I tell them they are too beautiful, and this word is clearly recognised by one of these women who translates it for the rest of group. Much hilarity. One of the women starts touching up my ever-present silver bangle and she asks if I can give it her as a present. No, it is for my wife I say pointing to an invisible wedding band. Even more hilarity at this one, and a couple of ladies are obviously sharing a couple of crude comments. I blush furiously, which causes even more laughter.
This exchange lasts about 20 minutes and we understand each other perfectly.
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