23 NONG GETS A TICKLEA few minutes after Ross and Craig had left for the mayor’s house, Murray and five other falang turned up at the hotel. Nong had tried to explain where everybody was, and Murray had understood, but they felt that since they hadn’t been invited and didn’t know Nic and Jan well, it was better that they stayed at the hotel. When it was announced that Lek had won, some of them, a little drunk, but genuinely pleased for Craig and Lek nevertheless, got up and danced around the forecourt. One of them had tried to get Nong involved, but she was too shy, although flattered to be included. His name was Kurt, a tall, jovial, portly man in his sixties from Bavaria with a ruddy complexion, a handlebar moustache and full head of greying, black hair . He didn’t speak much English or
