It’s in the bag

Every Sumo leaving the Manipuri border town of Moreh is piled to twice its own height with a cargo of Chinese blankets, shoes and other contraband. Meandering through the covered souk of Namphalong bazaar, on the other side of the border check post Gate no. 2, I was intimidated by the sheer range of goods on offer: smoked fish, vegetables, blankets, power tools, blankets, Sony mp3 sticks, blankets. In the end I came away with half a dozen avocados, two eight-in-one DVDs, a couple of LED torches—and best of all, this beautiful Burmese shopping basket. Just Rs 30—or 330 Kyat.