Year of the Crow, First Month, Day 27.

 We are but two or three days away from the House, depending on how the horses deal with the winding trails leading into the heart of Purple Lightning. I must say that I do not remember the journey being fraught with difficulty when I was growing up but I suppose I would not have noticed much about a long journey when I was a child, other than it was fun to be on an adventure away from our own House. 

I have nothing of great import to note other than that I am surprised at the food available in even the most basic taverns. I suppose it is true that I am no tastewright but I had thought myself fairly well-versed in the specialities of the regions. The food to be found here is rather unusual in nature; worthy of Father's tables. I wonder now, if this is where he discovered his love of cuisine steeped in the traditions of multiple Lands.

This morning, for breakfast, I indulged in a bread of sorts which was flat but flavoured with spiced raisins and the desiccated flesh of some sort of nut which is found mostly in the Seventh Kingdom. It was most unusual and when paired with a thick, sauce made from the milk of sheep, it was the strangest thing I have ever eaten and yet... it was delicious.

Lunchtime brought more strange treats in the form of our traditional dumplings with a filling of spiced apple rather than chopped pork and onion and for dinner, I ate a plateful of sea bream stuffed with a mixture of pulses, herbs and vegetables. The latter was heavily spiced with a heat so violent, it made me sweat. Of course I could have chosen from a plentiful menu of more traditional foods but it seemed churlish not to try something different and exciting. I am living to regret the sea bream; my stomach does not like those virulent red flakes which peppered the stuffing and I am a little concerned that I may not be able to travel tomorrow.

Still, experiencing something new was exciting. Perhaps tomorrow though, I will take something plainer...