Happiness alone is clearly not going to be enough for me, and he sets to work preparing some of his herbal remedies. He will make something up for me. I glance at the labels as he measures out the powder. Fennel, Plantain, Wrinkled Giant Hyssop, Indian Madder, Chinese Sage, Nepal Geranium.
The slopes of Jade Dragon Mountain are famous throughout China as the Home of Medicinal Plants, with over 600 species available. Dr Ho takes pride in the fact that all the ingredients he uses are either grown here or collected from the surrounding hills by himself or members of his family. No outsiders involved, and nothing bought from markets.
Clutching my various powders in brown paper cones, I return to the now even more crowded front room to be met by Dr Ho's son with an open visitors' book bearing incontrovertible proof that Michael Palin and John Cleese did indeed come here some five years ago.Unfortunately, our names and comments are the work of a man from Woking who clearly thought he was being very funny.