I&rsquom a certified basket-case. What ostensibly started as an affordable solution to my storage woes has come full circle &mdash I now need dedicated storage for my beloved baskets. I&rsquom not about to mend my ways though. I still hold that acquisitiveness, which is what we celebrate in this column, is a rewarding pursuit. A trip to that magical country, Bhutan, yielded a particularly rich haul, everything from intricate picnic baskets to bamboo tea strainers and sharp-edged quivers dangling from grass straps. And I also got me a bangchung. It&rsquos a traditional Bhutanese lunch box, consisting of two flattish cane baskets, with the top one fitting snugly into the bottom one to create &mdash voilà &mdash a container. Or is it the other way round Either way it&rsquos pretty nifty and great for keeping a sandwich or some chapattis and pickle from prying eyes. Don&rsquot tell my wife, but apparently they use it to store jewellery as well. It&rsquos an object of everyday use all over Bhutan, but I paid an arm and a leg for this posh version at the government-run National Handicrafts Emporium in Thimphu. Because I&rsquom worth it.
