Here for a good time, not a long time...

Which may be just as well....
OK so I didn't have vodka for lunch on Friday - we all went out to Oh Calcutta instead.
That night I went with friends to Underdoggs, a particularly classy sports bar. There was miles of security and we thought it was because the cops found loads of RDX up the road in Ambala earlier that day. But no, it was because Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt (who shares my birthday but I look better) from BIGG BOSS (India's Big Brother) were coming. I think Manish really wanted to check them out but we stopped him. Anyway, we had some food and beers and I managed to lose my double or nothing bet from the T20 last week when I backed NSW and then RCB, by playing some dreadful pool against Manish who has obviously spent too much time in pool joints. This establishment also has a game where there are drinks lined up on either end of a table (much like 10 pin bowling) and each team of 2 has to try to get a ball into the other end's cup. Then the loser drinks. Frankly any game that involves the constant requirement for a mop and bucket should be a worry. And my goodness the girl who lost wasn't very well. Glad I avoided that one.
So to Saturday, where I watched Wales suffer an ignominious defeat at the hand of a crappy rugby ref. Well what do you expect he speaks French. And I didn't bet on them so it was nothing to do with me.
Then I managed to find the car and driver out the front at the same time so went to Khan market to the tailors and a bit more shopping, and was on my way home when I had to divert to buy food for a visitor (as if I didn't have enough to carry!) then got ready for Saturday karaoke. Oh dear me...
Benningans was chockers when I arrived but luckily my seat was saved. I had just opened a beer when the girl next to me suggested I try her wonderful looking  cocktail . So I did. And I liked it. So I ordered one and downed it sharpish! Then beer, then another Cosmopolitan and I was ready to rock!  Adi and I dancing while Manish sang. Awesome. It was decided that Adi shouldn't have vodka and coke anymore but that a blue shot of god knows what might be good. And because Manish was driving he couldn't have one so he convinced me to join Adi. Great idea. Tops. Cheers. Thanks guys. Love you heaps ;)
And so after getting home about 2am I was woken by the god botherers out the back at stupid o'clock so gave in and got up. I decided to change my flight from here to the end of the month so that I have more time here for fun and also only need a 30 day visa for Nepal. Instead of the only other option of a 90 day one. So now I get to go back into CP on the metro tomorrow to get my new ticket, and then Khan market for my final frock at the tailors. PHEW.
And of course in another hour we have the Wallabies... I hope they win cos I bet 50 on them and if I lose I may be forced into another double or nothing pool game. And we all know what will happen there.
Time for food...

Thanks India

Well here I am at yet another airport using free wifi. Can you believe I was only charged Re100 per kg this morning for my excess. So I still have some unusable overseas 500 notes to try to get rid of.
Well last night Manish, his lovely wife Devna and I went to Olive and made complete gutses of ourselves - I still have some of my pasta in my hand luggage to eat on the flight maybe, and Manish took home a pile of stuff! Thanks to both of them for coming with me.
Robin is having lots of dramas with horses, 2 died yesterday and it looked like they were going to be stuck or would have to cancel the trip. Lots of frantic calls on yesterday and first thing this morning, but it looks like we will be able to get some fresh pack animals and some help to get over the pass, although the locals are charging an exorbitant fee to clear a trail and come over - because they can. It took all my patience and then some to deal with that yesterday and this morning, especially as I managed to somehow lose my airline ticket in the airport - good thing it didn't really matter and I got checked in anyway.
think I'll try to snooze on the flight - got a legroom window seat, and I even have 7 days left on my old visa so just have to extend it sometime this week.
So again, thanks India that was TOPS!
See you all from Nepal, and Manish - keep in touch cos karaoke friends are forever!

Bored security staff in one of Nepal's many strikes

Daze of our lives!

Talk about weird. I've certainly had an odd week - and when I tell you what's been going on you'll understand why I've been out of touch.
So, last Thursday I went to Olive Restaurant, right? Then Friday I blogged all about it, and since then...
First of all the summer power cuts kicked in, with the house plunged into warm inky blackness on Friday afternoon. So no internet. Carmen arrived back from Goa on Friday night - nobody bothered to tell me she was coming - and promptly announced that she was flying to Spain on Sunday night. Family 'issues' I think you could call it. Saturday no internet - but that was kinda OK as I was busy at the pool. Then in the afternoon  Louella and I sat in Carmen's room eating samosas and drinking whisky or rum. Every 'proper' Indian bedroom also has a lounge etc in it so you can just sit in there and ignore the rest of the family - it's a very Indian thing!
That night I went to Bennigans in Greater Kailash with Manish. A totally different karaoke crowd - most people were damned good. The best thing was a foreign family were there with their 2 kids, eating dinner, when the karaoke started. The young boy was busting to sing, so got up and asked if he could sing 'Livin on a Prayer' by Bon Jovi. He did an admirable job, much to the delight of mum and dad, and everyone gave him a huge cheer. The equipment there kept petering out - the amp got too hot I think - and after 5 deaths the evening was declared 'over'. Just as well as it was about 1am.
Sunday - pool and no internet and a walk up to the local cafe. I was asking about the internet problem but just got stupid grins at home. Oh well. Carmen was busy getting all her last minute stuff done so no car for me.
Monday was VERY hot so after swimming and lunch, I went to the Post Office to mail something to Kolkata - the Post Office hasn't really changed in 20 years. The parcel sewing men are still outside, sewing and sealing, and the fruit juice man was doing a roaring trade with the foreigners busy mailing their rugs and clothes back home. And the staff still try to look like they are doing 10 things at once when in fact they are really just wasting time! But at least it's cheap. After that I headed to one of the big malls here in Saket - such wonderful material in the clothes but it beats me how anyone wears saris that have so many sequins on them - it must scratch every time you move. The icecream was pretty good though. Still no internet and I couldn't help but notice that there was an Airtel bill on the kitchen counter, with rupees piled on it. It was still there on Tuesday when the internet wasn't working, but finally disappeared at lunchtime. Chances of internet action up 50%. And finally this morning it works.
So today being Wednesday it's karaoke at Harry's again - last one for this trip anyway as I leave next Tuesday for Nepal. Where there are 12 hours of powercuts a day - fun.
Now let me think, what has Robin been doing? Oh yes that's right, trekking! They had a few 10 hour days where they got completely soaked, then one of the horsemen got crook and ended up in hospital, and they got a new set of horses. They had a 2400 metre climb (with accompanying descent) which was $#@*!! tough so I am told. On Monday they were in a place where the first Choegyal (King) of Bhutan came from and were staying with his relatives who could trace their family back I think it was 12 generations. So he got to stay in a room with a big pot bellied stove in it to dry out him and his stuff, and there were kittens prancing around. There always seem to be kittens jumping around. Yesterday when he called me after another epic he was wrapping himself around a bottle of 'HIT' beer from Sikkim. Sounds great doesn't it. He is now in Central Bhutan on the bit that is called the Snowman Trek - very tough week ahead but then it should be plain sailing (or trekking), which is why I can go back to Nepal and won't be required to mount any form of rescue from India apparently.
Robin has had 2 enquiries today about people wanting to walk the Nepal part of the GHT - one would like to do some on mountain bike. I always just say to these people that Robin is in the field and will get back to them in July. Some people seem to have unrealistic expectations - like that they can just put on a pack and wander off without a guide, and that there will always be some local who will put them up and feed them. That is so far from the reality of the situation, but many people seem to be very opposed to using any local staff - and the whole point of the GHT is that it isn't about YOU walking it, it is about THEM getting money and tourists. After all, it ain't the Everest Trek!
So, India has a new World Champ - Vishy Anand, Chess Grandmaster who defended his title overnight in Sofia. Well done him. Much better effort than the Indian T20 cricketers, who are now blaming the constant round of IPL parties for their poor show in the Caribbean.

And on Saturday, Delhi police got in a 'tizzy' when there was a hoax call made that the Chief minister of Delhi's life was in danger. Trying to picture tizzied police.....

Prayer flags at the  temple in Darjeeling

and then it got hotter

Just when you thought it was safe to go outside, it got hotter and the desert wind picked up and you got - hot and sticky and covered in fine sand! Lovely! Sitting in an alley way on a busted chair eating what was, undeniably, a very hot and spicy chicken tikka roll while melting in the 'breeze' was quite something, especially as I was losing the food fight with myself. 
There are some cars parked around here that got so covered in dust they look like they have been parked since the time of Akbar the Great.
In Guwahati, where I am flying tomorrow, they have a different problem. Since Monday they have had 80 cm, (that's right centimetres!!!!) of rain and the town is flooded. I do hope Jet Airways has invested in a couple of seaplanes and one is on the Assam route.... stay tuned.
Righto, Robin is in Bomdilla visiting the big Rimpoche today with some people from a UN (I think) programme - he is hoping to get a blessing for his Bhutan trip. He will then head off early tomorrow to drive down through Tezpur then change cars to meet me (assuming I make it) in Guwahati. I hope he is coming in a boat!
The first final of the IPL is on tonight between the Mumbai Indians (Sachin Tendulkar) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (Anil Kumble) - I can't decide which team to go for. I'll be watching it in Harry's karaoke palace tonight with Manish - I don't expect there will be too many people out and about this evening.
The IPL scandal is getting lots of coverage over here, naturally, and so now some politicians are suggesting that the government makes gambling legal in India. That would certainly solve some of the problems currently being faced.
If I make it to Assam tomorrow, I will be out of technology range for a few days, so you won't hear from me for a while. So, enjoy Anzac Day and be nice to a service person. It's thanks to them we have so many things we take for granted.
Remember the story we learnt at school about Simpson and his donkey carrying wounded soldiers in Gallipolli? Well I don't have a picture of that so here is the donkey rank in Jomsom, Nepal. Cheers!

Another strange day in India

Well what a funny old 24 hours it has been. Again…..
Here's pic of go-to-man Harry (in the turban) Raj, who invited me to stay then went to Japan, me, Robin and Manish.
First off was getting a taxi organised to drop and wait for me at the Wednesday karaoke place (Harry’s in Ansel Plaza – go there if you get a chance), where unfortunately I drank enough Old Monk rum to sink a ship and for reasons unknown (but I think we can all guess) was goaded (thanks Manish) into singing. Well, it would be better described as sharing my unique vocal interpretation of popular songs. More than once. Different songs. Oh dear. All your favourites – well they were before I had a go at them…..you will be pleased that I didn’t attempt, Whitney, Celine, Britney or Shirley Bassey. Or Metallica! The will is weak sometimes. But it made me laugh.
Anyway, enough of that!
Today after minimal sleep my ‘go-to-man’ Harry (not connected to karaoke Harry) decided that we should go on an outing. Because it is only about 9000 degrees outside. And I drank a lot of rum, as you may recall. So off we went to the Parliament Museum, which I have to admit had a very interesting multimedia presentation spread over 2 floors, about democracy in India, right from emperor Ashoka way back in, well a long time ago – look it up yourself! There was a great bit where you stood in a room and they projected Gandhi on his peace march walking along, and you could walk along too. I really enjoyed the bit where you got to sit in a mock up of parliament next to models of parliamentarians who were there when Nehru made his speech “Tryst with Destiny’ on the night India became independent. I then got to meet a friend of Harry’s who is in charge of the parliament library, who is also a keen mountaineer, trekker and photographer.
After that it was DEFINITELY lunchtime, so Harry recommended a restaurant in Pandara Rd, called Gulati. Always trust a Sikh on restaurant recommendations! It’s a fairly typical Punjabi/North Indian restaurant – as soon as I walked in I knew the food would be good. And it was – buffet with all sorts of stuff, the best Mulligatawny soup I’ve had for ages, and a dessert that I had forgotten about over the years – Fruit Cream, I think it is an Indian invention with evaporated milk or something and tinned fruit, BUT also with fresh green grapes this time. YUM. And pink icecream – and Gulab Jamun. That's it in the 2nd photo. I feel ill.
But the fun wasn’t over yet! We went to the Railway museum where we had a ride on the toy train, laughing all the way. I am such a dag I took a thrilling 4min 16 second video of it for Robin – he really loves old trains but didn’t get time to go. All you can hear is Harry laughing his head off in the background. Then we played in the museum for a while (Harry had lots of fun pressing buttons to make trains go toot toot), and at the gift shop I went wild and spent Rs 110 (about $2.50 Aussie)on presents. Gee I had better slow down.
And in Shoaib/Sania news - yesterday he signed divorce papers for the woman he never met and never married, because (and I take this from the papers I DIDN'T MAKE IT UP) the Ayesha person handed over to police her wedding night clothes from 2002 which still has Shoaib's semen stains on them. YUCKO. I think she needs a better washing machine.
And the head of the anti corruption force here in Delhi was arrested after taking a Rs 1 Crore bribe. Which is a fair whack of money in any language.

Easter fun in Delhi

Well I managed to survive the karaoke night (mostly because apparently I didn’t sing loud enough!) and had loads of fun, except that I never want to hear Metallica again.
Robin called yesterday from the middle of nowhere to report that they were STILL about 12 hours drive away from Tuting, their first destination where they can start walking.They have been caught by landslides caused by heavy night time rains, and were hoping that the road would be cleared by 2pm. Fortunately the people in the village where they were stuck were extremely photogenic and hospitable, and yesterday morning they put on a fashion show. One of Robin’s boys, Nawang from Tawang, showed them how to pose and strut the catwalk, much to everyone’s delight.They are mostly animist people who live in bamboo and palm huts, and for dinner Robin and the gang had fish head curry. MMM may I please have seconds?
So what is on the telly? Well, this morning I can choose between stories about Hanuman the monkey god or Ganesha the elephant headed god – both involve grown men dressed up in gold headdresses, way too much makeup, ‘pearls’ and ‘rubies’ and appalling superimposed backdrops. Fabulous. There is also news/TV in: English, Hindi, Punjabi, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Urdu, Bangla, Marathi, Oriya, Gujerati, and possibly my favourite: "Topper TV”. Topper TV is currently educating me on the comparison of different types of crystalline solids – I have no idea what it is talking about. Earnest professor types present all sorts of educational programmes, with a test at the end, so that the kids will become class ‘toppers’ (as they are called here). Oh look, the molecular arrangement in glass! Way too scientific for me, think I’ll go back to Hanuman and Ganesha.
The resident cat here, Hydra, has loads of thick fur and now that summer has come (it was 39 the last few days) she is struggling to stay cool. So I have appointed myself in charge of combing her regularly to get rid of her excess fur. In the interests of ‘fitting in’ I have given myself a title(everyone in India has a catchy title with acronym): District In Charge of Keeping Hydra nEat And tiDy. Yes I know what it spells.
Have had some more pool time which is a nice bit of sanity and coolness – don’t know why there aren’t more people there but I guess they are all working or shopping.
The rest of the house has gone to church for Easter Sunday, and I am here lying in wait for the cat to appear. Then I'll head to the pool when the driver comes back, then us girls are off to the golf club for lunch followed by a spot of shopping in a market. Life goes on.

Love me, Love my Safari Suit

That’s right the Safari Suit is IN – well I suspect it was never OUT as far as India is concerned. My driver today had a rather splendid bone SS (with tasteful self stripe), of course with short sleeves due to the rather excessive heat we are experiencing. Add to that the fact that we were whizzing round Delhi to the strains of Dean Martin on the CD player and you will see that it has been a rather surreal sort of day. And now I am singing along to Led Zeppelin on the telly…Was there EVER a better band than Led Zep, especially for this part of the planet? I think not.
Well since I wrote last time, Robin has been on the phone again (against all odds I might add) to explain that they were in a place called Along, but that they had travelled at 5kph in 1st gear most of the way and were looking for another car and driver as they had so far to go and so little time. Needless to say he was a little annoyed.
This morning the local Catholic church had their Stations of the Cross and outdoor Good Friday sermon out the back of where I am staying – thank goodness they didn’t start till about 7am(unlike last week when they were at it from about 6am). We had a lazy morning till Carmen decided we would go fabric shopping so she could get lots of new curtains, and I bought some material at stupidly cheap prices – hopefully the tailor I found can make one top the way I instructed then I shall get the other material made up – cheaper than ready made and it SHOULD fit perfectly… ask me in a week!
After a morning burning our eyes and brains with the kaleidoscope of colours and patterns in the fabric shop we retired to the Indian International Centre for a delightful lunch washed down with more Kingfisher beer -I should have bought shares before I arrived. Seems like breakfast is the only meal where beer doesn’t appear!
I got up this morning to discover Hydra, the enormous cat-in-residence, sprawled out on the dining table with her head on my breakfast place setting. Charming. Naughty. Just like every other cat I have ever known.
Tonight I am supposed to be going out for karaoke with a friend but he hasn’t called to confirm yet so perhaps the population of Delhi will be spared my dulcet massacring of some timeless classic…or not. Oh dear, Manish just rang and we are on for 9pm - I wonder how long it will take me to get voted off Karaoke Island? Wish me luck and not too many beer bottles!
And in the news: a bus driver here in Delhi had an accident - nothing new there. He was seen talking on his mobile phone - nothing new there either. He allegedly had his pet monkey clinging to his back...only in India. There was also a report about a crazy Japanese man who attempted suicide by hara kiri - usually that involves cutting your stomach open, but this fellow decided to use a cucumber in a most unusual way. All it did was perforate his bowel, and several other bits besides no doubt, and his highly embarrassed daughter rushed him to hospital. How mortifying.
Bye kids