Chandigarh, India

I can manage to find myself in awkward situations overseas. Another city, another rickshaw rally, although unlike Bengaluru the Chandigarh version involved cycle rickshaws, not auto ones. And this was just a race around a car park, albeit one that was nearly a kilometre long. In an attempt to win the race, myself and my team mate Brad, a new flagger, actually took our turn over the pedals while our local peddler took a break in the back. Unfortunately during my turn I managed to clip and knock over a scooter, appearing to break a small plastic light cover off the back of it. After five minutes or so of a growing crowd, plenty of deliberations in the local dialect and no owner in sight, the light cover appeared to have been clipped back on and I was told it was OK to head off. I’m sure I’ll look back and think of it as an amusing situation but at the time all I was thinking of was having to deal with an angry owner, communication problems and the parting of a significant amount of rupees.

Another day, another Gus Worland venue, this time the amazing Nek Chand Rock Garden. I don’t think I’ve spent a better 10 rupees (around 30 cents in AUD) in India.

Watching the idiot box here is a different experience. There’s a ridiculous amount of channels (at least 70) and both English and Hindi are used throughout. Some TV shows appear to carry both, particularly the Indian Cricket League 20/20 broadcast, which is commentated in English and discussed post-match in Hindi.

Also a different experience is the sight of men relieving their bladders in public without as so much as batting an eyelid. The stench of urine prevails in many streets and parks as a result. Trying to justify in my head why things such as this seem to be acceptable yet PDOAs (public displays of affection) (I think K.Lawson might have come up with that one) are not.