Cricket

Well cricket is the big sport in India ... and today is probably the match of the year. It's the World Cup semi-final with India playing Pakistan. And it's being played right here in Chandigarh. Tickets were apparently about NZ$30 - but 50 times that on the black market. So far India has batted - and I chose to come to the internet place knowing there would be hardly anyone here and the speeds would be faster - good call.

We were visited on site by a journo from The India Times today - and he has invited us to the Press Club for dinner tonight - I think they are having a special 'do' for the cricket with big TV screens etc. It should be fun - I just hope India wins.

Our 'workers' even had a quiet day today due to the cricket.

Progress on our wall is coming along slowly but surely. Sorry no photos yet. Basically we make a shape and then the 'workers' follow on and fill in all the blank spaces. If we leave enough blank spaces it will probably get finished as they are much better at it than us.

I tried to figure why they used us at all - but I think we do add different designs, give it an international flavour, broaden the publicity and widen the support network for the garden. In the past it has often been threatened with the bulldozer and we may be an added layer of protection. Hence our invite to The India Times today.

OK - time to go and try and look respectable for dinner - could be difficult as I didn't bring anything suitable. But yesterday I did buy a 'local' outfit - kurta top and big baggy trousers - in various shades of orange - makes me look like I've just come out on an ashram in Poona or a try-hard, wannabe. I tried to tone it down with a brown 'dupatta' - a scarf/shawl that is draped back-to-front. Of course the Press Club guys will probably be in western attire - maybe I should just wear my jeans....decisions, decisions

Then there's my hair - so far the cement that gets splattered on it seems to be adding some oomph (volume) to it - that will have to do - no one has a hair dryer here