can't sleep so got up to type this....... (its monday)

Still feeling ill…… when I’m this sort of ill at home I just want to lie on the couch or in bed watch tv, drink tea and mouch about. Can’t do that here as I don’t have a room or at least the room I do have is the main office so I can’t get much peace and quiet there. Feeling happier though, not much happened yesterday as manoj didn’t get out of hospital until late and then he didn’t feel to good so went home pretty early. Did some work on the website, went to the shops – good thing about being here is my spending has dropped considerably. I have no accommodation to pay for, manoj brings me a lot of food from his wife or now his mum too, although I like getting the street vendor stuff (its cheaper than chips). At the shop my biggest expenditure was on toilet roll which I need to blow my nose. Last night was gong to have an early night but they were having a pre wedding party next door so I went to that. Was kinda fun, live hindi music, people dancing , distinct lack of booze. The kids kept throwing flowers over me and everybody made me dance. As it was ending the groom and all his bachelor mates followed me up to the office to ‘hang out’. Was a bit strange. They were all talking hindi and I got the distinct impression they were talking about me. Being not to well I wasn’t really I the mood for ‘take the piss out of chris night’ and wasn’t feeling to comfortable. Got them all to leave by telling them manoj was coming back so they left but they invited me to come downstairs with them, so not being rude I did. Ended up going to the grooms ‘warehouse’ under the office which looked to me like some murders dungeon… they were still having a great time laughing at me and I made my excuses and left. It wasn’t all one way traffic though and I did have a good laugh with them but I really wasn’t in the mood. As I was leaving they bought out a bottle of whiskey they wanted me to drink with them but I really couldn’t face it. The wedding party bit was interesting although didn’t understand what was going on as best exemplified by the following. At the end two priests (who almost begged me to visit them in a stone temple?) came round giving fruit to everyone. They gave me 3 apples. As I like to take every opportunity I can to juggle I decided to practice with said apples. BIG MISTAKE. I dropped one straight away and the priests nearly cried. Apparently the fruit was a gift from god and I did a big foux paux by juggling them. I though it was hilarious but the look on the priest face told me it was not that funny.

Next day Manoj woke me up early. Still not feeling well I laid in bed for a long time. I had decided I was only going to get up to finish the website stuff for the arrival of website guy. Eventually manoj was ready to help me write some ‘copy’ and I got to work. Did that, had some chai, had another rest in bed and then the website guy arrived. Took him for chai and had a chat about everything that needed doing. Not making any major changes – in fact its still not going to be too good but should be a little less confusing and more user friendly. Manojs mum was doing the cleaning at the same time and she bough a child with her. This kid was putting headphone plugs in the electric sockets!!!! No body seamed to be bothered apart from me. Decided to keep her occupied by setting her English spelling lessons. She loved it and I taught her to spell all the numbers 1 -14 (couldn’t remember how to spell fifteen myself) only problem was my handwriting is terrible and she kept spelling 13 wrong as I’d wrote an r very badly but I couldn’t understand why she was having such problems spelling this number. Eventually she pointed out that what I’d taught her was wrong opps! After spending a long time moving 3 desks round the office for them to end up where they started me and manoj remember that we’d decided to have a peace march because of the Mumbai bombings!! (we forgot to tell anybody to come) quickly made some posters and went to the local market.

What fun. I’ve took loads of pictures that you’ll have to see but basically there were about 10 of us walking around getting everybody we could to hold these posters and take photos. This one little kid started helping us and he was hilarious. Just grabbing people and giving them the poster. Most people were really nice apart from the women who just wouldn’t talk to us or even stop. Very had to explain but the pictures will tell a thousand words. Manoj wants to start a movement. Also there was a place selling something that looked just like a chicken kebab so I had one. Very tasty.

I’m maybe a chicken – manoj put me on the back of his bike to go to the march, I’d been on it the day before and noticed there are no working lights. Now I don’t like going on the back of bikes anyway (something about putting my life in other peoples hands I think) but I did not like driving on bumpy, busy Indian roads without any lights and when we stopped I told him I was not getting on his bike again and would get a rickshaw back. In the end somebody else gave me a lift back. Sounds silly but I really didn’t feel safe.

Had a chat to manoj about the job as well, told him I don’t really want to be stuck in faridabad as I may never have another chance to see India again, and the job is not what I want to do and I could do the work from an internet café anywhere in the world. Explained that I’d come to Delhi to find out about the job and had just sort of started working. He was really cool. He’s said he really wants me to help with face, he said loads of stuff I can do which involves traveling around and he will pay my expenses. I told him I would sleep on it and come up with a plan that will keep us both happy, also said I don’t want the charity to pay my expenses as think that would be a bit cheeky but we’ll see what I end up doing. Going to have a good think about it tomorrow and hopefully everything will be ok. Not going to go anywhere until website has been improved though.

Went to bed early but couldn’t sleep so I’ve got up and writing this. Got a few message on face book that I’ll try to get to tomorrow but this computer is quite shit so it takes a while.

Went to chai shop twice today, first time website guy paid (5 roupes each!!) he wasn’t bothered though so who am I to tell him how to spend his money. Second time I was on my own and chai man motioned that I was going to pay 4 roupes. I acknowledged him by holding up 1 finger to say 1 cup of chai. He made me chai when I came time to pay I gave him 2 roupes for a joke (one of the other stall holders was in on it and though it was hilarious –it was) he started motioning that he was going to hit me, I stood my ground in a non threatening way then I laughed and put another one roupe on the table. Chai man laughed and I walked away… tomorrow I think he may spit in my chai…

Extras
Starting playing PES master league on PSP again, doing quite well
I dropped my brandy so the only alcohol I’ve got left is a tiny bit of fennie (drinking it now!)
The electrics in this office are shit, given myself to electric shocks and now I’m frightened to touch anything electrical
Congrates to cousin remy (I’m assuming you said yes:)
Everybody leave my cousin James alone he’s a good kid (James if your reading this, you don’t know everything )