Tuesday 12th October
Day 9 - Commonwealth Games

I awoke feeling better than the previous day, and also excited - not only was it semi-final day, but I also had tickets to the athletics that night. I had breakfast at Khan Market, trying out a new cafe. An Indian man was also dining in, and he turned to me and asked if I minded if he turned the cricket on the cafe's TV. "Not at all", I replied, "I'm Australian!". He was delighted to find an Aussie and we discussed cricket over breakfast. Aussies seems to be the favourite tourists of Indians, and whenever they hear you are Australian they reply with one of two things: either, 'Ricky Ponting!', wanting to discuss the cricket, or 'You number 1!', referring to Australian's position on the medal tally.

The first match didn't start until 11:30am, and the stadium didn't open until 10am, but I arrived at the gates at 9:45am, to ensure I was first in the gates. The Army officials offered me a seat in their circle inside the gates whilst the stadium was officially opened, and I had a grand old time chatting with them. Some spoke English, and some did not, so one young guy acted as a translator for us.

At 9:59am, I was allowed to enter into the stadium, laying down my flag on the seats that our 'crew' had sat on everyday. Our crew grew in size that day - not only was there Kila and Denyse, but we were joined by John and Mark (two single travellers about my age) and two girls in their early 20s, all Australians. How small is this world - when I was chatting to one of the girls, I mentioned something about how I loved the Crows. "My friend Chris plays for the Crows", she said. "No way", I replied, and pulled out my iPhone to show the picture of Chris Knights that acted as my background. "Is this your friend?" She confirmed that Chris Knights, my idol from the Crows, was like a brother to her!!


Just before the match started, we were joined by a guy wearing a very skimpy and revealing netball uniform. He'd spotted our Aussie crew in the crowd and headed for us, introducing himself as Ash Williams from Nova radio. He worked with Hughesy and Kate on their breakfast program in Melbourne, and they'd sent him here to try to get on TV in as many stadiums as possible, wearing completely outrageous costumes. If the audience back in Australia managed to spot him on TV, they'd win $1000. He was a scream, and a genuinely nice guy - needless to say, everyone in the crowd wanted a picture with him. It was his first match of netball, but he ended up liking it so much he returned for the gold medal match on Thursday.


The first match of the day was Australia vs England. The English supporters were out in force, and extremely parochial - too much so, acting like soccer hooligans. "Bad luck", Denyse or I would call out the girls when they just missed an intercept. "What's lucky about that?", they would call back. The match was very tight, with the English actually up for most of the first three quarters. I really didn't want to lose that match - first, because I'd come here to watch a repeat of the 2002 final between NZ and Australia, which wasn't going to happen in Australia wasn't in the final; and secondly because I just couldn't stand to lose to such bad sports, it would be like losing to Collingwood!! Thankfully, we won the match - I didn't rub it in their faces, being a good sport, but I was happy to don my Aussie flag and wave it around, singing 'Aussie Aussie Aussie!'


The second match of the day was between Jamaica and New Zealand, for the second spot in the gold medal match. Although Jamaica started strongly, it sooned turned into a demolition. I remember remarking to Denyse at the time, "Geez, this seems like the longest match in history!', as there seemed to be an injury time-out every couple of minutes. Who knew that the longest match in history was to come on Thursday ....


It turned out John also had tickets to the athletics that night, and Mark and Denyse were also keen to come with us, so we visited the ticket counter at the front of the stadium. Unfortunately, no tickets were available, so they went sightseeing out to the Lotus Temple whilst John and I headed to the athletics stadium. We snapped a few photos out the front of the stadium, and were then separated at the security line-up, where males and females are segregated (thankfully, as it's not that comfortable to have a male frisk you!).


I had class 'A' tickets, which were right at the front, near the triple jump pits. Sitting right behind me were a couple of Aussies that had sat in front of us at the netball - again, such a small world! It was my first time at an athletics meet, and being the last night of competition every event was a final. The Indian crowd went absolutely berserk every time an India athlete competed, and went mad when they won a medal - Indians were doing laps of honour for coming third (I thought that was normally reserved for the gold medal winner?) 

The night finished shortly after 8pm, and on the Metro home I realised that the stadium was only 1 stop from Khan Market, so I alighted to have dinner. (I was starving - I'd eaten breakfast at 8:30, and had only a burger in the time since!). I had a nice meal at a creperie, talking sport with the waiter, and then walked outside to hail a taxi home. Also getting into a taxi at the front of Khan Market was Liz Ellis and Luke Darcy! Unfortunately they were halfway in the taxi, else I would have gone up to them and asked if they could come over to us on Thursday for a photo and a chat.

Monday 11th October
Day 8 - Commonwealth Games

Today I had a full day off the Commonwealth Games. I had planned to spend it sightseeing, using the 'Hop On, Hop Off' bus, but I wasn't feeling well when I woke up (I'd been feeling lousy the past few days actually). Showers and food always make one feel better, so after doing the first I headed out to Khan Market for the second.

Khan Market really has become my second home - it's no wonder it's so popular with the ex-pat and diplomatic community. I went back to Cafe Oz for breakfast for some familiarity, but then returned straight back home via tuk-tuk (probably not the best idea to be choking in the smog and pollution when I wasn't feeling well to begin with!)

I spent the rest of the day in my hotel room, watching the Games' coverage on TV (there was a snippet of the India vs PNG match, for last place) and spent an hour on the internet at the internet cafe near my hotel.  I ordered take-away from the Chinese restaurant opposite, which was delicious. This was where I discovered the concept of 'fried honey potato' - effectively French fries coated in a honey batter with sesame seeds. Whilst waiting for my food, a Scotsman in a kilt (but living in Australia) stopped me, as he had noticed the (fake) Commonwealth Games t-shirt I was wearing. He wanted to know where I'd purchased it, as there was no seemingly no merchandise available anywhere in the city. I advised him (like I'd advised many, many people) that I purchased it at Janpath Market, but that they only had one design and one size (and it certainly wasn't going to fit him). He told me that the reason why official merchandise was unavailable was because the police had prevented the Games' from selling it!! So there must be huge warehouses somewhere with millions of pieces of merchandise, that all of us tourists are dying to buy, yet will end up being destroyed!

Oh - one funny thing I saw on the TV whilst I was waiting for my take-away: "Sorry Sir, we can't seem to find anything wrong with you, we're going to diagnose you with 'Symptom Deficiency Disorder'.

Thursday 14th October

Day 11 - Commonwealth Games

The day we had all been waiting for was here - the Gold Medal play-off (yes, I do consider that a proper noun!) I awoke very early and set off for Khan Market for breakfast as usual. Only problem was, it was a public holiday in Delhi (for the closing ceremony), and so everything was closed in Delhi. Even McDonalds was closed!

There was no point in hanging around Khan Market, and even though I was extraordinarily early I headed off for the stadium. I had the tuk-tuk driver drop me off a few blocks early, and I spent half an hour walking the nearby streets to fill in time. The first match was at 11:30 and the stadium opened at 10am, but it was still only 9:15am when I arrived. A Kiwi supporter arrived at 9:30am and I politely tolerated him (just kidding!), and then Ash turned up (the crazily dressed radio host from Tuesday). This time, he was dressed in a full pink catsuit, including ears and tail, this time toting his large Aussie flag that he'd lost the previous day. He'd had so much fun on Tuesday he'd decided to return for the final, and was meeting his 'scalper' at the stadium to score a ticket (the match was sold-out, which didn't really mean much). He asked me to save him a seat inside, whilst he went off with his scalper and I went and spoke with my friends from the military, to ensure I was first in the gate.


The older Army woman was so sweet - she gave me a hug and told me "I was her friend" ( the only English she could speak) when I said it was sad this was the final day. Then at 9:59am, they allowed me to enter the stadium to score my perfect seats. Denise had a superstition that she had to sit in row 6, in the seat exactly behind the centre circle, so I secured that seat and the surrounding 6 for our 'crew' (Kila, Ash, myself, and any other Aussies who wanted to join us, of which Mark ended up doing). I'd brought yellow and green ribbons in my bag, and distributed them to little Indian girls around us, to encourage them to support the Aussies. Ash arrived, having scored his ticket for free from a random passer-by, and Denise arrived late after having to return to her guesthouse due to forgetting her ticket!


The first match up was between England Jamaica for the bronze medal, and the English supporters were out in force. The match was fairly scrappy - the first quarter was tight, but then the Jamaicans fell apart. I remember commenting at the time it seemed like 'the longest match in history' (I obviously didn't know what was to come!) with so many injuries and time-outs. The English were ecstatic to win the bronze - I guess it goes to show the difference between New Zealand and Australia and the next group of teams.

1pm, and it was time for the Gold Medal match. I wasn't game to go outside for a drink or something to eat in case I missed a minute. The stands were fairly full (although still not full, with several hundred seats still remaining - a far improvement from last week though!) A large Aussie contingent was present, although not a massive athlete presence - Kiwi athletes dominated on the opposite site of the stadium. Ash started an 'Aussie Aussie Aussie', and the match commenced.

As I'm sure you all know, it turned out to be the best match in the history of netball, going down to extra time and then double extra time. Our goal circle wasn't working at all, with Sharelle having a shocker - "We need Cath (Cox) on!", I remarked, and finally Norma responded. The last quarter, trailing by 7 goals, saw her make several changes, bringing Cath on as GS and Sharelle out to GA, and Kim on as WA. "I think I'm going to be sick," said Denise, worried for her daughter. It was an interesting move, given Lauren had been playing brilliantly at WA, but I guess she combined better with Cath due to their Swifts' relationship.


The Aussies were on the back foot at numerous times in the match, always seeming to be the ones having to catch-up. Cath did have several opportunities to win us the match, but despite her near flawless shooting she just couldn't convert the ones that mattered, and the Kiwis finally held their nerve to win the match. It was utter jubilation, with the girls jumping on top of each other and rolling on the floor. In dire opposites, the Aussie girls were despondent and in tears, slowly trudging off the court.

The three teams returned for the medal ceremony, and for the Aussies it was as if someone had died. They just could not be consoled, with Sharelle being the worse. Throughout the national anthem she kept looking at the exit, and at its conclusion she yanked off her sash and marched off the stage. No handshakes for them, as sporting etiquette dictates - whilst the Kiwi girls did the haka and the English thanked their fans, the Aussie girls were straight off the court again.


Being the final day (it felt like the last day of school!), we'd had high hopes of getting photos with the players and the commentators, but it wasn't to be - Luke and Liz left shortly after the match (Liz giving the players a hug in consolation), whilst the players were inconsolable in the dressing rooms. Denise, Mark and I decided to return the Denise's guesthouse to 'drown our sorrows', after farewelling the other supporters in the crowd (Mark and I were offered closing ceremony tickets from Pam, the president of Netball Australia, but we decided were to upset to celebrate).


Denise spoke to Kim on the phone, trying to console her, but she was unable to. She'd never heard her so upset - it was just unfathomable that they hadn't won the gold. Hopefully, looking back in the future without the emotion, they will realise that they were part of the best match in history that just unhappened to go their way, but time will tell. It was unfortunate that the girls weren't allowed out of the village AND weren't unable to drink - they all really needed to get out into the open, and share their feelings with friends and family over a few drinks (and some chocolate!)

Denise's guesthouse was amazing. Atul, the owner, who I had met before, welcomed us with smiles (and a hug, for Denise), and immediately ordered for some sandwiches and drinks whilst we considered our plans. We sat around talking for an hour or so before retiring to the rooftop and watching the sunset (the Delhi sunsets are so gorgeous). We ordered Indian food to share between the three of us, although when the food arrived we could have shared it with the whole Aussie netball team, as we barely made a dint in it! We were joined by a couple of American women who were fascinated by netball, after having attended the match that day. They couldn't believe how 'gymnastic' the game was, and how good of friends all of the players were.

As the sun set, our stomachs were filled, and the drinks stopped flowing, Mark and I eventually bade farewell to Denise and journeyed to our respective homes on the Metro, still wearing our Aussie t-shirts. As Mark wasn't leaving 'til Saturday morning (and me, Saturday night), we arranged to meet up the following day to wander through the Janpath markets.

I reflected on the day when I returned to my room. I'd said when I'd booked my tickets to India that I wanted the gold medal match to be a repeat of the 2002 gold medal match, when Australia edged out New Zealand in overtime - I hadn't realised how close my prediction had come.

Sunday 10th October
Day 7 - Commonwealth Games

Tonight, the Aussies weren't playing until 9pm! Leslie had already decided she wasn't game to attend such a late match, but I was still keen and went downstairs to the hotel reception to organise a car to pick me up after the match. As always, they were useless - "Streets are closed, Madam!" they said. (Um, streets around Connaught Place were closed until 7pm yes, but I was asking for car in South Delhi at 10:30pm). "Expensive Madam, car will have to go down and then turn around to come back!" they said. (True, but I'm a single female travelling at night - do they not have any common sense?) I told them to forget about it, I'd organise my own transport instead.


I hailed a taxi to Haus Kaus, which I'd read was another quaint enclave like Khan Market. On arrival, I could instantly tell it was a disappointment, and last all of about 5 minutes before asking to be taken to Khan Market for a meal. Of course, the tuk-tuk driver didn't tell me until we were at Khan Market that it was closed on Sundays! His suggestion was South Extension (Defence Colony), and finally at stop 3 I found a nice series of shops and restaurants. I tucked into a 'Croque Monsieur' (a sandwich made like French toast with ham and bechamal sauce, except I replaced the ham with mushrooms), which hit the spot nicely!!

My must-do for the day was to book a trip to the Taj Mahal for Wednesday. I wanted to book it through a reputable agent in Australia, as most of the Indian agents had dodgy reputations, except I was finding that a lot of the sites required a minimum of 4 days' notice. Finally, I booked the trip through QANTAS holidays, entailing a private car and guide. Despite being only 200km away, it's a 4 hour trip each way - it will make for a long day on Wednesday!

I purchased a few snacks at the ex-pat stores and ate a frozen yoghurt from 'Cocoberry', the latest fad in Asia (quite similar to Rubees - choose your yoghurt, your size, and your toppings i.e. fruits/chocolates). I had intended on sight-seeing in the afternoon but wasn't feeling well - the pollution, constant air-conditioning and heat was all catching up on me, so I rested at the hotel for a few hours instead.


Back on the metro at 6pm, I arrived at Tyagaraj Stadium to watch the pre-cursor match with the PNG Mum, and then cheered for Kim as she ran on with the Aussie team (we substituted for her Mum and sister since they were absent!!) They played Trinidad and Tobago who were a good match - although the margin was 40 odd goals, it was a good hit out.


When the Trinidad and Tobago'an team had run out on court, I'd noticed this young girl in the team. You know how some people just have the 'it' factor? Well, this young girl was absolutely gorgeous, with legs like a super-model. We dubbed her 'supermodel', and were disappointed when she didn't get any game time. At the match's conclusion though, I went over to the bench and asked if I could get a photo with her. She was stoked to be asked for a photo - she was the baby of the team at 16 (she was a goal shooter), and we said we hoped we would see her at the World Championships next year.


We had also noticed the official photographer from Trinidad and Tobago, snapping photos during the match. Except, instead of having one of the fancy cameras that most photojournalists had, he was snapping away on a Sony Cybershot! We got speaking with him and he asked if he could get his photo with us!! We tried to get Kim's attention to get a photo with her, but she was busy stretching with the Aussie team, and resolved we'd get one on Tuesday instead. (I also want a photo with Luke Darcy then as well).

Still unsure how I was going to get home, Kila had the number of a driver she'd used, and we decided to share the car home - she'd get dropped home first, since she was closer, and then he would take me home. (I would have asked the Information Desk for help on calling a taxi if I had no alternative). We didn't get in the car 'til 10:45, and I wasn't home 'til about 11:30 - a late night!!

Saturday 9th October
Day 6 Commonwealth Games

The Aussies weren't in action at the netball today, so I'd pre-purchased tickets to the tennis final for tonight. But given the crap quality of the players (the best ranked player was 100 in the world), I'd decided to forgo it for a day of sightseeing.



First up was some time on the internet. I had booked my accommodation in Delhi until Thursday, and with my flight not til Saturday I had intended on spending Friday and Saturday at the Taj Mahal/Agra until I realised the Taj Mahal was closed on Fridays! So I decided instead that I would go to the Taj Mahal on Wednesday (no netball action - and I'm sure I'll see heaps of athletes there, given it's so close to the end of the Games); and would splash out to spend Friday night at a luxury hotel for a bit of pampering. Based on the best prices I could find online, I booked into the Park Hotel (coincidentally, the same hotel I'd picked up my tickets on Monday).


I took a tuk-tuk to 'Old Delhi' in the north, intending to walk along 'Chandri Chowk', the much recommended market there. The street turned out to be a non-event - so much for the great shopping and street food! I ended up tucking into some McDonalds due to the lack of food.


Across the road from Chandri Chowk was Red Fort, the much lauded attraction. The price was rather steep - 750 rupees for foreigners (as compared to 100 rupees for Indians!), but comparable to what you would pay in any other 'Western' city (about $20). The complex was sprawled over a large area, and I snapped away happily. But the Indians all wanted to snap me! It is a status thing for them to have their photos taken at tourist attractions with 'Westerners', so I was approached on numerous occasions by Indians wanting their photos taken with me. I happily obliged - on the condition that they took a photo of me in return (a good way to get photos of me at the attractions, rather than of just the attraction). I even noticed some Indian guys slyly taking photos of me on their phone cameras - the blonde hair must do it for them (because I wasn't 'provactively' dressed!)


I went back to the Commonwealth Games HQ for what I decided would be the last time to try for merchandise, and found the 'shop' - finally. You'd except the merchandise store for the Commonwealth Games to be a large set-up right? Well, this consisted of a card table in the lobby, with a volunteer and quite literally a sack with 3 items - a plate, a nylon shirt, or a ball. Um ... pass!

I hadn't realised before just how close the HQ were to Jantar Mantar, an ancient group of sun-dials constructed in the 1700s. They were really fascinating - sun-dials showing the time (to the nearest 15 minutes) in Delhi; times in Japan, Zurich and London; even lunar calendars and astrological calendars. I had refused the service of a 'guide' ("I am not a guide Ma'am, it is my duty here at Jantar Mantar to advise you of the history"), but he persisted on telling me the back-story and taking photos of me at each of the monuments. Of course at the end, he turned to me and and put his hand out, requesting payment. I refused on principle - "I didn't ask for you assistance!" and he nastily skulked off (I made sure I exited in a group of other tourists, to prevent any conflicts!)


Outside of the building was a lively market, where I was ecstatic to find some Commonwealth Games shirts! Although counterfeit, I happily purchased 3 - one for myself, and one each for Denise and the PNG Mum I'd become friendly with, as both had been unable to find merchandise as well, even at the Athletes' Village!


Returning to Karol Bargh (where my hotel was located), I ordered some take-away from a nearby restaurant - rather than have me wait for them to cook it, they said they would deliver it to my hotel (Indian hospitality really is amazing - Delhi had a saying, "The Guest is God", which they truly do apply). Only probably was they delivered it without cutlery - expected, given it's India, but it's hard to eat hot, gooey dinners with your fingers! (This is where my travel knife came in handy, substituting as a fork as best it could).


Another night, another problem with my room - this time three things: a light flickering; my TV not working; and the room key missing. I really can't wait til I check out ...

Friday 8th October
Day 5 Commonwealth Games

I've decided not to take breakfast at my hotel anymore, due to the hygiene reasons I discussed yesterday, although given the breakfast options around the hotel are non-existent, it's making me very hungry in the mornings! I had a good sleep-in today and then ventured out to Khan Market, where Denise and Lauren had visited yesterday and given good recommendations.

The market is not really a market - more an enclave of shops and restaurants aimed at the ex-pat and diplomatic crowd, given it's location in the diplomatic enclave. I was stoked to find an Aussie cafe where I had my breakfast (surprisingly, I turned down the vegemite on toast for eggs benedict). Walking on, I found a hair salon and decided to treat myself to a conditioning treatment. For an hour and a half, I was treated like a royal - shampoo, conditioning treatment, the BEST scalp massage I have ever had. Anything I wanted was mine - a coke? A coffee from the cafe downstairs? The latest British Vogue? My blow-dry was even done by two hairdressers: one, to hold the hairdryer, and one to hold the brush!

Feeling glamorous, I sashayed through the local shops, and happened to bump into Lauren and Denise in a jewellery store (the world really is a small place). As Lauren was leaving the next day, she'd wanted to come back to stock up on bracelets and necklaces, and Denise was purchasing some for Kim as well, who wasn't really able to leave the Athletes' Village. As their driver was picking them up at 1:30pm, I rode with them to Tyagaraj Stadium, wolfing down a delicious brownie I had treated myself to from one of the bakeries.


The Aussies were playing Malawi, and we were expecting the match to be similar to that against India - i.e., a complete thrashing. But Malawi has some skill! They really showed promise, keeping close in the first quarter and not at all being disgraced by their performance. The owners of the guesthouse the Greens' were staying at came for the match, bringing their young daughter, and were delighted when Sharelle McMahon gave her the signed match ball after the match (they had teed it up with Kim the night before).

I decided not to stay for the second match, instead wanting to do some shopping. I flagged down a tuk-tuk driver near the metro station, asking him to take me to Gurgaon for some shopping. He instead persuaded me to go to 'Ansul Plaza', a closer mall (looking at the map later, I realised Gurgaon is a bit too far for tuk-tuk drivers to venture). The mall was crap though, and after about 10 minutes I was out the door and back with my tuk-tuk driver (he had waited for me, despite my non-agreeance - but I was glad he had, given it was Friday 5pm and transport was hard to flag down!)


I asked for him to drop me at Khan Market, knowing now that this was the best place for cafes in Delhi. I had a delicious wood-fired pizza with blue cheese, mushrooms and caramelised onions, and called in at one of the ex-pat supermarkets to purchase some snacks. (The shops are all oriented towards the ex-pat crowd - Cadbury chocolate, Hershey's syrup, root beer all crowd the 'aisles'). My next tuk-tuk driver then tried to persuade me to go via one of the government emporiums (he must have needed the commission). In this case, I was quite happy to make a stop though, as I was keen to purchase the pashmima I had tried on there on Monday).


Pashmima in hand (it's surprising how, even at a 'fixed-price' government emporium, prices can come down very quickly), and night truly upon us, I returned to the hotel for another night of Games' watching. Except ... my remote control was missing. It seems like every night I return to the hotel something is wrong - the remote is missing; TV not working; air-conditioning not working - I feel like there's a vendetta against me for not booking any tours through them.

Thursday 7th October
Day 4 Commonwealth Games

I decided to skip breakfast this morning, as the buffet breakfast was really crap, and the hygiene was a bit dodgy (there were dead mozzies on some of the plates) - I'm not keen on seeing another Asian hospital! The reception actually rang me to ask where I was, and I told them I wasn't hungry. Instead, I went for a walk and found an internet cafe near the hotel - thank goodness! Here, it is a law that when you use a computer you must present your passport and sign in with all of your contact details. 


I hailed a tuk-tuk to take me to the Commonwealth Games headquarters again, to try for merchandise. This time I walked into the reception area to ask for a visitor's pass to the main building, as I had been advised last night. Again, the queues (or lack of them!) was insane - and when I was finally served (1 person for the whole HQ), I was told that the souvenir shop would set up in the corridor 'soon'. I wasn't going to stick around to find out when 'soon' was, and feeling peckish I high-tailed it to an 'All American Diner' that had been recommended in the Lonely Planet for breakfast/lunch of pancakes and a 'wicked brownie shake' (there's just something about the heat and pollution in the area that makes me crave milk - it seems to get rid of the irritation in my throat).

Still with another three hours to kill before the afternoon's netball session, I made my way to 'Dilli Haad', which was a craft market located close to the stadium. As there was a small admission fee (about 35c), touts were kept away, which made for a more pleasing experience. It wasn't as great as I had expected, with much of the same souvenirs and handicrafts you could find elsewhere (pashmimas, jewellery) - I did buy a 'real pearl' necklace for $2.50 though (I'm sure it was another 'genuine fake'). Not knowing when I'd eat again (the afternoon's session started at 3pm, and ended at 7pm, so it would be quite a few hours being dinner), I grabbed a snack of a 'masala dosai' (Indian crepe with curry potato filling - they don't use cutlery here, so I had to use my hands to eat).


I reached the netball stadium, about 800m away, an hour before the afternoon's session started, and decided to take some snaps of the court (now that I was allowed to bring my camera in!) I stood at the back of the court, taking in the media on the opposite side (Luke Darcy decided to change his shirt in the open!)  and clicking photos, when an official came over to me. "Sorry, but you can't stand here - you can either stand outside the doors or sit in a seat, but no standing." Aaaagghhh! This place is ridiculous!


I vented on the phone for a while to Mum and Dad (an extremely expensive phone call - I went through my whole $50 of phone credit) before meeting up with Denise and Lauren inside for Australia vs Jamaica. Denise had a surprise for me - Kimberlee had given her an authentic, Australian Diamonds Commonwealth Games top, for me - so stroked!!


The match was very physical - extremely close in the first quarter, and a lot closer than the scoreboard indicated. The Jamaicans were all extremely tall, but out pace and skills outclassed them in the end. I stayed on for the Papua New Guinea match, sitting with the PNG parents. They were playing Barbados. who had the most entertaining warm-up style (booty shaking, like on a nightclub floor!). The PNG girls lost in a close one (I'm a temporary citizen of PNG at the moment!)


Although it was dusk, I took the Metro back to my hotel (with the amount of soldiers and even just people on the roads, it's hard not to feel safe). One thing I'm a huge fan of is the women-only carriages on the trains - the men's carriages are always packed to the brim and the stares make travelling uncomfortable. There was one man who insisted on staying in the carriage I was in though. At one station we had a temporary delay, and he stepped out to stretch his legs. The train's doors all of a sudden sprung shut and the train departed - we all had a good chuckle at his expense (served him right!)

I had a simple room-service Indian dinner of roti and noodles whilst catching up on the day's results (there is almost no coverage here of the swimming though, as Indian media concentrates on the sports Indian's are good at, of which swimming is not one!)

Wednesday 6th October
Day 3 Commonwealth Games

I was craving for some internet - what were the media saying about the Games? Where could I buy merchandise? Where were some good cafes? So after breakfast I hopped the Metro into Connaught Place, to find the internet cafe Lonely Planet had recommended.


Despite an hour of walking, and constant interruptions by Indians ('main bazaar is over there!' 'Shops aren't open yet!'), I hailed a tuk-tuk down to Paharganj, the main backpacker area, where the Lonely Planet said the streets were lined with internet cafes. What a scary place!! Again, I felt like I'd entered a whole new world - this was the 'real' India, with dirt roads and crumbling buildings. I am sooo glad I didn't stay here - only the 'hard-core' backpackers were bunking in here. I did find some internet, although of bad quality, but took advantage of it to google a few things Indian and update my blog.


I took another tuk-tuk back to the hotel to drop off my hotel key - unsure as to whether security would allow me in the stadium with it - and then took the Metro and shuttle bus down to Indira Ghandi Stadium, where I had tickets for the gymnastics. This was the first time I'd ever attended a gymnatics venue, and it was quite good. The first sessions was the all-round individual mens' final; followed shortly by the womens'.


Although not full, the stadium did have considerably more people in it than the netball stadium, and security here worked well and efficient. We clinched a bronze in the mens, as well as medals in the womens. At the half time intermission I walked out to have some 'lunch', only to be told that they'd run out of everything (water included!) except coke, fanta, and burgers. Hmm ...... I'd heard yesterday was even worse, they'd run out of everything!

I asked some volunteers where I could purchase merchandise. "None here", they replied, "You can only get it at the Commonwealth Games HQ".  I therefore left the stadium early (before it got dark) and took the Metro into Connaught Place, where the HQ were based. (Not as easy as it sounds ... imagine thousands of stampeding Indians all trying to get on the shuttle bus to the station - queuing is not a concept here - they even jump on buses before they've stopped!). Once I arrived at the HQ, I was told by a volunteer the store was through entrance 'B', so over I walked, only to be stopped by the guard who told me it was closed. 'What time does it open?', I asked. 'Closed', he replied. 'I know, what time does it open tomorrow?', I repeated. '10am' '11am' '11:30am' - the different guards replied. 'Ok, what time does it close?' I asked. 'Closed', the guard replied. He then proceeded to ignore me as I posed the questions again. Super frustrated, I left without an answer, intending to return the next day.

Tuesday 5th October

Day 2 Commonwealth Games

Up for breakfast - this time taking along my beloved Vegemite, to add some flavour to the toast (they insist on toasting the bread themselves, but it comes out still 'raw'!)



I hopped the Metro down to an area called 'Saket', where I'd read the biggest and best 'Western' mall was located. I wasn't quite sure which stop to get off at - nobody else was either - so I hopped off at a station I thought would be close by, based on the map I had. (Delhi maps are terrible - I've accumulated about 6 and all are as bad as each other.) Luckily I guessed right, and a quick tuk-tuk ride later saw me at the mall. Nothing opens early in India, as in Asia - I'd timed to arrive at 10am, when the stores were supposed to open, but even by 11:30 they were still opening.

The shopping centre was good, with stores like Zara and Nine West. I didn't purchase any clothes, but did buy the new Lauren Weisenberger book (the author of 'The Devil Wears Prada') and indulged at the USA grocery store - they had bottled milkshakes in 'Milky Way' and 'Mars Bar' flavours!


Now for the annoying part. I had to take the metro back to Connaught Place, switch lines to Karol Bargh, run to my hotel to drop my purchases off, then do the exact same in the opposite direction to attend the netball, all because you can't take anything into the stadiums. This took me about 2 hours, so I arrived at Tyagaraj Stadium at about 3pm, watching the New Zealand match before the Aussies came in. Again, I sat with Kim's mum and sister, and we were also joined by Mo'nia Gerard's parents. Another win for the Aussies, yay!! At least it had more atmosphere as we were playing India - it was their first ever international competition, having just scrounged the team together.

Denise and Lauren invited me out to dinner with them - they'd made a reservation at an Italian place that had received good reviews, and I gladly joined them. We turned up at the restaurant only to find it was a fine dining establishment! Looking down at our clothes, we felt severely underdressed, but they welcomed us graciously. The food was absolutely amazing - I had a pumpkin flan, asparagus risotto and goat's cheese gnocchi on a tasting plate - one good thing about India is all the vegetarian food! It was extremely cheap too, by Western standards. Their driver then dropped me home, where I watched the Commonwealth Games coverage (of course, no netball - the focus here is on badminton, table tennis and wrestling).

Monday 4th October - Day 1 Commonwealth Games

Although I set an alarm, I was awake well before 6:30am, thanks to a night spent clock-watching. I squeezed in a quick breakfast of toast at the 'breakfast buffet' before setting off to the Park Hotel. I had arranged to pick up my tickets at 7:30am from my Aussie sports agent here, as I hadn't been in Australia to collect them. This hotel was a posh 5* hotel with very tight security - in fact, I had to pass through a metal detector and have my bag x-rayed before being allowed to enter,

Tickets collected, my driver then took me to Tyagaraj stadium, home to the netball competition. He had no idea where it was though - in fact, when I'd said I was going to the netball, he'd thought I'd said 'Nepal'. I was finding that Indians really had no idea about the Games - stadiums, sports, or  anything. Even when I'd checked in to my hotel they'd asked if I was here for work our a holiday - they seemed surprised when I said the Games! (Interestingly, they refer to it as 'Commonwealth', not 'Commonwealth Games'.

That's when my nightmare started. At the front entrance, the group of guards and officials stopped me. "You can't bring a bag in here". I protested, as both the tickets and the website clearly stated a reasonable size bag was allowed. They played 'pass the parcel' for a while before eventually saying I could pass onto the next security checkpoint but my bag would be confiscated.

100m down the path, I came to the official security entrance. I had to submit my bag to an x-ray whilst I walked through a metal detector and wash then frisked very thoroughly. The x-ray machine beeped and the security guard made me open my bag. "You can't bring a camera in .. or a phone ... you are only allowed a wallet. That's it." I protested again - the terms and conditions of entry did not state they were banned items. Again, the officials played pass the parcel - each time I was told, 'Wait here, we check'. It went from volunteers to guards , supervisors to military and police (could you tell I was the first person in? Since the seats weren't allocated I wanted to make sure I got a good seat, not realising there would be no competition ...). It was obvious they had no idea - India had clearly just thrown people at the games without any training or clue.

"No Madam, you cannot bring your camera in. We cannot take responsibility for it either." Another fight ensured - I was close to tears and booking a flight home rather than an hour of this rubbish. Basically, the list of banned items included everything you could think of. No phones, cameras, flags, backpacks, handbags, coins, keys ... the list went on. The food and drink was the most ridiculous part. You couldn't bring any 'eatables' in, including water - you had to purchase it at the venue. Fine - so when I made it into the venue (camera-less - stored at the info desk - but with bag and mobile), I went to buy a drink of water - but the stalls weren't open. '10 minutes', I was told. I sat in my seat for a while and then jumped up to see if they had opened.

'Where are you going?' said a volunteer. 'I need a drink', I replied. 'I will go and get you one then, please sit down'. She returned later and said, 'Sorry, they're not ready'. By this time, the players were on court, so I settled in for the match. At 1/2 time, a lady I was sitting with went to get a drink. She came back empty-handed - 'they refused to sell me a drink!'.  At the match's conclusion, I went out and was finally able to buy a drink. But you cannot take it inside with you - you must drink it outside and then return inside!

On top of the limited drinking facilities (only options were warm coke or water), there were absolutely no eating options. So, you couldn't take any food in, but they had no food for sale. Even worse? The day's session had 2 parts - 9-1 and 3-7, with a 2 hour break for lunch. Except - there was no food at the stadium, and if you left the stadium you weren't permitted to return. Aaah, it makes me made just thinking about it!

Anywayz, onto the match. When I'd arrived at the stadium, 45 minutes before the match started, I had walked in to find - no one there. Seriously, it was embarassing - I was the only spectator.

A few media personnel drifted into the stands opposite me, including Liz Ellis and Luke Darcy, commentating for Channel 10, but I started to think I would be the only spectator there ... Just as the Aussies came on court, 2 Aussies came in. Turned out they are the mother and sister of Kimberlee Green, one of the players. We were also joined by one of the PNG players' mothers, and the 4 of us made up the crowd in a 4,500 seat stadium. (The Greens' father kept sending messages from Aus saying we were on TV - we wouldn't have been hard to spot!)

We were also joined by a couple of the players' partners. One of them sat in front of us and pulled out a camera, snapping photos. We gasped, wondering how we'd smuggled in such a contraband, and waited for him to be pounced on. Quickly, a volunteer came over and spoke to him. He turned back to us and in his Aussie larrikinism said, "Apparently I'm not allowed to sit here (pointing to his seat in the 2nd row) because it's reserved, but I can sit here (pointing to the seat immediately behind him)' (remembering the stadium was completely empty) - but not a single word about the camera!

I had joked prior to leaving Australia that maybe I'd be the only supported there (as Vineet had foretold) and so the Aussie players would see me and recognised me and invite me to join their gold-medal win celebrations - I didn't realise how true this would be!

Following the Aussie match, Sharelle McMahon signed the match used ball and gave it to a little Indian girl. At first, she refused to take it, as her father said she'd been raised not to take things from strangers! She did finally accept it and I explained to her family how lucky she was - I was super jealous! I got speaking with the family, who lived close by and said they had watched the stadium go up brick by brick, and they wanted to see it in use. They were very eager to hear my opinion on the stadium and Delhi (I was very polite!!) I asked for some tips on where to eat at lunch and where the closest ATM was, and they offered to have their driver take me to the Defence Colony and return me for the 2nd lot of matches.

I had initially accepted the offer but soon realised that if Left with them at lunch, I wouldn't be able to return for the second lot of matches. But then I realised that there was still no food in the stadium. SO either I could a) stay in the stadium to watch the remaining matches but starve OR b) leave for lunch and miss the second lot of matches.

My hunger headache dictated that I leave for lunch. I retrieved my camera and asked the officials for transport options away from the stadium, and they advised me there was a metro station 800m away. 'Are you alone?', they asked. "Yes', I replied, 'Why - is it not safe to walk?'. 'Yes, very safe, there are soldiers the whole way' they replied (good point - there were soldiers everywhere, even snipers lining the surrounding rooftops), 'It's just a long walk by yourself and you will get lonely!'

I found the metro ok (inhaling a diet coke and chocolate I purchased from a market stall along the way) and disembarked at Connaught Place, a main tourist area. I started walking and a man immediately accosted me, asking me questions about where I was from and where I wanted to go. (I can't walk a step without someone coming up to me, I find it difficult to work out if they're just being polite or not!). "Just a shopping centre", I replied. "I take you to a government shopping centre" he said. I tried to refuse, but he said there was nothing in it for him - he just wanted to practise his English. He ended up taking me on a 20 minute walk to a souvenir type place. Not what I wanted!!

I started to walk back from where I'd come from and kept being 'accompanied' by random Indians to various souvenir places (even if I ducked into an ATM, they'd be waiting for me outside). Eventually I found the tourist area I was looking for and cheered when I found a McDonalds. I wasn't that proud of having McDonalds as my first meal in India, but when you haven't eaten in 8 hours and are in a completely new country, it's nice to have some familiarity. (Random fact: As beef is not eaten in India, there are no Big Macs).


All of the 'Western' shops had security guards in them. If your bag was allowed in the store, it had to be checked first. In most cases you'd had to leave your bag with guards at the front of the store. You have no idea how much security there is here!!

I did a little bit of shopping - I was most excited to find a shop with a wall of jelly shoes, purchasing a pair to replace my pink ones that have fallen to bits. I also finally found a Lonely Planet guide to Delhi and a map, so I had some direction.


I then noticed a sign pointing to an underground market, 'Parlika Bazaar'. O.M.G. I was like being at Patong Beach - counterfeit bags, clothes, electronics - but the salespeople were insane! Every step you took, one would be in your face. "T-shirt Madam?' - 'Handbag for you, Madam?' I walked past another female tourist who took one look at my face and burst out laughing. I must have looked so shocked - and laughed back with her, a mutual understanding of how we felt!


I spent an hour back at the hotel watching the Commonwealth Games coverage before returning out again to explore the local streets for dinner. Stepping out, I felt like I'd entered another world - like entering Ox, or Narnia. The sky was dusty as the sun set and throngs of people were flowing down the dirt paths. I didn't venture too far as it was getting dark (and, being a Monday, most of the shops were shut), and returned without eating. I ended up ordering room service of rice and chapattis, spending the evening planning my days in India and watching the Commonwealth Games (no netball coverage unfortunately; I did notice that almost all of the stadiums were empty though!)

Sunday 3rd October


Up before the crack of dawn (quite literally - it was 5:30am); my local tuk tuk driver was already waiting for me when I descended at 6:10am, ready for my flight to KL.

I scored an aisle seat on the flight as I hadn't paid to pre-select my seat. Air Asia X (long distance flights) are comfortable, but the seating on these short-haul flights leave a lot to be desired. For a 2hour flight, we arrived extremely early at a full 30 minutes ahead of schedule. Why do flights always arrive early when you have a long wait ahead? (I now had 5 hours to fill in!)

With check-in not opening for another 2 hours, I made a frappuccino last an hour at Starbucks, whilst completing my latest novel (not Shantaram - that's waiting for India). I filled in another hour at an Indian vegetarian restaurant, making use of the free wi-fi.

At 1pm I headed for the check-in counters (not before needing to ask just which counter was for my flight, as the Delhi flight had disappeared from the airport screens). Unfortunately, I was caught up in an 'Indian stampede' of about 50 men. They had no intentions of abiding by the queue either - whenever one of their mates at the counter moved even an inch, they had filled up the vacant spot. The first time it happened, I was completely helpless to stop it, but when a second guy tried it, I stepped in front of him and turned to give him a serve. (Three things I can't stand: strangers touching me on public transport; people jumping queues; and people not walking on the left hand side).

That left me with 2.5 hours to fill, which went surprisingly quickly. Immigration and security was a breeze, and I purchased a few trashy magazines, my first for a few weeks due to the exorbitant prices in Cambodia. Not knowing what to expect in India, I also purchased a few snacks at duty-free and wandered the remaining stores before having a frustrating conversation with Mum and Dad. (It went along the lines of 'Hello' ... annoying airport announcement' ... 'Market' ... annoying airport announcement ... etc.

The actual boarding of the plane was complete mayhem as well. The Indians all tried to push their way to the front and the once board proceeded to seat themselves wherever they wanted. In fact, we were half an hour late taking off due to the seating fiasco. They all had on board far too much hand luggage (I thought Air Asia were strict on only 1 piece!?) which they all tried to cram into the overflowing overhead lockers. There were a few 'Westerners' on board, but it was 95% Indian.


Due to some subtle flirting at the check-in counter, I'd managed to score a window seat. I have a big issue with personal space - having the window meant there would be only one person beside me. Unfortunately it was an Indian man who seemed intent on taking up half of my seat - but everytime he crept into my space, my arm would move up to push him back into his seat. (This may sound childish but I can't stand people invading my space or strangers touching me!)

We arrived at Delhi half an hour late due to the seating fiasco. As soon as the plane touched down, the Indians had all removed their seatbelts, removed their luggage from the overhead compartments and were clamouring to be first out. The poor flight attendant had to keep asking them to sit until the seatbelt sign had been turned off - I felt so sorry for her!! As I exited the plane, we exchanged a look that conveyed a conversation (You poor thing - what a horror flight - thank God it's over).

I wasn't sure what to expected when I stepped into the airport, but I was greeted with a brand new, squeaky clean and modern facility. Immigration was a breeze as there were heaps of counters open, and luggage was already circling the carousel (not mine of course - not when I'm half an hour late and have a driver waiting for me!)

A lot of the luggage seemed to have 'Kabul International Airport' stickers. Seriously, if there's a terrorist attack in Delhi, I think the bombers were on my plane. There were 2 guys sitting behind me that were the spitting image of Imrosi, the smiling assassin behind the Bali bombings. On the plane, whenever I had lent my head against the window, the one immediately behind me would then lean forward and make sleazy kiss kiss noise.

As we exited the secure zone, there were a few chauffeurs holding name signs - but not mine. Uh oh. I wasn't ready to face the transport system of Delhi yet. Thankfully, this was short-lived when I realised that there were hundreds of more drivers outside - apparently, only CWG affiliated drivers were allowed inside.

On the drive to the hotel, I must say I was impressed by Delhi. Far from the dirt roads and wandering menagerie and bustling traffic I had expected, the roads were congestion free (thanks in part to the Opening Ceremony) and everything look cleaned and... well ... normal!

The most overwhelming sight was the thousands of Army, security and police personnel lining the street. The airport must have had at least 15000 personnel, and every 50m along the road was a guard, rifle ready. We passed the swimming stadium which had 100s of Army vehicles parked out the front. It does make you feel safe but you also wander why they need so many ...

Settling into the hotel, I was helped by about 6 different men. I think they were just displaying Indian hospitality but they were just a bit too helpful for me. I arranged for a car to pick me up the next morning at 7:15am and then retired to my room. I didn't get a lot of sleep though .. to focused on tomorrow's activities.

I have a lot of countdowns going on at the moment:

21: The number of days 'til I run my first half marathon
23: The number of work days remaining
33: The number of days 'til I leave Melbourne
43: The number of days 'til I leave Australia
97: The number of days 'til the Commonwealth Games commence
140: The number of days 'til I start work at Whistler

These past two weeks I have been focussing on finalising my attendance at the Commonwealth Games. It was at Christmas time that I realised the Commonwealth Games were being held in October and were a possibility for me to attend during my trip. However, the fact that they were being held in India was a turn-off - ever since watching season 1 of the Amazing Race, I have been completely put off of the thought of travelling in India, and filed it in my 'list of countries I never want to go to' list. Additionally, there have been lots of news stories about the Games - terrorist threats; stadiums not being completed in time; athletes not attending. But then I thought to myself - how many times do you get to attend an international sporting event like this?

My fate was sealed when I scored a 'free' flight from Delhi to KL with Air Asia post-Games, and also scored tickets from Cambodia - Delhi (via KL) at a low price. My ticket request is also finalised (all netball games, including the gold medal match; and tennis, athletics, and gymnastics tickets - at ridiculously low prices). My Indian colleagues have told me how I will be the 'only one there' as Indians don't care for anything but cricket (news headlines show that almost no tickets have been sold except to the opening and closing ceremonies).

I also finalised my accommodation. Delhi seems to be such an extreme, like many other Asian cities - absolute luxury in some parts, next to absolute squalor and bargain basement prices. Given I'm slightly terrified about my two weeks in India, I decided to pay for slightly nicer Western style accommodation that includes a TV, fridge, and air con (I've found it amusing that a lot of Indian hotels proudly state they offer '24 hour power' as one of their services!) I have a few days spare at the conclusion of the games before I fly out, in which I will travel to Agra for the majestic Taj Mahal and hopefully to Jaipur as well.

Apart from my flight to Vancouver, I've now finalised all of the flights and accommodation that had to be pre-booked - so now I can focus on the trip! (Oh - and the packing and other fun things like that!)