The other bridge

This on is a toll bridge so less busy than the other (see yest). They are so like the Forth ones. Dunno what James would make of his memorial being overshadowed.

Went for too long a walk today, round the maidan rather than cutting through. Past a racecourse then a huge palacey thing (Victoria Memorial) and then misread the map and went the wrong way - it is so hot, getting hotter and hotter eventually took refuge in a coffee shop (a/c). Asked directions and started to work out where I had gone wrong but still could not get it right.

By this stage I was dripping. When the air temp becomes greater than your own temp sweat does not evaporate. I had my IPL ticket with me cos I had ideas of upgrading it (it was a tenner ticket and the view last week for 30 in bangalore was brilliant) - it was in three parts, frayed round the edges (see this coming Tues blip) and although you could see the seat number, the stand and the gate I suspected it would not be valid - oh dear.

Standing on a corner a lad picked me up and started chatting - then he said - you wanna go for a beer? I didn't, I was exhausted, but we ended up in a bar (he had wanted to drink one on the street) and it was a great beer.

That sorted me out a bit. So from there I could manage a short burst outside before resorting to somewhere with aircon. Agreed to meet the lad later - he thought he could get me another IPL ticket, and I liked him anyway.

Robbie's story
Robbie sells phones and contracts. To Australians. He is now a team leader. He started in calls. The record number of sales in a day was 6. His boss came over from Australia and said if anyone sells 10 then they get a trip to Aus. Robbie sold 18 and received an immediate 8000 quid bonus - I confirmed this with him later and he explained the economics - still seems disproportionate but everyone knows there is a lot of money in mobiles, and they were selling 2 year contracts to Aus. So he visited Aus for two weeks, was put up in a hotel and explained his techniques to the Aussies. He wants to go back next year.

Walked up to the Newmarket and met another guy - a tour operator who took me to his mates shop cos it was next to his and we chatted about Udaipur - but no really useful info gained except to confirm Spleen's analysis that during monsoon the rain is late in the day and shortlived.

I went to the planetarium and then to the bar I had agreed to meet Robbie in. He rang to say could he bring a mate - alarm bells were ringing but what the hell. Turns out his mate had never met a european before - he was quite naive and asked me cute questions like "Who was Sherlock Holmes?" - how do you answer that - "He was a fictional character created by Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle ..........". He also asked me what is the difference between East and West India - how the hell should I know, I've been in East India for 1 day.
They were both impressed by The Big Ben Bar which was really scottish (central bar) and had IPL, food, a band and a pool table (oh and a dart board). Local whisky was 3 pounds a large measure, Caol Isla (an Isla malt) was 15 pounds - you could buy half a bottle for that in Scotland. Much as I was tempted I declined.

No luck on the IPL ticket.