Sometimes I write my thoughts down.

Well, it had to happen eventually, I suppose. After a restless night I got up feeling rough as a badger’s bottom, and before long the diarrhoea and vomiting began. Does non-alcohol-induced vomiting count, Bob?! Anyway, since nothing else whatever of note happened to me today, let me tell you some more general stuff I’ve learned about India.
Firstly, as I’ve mentioned already, they do love their food! Like the French, they are immensely proud of their flavourful and varied cuisine, and they will shower their guests with all manner of dishes given the smallest excuse. The trouble is – and this is partly what my work is to do with – a lot of sugar and carbohydrate is consumed, and very little fresh fruit and vegetables, especially green leafy veg, so obesity and related health problems are on the rise. They will look at you with shock if you attempt to order tea or coffee without sugar!
Also, everyone I’ve met here has been very open and friendly, which I think stems in large part from the amount of socialising that goes on. Traditional large and/or extended families are still the norm, and the warm climate means that everyone is out and about until well into the evening. On the trains everyone immediately turns to their neighbour to ask fairly personal questions by our standards – marital status, number of children, job, reason for journey – and to share around any food that’s going. There also seems to be music everywhere, whether horns or pipes played by people as they walk around, or recorded music emanating from shops or temples. I’ve heard surprisingly little Western music – MTV hasn’t conquered the world just yet it seems (and the first time I did hear some Western pop, it was Ace of Base!).
I really must also mention here the fantastic and ridiculous auto-rickshaw. These contraptions are basically scooters, modified to have three wheels to seat passengers in the back and a hood over the top. They are extremely cheap and numerous, and probably extremely unsafe, especially in the traffic chaos of the city, but they are a great way to get about!