Cricket In Mohali - 3rd Test In India

So, while we were wandering around Agra seeing the sights like the Taj Mahal, the Australian Cricket Team were meant to submit some homework - reportedly a review about how each of them thought the team could improve. Four of them didn't complete it, and in a stunning move, were suspended from playing in the next test, including a couple who we expected to be a chance to be called up, and also the Vice Captain.

"Homework-gate" gave significant weight to the talk on tour about the issues of culture within the Aussie Team. The apparent divide between the playing group, the personalities, and suspected feuds. The shock of the suspension though, was big. How ridiculous! Especially how badly the team was going with a full squad to pick from!

After all the controversy of the build up, we woke on the morning to Day 1....to rain! Which did not go away for the whole day. A forced travel rest day in the end, as we all waited back at the hotel for any positive news about a possible start of play. But eventually it was called off for the day, with no play at all. A very much needed day of rest, a total bonus, after all the travel so far. It meant we got to explore the Section 17 area of Chandigarh, the shops and the buzz of people and life!

Day 2 we got the chance to head across town to the suburb of Mohali, to the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium. Convincing auto rickshaws to go that far was a bit of work, and we certainly didn't know if they were going the wrong or the long way, but we all managed to make it there in the end!

The Aussie's won the toss, and set out to make a good day of batting. Luke presenting the Flaggy Greens to the new Waving The Flag tour members, and we took our seats for some cricket.

Runs from Cowan, Warner and Smith had us a little happier at the end of the days play, finding a pub across the road from our hotel with very cheap beer! (No girl's loo though...ahhh, you can't have it all!)

We chose Day 3 to be our Chick Pink Day, and upped the ante with our India-styled tunics bought from a women's stored in Section 17. Getting them was quite the experience for us, and getting treated a little more favourably by the security staff on the gate when we were dressed like this, made it all the more fun.

Our attire for the day also started many conversations with the locals. I could not resist getting a photo with this gent on our pink day, given his gorgeous turban! He enjoyed the chat, and had been to Melbourne before, so we had much chatter to fill a few overs of time with!

The Aussies batted on till just before Lunch, posting 408. Then the Indians were in, and we watched debutante Dhawan pile on the runs to finish the day on an impressive 185!

St Patrick's Day fell on Day 4, and also Trish's birthday, which promised to be a fun day. After downloading a picture of a shamrock onto my photo in the morning, I commissioned one of the lads always eager to paint our faces with India flags to try his best. A green shamrock on my cheek, to be sure!

Luck, and tons of skill, was with the Indians again on this day on the field, and the runs kept coming. They finally succumbed to our bowling efforts well into the last session, making 499. Effective dashing all hope for the match for the Aussies.

We found a bar with a kangaroo as the logo that night, and had many beers, toasting the birthday Sheila.

The last day was a forgettable one for the Australians, losing our remaining 7 wickets, and then we watched as the Indian batsman made the winning 136 runs - a win by 6 wickets.

The most entertaining part of our time in the stands was to watch the Number 1 Indian Fan, and his little copiers/followers. All painted, loud and mouthy, these three kids kept us pretty distracted from the carnage that was going on out in the middle.

The Waifs' Temptation

A pint of Guinness at lunch at Irish Murphy's was the call for the day, for St Patrick's Day, with Michelle and Matt. I then drove down to Melbourne after work, caught Patrice and Yas briefly at The Celtic Club, and then met up with Dillo for another at The Turf Club. Couldn't let the day pass without markinbg it appropriately!

I then drove across the Flinders Street, and met Kate and Mark, and Jessie and Kelly at The Forum for the night's gig. Back after a couple of years away from new material and shows, The Waifs were amazing last night!

Opening with the first two tracks from their recently released album, I Learnt The Hard Way and Buffalo, Vikki showed her vocal range and that folk down to earth charm that we all love so much. London Still was next, with a big singalong, and that moment that makes us all homesick when we are away from Australia.

Temptation, from the new album, had Josh take lead vocals, and then one of my enduring favourite, Sundirtwater, and the new Fallen, were back to Vikki. The set had a great mix across this little Western Australian bands collection, with How Many Miles, Lighthouse, Bridal Train and Moses and The Lamb covering the range of albums.

Feeling Sentimental and Eternity were lovely tracks with the three of them harmonising. Then Highway One allowed Donna's sassiness shine. Take It All In was dedicated to Melbourne, and really started the room singing, with Fisherman's Daughter ringing true with so many country breed girls in the audience.

The request from the audience was Crazy Train, which had Vikki commenting on the effect her harmonica playing in this song will have on her prominant baby belly. But it was so very good, and a crowd favourite. The gorgeous Gillian, an ode to Josh's mum, and a clear crowd love, was awesome.

A second encore, as the band commented on how blown away they were that people were still listening to them after this time away, was Donna's Goodbye. Given the album success in it's first week, and the number of shows selling out across the country, hopefully this inspires them to keep making music. A truely iconic band and sound for us all! And such a treat, as always, live.

Greens and Blues

Dressed in green for the day of work, I was champing to get back from Geelong, ready for beer o'clock! It's just not right, not having a beer, or few, on St Patrick's Day!

I picked up Katie, and we met Michelle at Irish Murphy's for our pints of Guinness, and Bulmers, from the tap, as we took in the crowd who dared to be at the pub on a school night. It actually seemed to be 65 year olds, or 16 years olds! A band played us an assortment of Irish band covers, and jig music. As the crowd started to fill, and the younger half of the punters started stumbling around, we walked up Camp Street, to Karova.

We arrived as Last Dinosaurs were playing, reminding me very much of The Temper Trap, on the look, but also the sound. Next up were Cloud Control, who really impressed. A new little band to watch out for!

So, so hot in the little sunken band room, Yves Klein Blue entered the stage, with their own projected light show for effect. Having Michael finally up on stage, after he had been floating around amongst us, he switched from lead from and centre, to seated at keys to the left of stage.

Silence Is Distance was the second song for the night, with a smattering of new tracks from the boys. Summer Sheets sparked some crowd interest, and Dinosaur was energetic and fun. About The Future showed off that vocal command Michael has with the audience, before a massive Polka rendition with the ending of the night a hearty Getting Wise.

St Patrick's Day

Wearing green for the day, and feeling a bond with the few other people on the tram, the street and at work, I sat through a working St Patrick's Day...just wrong!

Unable to wait much longer longer, Kylee, Steve and I left the office just a minute or two after 5pm, and jumped on the 96 tram. We made our way to the Dan O'Connell, in North Carlton for their growing tradition of the Party in the Park.

Pints of Guinness were in order first up, followed quickly by much loved Bulmers! We claimed a spot out amongst it, with Maya and baby Noah soon joining us, and then Mary. Irish music, and accents all around us.

Little Noah attracted drunk Irish girls and guys, as we moved to beers, and taking in the festivities and dress-ups around us. We remembered to eat a little late really, and soon it was Noah's, and the rest of our, hometime, on this school night.

I am wearing my hangover today, with pride! It's still a novelty!

Blogging For Peace

I have signed Jouljet up to the One Million Blogs For Peace site, in the growing push to end to the war in Iraq.

As part of this membership, as one of the million (so far there are 217), there will be challenges set, and also a regular Tuesday Topic set for discussion. The aim is to get the blog world, and indeed the world talking about, thinking about, and hopeful doing something about ending the war in Iraq.

Today's topic, being the launch of the Tuesday Topic, is centered around the marking of the date, the 20th of March, being the start of the fifth year of the Alliance lead war in Iraq. Four years ago on St Patrick's Day, George W declared war on Iraq, and the 20th was when the first shots were fired.

Since then roughly 65000 Iraqi civilians and 3477 Coalition military have been killed in this war, more US deaths than occured on 9/11/2001, (numbers depends on what source you read), with claims that this toll is higher than that of Saddam's brutality, and yet today in The Age, our Prime Minister John Howard is quoted as stating that Australia will continue to 'stand firm' and that he is 'reaffirming our committment to the Iraq war'. Meanwhile the Opposition leads the opinion polls, with a major drive to pull out troops out of Iraq, and with the plea for a solution to the ongoing conflict, and occupation.

Four years ago, when this war began, I had just returned from Cambodia. Dazed and in reverse culture shock at being back home, I watched the news reporting the commencement of this new blight on peace.

As I was preparing to leave, and farewelling my Khmer friends, news of the imminent start of this new world battle was being discussed. So many of my Khmer friends, who so vividly remember the horrors of war torn Kampuchea, and the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge, were asking me how was it that my country's government was so keen to embark on a new war? When the world knows over and over, how war effects people?

How could anyone answer that?

Paddy's Day in Melbourne

Saturday morning arrived, and Jessie, Noodles, Kelly and I got dressed in our best green, ready for a big day of marking St Patrick's Day.

We were to have a big breakfast at the pub, but were soon turned away by an overwhlemed cook (don't think they were really prepared for us!), so we lined our stomachs with breakfast at the Vic Market just across the road. Back to Bev and Mick's we opened our beer account with bottles of Heineken - all for the quest of earning a green and orange "loudspeaker" hat for the day! Our mission accomplished, it was time for Guinness, and some very bad singing. Jessie was working on her best Pirish accent (an unfortunate but funny blend of pirate and Irish), in her attempts to blend in with the crowd.


Joined by Clinton, and then eventually D'Arcy and Trent, we walked up the road to The Drunken Poet. Very reminicent of my St Paddy's Day in Dublin, this pub was full of Irish drinkers, rugby jumpers, and accents!

The crowd was loud, and proudly Irish. Magners was flowing, and the Irish tunes were belting out of the jukebox - and out of our loudspeaker hats at times, I am afraid!

Hearing of the Ireland win in the World Cup, putting Pakistan out, the next day as we nursed our hangovers, made for a very merry Paddy's Day on the green isle, I am sure!

The Craic for Paddy's Day

Another plane ride, another stamp in my passport, and different money again to figure out - but here I am in Ireland. I am catching up with Liz and Cathal, which is so great.

Came over on Wednesday, just in time for a massive weekend. Liz come in to meet me at the airport, and then to take me out to Greystones, where they live (and where Liz grew up).

The group donned the green attire (as Cathal and Ruth point out here), and headed into Dublin town for St Patrick's Day. We wandered in to see the parade, although it was very busy and festive, and I am afraid the crowd around the parade was about 5 deep. Nevertheless, we saw all the tall floats and costumes, and it looked like there was some major effort put in. Footage on the TV later let us know that we did see all the main floats - as well at the top of the brass for the bands marching past!

Our view hampered, and all feeling thirsty, we headed for the pub. And had a great day/night! Was a massive day - everyone all decked out in green, and having a great time. Met Liz's group of friends, who are all lovely, and had a ball.

St Paddy's Day
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The next day, after significant recovery, and a walk along the beach in Greystones (and a recovery pint), we got ready for another big night for Claire's birthday. Cocktail preparations, and house decorations, the house was full before we knew it. And we all had another massive night. Was so much fun - headed out for a dance as well.


Claire's birthday
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Saturday saw more recovery drinks to overcome the hangover (I am sold on this philosophy of Claire's - it's brilliant!!), at the pub for the lads to watch the rugby. We then wandered down to The Beach House (another pub) for some Irish music, and more merriment.

The weather has been brilliant - very unusual they say - and sunny! Yesterday a group of us headed to Lough Dan for a walk amoung the greenery and the mountains. A bit of exercise and a beer-free day!

Everything is grand! and gorgeous! and I am loving it! So great to see Liz and Cathal, and hang out. Copious drinking in Ireland - exactly what I was expecting!!

Happy Birthday to Evie for Friday gone, and I hope Jess and Andrew had a great time for their big day - was thinking of you.

Off now to see the sights in Dublin...in the rain today...