Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010

[samh004]

One downside I did see outrside the stadium was a 12 yo boy looking through bins then come up to myself and a photographer begging for some food. It pulls at your heartstrings seeing it and although i had said to myself i wouldn't encourage the beggers, we gave him a bottle of water and an energy bar that we had with us. The kid was so grateful, thanking us before vanishing into the night. What annoyed me more was that a city that has wasted so much money on the event due to corruption and lining people's pockets, does nothing about it's caste system.

The photographer could have taken some photos and a scandal could have been born out of it.

 

[nlagalle]

The photographer could have taken some photos and a scandal could have been born out of it.

Problem Sam though, is it an all too common occurrence. Taking a photo wouldn't get anywhere. Heck they have photos in the paper of dead homeless people asking for people to claim them.

 

[samh004]

Problem Sam though, is it an all too common occurrence. Taking a photo wouldn't get anywhere. Heck they have photos in the paper of dead homeless people asking for people to claim them.

It’s a shame in that case. I guess in a country with a population like India has, and their caste system, and everything else, world pressure wouldn’t do much. It’s just sad all round.

 

[nlagalle]

Day 9 - Tuesday

Well it is the middle of the day here and I have just returned from the hockey and will be off to the Aths again tonight. The hockey was great with Australia winning 6-2 in the end. The crowd was really good too. And although most were going for New Zealand, at the end of the match they all cheered for both teams as each did their lap around. It was great to see that the people attending went for the sport, and to see a great contest.

I'll update later when i get to the Aths.. Here's hoping i survive another bus ride!!!

 

[nlagalle]

Well I am sitting in the Media Tribune at the Stadium waiting for the closing ceremony to start.

Has been a pretty big couple of days, but for the right reasons, getting to some events and enjoying the sport!

 

[nlagalle]

Well I am finally back home in Australia! so I thought I would update the last part of my TR.

when I last wrote I was waiting for the Closing ceremony to start (only so it could finish!!).

Most people I know missed the Closing as it started after midnight in Australia. Overall it wasn't too bad, but as usual it wasn't right! it ran nearly 30 mins overtime and was also out of order! Normally the closing ceremony is a party atmosphere, but it really lacked it here, even with the Bollywood dancers. It was a bit bland overall which was a shame.

As soon as it was over, the packup began. Not only for us but the ceremony people and the OC people.

Normally at the end of an event like this it is a bit sad, but this time it was relief. Only as it had been a huge couple of weeks. It had been a big day for me, Mens hockey final, Netball final and the closing. We quickly packed up and headed back to the hotel. was finally able to kick back with more than a few beers!! Just about everyone else had headed off to get drunk as all media people do after events like this. Going hard at it for a couple of weeks straight they can finally kick back and relax a bit.

We still had 2 days of packing up to follow though so it wasn't going to be a huge one for me!

On Friday and Saturday we packed up our office back into the crates and have them shipped home. Unlike getting them into the country, getting them out was going to be a piece of cake!

The MPC had quickly become quite deserted, almost back to what it was like the day we arrived. we had people coming in and asking for "gifts". basically any memorabilia. we actually didn't have much but we did find a few things to give away.

Friday afternoon was a bit of shopping around Connaught place and Friday night was our team dinner at the Imperial hotel, which is one of the most impressive hotels in Delhi. So old fashioned and fantastic inside. The food was magnificent as well.

Most of the team except myself and the other tech plus a journo flew out the next morning. We had 1 more day left. This was just in case we didn't pack in time. as it turned out we did, but we packed up the last of it on Saturday morning then had the afternoon to ourselves. I headed out on a Tuk Tuk to Old Delhi to get some pics and see what it was really like. All I can say it was an assault on your senses! an amazing out of this world place.

The highlight was a man appearing out of nowhere and open the lid to a container in front of me to reveal 2 cobra snakes! So I got a bit of a show after which he wanted 500 rupees!! I laughed and gave him a couple hundred instead.

So I had reached the end of the trip. Tomorrow was the flight home. Jet to SIN and QF back to MEL.

 

[ellen10]

Enjoyed reading about your tales of Dehli. Glad all went well in the end. I'm sure you will be able to dine out on many more stories.

 

[markis10]

As something of a post note to this thread, the 744 that brought our team home (what was left of the team) to sydney had to divert to CBR due to weather.

 

[totalk]

Definitely looking forward for your TR and some photos as well. Have a nice trip.

 

[nlagalle]

As something of a post note to this thread, the 744 that brought our team home (what was left of the team) to sydney had to divert to CBR due to weather.

Actually most of the team stayed til the end. Not many left early.

 

[samh004]

Definitely looking forward for your TR and some photos as well. Have a nice trip.

The TR has happened?

 

[nlagalle]

yes I am back and i need to finish the last part, but before I do that I have a link to the photos.

Please let me know if you have issues accessing it!

Delhi Commonwealth Games | Facebook

 

[samh004]

Please let me know if you have issues accessing it!

Delhi Commonwealth Games | Facebook

You appear to have posted the correct link, as I am not a FB friend, though your profile is pretty open