British Expat Newsletter:
16 July 2003
This week: Pests – insects, monkeys and corrupt officials.
This week: Pests – insects, monkeys and corrupt officials.
This week: the death penalty – in India, the UK and Guantanamo.
“A seemingly well-meaning guy with a cloth pointed out a fresh blat of runny cow dung on my shoe and offered to remove it for me. Hang on a minute. I only stepped out of the car a moment ago and if I’d trodden on something it would be under my shoe, not over it.” Stravaig reflects on some of the more common scams in Delhi, and the economic realities behind them.
“The Independent newspaper reported this morning that 20,000 people die each year in NHS hospitals from bacterial infections caused by super bugs that are almost immune to all known antibiotics. Well, that might be the cause of death as a coroner sees it, but every housewife and retired old-fashioned Matron knows better.” Liz Butterfield laments the primacy of cost-cutting over excellence.
Primate pranks take up Stravaig’s attention in this instalment of her column about life in Delhi.
“The previous evening, the lugger Crooked Mary had landed her cargo of contraband. Now, under cover of darkness, the fisherwomen of Collieston put their creels to good use and began the trek to Ward, laden with gin.” Part Two – the sequel: the villagers of Collieston attempt to spirit away their booty.