Cats and Dogs (and Monkeys!)

Yesterday I woke up to rain again – the big ‘ole fat rain that really does sound like a household pet dancing a jig on the roof. The media is saying it’s the wettest September in years. The extended monsoon is causing havoc with the roads and swelling the Yamuna River to near flooding point.

Part driving, part sailing along a Delhi street to work

It’s even made it hard for me to leave my flat!

I’m worried about the Games – how will they ever finish the venues and deliver such a big event if they don’t have good weather?

And it’s not just rain, over the two weeks I’ve been here the city has endured problems with marauding monkeys and an outbreak of conjunctivitis. On the weekend I asked my local newsagent why he was wearing dark sunglasses. He replied, “I have the eye flu ma’am.”

Even more worrying is the recent rise of dengue fever cases. Last week the Hindu reported several members of India’s cycling team had contracted the fever.

All of these issues create challenging circumstances for staging a major sporting event. And our project is connected to this event – if the Games is facing difficulties, then our project struggles too.

But it’s not only the project I’m concerned about. I’ve realised I’m personally caught up in the story of this event and this city; every day I scan the paper looking for good news about the Games, willing the rain to hold off.

Although I’m not much of a sports fan, I find I really want these Games to be a successful event – for all of the athletes (especially the Indian cyclists) and for this city and its residents.

What do you think? Will the Games make it, will Delhi pull it off?