Chandigarh, Tuesday

1248 At Tehal Singh's, taking a punt on the 'singara fish (amartsari)' - I don't know why, maybe cos I wonder if this is the amritsari fish with a typo.

Woke up about 1050ish, wifi was working so used netbook in bed. Managed to book same hotel in Delhi, lots of seats unreserved on flight at present so will keep an eye on it but not rushing in to pay 20 quid for a seat yet, Buenos Aires flight still available on expedia and have saved it in my itinerary prior to booking, also had bit of a look at trains to Skegness for Christmas though waiting to discuss with parents before book that. UK weather forecast suggests there shouldn't be anything too extreme to fuck up flights or trains while I am back.

Feels quite nice to have nearly everything sorted. Going to rock garden after this (it's on the way over from hotel) then tonight may go to the Nando's I noticed yesterday and perhaps a couple of beers after. Dunno if I can leave my bag at hotel tomorrow but fingers crossed.

Wearing short-sleeved shirt and jacket, as I was last night - I've washed the long-sleeved shirt. I don't exactly need the jacket today but it just seemed best to wear it. At least here in Tehal's it allows me to shrug off the a/c.

1311 Well that was pretty good, though the portion wasn't huge - individual boneless pieces of battered fish with some probably raw white vegetable I didn't recognise and a spicy green sauce which I did try and was OK. Fingers crossed I don't regret it... Getting bill and on a whim a tea (no coffee)

1329 Got bill, 267, will make it 300. Positively gorging on the aniseed things they've given me to finish up with. Anyway, off to the rock garden.

1516 In rock garden, which is quite cool though I suspect I have missed a huge chunk out. Was going to buy some postcards but the miserable cunt at the desk firstly wouldn't give me 10 rupees change for a 50 note, then when I decided I'd just buy an extra postcard said he wouldn't take the note as it was ripped. It has a couple of tears near the edges but nothing major. Well, fuck you then mate. I am pretty sure the 10 notes I used to pay for my entry were in equally poor condition and no one kicked up a fuss.

1520 Thought I should sort cash in my pockets out and found a pristine 50. Tempted to go back and get postcards, but I am not that desperate and I really don't want to give the surly jobsworth git any money now.

1601 Am in a second time. I thought I'd missed a bit and as the exit was just a tiny archway in a wall identical to dozens of others I found myself outside before I knew it. Security guard chap asked what I thought of it and I said I needed to go get another ticket and go in again. Woman at ticket desk wouldn't take my (ripped) 50 for change for the 20 entrance fee. (Not because it was ripped AFAICT.) Some helpful chap changed it so I got another ticket. Security guard asked me why I bought a new ticket; I said I didn't think I'd be allowed in again on the same one. It's only 20 rupees a go though, so no big deal; at least they don't charge foreigners 200 or 400. I will probably be weak and buy my four postcards from surly bloke this time round - then I can write them tonight and maybe it will increase the chances of getting them posted either tomorrow or from Delhi.

1646 OK, out for the second time. Was worth a second circuit though it turns out I hadn't missed anything, except a 'lobe' of the open courtyard area at the end which had some swings in alcoves round the edges. Mostly adults using them so I had a quick go, though I never did have the leg coordination to build up a swing down that well even when I was younger. Security guard chap not here any more, which is fine except he did seem to want to ask me what I thought of it so I feel I've cheated him slightly. Still, no big deal.

1800 Back at hotel. What a hike! Anyway, since needed bog thought would stop in here before going on to Nando's.

1843 Off out again.

1856 Nando's. Usual order (half chicken hot with chips and corn-on-the-cob) - oddly they asked a flavour for the corn-on-the-cob, this is one of their spiciness choices, so I said hot but never had that for corn-on-cob before. Place is mostly empty. Waiter service so I suspect the 'bottomless' diet coke will be one or if I'm luck two glasses in practice but meh. Quite warm, going to have to take jacket off and hope I don't forget it. Menu virtually same as in Singapore and as in London, as you might expect.

Trod in something slimy in the unlighted wilderness of trees and scrubby grass alongside road outside hotel while crossing. Gave it a good old wipe and maybe it wasn't dog shit but paranoid imagination of smells. I just realised, the diet coke isn't bottomless - they charge you 100 instead of 90 for it and it's on a different line of the menu. Yay, confusing and exploitative. One consolation about the place being so empty is if my shoe does have shit on the smell is more private.

1934 It is shit, or I'm imaginging a slightly smell. FFS. Anyway, bill 649 including a 7% service charge which I think is different from the n other taxes applies. Will probably make it 700ish. Kudos, I was coughing during meal (obviously minor flare up of cold) and they brought me a glass of water.

2005 At Peddlers. It's miles away, I actually missed it and had to double back.

I wanted a draught kingfisher but have ended up with two bottles for the price of one. I suspect this will still be super pricey.

I ticked 'average' as quality on the feedback card at Nando's and a chap came over to query it. It's only cos the first bit I cut seemed slightly tough. I only filled it in so I could write diet coke should be offered bottomless. Oh, as in SGP I ate with knife and fork as felt too self-conscious with n staff stood around watching.

Slight churning in guts. Nose is bunged up. No fucking idea. I don't really feel ill, I just don't feel quite 100%.

2149 Fuck a doodle do. Four beers gives a bill of 735. 4 draught beers would have been under 400 I think and probably more beer (ie I wouldn't have had 4). Cuntarama. No wonder they 'accidentally' brought me bottles (and this is with a theoretical 2-for-1) instead of draught beer.

I suspect - fuck it, I am not tipping, they've suckled heavily at my teat as is - and not just because of this extortion, I may actually have burnt through too much cash to have enough to pay bill on checkout. But maybe not, there is a cash machine near hotel anyway. Fuck me. Not happy. Tuesday offer thing right here on table says draught beer mug is 79. I would have argued but I just assumed that at 2-for-1 then bottled beer would be at least reasonably priced. (I note also the bill made no mention of 2-for-1, and that the 2-for-1 ad on the table makes no mention of price.) Can't help wondering if this is tourist extortion on the sly but probably not. There is a raucous laddish group at adjacent table and bars in the UK love to shaft you on bottles of beer and the place seems a bit up its own arse. Serves me right for not asking how much the (330ml, none of your 6xxml bottles here) bottles of beer were - and they are a bunch of deceptive fuckers for not showing it on the ad/menu card on bar.

Live band on doing some English language covers and some probably non-English. ("And nothing else matters", Led Zeppelin I think, can't remember exact name, now.) Band are OK if not amazing and I have been reading 'Learning Python' instead of watching. Had some gut churning feelings but not really clear why. Raucous group is leaving. No matter, I am obviously not staying out super late, which is why I asked for bill, so if they are closing no biggie, and band is still playing.

2225 Back at hotel. Had shit before left bar - *not* on floor despite temptation ;-) - which was bit loose but OK. Guts churning a bit but nothing too disturbing on walk back. While - kudos to someone - I felt safe all the way, the streetlighting is not exactly great once a lot of the shops shut, on top of the already-mentioned problems with darkness at the block intersections. (Still, the block structure plus fact each is divided into quadrants A-D is good for navigation.) Not exactly sure what to make of gut symptoms. Sigh.