January 2007

January 28, 2007 Sunday

I am back in Chennai, just for a week, to present a paper at MSSRF in a workshop organised by the International Student Young Pugwash organisation on Food Insecurity. My paper is tomorrow. Arrived this morning via Dubai and have met up with a young mexican PhD student and we have been out and about as far as jetlag will allow

	They are building oil drum rafts in the tank of the Kapaleeswara Temple. why I don't know, so I hope they are finished before I leave
	Overview of the raft building. We were invited in to watch, but I think they just wanted to cadge cigarettes off Pablo
	Lovely little shrine Mylapore. Everyone was out pumping water in the afternoon. The climate is lovely this time of year. Noticeably more tourists around than I ever saw last year.

Jan 29, 2007, Monday

First full day of the International Student Young Pugwash conference. About 50 attendees from UK, India, China, Australia, Netherlands, South Africa and some others, plus a lot of young Indian students. I had to give my paper in the afternoon and it was very well received. It is good to be on early as you can relax and just enjoy the rest. Took an auto to Adyar to collect the tailoring from Gayman, four shirts, two pairs of trousers and 10 blouses! i shall be weighed down at checkout.

	Flowers in a bowl to welcome us to MSSRF. We have just had one of these bowls delivered to Southampton, awaiting collection when I get back.
	My tailors! Father and son at Gayman. The father is not looking so well and was much quieter than last year. Hope he is well.
	Juan Pablo modelling a Gayman carrier bag. he is not sure he should be carrying it around Edinburgh when he gets back.
	Proof that I'm here, in name and false title, if not in the flesh. We have two more days of the conference and then a site visit to the information and bio villages in Pondicherry on Wednesday and Thursday.

Photographs taken in Pondicherry on Feb 1, 2007, but no further narrative, I didn't have time

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