So I'm in Chaudi to get adverts for the Cafe laminated, so I can then put them up on lamp posts all over town. In the typical fashion of India, the electricity is out so I"m having a quick go online. I've got the worst keyboard in the world, the keys are all sticky so I'm thumping the keyboard. If the power doesn't come back on soon I should really go and find Shebange and Tulse and help them with the "marketing." It's the big marketing today when we get the big sacks of veg and everything else not on sale at the normal week-day market.

The restaurant has done quite well over the past few days, we've had quite a steady trade, and some repeat customers who're bringing friends with them - which is really heartening for us. I sold my first fish platter yesterday for 900 Rupees, 6 tandooried Tiger Prawns, certainly the biggest prawns I've ever seen. Prakash, who can't pronounce my name and calls me 'Prawn', went about delightedly chuckling about Prawn selling all the prawns.

There's still a host of things we need to get right at the restaurant; proper menu's, make-over the toilets, tablecloth clips etc etc. Last night's service went well though, our little team really pulled together and there was much less fraughtness as the system for tickets seems to have been drummed in by Matt. We still can't stop tickets being duplicated though, there's a real stubbornness that all tickets have to be written out again in best handwriting.

I'm rather tired today; it's the hottest part of the day and I'm in dusty Chaudy in a dark cave of an internet cafe - I could really do with a nap. Our Parachute Palace is surrounded by mystery noises at night, I'm sure it's Baloo the Alsatian doing his rounds and nothing sinister! Keeps me awake though. As the Palace is right next to the yoga centre we get an early morning wake up call when Mahesh, who gets up at 4am, arrives and puts on his panpipe music. It's a far cry to waking up to the busses rumbling through Surrey Quays.

Still no power so I'd better do my bit with the marketing...

xxx