Commandant's Introduction

10th June 2013 - the first day of the 69th Course and the first event is the Commandant's Introduction.  India is the 4th most populous country in the world and probably only in India could you witness the sight of 450 Indian Army Majors (with the odd Navy and Air Force Officer thrown in) trying to identify their seat from a single piece of paper pinned to a noticeboard.  Glad I bulled my shoes - because they didn't get stood on - much!!!

So while it was a scrum for us to get into the auditorium - at least the Commandant arrived in style - flanked by mounted troopers.

Whistle and Flute

Bespoke Suit from Royal Tailors, Upper Coonor

DSSC Watermanship Centre

 The monsoon seemed to arrive when we embarked on a couple of rattly old army buses for the 90 minute drive to the DSSC Watermanship Centre at Pykhara Lake north of Ooty.  Despite the weather it was interesting to visit the centre which has a fleet of Enterprise dinghies and holds several regattas during the year.  I suspect that I will be dusting off my RYA racing rulebook and trying to give the Indian Navy a hard time on the water.

The trip led to whiplash injuries from being thrown around the bus as we careered around the twists and turns of the roads in the Nilgiris and I spent the rest of the day lying on my back trying to ease the pain in my lower back!

Our Garden

Awesome Mark's Birthday

Major Mark Suddaby, Royal Regiment of Scotland or Awesome Army Mark as only he calls himself celebrated his birthday with us on Sunday 2 June.  A birthday party was hastily arranged at the Belle Vie in upper Coonor and some rather random presents found.

Mark can be seen in the photograph sporting local dress known as a lungi (?!) in some sort of tartan, complete with a very synthetic Chennai Super Kings Cricket Team shirt and an Aussie beer can cooler.

And if to underline his awesomeness, surrounded by quite a lot of Air Force personnel he blamed the twisty turny drive back to Gorkha Hill Quarters for the reason why he chundered all over the pavement outside his house - lightweight army guy!!