As with most Australians, I love international sporting events, like the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games. I don’t love them because Australia compete brilliantly – although I do feel proud of our sporting champions – I love them because it is such an amazing thing to watch people reach the top of their game in their chosen field. Every single person competing has already achieved something phenomenal just by winning the right to be there and I admire them tremendously for all they have given up and the single mindedness they need to get to the top of their sport. A person achieving the best in any field is something I will always admire.

I also love seeing countries and cultures coming together to compete in harmony, celebrating the best of the human spirit, and only wish it could exist all the time, beyond sport. As most people acknowledge, sport should never be about politics or war – it should be about admiring people being the best they can be – where ever in the world they come from. It’s an equalizer. It’s a celebration of life. It’s fantastic. I love it.

As anyone paying attention knows, the New Delhi Commonwealth Games have been a shemozzle. I think it’s awesome they won the right to hold the games, but it’s hardly any surprise they have fucked it up so badly. It is SO corrupt in India (and the region) and the little people are the ones who get hurt in the midst of such wide scale corruption, but that’s life in these parts and corruption exists practically everywhere around the world – sometimes it’s just corruption in a different guise.

The standards in India are also very different to many parts of the world, so I’m not surprised that things like the toilets in the Athletes Village have been greeted with virtual “outrage” by many. Mate, if some of those folks shat where I’ve had to shit in India, I would understand the outrage. The toilets in the Village look amazing by comparison.

But I sincerely hope the games are a tremendous success for India and I know that my Indian friends would love to be proud of their country. Fingers crossed there are no disease outbreaks, no terrorist attacks, and no walkways collapsing with thousands of fans on them … I just hope this is fantastic for India and that nothing happens to put India in a bad light, because it is truly a remarkable country. It is still my favourite country on the planet without question. There really is nowhere like India.

So here goes. It was a great start last night and I vow not a single Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi will come out of my house. We’re far too sophisticated for that and the Pom in residence just wouldn’t stand for it.

Yours, without the bollocks
Andrea

PS: anyone capture any Prince Charles’ gaffs last night? I’m sure there were some!