Corps diplomatique

This is one diplomat who's perfectly comfortable in the city. Australian High Commissioner Robert Stephen Laurie feels that his arrival i...

This is one diplomat who8217;s perfectly comfortable in the city. Australian High Commissioner Robert Stephen Laurie feels that his arrival in the Capital in October 1997 was more like a homecoming. 8220;We were in Delhi from 1969 to 1971, soon after my marriage,8221; says Laurie who was then here as Deputy High Commissioner. 8220;Our first daughter was born here, and we have some very fond memories.8221;

Sure, the city has changed considerably over these 28 years. 8220;The best part is that the lungs of Delhi 8212; like the Ridge 8212; have been well preserved,8221; says Laurie. But on the whole, the couple had no problems settling down, as it was just a matter of picking up the old threads. 8220;Unfortunately, some of our old friends have passed away,8221; sighs the 62-year-old diplomat, 8220;But there were not too many surprises in store.8221; Even wife Diana adjusted easily and as President of the Delhi Commonwealth Wives8217; Association she has enough to keep her occupied. Both their children 8212; Galina 28, who is doing her Phd, and Andrew 25 who works with an Australian airlinesare based in Sydney and both enjoy their trips down here.

Laurie himself has settled down pretty well at work. After all, this career diplomat with over 40 years of experience believes he can adjust anywhere. 8220;The only thing you won8217;t find in other parts of the world is the kaleidoscope of Indian politics,8221; he insists, having lived almost everywhere, from Canada and Poland to New Zealand and Burma, 8220;It8217;s quite difficult to keep track of all the regional parties.8221;

8220;Delhi has its own unique character,8221; feels this diplomat who8217;s travelled from Calcutta to Konark and Mumbai to Mussoorie. But he admits he is not immune to its problemstraffic, pollution, water scarcity. 8220;The statistics are so appalling,8221; he shakes his head, 8220;It8217;s about time people sat up and tried to correct the wrongs.8221;

Laurie, who is from Sydney, finds it hard to spare time for all his interests. So be it an occasional game of golf or a do-or-die game of cricket, he is part of the action. 8220;I8217;m a fanatical cric-keter,8221; declares the undefeated8217; captain of the High Commission team, recalling how he covered Austra-lia8217;s one-day series in India last year, for the Australian Bro-adcasting Corporation. 8220;One of my best experiences here was witnessing Kumble8217;s performance at Ferozeshah Kotla,8221; he adds. Laurie is also a keen gardener and while he doesn8217;t get time to work on the gardens himself, he8217;s gearing up his gardeners for local flower shows. 8220;Delhi is going to have some strong Australian competition soon,8221; he laughs.

While he8217;s enjoying his stay here, Laurie admits that there are times when he misses Canberra, where his home is now based. 8220;The children, my garden, surfing in the ocean 8212; all these are the things that make me feel there8217;s no place like home,8221; he sighs. But Laurie believes in making the most of where he is. 8220;This is such a complex country with so much beauty,8221; he says. 8220;Wherever I go, I will carry these images with me8221;.