During our trip, Aggie and I often discussed the pros and cons of arranged marriage. Just think - no awkward first kisses, no blind dates...easy, right? After all, it's no different from being set up by your friends, only it's your parents who are playing Cupid. In India, arranged marriages are still quite common. And without all the delusions of romance, parents base their decisions on income, character and of course, family. As our guide said, if you buy a cow, you've got to look at its lineage. The question is, would you trust your parents?

If it were up to my dad, I'd be married with kids by now. Everyday he drops some kind of hint - "Pretty soon your mother will be too old to hold her grandkids" or "Your eggs are going to go bad" - about as subtle as a bowling ball. There are six of us on his side of the family who are still unmarried, and my dad and my aunt are getting a bit desparate. There's a great Chinese metaphor - my neck's getting long - to show how much you're looking forward to something. Well, my dad and aunt must be giraffes by now. Sometimes I wonder if I should just let them choose a nice Chinese boy for me and get it over with. At least then I'l have some peace!