Day 224 : Bangkok to Kolkata

 

• Arrived in Kolkata (small airport). I wasn’t quite sure who would be on the flight – a few westerners, Thai, a couple of groups of Buddhist monks and lots of Indians carrying new flatscreen TVs.
• Caught an Ambassador taxi (based on a Morris Oxford). Had to stop myself laughing at the hilarity of the journey. Surprised that we didn’t crash although we were going quite slowly so not overly worried. Kolkata is supposed to have the worst traffic in India so maybe it’s only going to get better!
• Everyone beeps there horns incessantly – it does your head in.
• On the way from the airport we saw lovely cows sitting on the pavement, men pulling rickshaws, bike rickshaws, 100-year old trams blocked by traffic, men washing on the pavement, a huge pile of rubbish/vegetables with a herd of gorgeous boar-like pigs and a couple of people rooting through it, dogs in OK condition, more cows – look quite well fed, rubble, more honking.
• Checked into the Hotel Oriental – a bit grimy and oddly mixed amongst residential apartments. The lobby is downstairs and then connects to the hotel rooms, 4 floors up, via an old-style lift which is quite fun. No other westerners staying here. Room reasonably clean and large enough. There’s a (broken) TV, hot shower and a western toilet so can’t really complain for £7 a night (cheap for the city).
• Had a walk around Sudder St (the main traveller area – not that are many westerners), walked to Chowringhee rd, saw a big herd of goats overflowing into an otherwise normal-looking street.
• Women wearing so many beautiful colours and patterns.
• Had our first north Indian curry at a little cafe on Sudder St.
• Using the steri-pen now, but only for teeth-cleaning water. We still have to buy drinking water but it’s cheap (20p for 2 litres).