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Riverboats take us sailing down the Ganges for 7 hours to reach our camping spot. The 'kitchen boat' cooked us dinner which we had on the water with the boats tied together. The camping itself was on an out of the way sandbank. Pancham, our tour leader revealed here his passion for 'Santa-Banta' jokes. These jokes are much like English 'Irish' jokes but the butt of the joke is the Sikh (for the interest of clarity the ethnic group with the turban on their head). I found them exceptionally funny... not for the content but rather:
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The absolutely appalling delivery of the joke who missed out very key parts.
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The fact that they were so unfunny it was funny.
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The fact that it was being told by another 'ethnic minority' (in my eyes in my country - not in India of course!)
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The absolute joy in Panchams face telling the joke even though I could never even figure out when the punch line was!
I recall being in stitches, tears rolling down my eyes on this deserted sand island with Pancham thinking I was laughing at the content of his jokes but actually I was laughing at everything else but that. I event got him to tell my travelling companions the jokes as it was so funny to see their expressionless face after the alleged punchline was delivered and Panchams hopeful gaze. They didn't even know when to start 'courtesy laughing'!
The camping itself was freezzzzzzzzing and I was sleeping on some rubber mat with every item of clothing I packed on. I stray dog some of the other travellers were feeding earlier in the evening howled all night in front of my tent :/
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