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I said goodbye to Pawan, I decided for all the meals and hospitality I would put 1000 rupees in a card with a small note to treat himself and his wife. Turned out to be a good decision, at the time I didn't know but it was his 40th birthday and his wife was nagging him to go out for a meal or an overnight stay. So I was very glad I left the gift.
I felt bad booking two tickets on the jeep to Siliguri but it was needed. I was considerably more comfortable than the last journey. The guy beside me chatted about football until he nodded off intermittently, each time I laughed as his head rolled around from shoulder to shoulder as the jeep bounced over huge potholes. Upon arrival in Siliguri I did a bit of shopping in a backstreet market, the type with no other tourists. I bought some Darjeeling tea which I will take home to try. Supposedly the best tea in the world! We shall see.
At the station I talked to a very clever teacher about the economics of India and the world. About the wastage in British culture and the ingenuity of the Indian people. It was extremely random but he had quite an interest in my views so I was quite happy to rant! It still amazes me how social people are here, how willing to talk to strangers and their unashamed attempts to embrace other cultures.
My train came and was only slightly late, my section of the train was filled with 7 portly ladies, all in traditional dress who smiled and welcomed me on board. There was an hilarious moment when we pulled away; along the tracks at the stations are always these pipes the have water running through, they are often leaking and spraying the filthy tracks below creating a haven for rats and germs! Well one must have been broken in such a way that when we passed it sprayed right through the open train windows! We were all soaked, right in the face. Two of the woman bore the brunt of it and were literally drenched. They took it in good spirits so I can only imagine it's cleanish water and not 'waste'.
The next morning came as I pulled in to Kolkata, a young guy called Manish helped me disembark and showed me the taxi rank. Thank you so much for your time and help I said, "no problem, you are a guest in my country, if I come to England I hope I would get same help". Absolutely zero chance, he would be lambasted for lack of fluent English, snarled at by busy commuters who sit playing candy crush and ignored by the majority! It got me thinking what exactly has happened to society, how do we have no time for each other? Are we all so ultra competitive we refuse to aid anybody else in fear of hindering ourselves? I imagine it's a concoction of things, but the result is very sad.
The contemplation soon turned to anger as there was a taxi strike in Kolkata. The station was a hive of unofficial opportunists looking to make a quick buck! I sat in the back of a shared cab awaiting for other passengers, I got pissed about for 40 minutes until I reached breaking point. Another guy offered me a private lift with immediate departure for 400 rupees, I dragged my heavy bags over to his car, loaded them up and he then decides to change the price to 500! Agitated to breaking point I flipped my lid, "you absolute f***ing twat, your wasting my time you f***ing scammer" - I was just about in mid flow when I turned around to find 3 broadcasting cameras stuck in my face, along with reporters. "Where are you from sir? Can you tell us about the problems you are having today die to the taxi strike", damn right I can. I gave them a right earful about the t*** who just messed me about even referencing and pointing him out, he soon disappeared into the growing crowed! So yeah, I was on local kolkata news, not only that but it was live and I definitely threw a few expletives in there. Soon after I got an auto rickshaw for 400 rupees.
I arrived at the airport with time to kill, caught up on a few messages with the free wifi and then checked in. I don't really remember much after that, it involved a VIP lounge and 8 pints. I have no idea how I managed to get my flight from Kolkata to Mumbai, but I did. I can only presume I slept through my preordered meal.
I sobered up by the next stage of my flight, Mumbai to Goa. It was only an hour and before I knew it I had landed. It was midnight by this point and I had to pay an extortionate £12 for a taxi, there was no other way! The journey took 1.5 hours and I was really looking forward to my time in Goa, I hoped it would live up to my expectation. But either way I was happy to have left the mountains and looking forward to the next adventure.
- comments
mat Cool cuz interesting reading
Diana blagg Absolutely fantastic blog about your travels when it's it going to print it's fantastic what an amazing experience and adventure good luck be safe! X your mummy is my manager at pdsa I'm a volunteer!