Wow, think I was gobsmacked for the entire taxi ride!! We have arrived in Calcutta after much trepidation and slight concerns that we would want to get the hell out after a few minutes! Thankfully its much more interesting that it is auful, so I think we will have a wee while longer before we escape Westwards to probably what will turn out to be another hectic place. Oh and there is some sort of issue with the trains i.e they arent running at all...!! Welcome to India
The smells and sights are of things I have never seen before, and the odd one, which I had vowed never to smell/see again... Memories of china are recalled. Oh and the first family or Roaches, and I mean extended family, great aunties and uncles babies the lot. Fortunatley that was on the street nearish to the park, not anywhere near our hotel - which has turned out to be not bad at all, and very friendly owner. However have to admit, I do feel a little invisible here, all the men talk to Matt as if I am not there!! Really strange, not going to complain if it means he always gets the bill though!! hee hee
The taxi ride from the airport was a great introduction to what i guess we will see more and more of over the coming weeks - cows literally wandering the streets, silently mooching by the side of the road, munching on I hate to say it- plastic amongst the scrubs of grass... Crazy, I mean CRazy driving, (lots of squeezy eyes closed moments)ladies sitting sideways on motorbikes (i guess spread eagle legs arent exactly ladylike in a sari!)and huge mounds of rubbish at the sides of the road. The roads themselves seemes mostly not too bad, though at the side they just merge into dirt (and rubbish). more in the centre of town was really and eye opener, so many people!! (none of whom seem at all phased by the traffic) There are tonnes of yellow taxis, all really old fashioned vehicles, look a bit like VW beatles, but maybe from the former soviet bloc! Lots of cycle rickshaws and the strangest sight of all - human pulled rickshaws!! I really dont think I could bring myself to get one, seems rather inhumane although the guidebooks say this is the only way some people can earn money, so I dont know, maybe its a better alternative to begging.
So once we cooled down in the air co after the taxi ride we dragged oursleves out of the hotel and into the streets, and promptly found ourselves in what is maybe the equivalent of harrods tea rooms. hee hee. naughty but nice, proper cup of tea for the first time in ages and a nice sit down to prepare ourselves!! Had a nice walk through to the victoria monumnent just as the sun was setting - very impressive sight,and through the park on the way there are tonnes of people, i guess relaxing after work, playing cricket or football or setting up for a BBQ of sorts. Dying to take some pics, but Matt is (possibly rightly) paranoid of someone getting a squizz at a shiny looking camera and deciding we have a gift for them! haa haa, think we will take our photo taking ques from other tourists for the time being.
We also found a fabulous book shop, where the owner (a lady) was really nice and had lots to tell us from what books to read to where to eat and things to do in Calcutta. Unfortunatley the 3 places she recommendd to eat had ALL closed just 2 days ago due to supplier issued- gutted!)
Well we have had our proper curry (Thank you Lonely Planet) and very nice it was too, and following the trip we had around town and the journey here, we are exhausted so off to bed it is (possibly in the company of some ear plugs to drown out the beep beeps) to await what delights the morning has to offer.
