I just had my 4th shower in 12 days. I realized this as I stood under the
pin-point spray of a head gravity fed from a black tank on the roof. I was on overnight transport three of
those nights, but that leaves 5 of them when the conditions were not right,
more if you consider the days when I’d have had two had I been home. Firstly, you shower in the room with
the toilet in it. (I designed a
house like this once but I took so much shit from the contractor and architect
that I had to abandon it!) But
these are people’s toilets that they are going to use again immediately after
you finish. And sometimes the
water is just too cold, or you’re afraid you’ll electrocute yourself with 220
v. water heater on the wall you have to switch on with a scary big spark while
standing in bare feet on a wet marble floor. So the washcloth is your friend. Two would allow for some division of labor. I’ll try to get another one. until then I’ll wash it a lot!
This is Kolkata’s Sudder Street district, home to
backpackers around the world. It’s
the shear number of guest houses in the area keeps the prices down. Outside of this little enclave rates
are at least twice, more likely three times. What you hear, you bloody rich Westerner, is that we no
longer have any singles, nor any rooms without AC. But here in Sudder Street I am staying in a double (2 twins
beds) with a private bathroom for 290 Rs, about $7.50. I hope to share it with Ann, from South
Africa, starting tomorrow night, which will halve my rent. (Don’t ask me what I paid last
night; I won’t admit to it. Suffice to say I saw enough snippets of
Bollywood films and incomprehensible reports of the cricket match in Ahmedabad
to last a lifetime! I know you’re
dying to know: South African is
killing the Indian team.)
More about prices.
You can’t go wrong food wise here.
Malay on the plan told that the same food is ten times the price in the
good restaurant as on the street, and it may be the very same cook. But you can get a full meal in a sit-down
restaurant for about 100 Rs, about $2.50.
Just a few hours ago, for lunch, I had an egg curry, rice and a huge
mixed raita for 58 Rs. Jeera rice, with the cumin seeds, etc.,
would have been maybe 10 Rs more, but I’ve got to stop eating so much rice and
I thought the plain stuff would likely put me off of it. I do need practice with the puris and
the parathas, but eating with your hands makes it hard to turn the pages of you
book. I need a dinner companion!
Last night I had a bowl of noodles with vegetables for 13
Rs, which was a new record. Then
at lunch today a dosa, dahl and two sauces, 10 Rs. Sooooo, lunch for 25¢, my new record. I had too eat standing up, but it was
damn good. AND--sound of knocking
on wood--no lower GI problems yet.
It’s
Monday, April 7th, and Waldo is still in Kolkata, India.
