Hard trip. Two nights in a 3-tier 2nd class car. Whenever the 2nd of the 3 bunks on either side was dropped down to be used, there was nowhere to sit upright, either up in my own bunk or down below on the lower. Hot, crowded. At every station, it was a mail train and there were lots of stops, beggars and hawkers would come on board, even little boys and cripples would crawl around and clean the floor, and then come begging tips. Two nights. Left Madras at 1030 in the evening of the 6th, traveled all through the 7th, and arrived at Howrah Station around 6AM on the 8th.
First thing on Tuesday I got up and had tea, read the paper, and went swimming down in the pool. Pair of brahmin men were getting swimming lessons. Around 9 I went in to the rail station and had my ticket for Bhubaneswar changed to Howrah. I'm feeling the urge to get along, and didn't want to spend the time in Puri and Konarak.
Checked out of the hotel around 2 o'clock, and moved my luggage to the rail station. Explored Moore Market and sold some books. Sat in the 2nd class waiting hall and read magazines, trying to while away the 8 hours to train time. Met an American guy in the restaurant. Said he's spent 7 years bumming around outside of the U.S., working and studying.
Arrived at Howrah filthy and with a cold, which I'm pretty sure I caught from the British girl on the bus tour. Taxi had a real hard time finding my hotel, the Metropol, which is located on a real funky alley right downtown, and is pretty much of a genuine dump. Have to watch myself very carefully here.
Had a succesful day running errands. Got my ticket to Varanasi, very quickly, and got some more traveler's checks from American Express, and located the Burma Consulate, although I was too late for visa time.
Got caught in a real monster downpour this afternoon on my way back to the hotel - monsoon. Was edging my way through a crowd of newspaper boys who were blocking the sidewalk, and knocked a load of newspapers into 6 inches of water. Lots of shouting: "sahib, sahib", but I kept right on going, convinced it was either that or be charged 100+ rupees for 15 wet newspapers. I don't know, maybe I was wrong, but in Turkey I would have paid a lot for those newspapers.
|
Calcutta is a tough town. Noisy, full of life and energy, decaying, dirty and very poor. Second day there, Friday was another business day. Very frustrating. Spent a good part of the day looking for the Government Tourist Office, which was inexplicably difficult to find. Got just about nothing 'done' really except that, and it wasn't so useful. Collected my Burma visa, which will only be valid for a 7-day visit. Had dinner at a funky but good restaurant on Chowringhee near the Esplanade, Ajanta, and explored a market area there afterwards and got a haircut while doing it.
 |
At night the Metropol Hotel is converted into a bar with live western music, which lasts until midnight. I think that the hotel is just a scam to get a liquor license and operate that bar. I was down to watch the band tune up, eating dinner, the first night I was here - Indians playing a (it seems) very western game, even down to a girl singer with very loud mannerisms, in a saree. A rat visited my room Friday night while I was reading. Dirty hotel.
 |
 |
Saturday was departure night. Sold all of my extra books near Hogg Market and exposed a test role of film for my camera. I suspect it may be acting up. It's taking a certain amount of abuse on this trip.
Checked out at noon, leaving my heavy luggage there for when I come back, and moved over to the first class waiting room at Howrah, where I dallied 'til train time, 2000 hours.
Got a compartment with a short-haired and trim young Californian named Mike, along with two other Indians. Mike and I talked, and when we got to Varanasi this morning, agreed to meet for dinner tonight. I got grabbed by a man at the station and checked into his hotel, the Empire, 35 rupees/night; but have since found a cheaper place, which I will move to tomorrow.
Map - Calcutta to Varanasi (Benares)
Took a walk down to the river after checking in, and picked up a guide. I'm always being approached by people who want to "guide" me, and I got angry. Did I ask for a guide? Why are you bothering me? But this guy was older, lean and alive and pretty intelligent, so I drifted along with him. He took me to the burning ghats, and I saw bodies wrapped in plastic, feet and head sticking out of stacks of burning logs, and one body laying off to the side, waiting its turn. He also promised to take me tomorrow morning to meet a quality palm reader. I snuck away without being asked to pay him anything, which I almost didn't believe. He is the one who advised me to go for a cheaper hotel.
 |
| Next page... |
