My First Solo Trip to India

Sorry to hear you are ill. It is what happend to me once when in Kolkata. If it gets very serious, I can therefore recommend the Mission of Mercy hospital in Park Street. I got very good treatment there. But, fingers crossed, I hope it will not come to that for you. Lets hope you are better soon! All the best!

Definitely. Everybody well warns/advises against the perils of fruit whose skin has been compromised or dodgy ...... but there seems to be a lot less or little warning against the perils of street / open air juicers/ juice stalls - where flies & juice residue are a constant threat for stomach viruses/bugs. Same, same. Stay far away from these juice joints! Pudin Hara for minor stomach upsets & Delhi Belli too - available at any chemist for a song (or burp!).

Amazing and outstanding narratives. It's not just the observations, but the attitude that seeps through these lines that stands out. Hope he gets well soon.

Adiyogi

The Broadway hotel is a huge difference from the Fairlawn. I went from the softest bed to the hardest. I stacked two mattresses in hopes of making it softer, nope.*

The Fairlawn smallish room to the Broadways huge room. I opted for the family room because of the balcony. I hope I don't displace some family.

Plus I have a neighbor that likes his cricket, likes it loud and likes it all night. The manager had to come up at 0:45 and cut the electric off to his set. They cleverly have a switch in the hallway just for that.

An hour later he woke to turn the switch and the TV back on. I confronted him and he finally went to bed. Not without an argument.*

I made it through the night without a single trip to the toilet. Plus I woke hungry not have eaten for a full day. Very hungry.*

I went from running hot water to call us, we will run a hot bucket up. And it was HOT. It's been a long time since I've had what we called a "sink bath".*

My feet were absolutely black!

Too bad I had to write off yesterday. I wanted to go to St Johns and ride the famous Kolkata tram. I can still do that today if my body behaves.*

After a wash up I'm down in the Broadway Hotel Restaurant. Toast, butter and jam and a Coca Cola.*

The restaurant is the color of nicotine stained walls. Not a decorators first choice. I'm the only patron at 08:30. I guess I missed the breakfast rush.*

I'm sitting patiently waiting for Sam Spade to walk in with a blond bombshell on his arm. *The room reeks of the 1930s, 1940s, complete with the slow turning ceiling fans.*

All it needs is a jukebox or piano player. Definitely a piano player.

It rained during the night and is overcast, adding to the gloomy tone of the Broadway. Perfect, just as I imagined it.

I go up to pay for my breakfast. The cashiers prints out the bill on his ancient dot matrix printer coupled to his equally ancient computer. I hand him my cash. But wait, the transaction can't be finalized until he fumbles about, finds and stamps the bill "PAID".*

glad you are up and about again drew. move on and be wary but not scared. keep up the good work.zamba

In India, it's rather known as the bucket shower. With a cold shower, of course the first steps can be omitted. Maybe you have the hang of this already, but the words "sink bath" would suggest differently:

With a hot shower, you ought to have a second bucket in your bathroom. Mix cold with hot water in the two until it's the right temperature for you. There ought to be a smaller jug there. In standing, or there may be a low stool provided so it can also be done in sitting, pour the water onto yourself with the jug. Soap up, rinse off using the same process. One has to aim at not running out of hot water before you're done, of course. The two more-or-less full buckets you should have now should do the job, though, including a swift shampooing, arguably no endlessly fussing around with it.

It takes some getting the hang of, but is actually nice and refreshing I find. Great way to save on water, too. I've had it that you'd need to fill up your bucket by the central courtyard well, so you'd really need to make that one bucketful do it, lest you were to walk out there again buck naked & all soaped-up for a refill. This, too, can be learned *

Hope the tummy continues to stabilize. Have more fun!

* On another occasion, water being indeed scarce in that place at the time btw, the lady of the house informs me there'll be hot water ready for my bath/bucket shower in the evening. So later on and my homestay already asleep, I find something like a woodstove there alright that still feels warm, but no pot of hot water or so on or anywhere near to it. Oh well, she must have just forgotten, I think.

Turns out the next day of course that stove rather has a container where the water is heated inside of it One simply lifts up the lid (where I would have expected the wood or coals to be) and scoops out the hot water into one's bucket

The Broadway Hotel is a world apart from Sudder Street too. Step outside and walk the streets, hardly a rickshaw, not one beggar. The magnet of cash rich foreign tourists isn't to be found on Ganesh Chandra Avenue.

Life is lived in the streets of India. Men and women are washing themselves at the local water tap.*

Men are busy in the streets and sidewalks making a living. A one meter wide spot on the sidewalk houses a watch shop and watch repair business.*

Further down the road lay stalls selling omellettes , chai, sweets, all forms of food. It looks and smells so tempting, but after one day out of sorts, no thanks.*

I envy the locals their immunity system. They can go from stall to stall gorging themselves on the many treats to be found.*

It took some finding but I did locate a barber and did get a shave. I've been two days without. 30 rupees well spent.

The front desk apologized for last nights disturbance. They promised it won't happen tonight.*

You can count on it. I know where the *switch is.*

Bring or buy a small padlock. Many of the hotel room wardrobes have hasps allowing you to secure your gear when you go out. Get a smaller lock as some hasps are on the small side.*

I swear, if an Indian drivers car horn failed he would have to park it immediately and tow the car in for repairs. There is just no way a car can be driven without a horn.*

Late last night there was just one car on the road. He still had to honk his horn.*

I gave my clothes to the dhobi walla for washing. He came back a few minutes later and handed me my passport. I left it in my shirt pocket.
Disaster averted, the man received a healthy tip.

As I was checking in, a poor American lady was refused admission to the Broadway. She had somehow lost her passport. Ugh, I can only imagine the pain and hassle that will create.*

She was fortunate to have taken a picture of it and her visa. That should be of some help. Still, I'd rather not go down that path.

Last night I ordered room service. They send a man up 5 flights to take my order. Then he returns down 5 flights to hand in the order.*

Then he comes up with my order. Then he goes down with my dirty dishes.

Then he comes up with the bill. Now he goes back down with my money.*

Then he comes up with my change. Now he goes down with his tip in hand.

He probably buys a cold beer. He deserves it after all that.

Drews60: Good to see you up and walking around ... and getting the shaves again! BTW: I lived 17 years (1948-65) pretty near where you are now staying (GC Ave). My school, St Joseph's Bowbazar, is probably less than 1KM from Broadway Hotel. If you go North on Chittaranjan Ave and turn right on Bowbazar St. you will pass the Loreto Girl's School and reach the Church. The Boy's School is behind the Church and was (is?) run by Irish Christian Brothers.

Google Map shows a shorter 500M route through the gallis (side streets) like this: http://g.co/maps/8vz9p
.
.

It's a small world isn't it. Thanks for telling me about your nearby school. I wish I had time to visit.

Drew

Good to hear that you are on the mend. Whatever you do don't miss a tram ride. It's just wonderful. Go in the front car - first class - it costs half a rupee extra and the fans might be working.

Cheers

Dave

This made me laugh! So glad you are having such a good time, and happy that you are feeling better! Your posts are great, thanks for sharing your trip with us!

A man walks down the street balancing a sheet of plywood on his head.

The elevator operator at the Broadway has been doing this job for 36 years.

Over half way into my trip and still no mosquitos. *Works for me!

Have you ever seen so many crows! I think Kolkata holds the record when it comes to crows.

Each driver seems to have a signature toot. Some drivers just lay on it until the horn dies. Another is a quick honk honk honk. Then there is the two quick honks followed by a long blast. As if to say I warned you and you still didn't move! It's really rather interesting.*

It must be approaching dinner time. The air smells of burning charcoal.*

The laundry man promises me my laundry will arrive by 9. We just are not sure if that's PM, tonight or AM hopefully prior to my checking out.

English isn't the Broadway's strong suit except at the front desk.*

They probably wonder why I don't speak Bengali or Hindi.

It's sunset and the haunting call to prayer begins.*

Broadway beds are hard as rocks. I stacked two mattresses yesterday and woke up with a backache.

Tonight I stacked two mattresses then laid down two blankets and then the sheets.*

This is why you have to book a *three bed family room. You get enough bedding to make one semi comfortable bed.*

If I roll around a lot I should be able to prevent pressure sores.*

How can such a plump person have such a boney butt?

You may well ask why I didn't stack all three mattresses up. That just reminded me of Carol Burnett and the Princess and the Pea. I couldn't do it.*

My laundry arrived, washed, ironed and neatly folded, 65 rupees. I could get used to this!

India cable TV is just like ours in America. Reruns.

The added blankets seemed to add just enough padding for a passable night. Still neighbors TVs on until 4 in the morning and people talking, arguing in the hallway. When you are tired you just roll over and go back to sleep.*

Today is the 17th and it is moving day. I'm catching the Howrah to New Delhi Duronto. The Duronto is a nonstop train, in theory anyway. It makes 4 stops to switch engines. At least that's what I think they do.*

It's another overnight run, meals included. I'm prepared. Remember the utensils I bought. Bring that chicken leg on!

I have a bit of a layover before heading out to Agra. I've heard many mixed reviews of Agra. It does have the Taj Mahal. I wouldn't like to leave India without seeing the Taj. I guess I'll have to tolerate all that comes with it.*

Let's hope they have wifi. If not, now would be a good time to buy AT&T stock, before my bills arrive and the stock takes off.*









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Just went through the whole thread, damn....I wish I was jumping on the train with you today Drew, you're after bringing back a lot of memories and travel urges with your posts.

Wonderful thread, Drews60. Great style, great humour, great read; spent the last hour(?) here. It kept getting better and better.

Hi Drews

Glad to see you are better

Just over a week now to Delhi

Look forward to a bit of that lamb you mentioned?

Paul