Traveling

HOLY SHIT!

Please excuse my language, but it's all I could help thinking driving into Calcutta (Kolkata since 2001).
So the airline lost my luggage. Yup, that's right ladies and gents, Calcutta- No Luggage. Nothing.
There were 3 Westerners and 20 Indians that didn't have it, so there was apparently a good chance that we would get it back. It was either in Bhutan or Bangkok. Either way, it was not in Calcutta.
So we had a paper filled out by one guy, had another guy stamp it, another guy sign it.. and then we were allowed to leave.
Got a taxi- they are these cute little bubble like yellow taxis- millions of them- everywhere.
It took about 1.5 hrs to get to our hostel street- along the way we saw the holy cows, the psycho motor bike and taxi drivers (everyone has to be psycho to drive here). They slam on the brakes JUST before hitting the car in front of them.. but they do this every single time!
There were homes that were just walls with tarp over them and whole families sitting outisde, where outside was actually just a huge garbage dump.. Actually most of Calcutta is a huge garbage dump. I really thought I was going to be ok after China- some of the Chinese big cities are quite dirty- but there is absolutely positivley NO COMPARISON!
Got to the hostel, took a dorm room bed (I had no luggage so I put my water bottle on it to save it) and headed out with Sara from Sweden to explore for a bit. Saw a cricket match. Got a little over loaded by all the honking and craziness and people and decided to go back to the hotel- took a nap (much needed- it's quite draining to worry about getting your luggage in INDIA) and then went out to shop. I got my first punjabi- which is the long shirt type thing with pants and a scarf - compared to a sari which is a long piece of material you wrap around your body a bunch of times- It's nice and long and came with a cute white scarf. I was thiknign about a saree- they are so beautiful but I am not sure I could have something just draped around me stay on. I think I may stick with the pant suits.
So Caitlin and Sara came in around 8pm and I told them the bad news. we were supposed to leave for Darjeeling the following day but I had to (hopefully) get my bag, so it would have to wait a bit longer than we wanted. We actually didn't want to spend ANY time in Calcutta but..
So the next day I slept in ;) and we went for breakfast. After breakfastw e called the airline agency and there was no sign of my bag- I had to call again at 2. We went shopping again (they have these coolie guys that come help carry your bags, and bring you to whichever shop you want for about 10 rupees- I just talk to them I don't use them for anything. ) So in hopes that the bag would shop up, we went to the train booking office to book the tickets as soon as I knew my bag was in at 2. Obviously when we got there we found out the ticket office closed at 2 because it was a holiday!
Anyhow, called at 2: No Bag.
Very down and out, we decided to check into a posh hotel (ha!) and watch some TV. So we retired around 6pm to watch the grammys and fell asleep around 10.
Next day, (today) called the airline office at 9am and YAHOO it was there! Thank goodness I was going thru all this with a great Danish guy called Christian, we shared the ups and downs. :)
So we went to get the bags at the airport and the girls went tot he train station to get the tickets to Darjeeling. The ride to the airport this time was much better- the taxi driver played Indian music the whole time (I loev indian music) and we werent stuck in such nasty traffic. We still had to cover our mouths bc of the pollution but that is getting to be the norm in all these huge cities.
Got to the airport and first went to the airline manager, who sent us to a sign in desk, who sent us to the airline manager, who sent us to customs, who sent us to druk air office who sent us to customs who sent us to druk air. Not kidding. Finally got the luggage and asked Druk air for compensation for our troubles. First he tried to tell us the bags came in the day before and so he could only give us 500 rupees. I was very tough and professional (no really) and insisted we also get paid for the taxi ride in to pick up the bag and lied and said it was 500 rupees. So he agreed and gave us 1000 rupees each. Actualy, I also have to check if my insurance does anythign for this- I had to buy a toothbrush.
So we headed back to the train booking office, a-ok for the tickets to darjeeling and headed out to Mother Theresa's resting place. Surprisingly, no taxi drivers knew where that was. Either way, we got in one and he brought us further away from it and then let us off. Very considerate.
Got to Mother house and saw her resting place- very nice little museum of all her stuff and quotes.. I really liked it, although the Swedish girl was really loud and that always freaks me out in quiet places. i kinda like to let it all soak in.
So we got super lost before and after Mother house and I got pretty knackered along the way, so we had a fabulous feat of INdian food, along with pizza and mashed potatoes for supper. MmmmMMmmGood.
Off to Darjeeling tonite, God willing.
Should leave now actuaLLY, SO NO TIME FOR QUICK SPELLING MISTAKE SCAN. SORRY. Oops, damn caps lock.
More soon?
:)

posted by jjoollee @ 6:55 AM