Day 2: Kolkata

We arrived at dawn and stepped off the plane into an oven ... bliss! I could feel the warmth reach my bones. I got to meet the rest of the party: Desiree, Merle, Susan, Mike, Judy, Christine, Duncan, Lynda and Denis. And we were whisked off to the hotel. I say whisked; in fact it was quite a long bus trip, past fields and farms at first, then developments of apartment blocks, commercial buildings and shopping centres springing up, then suburbs and finally the thronging, heaving city proper. People! People people people. Kolkata has a population of 14 million, and another 5 million commute in each day. The poorest live right on the street, sleeping, washing and eating in the open.

The hotel, by contrast, was
a chilly, gleaming marble palace, with uniformed flunkies hovering at every turn. A bus tour of the city had been organised for the afternoon so I rested until then.

When we set out on the tour it was overcast, and somehow lulled by the chill of the hotel I didn't take a hat or sunscreen with me. Later on I needed both! I had taken my umbrella, however, so used that for shade. Our guide was Shanti, your go-to man for facts, figures and history.



We were hauled around various monuments and churches and museums, but for me the best bit was driving down all the fascinating streets, seeing daily life.







Among the places we visited was Mother Teresa's mission, the Sisters of Charity. As we drove up to the street it's in, our way was partly blocked by a pray-in: dozens of Muslim men had unrolled their prayer mats in the street and a scowling imam was conducting Friday prayers. The atmosphere was simmering with hostility on all sides. Shanti was beside himself with outraged indignation: "Look at this! On your left! These men are blocking the road! What right do they have! As a Calcuttan I feel ashamed of this!"



The mission was very simple and we were greeted by a sweet Indonesian nun. We visited Mother Teresa's tomb, a plain marble plinth, and left after peering up some roped-off steps at what was her room. "God be with you," said the nun as we went.

Near the end of the tour we stopped by the river to look at some people launching idols. By this stage I was knackered, not having slept or eaten all day, so I stayed in the bus. It was apparently interesting but boisterous - someone was splashed and got upset.

Back at the hotel I was tempted to go to bed but pushed myself to stay up. A few of us ate in the hotel restaurant - delicious food; I had fish curry, yum. And so to bed... a very comfortable bed.