I'm really enjoying reading these little blogs, i feel like i'm there with you (while still sitting on my comfortable couch in front of tv with foxtel using my modern laptop...just like in India!) GOod to hear your train experience was good, from what i've seen (on my tv with foxtel in front of the comfortale couch) they do look a bit intimidating. Good luck with the jumper, from Nick's comments sounds like you need help with "the tactics." You missed an awesome last day of cricket!!!
Last one i promise Ah this is so funny. What you guys need to know is sam and i haven't fought once while we've been here (well there was that one beer-induced argument over something do with politics and the iraq war - sam says its justified ethically if anyone wants to help me out). Its more a running joke that we fight here for entertainment than anything else. Bec (thats my older sister not sam's), trust me when i say the curry has been and will continue to be eaten at an alarming rate.
Sam on Darjeerling (no doubt followed by more arguement to entertain the masses) to follow shortly.
Big Sister Boys!! Stop jerry springering on the internet and go eat some curry.
Sam, I am going to land in Delhi 9th Jan and think I will head straight to Rajisthan....are you going to be around there then? Get nick to give you my email and drop me a line buddy.
peace, bec xo
I concur! SAMMY!!! i'm a bit behind on my reading (as i did originally go to travelblog.com despite how often you told me it was .org)!!! Amazing to read what you've been doing (i feel like i'm reading some professional lonely planet/travel guide or at least the kind of thing Elaine used to right about in Seinfield - can't wait to see the fashions you bring back to Melbourne with you). Good to hear you survived your first hit of culture shock and i'm sure it will get easier to take as the trip continues. GOod to hear from you and i'll be sure to check in regularly. Stop talking to nick over the comments page - you two need to communicate more in person!!!
What do you call a rebuttal to a rebuttal? Am i being petty or what:
Its true that we have been ripped off together more times than i can count (hang on let me try: hotel #1 (Rs1800 worth Rs 350), taxi #1 (US$5 = Rs220 worth Rs 80), pashmina (US$100 worth Rs 2000 maybe)... you get the idea. I will admit to be absolutly useless at haggling and leave that up to you anyway most of the time.
Mate what i was objecting to is (1) trying to tell everyone else that is cost $60 when ur paying double that and (2) the fact that you told me yourself that you exaggerated alot of what you said.
Lets call that hatchet buried...As you guys will find out shortly Darjeerling (and the journey up here) is fairly spectacular so we have other things to concern ourselves with at the moment.
Rebuttal Oh come on Nick.
Firstly, I accept lying about the price i paid for the suit- it was the first this we bought in India (and was a taylored suit) and I don't remember you disputing the price as you were standing next to me. Infact, you were quite keen on paying US$100 for a few untaylored garments. Secondly, the comment about Rwanda was not an overall comment about the city, it was a first impression which we were both taken back by. Kolkata is the best place in the world (I love it more than you because you want to run away into the himalayas-that was a cheap shot i know), And its not just because of rich roof top resaraunts, its because of the eight people who offered us hash on the street today, and the fact that we know have a hawker that knows both of our names waiting for us outside the Newmarket. As I'm sure you've read most of this reply by now (you're sitting next to me right now), lets burry the hatchet and hit India head on... Yeah?
Jesus is with you (to the unitiated, we aren't religious, its an in-joke)
Sammy, just reading your blog made me want to be there - even the bit about the hotel. I reckon thats half the fun, is things scewing up but you getting out on top.
The picture look awesome - but (I'm sure I speak for Amanda here) more of you!
So have you spoken to many people? other than the cricket scores I mean? What do they all think of you?
News from home: we won trivia (we were wondering if you got our msgs). We had a damn fine night - I went back to Curtis new house (he's living out of home) and watched "casino" til 4 in the morning.
Went to the travel doctor - don't need any shots! yay for me.
Camping next week, won't be the same without the old crew, (i mean us and chuck norris)
Have fun big guy, look forward to getting more blogs, cause frankly it makes me want to get off the computer and go to the airport right now.
Trixy
Oh come on!!! Right, time for my two cents to clarify a couple of things. firstly the most glaring mistake - sam paid almost $100 for that suit what was worth $30 and not $60. Secondly, while he's right about the shock value of this place, and the several rip-offs that we have been the victims of (a certain suit perhaps?) both i'm almost certain that Kolkata is fairly different from a city in Rawanda.
In some ways the city can be quite modern. For example, last night we went to a very nice diner at a rooftop restaraunt with all the service that you would expect anywhere in the world (barring the warm beer - who are we? poms?). What gets you with this place is the contrast between the rich and poor in the same physical space. Walking along, you will see Rolex dealerships across the road from slums and street people living out the front. The banks and boutique clothes retailers are guarded by men with rifles at the door to keep out the paupers from the street.
Whatever you do though, please don't get the impression that this place is not worth while visiting. As sam said in his post, and as we have said to each other more times than i could count, this place smells, is increadibly polluted, is filthy and poverty stricten, but I am madely and irrationally in love with this city.
Oh and one last side note. For those of you familiar with our trip there's been a change of plans. We're taking a train later tonight to Dajeerling in the north to experience India in the himalayas. Back Wednesday.
sam will just have to pick up his "$60" suit then!
SAM! WASSUP?
its so great to hear from you. it sounds like you had a rough first day but im happy and releived to hear that you've settled into it and are having a good time. i got some great exam results and we had year 11 transition early this week- im loking foreward to next year SO FREAKING MUCH. Georgia, mum and annie are all eating dinner so ill go join them now. its schnitzel. but i guess the last thing your thinking about is the food back home. the food your eating probably humiliates schnitzel publicly.
anyway., much love
looking foreward to seeing you when you get back.
-Britt
Hey thats me! Thought i'd better jump on sam's blogosphere-bandwagon! I'm the guy in the photo eating, which is where you'll usually find me. I'm traveling with wilko for the first month of his trip then i hop off at dehli to see Europe for another month before heading home.
Bangkok was awesome and i wish we had more time there. As Sam and i have said to each other a few times, it was really good to see a modern Asian city before heading to Kolkata, to get into the swing of things travel-wise. Bangkok reminds me alot of living in Hong Kong so it was nothing all that new but it was still great to see. If you ever go to thailand, you should really check out that Golden Buddha at Wat Tho, the photos could never do it justice.
hope you enjoy Sam's account of the trip!
Nick
G'day, I'm Sam. I'm a 20 year old uni student from Melbourne Australia, and I'm about to spend 3 months in India. Hopfully I'll get around to updating this as often as i can- will heaps of photos and descriptions. Keep track!! -Sam.... full info
Chris Axe
non-member comment
I'm really enjoying reading these little blogs, i feel like i'm there with you (while still sitting on my comfortable couch in front of tv with foxtel using my modern laptop...just like in India!) GOod to hear your train experience was good, from what i've seen (on my tv with foxtel in front of the comfortale couch) they do look a bit intimidating. Good luck with the jumper, from Nick's comments sounds like you need help with "the tactics." You missed an awesome last day of cricket!!!