Kolkata continued

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1 Dec - after our day spent with the Hope Foundation we not only need to shower the stench and filth away but take time to reflect and adjust back to our travellers world. We have dinner which is accompanied by a live band with a screeching Indian woman but she is thankfully replaced by a great covers band. We head to Aqua, another of the bars within the swanky Park Hotel and have some cocktails by the pool. A day of contrasts indeed...

2 Dec - Liam spends another full day doing more photography for the Hope Foundation while I have a relaxing day and try to organise a flight from Kolkata to Goa and work out which resort I'm going to head to, where I'll stay, what I'll do for 3 weeks before the Delhi to Kathmandu trip starts. I'm also dreading Liam leaving tonight for his flight home. He's trying to arrange to stay on a few more days but doubtful this will work out. When he returns from 'work' we head for a lovely dinner on a rooftop terrace restaurant which overlooks crazy Calcutta. Just as we resign ourselves to the fact that he'll be heading home, we get a message confirming his flight has been changed and he won't be leaving until Friday. Another 48 hours together. We are both soooooo happy, neither of us can describe the elation of having more time together, we have had more than our fair share of positive karma while in India.

We then head to Roxy's...yet another bar within the Park Hotel. It's a quiet night in the bar but about midnight we hook up with a crazy, rich girl. Her zaniness is infectious and we end up sampling Indian whisky, meeting her friends and chatting until 2am before heading back to the hotel!

3 Dec - lazy morning. Decide to visit Mother Theresa's Mission in the afternoon. It's within walking distance even though we get a bit lost. En route though, I savour the madness of an Indian city. It's amazing how you get used to no pavements, horns honking incessantly, mad driving, men washing in the streets, the interesting smells from the food vendors, the stink of rubbish and sh*t as well as dogs, pigs and rats roaming the streets. Eventually, we find the Mission. The simplicity of this place is refreshing, it's not touristy at all - Mother Theresa's shrine, a simple museum with information boards describing her life and missionary work and a chance to see the tiny, basic room where she lived and worked and died. Extremely peaceful place where the Sisters continue to live and carry on her good work.

On the way back to the hotel by stop off for Liam to buy a huge supply of Bollywood soundtracks and DVD's and visit Flury's coffee shop for a yummy afternoon tea. Dinner at Gaylords then back to our local...Roxy's. What a difference from the previous night, the night club is jumping with great music and loads of dancing. Liam and our waitress surprise me with a cocktail for two at the bar....it's a combination of flaming sambucca served in a cascading champagne tower but tastes like Kahlua with a straw each for the one glass to share - see the photo! A VERY late and drunken night 😊

4 Dec - Liam is extremely hungover but we have lots to do before he heads off tonight in the early hours of the morning and I head off at 7am. We go back to Flury's for midday brunch, pack then have our final, final dinner together. Head to Roxy's for the last time for a couple of mojitos. We say our final farewells about 2am and then Liam gets his taxi to the airport. I'm gutted...

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