Oh Calcutta !!

I have a best friend in England who has connections in India .... more precisely, in Calcutta. Well, actually it is now known as KOLKATA, but sounds the same.

Knowing we were about to visit this city, my friend very kindly arranged for us to stay in the company flat which came with a driver as well as our own houseboy.

We arrived after a long flight. We had been required to change planes in Dubai after a late arrival which meant that.. not only did we have to run through the airport to get the second flight, but also that our luggage got left behind.

On arrival in Kolkata we had to complete a staggering amount of paperwork to report our missing bags, but we were welcomed by the driver who had patiently waited for us.

He drove us quickly to the flat trying to avoid the large potholes in the road on the way. We were on the 6th floor of a large building and our houseboy, Rajat, who spoke a little English directed us to a local shop. The shop was the size of a cupboard and packed to the rafters with boxes and packets covered in dust. Here we were able to buy toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap and a safety razor.

Then we slept .....

DB was still quite ill and so after breakfast Rajat and I left her behind whilst we went to a local market to look for pegs. It took Rajat quite a while to understand just how determined I was to obtain as many different pegs as I could, but that morning we managed to buy 60 different packets. (I think we pegged out Kolkata).

After two days my luggage arrived from Dubai but there was still no sign of DB's suitcase, but that is another story.

Oh Calcutta - 66 new packets, what joy!!