Starting still in Australia, I think I set off on this trip already tired. Not a good idea when it's such a long time to be floating in space, without a home, a ground and only a few threads taking me back to some place where I try to belong (*) Anyway, feeling tired and ill, I upgraded myself to business class and then a nice woman at the airport upgraded me further for an additional leg of the trip. So all in all the journey to Singapore was had in relative comfort. I was even able to sleep on a bed for many hours - thus avoiding having to watch all the same films, which were for some reason, repeated from the last time I flew back to Australia. Anyhow, when I finally arrived in Kolkata, even more tired then when I started, I found myself in the worst expensive hotel that I have ever stayed in, with one of the worst jet-lags I have experienced, and a few other mood altering influences that are not worth getting into. I told myself too that I wouldn't really go into all the ways in which this hotel was so bad, because unless you're there at the time the reasons may seem petty and so insignificant (as they seem to me now). Quickly, for the curious cats:
- the hotel had lots of pretentious style and no substance to it;
- my room was an unfortunate combination of black and hot pink - which played havoc with the chakra responsible for peace and tranquility;
- the staff were trying to be ultra cool but came across as rude - especially when it came to honouring the entitlements that came with the package that I booked;
- there was a thump thump thump late into the night;
- the price of foods and drinks were incredible, considering the quality and the comparative prices just outside of the hotel;
So you see petty things which grew into a mountain when combined with my jet-lag, mood swings and whatever else was there. And after 2 attempts at trying to sort the situation out, I finally asked for the manager and got a better room, all my entitlements, no pink colour in sight and just the thump thump thump remains (but I was assured it is present throughout the hotel). So I am leaving tomorrow and don't feel as grumpy as I did before, but hell if I am ever going to stay here again.
Kolkata overall was first of all HOT (34-38 degrees) and I chanced to be here on the day of the ELECTION - which is today and which is a big deal, apparently. Ninety percent of everything was closed and I was advised by the people I was meeting via work not to wear red or green (colours of the two parties) and to stay in the hotel today because of potential violence. I did venture out since I'm avoiding eating at the hotel and letting them earn any more money from me and didn't see any violence, but lots of police and almost no traffic on the streets.
Because of my annoyance with the hotel, I've tried a bit of local foods and had coffees in various places (still haven't had a good one in India), and have spent money walking past shops. Yeah, whatever I didn't spend on hotel food... but, I am happy to say, no shoes fit my foot, so I didn't indulge that at least! No packages to send home yet!
OK Delhi tomorrow (late evening) and hopefully I now have whatever it is that I have been missing this past week and will update here with more of my witty observations...PS Despite my hotel problems, I still think Kolkata is one of my favourite India cities.
(*) Not any part of Felix at all ;-) but if you know what I mean you know I am grateful for that thread.
