Day 637 - Saying goodbye to good friends

Today we woke up almost in Kolkata, and as we were only here a week ago we managed to make it to the backpacker area cheaply and quickly. As the 4 of us crammed into our taxi we wished we had earplugs to relieve us of the consistent, painful soundstrack of India - particularly during peak hour traffic where although the traffic is at a standstill every man with a horn in front of him feels the need to constantly attack the airways with it!
We had brekky, Clinton and Dan found a room for the night (we're sleeping in the airport tonight, again), and we found internet for the boys to work on job applications, while we relaxed with the knowledge that we still have 4+ months of the happily homeless and unemployed travel lifestyle.

In the evening we went down to the local park where the boys engaged in some adlibed exercise, with PT Adam running the twins into the ground! Staying fit and strong while travelling isn't always easy with such good food and such cheap transport to take you from place to place. We do our best to walk as much as we can, but with the boys with us Adam is loving having someone to motivate him to do more.

On the way back we stopped off to help a friendly Indian with his own workout, by ordering 4 fresh orange juices that he created with the help of an old school hand cranked juicer. After our final Indian dinner (incidentally Liv's last meal in India was a burger with fries, while Adam stuck to a good ol' Indian curry!) we packed up, enjoyed the boys' company for a bit and then went out for a final chai with friends.

As we made our way to the airport to farewell India, running through our heads are things about India that we really won't miss. So ... goodbye:

- open sewers

- the rubbish dump that covers 99% of the ground

- cows and cow shit

- mangey dogs

- leering men

- tourist prices

- constant hassle from tuk-tuk drivers, shop/hotel owners, and almost the rest of the population

- having to book trains so far in advance

- open air shitters (anywhere a man feels like doing his business)

- the constant stink of India

- 1 billion people

But before you think there's nothing good about this country, there are plenty of things we will miss:

- chai

- delicious Indian curries

- tandoori rotis

- smiling old men (too old to bother trying to rip us off)

- max retail prices printed on products

- cheap transport and food

A final thought to leave in India:

"we're sorry India, for mot spending as much as you wanted us to."

Adlibing it outa here.