Puri- "It is my wife, she is sick"

hey there, well we are now in Calcutta, well Kolkata now after another lovely train ride. Kolkata is a city of 13.2 million and yet it has one of the worst train stations i have seen, with no system in place. Amazing how you can go sometimes to saying that you will never return to India ever again. It was a very long train ride to Puri and after let's say 15-16 hours, you are ready to get off the train. I had the bunk that had the perfect view of Justina below so that was one less Indian staring at her while she sleeps. We arrived in Puri and began the search for a hotel room. Went to one right on the beach but, mmm dirty and bathroom dirty. Another room, dirty, can do better. And we were sure glad we kept looking. Strolled into this lovely family stay house with such a cute family. They only had 3 rooms in their house that they rented out and the 26 yr old sun ran the "internet cafe" upstairs. We guessed that it was really just his computer but it was never confirmed. We had the room below which was quite large, had a balcony on the front and a clean bathroom. And all for the low low price on 200rps! It was such a steal. So the first day we settled in and had a nap, went out for food then internet then more food and there goes a day right there. The next morning we did another one of those crazy sleep in days and had the beginnings of the many knocking on the door. Granted we had them doing quite a bit for us (getting train tickets, tour tickets, etc...) but the family really liked knocking on our door to make sure that we had everything. And just when you are still sleeping and have to get up to answer the door, all the annoyance just goes away as the door opens. The family is just that cute, especially the mom. So that day we had some late breakfast that was more like lunch and headed down to the beach to chill out. Things kinda went a little bad after this. Justina began to feel not well quite quickly after the food although we thought it was just because we had eaten a lot. Later after dinner, things got a little worse and she had the middle of the night fever going on. So when the alarm rang at 6:30am so we could get on our bus for a 12 hour crazy tour of so much stuff, it was clear that we weren't going to make the bus. And hence the title. In my sleepiness, i actually used those words, and it sounded very much like Borat. So the next few days were spent taking care of Justina who had caught some sort of food poisoning, getting some sort of food she can take in (juice, bread, crackers, etc...)

The next day she was sufficiently better in the afternoon to wander out to check out the temple and some market stalls. The temple is Hindus only, so we had to climb to the top of the Library to get a peak inside(with a small donation of course). It's too bad as the temple looked like quite the complex. Walking the crazy streets of India followed with the usual fare including cows eating garbage as well as the Hindu god donations that are dumped over the wall. An interesting system in a country that is so poor and starving where they donate all this food and things to the gods that are then dumped in clear view over the wall into a large pile for the cows to eat. It is clearly not reaching the gods. Other street highlights is dead bodies being carried down the street, stall after stall of the same stuff which largely included the temples what seemed to be some sort of mascot more than god characters with large alien like saucer eyes and small pokeman type body. As one Indian guy described it, "the Hindu religion is very complicated", now that's a gross understatement. We also tried to get some key chains made for the family as she had mentioned how she liked the one i had put on to our key and that she had meant to get some but just hasn't yet. So we thought it would be a good gesture. But again India has foiled us. This is what i wrote down on a piece of paper for the key chain man to engrave on the key chain, " Rm 1, Rm 2, Rm 3" And what did we end up getting?
"R. M-1, R. M-2, R. M-3". WOW, that's all i have to say, Wow. Well the next day Justina felt good enough for us to rent a scooter, which was quickly named "Rickety Red". Should have gotten the motorcycle. I mean this scooter had nearly 400000 km on it! How can it still be running. But it got us to the Konark temple and back in one piece so that was nice. The Konark sun temple was quite interesting, built in the mid 13th century and with 2 sister temples a ways away that creates some huge triangle. The whole thing was depicted with the sun in mind and the phases of life coinciding with the rising and falling of the sun. We have the rising sun and birth, the children represented with the animal kingdom at the bottom. The middle sun with sculptures representing the youth, which consisted almost exclusively of kama sutra sculptures positions, which were all described to us in full detail by our grandpa guide, to quote, "this is 69, very interesting position. And here the woman is kissing the man and the second wife is waiting." While pointing, "Lesbians". And so on, you can guess the rest that isn't suitable for the blog. Ahhh. And how old are you sir? It was entertaining to say the least. Then the setting sun is depicted for the old people, the tired man and his horse. The main temple used to be over 220ft or something like that, really big anyways. But when it was found that the many iron clamps holding it together made it into a large magnet that was messing with the Portuguese's navigation instruments, they of course came in colonial fashion and destroyed it. Nice work. We returned to Puri, safely, and had some dinner before boarding our 10:30pm train to Kolkata.

Well this train ride wasn't too bad, only 9 hours, and we arrived in Kolkata at 8:30am. Well what a messed up "system" they have here sometimes, if it can even be called that. For the main train station for a city of 13.2 million i was expecting a little more. "Private car to Sudder st for 300rps?" No thanks, I'll get a 50rps taxi. Go to the prepay taxi stand where there is a large lineup that isn't moving with the guy behind the counter staring into space as the guy at the front of the line is trying to get him to do something. Forget that, go to the meter taxi lineup. In the lineup for a bit and then we agree for a guy to take us for 100rps. He takes us to the taxi and expects us to pay 100rps to share with 3 other people, i don't think so. Return to the meter taxi line. Eventually get in a taxi at the front of the line pretty much by opening the trunk and putting my stuff in. And then the driver even tries to do the meter fake, buddy, common, who do you think we are, amateurs? Get that thing on. Ahh India, how you can make me hate you. Battle some touts, look at a few shitty rooms and settle for one small room that is clean with our own bathroom. Got out Burma visa forms but must return tomorrow as i needed 4 photos, had 3 and all the photo shops are closed because of course its monday, duh. OK well this is a long one and having trouble with the photos but we will be spending the next few days getting everything ready for Burma, shopping and shipping and see Kolkata. Take care.