Kolkata

We made it out of Mizoram on a prop plane ( less visibility needed for take-off). We have landed in Kolkata ( Calcutta) and we are here overnight. A One Day Woman's Confernece is here tomorrow and we have been asked to come speak a few a words. Kolkata is everything I expected. and a lot less. Within 5 minutes, we had beggars asking for money and we were hassled about luggage and money. It is called "Bakeesh"...literally bribing them to go away... and even then it doesn't always work.
The hotel we are at has zero lighting and lizards ( in Kit's room) It is her turn because while packing last night I had to excavate a few cockroaches that had found a home in my backpack..gotta love warm weathered countries. So for those of you braving the cold of home can be tranquilled with the thought that Canada has less creepy crawlies than most hot weathered countries..including India.
The downside to the hotel we are in, is the incessant nature of the help. They bring the neccesities of the room up one at time... toilet paper... sheets... drinking water... And with each new item there is a tip expected. The nasty part of it is they don't wait for one to answer the door. I almost got caught with my pants down. I was trying to change from my cold weather Mizoram clothes to the muggy clothes of Kolkata... In this country it would be more of a shock for him to see my legs than anything else I suppose.
We found this cafe in order to send word that we made it out flying from Aizwal. Kit had called the STF to find out about ground travel and we were give a big Fat No... not safe for two white women period. It is shocking to hear becasue I have felt more invaded in the last few hours than I ever did in Aizwal (the unsafe place) haha. After the confernence we fly out to Orissa and begin the leadership program on Monday. One night and then onward to a smaller and hopefully less smelly city. The mosquito infested waters also smell considerably like foul sewer. I hopefully after teh women's conference will have something better to say about the forlorn place.