Details I missed

Saturday, 20th November, Pondicherry.

Here are some details from my note book that I have missed

1) In the Konark trip blod,  I mentioned that I was ferried from my hotel in Puri to the Coach by a motorbike. I forgot to add that the great guide I had Sankar, who personally took me round and explained  gleefully all the Konark erotica, also whipped me back to the rest of the tour by motorbike, its funny not a bike in sight for 50 years then twice in one day.

2) A big Hello to Raj and Olmer, just in case they are reading this blog, hope you guys enjoyed Sikkim. If you get the chance come down to Pondicherry its very cool.. Stay in touch.

3)  I dont think I mentioned the Train Ticket Seller in Bhubenswar, a very pleasant gent, with both ears completely covered from the inner rim to where the ear curls in, in thick black moustache type hair pointing upwards. I hope I am not being unkind, its just the visual patina of the trip.

4) By the side of the train track I have seen several Christian cemetries that are flooded by late Monsoon water. Its odd seeing just stone crosses poking out of the brown water.

5) I mentioned eagrets in the last blog, they of course enjoy riding on and feeding off the insects on the backs of the increasing water buffaloes in the area.

6) For those who are keeping an eye out for wild pigs and wart hogs updates,  today  I passed a muddy road side pool with a dozen or more, little pigs the size and shape of rugby balls, playing "piggy in the middle" I suppose.

7)  On a serious note regarding the infrastructure of India, nothing major seems to have been replaced since Britain left the keys behind. India has a lot to do, a mighty project.

8) In Puri, I met Feroz, a charming 50year old  Kashmiri, a muslim jewelry shop owner, he tried everything to sell me more and more goods. We put the world to rights, several times.We drank many cups of chai, chai is boiled water and milk and various spices, lots of sugar and of course tea leaves drunk out of small cups.

I love this next bit, you just cannot make it up, a bit like the CIA agent I met in Kolkota.

In Feroz's shop the afternoon before leave, I meet Mohamed Hussein, a fellow Kashmiri jewelry shop owner he comes in just as we are on our second chai. Apparently he was lying awake recently, with toothache in one of his lower molars. Rather than wake up his wife with his constant  tossing and turning, he decided to sort himself out, he got a pair of children's school dividers, looked in the mirror poked about and dug the tooth out himself. I think he is barking mad, although he seemed quite rashional.drinking his chai.

He has also filed a broken tooth flat. Currently he still has toothache, I wonder why, and is waiting to see the dentist, but because of the festival of Eide, he has to wait two days till its over. He gratefully accepts the two paracetemol that I give him.

I will start the blog in the next posting.