Enjoying the Oberoi. Once the Grande Dame of Calcutta hotels. A bit frayed around the edges but a welcome oasis from the mayhem of another Indian city. A massive street market on the doorstep so had to buy a couple of white cotton shirts to supplement my wardrobe. 2 for ten quid and they haven’t fallen apart yet!
A private guide and driver took me for a city tour. A couple of temples
Then some of the old colonial district where the East India Company operated out of back in the day. Including the Anglican church and a memorial to the victims of the infamous Black Hole.
The vast Victoria Memorial which unfortunately is closed on Mondays. A pretty impressive building/ legacy considering Queen Victoria never made it to India.
Lunch – well an anaemic chicken sandwich (with the crusts removed of course!) in the oldest coffee shop in town
Sara (my ex and close mate) was born in Calcutta in the mid fifties and lived there for a few years. I had always said that if I was ever in Kolkata I would see if her old home was still there. So armed with the address from her birth certificate my guide and driver set off to investigate. Unfortunately the house was long gone having been replaced with a (residential complex).
The photos that follow were of the family pets which included two orphaned tiger cubs. Including Sara’s mum bottle feeding one on the sofa.
Only 65 years ago – definitely a bygone era!!
The next day was spent resting at the Hotel before an evening flight to Delhi and the redeye to Heathrow. Then a four hour drive down to home and Flete House in Devon.
Reunited with Max the next morning
Both happy to be home. Just jetlag and covid hangover to get through……
Postscript
Not the holiday that I had been hoping for. India is a complete tip!! Poverty, pollution and diseases everywhere. Pandaw who have always been reliably brilliant in Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia were a complete shambles. A very unhappy bunch of passengers on both legs of the cruise including those who joined us from other Pandaw cruises.
Absolutely Pandawful and not to be recommended!!!
I will need to find another destination before the whole world implodes and rivers and waterways become unnavigable. Watch this space!!
Robbie,
Have followed your trip with interest.
Disappointing to hear of Pandaw’s performance in India.
We knew that Rhonda & Duncan from Brisbane were also going about now and pleased to have spotted them in a couple of your pics.
We have been thinking about the new ‘full’ Brahmaputra/Sundurbans or a relocation trip?
However, our next is Amsterdam to Bucharest (with Uniworld) in June/July. Hope it’s not truncated like yours.
You mention finding another river before they’re all stuffed.
Undoubtedly the most awsome we have done is the Brazilian Amazon (not a dam in site) from Tabatinga to Manaus on the 20 guest La Jangada – some parallels with Pandaw, if a little more energetic.
But in terms of comfort and ease of language/culture etc, the Mississippi from Minneapolis to New Orleans on the American Queen stern wheel paddle steamer is probably more people’s cup of tea.
Cheers,
Ken & Aggie
Pandaw definitely did them selves no favours. I think that they are really going to struggle to make a success of their Indian Operation as the Indian Crew/Staff were clueless and useless !!. It was good to see Rhonda & Duncan on both legs of the cruise. They were as dissatisfied as I (and most of the other Pandaw regulars). Not sure how they are going to deal with extended schedules of Brahmaputra etc as there is not much to see apart from endless sand banks. They were really struggling to find things to keep us entertained. There are only so many napkin folding lessons that. Hope that you guys are well. I will investigate your Amazon tip. Best Wishes R
Amazing to read about the trip! Love the updates. And totally agree with your overall thoughts on India. The mountains were stunning..but the poverty and pollution are awful to see. Look forward to next trip.