On Thursday, Lauren, Jane and I took the day off and hired a driver to take us to Kolkata. This was the craziest driver ever, even by Indian standards. If he saw even a smidgen of a gap, he would barrel into it and we would all cringe in the back. He also didn't know where anything was, and had to ask for directions every 200 metres. Anyway.
We visited Mother Teresa's house, which is still an active convent and we saw the nuns wandering about and Mother Teresa's tomb (next to a copy of her very passionate speech on the evils of abortion, which we all disagreed with wholeheartedly). It was down a tiny back alley, and we passed a mother holding a baby, asking us to buy baby milk for the child. Now, slumdog millionaire has taught me well, as I have heard of this scam (the mother sells the milk back to the shop owner, and they share the money) and so we declined.
We then visited Victoria Memorial, which is a huge palace dedicated to Queen Victoria, the first Empress of India (we were very empressed...haha). It was filled with paintings of India done by Englishmen and statues of the Queen and Prince Albert.
My heat rash has also become much worse, and so I asked Deepa (the volunteer coordinator) to write down 'antihistamines' in Bengali, so I could go to a pharmacy. She did one better, and sent me to the hospital GP. I told him about my rash, how it was worse at night and kept me awake (I woke at 4am last night because I was scratching so much, and needed a shower before I could sleep again). He said, Really? You are finding this too hot? But it is cool today.
I assured him that 32 degrees is, by English standards, very hot indeed, especially when compounded with 80% humidity. He did the Indian head wobble and prescribed me some antihistamines, which were taken straight to the dispensary and I got them right away, without having to pay. Preferential treatment or what! Another good thing about staying at a hospital!
We visited Mother Teresa's house, which is still an active convent and we saw the nuns wandering about and Mother Teresa's tomb (next to a copy of her very passionate speech on the evils of abortion, which we all disagreed with wholeheartedly). It was down a tiny back alley, and we passed a mother holding a baby, asking us to buy baby milk for the child. Now, slumdog millionaire has taught me well, as I have heard of this scam (the mother sells the milk back to the shop owner, and they share the money) and so we declined.
We then visited Victoria Memorial, which is a huge palace dedicated to Queen Victoria, the first Empress of India (we were very empressed...haha). It was filled with paintings of India done by Englishmen and statues of the Queen and Prince Albert.
Victoria Memorial
My heat rash has also become much worse, and so I asked Deepa (the volunteer coordinator) to write down 'antihistamines' in Bengali, so I could go to a pharmacy. She did one better, and sent me to the hospital GP. I told him about my rash, how it was worse at night and kept me awake (I woke at 4am last night because I was scratching so much, and needed a shower before I could sleep again). He said, Really? You are finding this too hot? But it is cool today.
I assured him that 32 degrees is, by English standards, very hot indeed, especially when compounded with 80% humidity. He did the Indian head wobble and prescribed me some antihistamines, which were taken straight to the dispensary and I got them right away, without having to pay. Preferential treatment or what! Another good thing about staying at a hospital!
Don't get any ideas about those free drugs! Keir would suggest "calamari" lotion like we used for sunburn in Croatia. I'm sure the grandeur of the Victoria Memorial stands in shocking contrast to the poverty of the people. How arrogant and naive of the Victorians to think they could improve India by putting themselves in charge. Anyway, I'm getting political so I'll stop. Hope the drugs work!
ReplyDeleteCalamine lotion right? Hmm if your rash is quite bad I'm not sure how helpful that (or the prickly heat powder) would be but try it anyway... I have a bottle by my bed, wish I could send it to you!
ReplyDeleteAlso I suppose by now you've learned Indian head wobble is the equivalent of a nod :D I hope you perfect yours by the time you return ;)
Oh and it seems I'm going to India in December! Yay!
Haha my calamari lotion does help! But the drugs also work. I have actually stopped taking them now cos either I have got used to the heat or it has got cooler, and the rash has gone.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, my head seems too stiff to wobble like the Indians. I look more like a broken doll than a native! Ooh how long are you going to India? Are you going to the same place you went before? You are still coming to England at Christmas aren't you...