A Birthday At Dog & Duck
First of all, THANK YOU to everyone out there who sent me happy birthday wishes! Today is my birthday and many have asked me how I spent this special day.
So here it is:
I woke up on the lower sleeper bunk of a train heading for Puri. I left Kolkata the night before having said goodbye to the very experienced traveler friends I’d met in the city. It was only 5:30 in the morning but everyone was already up and about so I had no choice but to get up.
It was my first experience on an Indian train. It was much more cramped than the sleepers in China but I was also staying in sleeper class, the lowest class for beds. Next time I’ll try one class higher and see what that’s like.
At the Puri train station I was met by Pinto, the friend of the owner of the internet café I went to in Kolkata.
I met the dog, Jackie, but there is no duck.
Anyways, my room is large, clean, and it’s got a private bathroom so I’m happy with my new fancy digs! Pinto asked me what I would pay for this room. I tried to get him to tell me what it was worth but in the end I quoted him a price I read at some other hotel I read about in Lonely Planet. I expected us to go into the usual song and dance negotiations but he just said okay.
It was so easy for me that I was shocked into silence.
So even though I think I’m getting a great deal here, I’m thinking I probably could have gotten the room for even cheaper!
Moving on, I spent the rest of the morning chatting with my new neighbour and then exploring the town for an hour or so. I wandered onto the beach and had a chance to watch some of the goings on with the local fishermen.
Then I took a nap. A lovely, peaceful, birthday nap.
This afternoon I learned how to properly take a hit off a glass coke bottle turned bong with the help of the stalk of a plant. Apparently the key is in the technique for holding the contraption.
