As I grew from being a sweet, bedimpled , small baba I became a little baba bugger - skipping school, hanging around rock bands and people who took drugs. I also wanted to find my own adventures and not just share or look on at those of my mother.
My first trip away, was to Kathmandhu, Frank and Gregg's replacements had a daughter my age Anne Rosselot and we became friends. She was due to go and stay with some Peace Corps friends of her mother's and I was invited to join her. It was my second time in Kathknadhu and this time it was to be my place, my Shangri La. We rented bikes and cycled over the three cities, Bhadgaon with its exquisite carved doors and windows, Patan, charming and brimming with life and of course Kathmandhu itself - shops that sold nothing but glass bangles in every colour imaginable, ropes of glass beads, spices ,cows and everywhere smiling Nepalis cracking jokes and enjoying these crazy Westerners riding around in the monsoon heat. As adventures go it lacked a certain danger, we were very, very safe but it proved to me that I could go and explore and make my own mark on the world.
We arrived at Sealdah in two cars. Charles had a small rucksack and a sleeping bag. It took four porters to take our luggage to the train. Three complete bedrolls - made up with white sheets and soft down pillows. Four tiffin carriers - food for the journey and the the bags of clothes. We really did not look the part and I suspect if he had not promised his sister Charles would have left us there and never loooked back.
Charlotte's father being one of the most burra of burra sahibs - owner of Heywoods Gin among others - had arranged for his office babu to get the tickets and to try and find us some privacy. We were thus given an exlcosed carriage intended for Muslim women. There was some condern about Charles, lanky, blond and unmistakably male but it was explained he was our brother and our parents, being very strict, had isisted he was with us at al time. So there it was - our home for the next three days and two nights, Small slatted seats with equally hard slatted bunks held up by rusty chains. Charlotte and I professed wonder at the sweetness and use of space and, old hands that we were, began to make ouselves comfortable - out came the re riguer lungis and loose t shirts. Bed rolls were unrolled allowing soft seating, the thermos of tea opened along with the digestives and all too soon the train shuddered into movement and we were away.
We awoke to see the sun rise out of the water and then settled for a long hot day of travelling - at Lucknow I got off and bought kajal in a silver flask, Charlotte having been sent on a tea run. Charles was snoozing and Anne leaning out of the window calling us back anxiously in case the train left without us.
As we left an opportunistic young man made a grab for Anne -unfortunately managing to grasp a large portion of bosom. She screamed, Charlotte and I yelled obscenities about his mother and pi dogs and all the red blooded young men men leapt from the train to give chase. He was caught of course and very probably beaten up but we saw no more of him. I hope he thought it was worth it. I, luckily had , had a supply of vallium which we gave her with a soothing whisky - Charles felt a little shaky too, so had just a tot to settle the nerves. Charlotte and I collapsed with relief until the morning.
We detrained in, quite literally the mdidle of nowhere. The track ran out and instead ran onto a circular platform that turned the engine round for the return journey. We noticed that everyone was rushing as fast as they could towards some rickety looking buses: gathering our belongings we followed. We managed to board one only to be told it would be one hundred rupees to the border, each! With every bus that left as we haggled our position got weaker and weaker and eventually we settled for 25 rupees each. I ended up on the floor sitting on the beloved and trusty bedroll Charles soon joined me realising his long legs would never take the strain. We couldn't see out but from Cha and Anne's running commentary we weren't missing much. Finally the bus stopped. All out. There in front of us was the border - closed until 10.00 the next day.
We found a small hotel and decided we needed food, " I know,' said Charlotte, who came from a long line of intrepid busisimen of the east, "Daddy says they always can make fabulous tomato soup and omelettes wherever you go. I'll order." And she did.
Charles felt he needed more sleep and went to bed - Anne took one look at the omelette and gagged - she too went to bed. We looked at out plates - in one a slice of tomato bled slowly into lukewarm water - in the other an congealed mass of half raw egg tried to simulate an omelette but failed, badly. "Biscuits it is then," We said brightly and headed for bed.
In the middle of the night there was the most ear piercing scream, from beautiful, calm and gentle Chalrotte, "There's a rat," she shrieked," a fucking great rat and it has just run over my face."I rather half heartedly threw my shoe at it but it was transfixedi n the centre of the room and it was big. "CHARLES!" we screamed.
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW..
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| Our Journey was to take us from Calcuttan northwards to the border |
As we left an opportunistic young man made a grab for Anne -unfortunately managing to grasp a large portion of bosom. She screamed, Charlotte and I yelled obscenities about his mother and pi dogs and all the red blooded young men men leapt from the train to give chase. He was caught of course and very probably beaten up but we saw no more of him. I hope he thought it was worth it. I, luckily had , had a supply of vallium which we gave her with a soothing whisky - Charles felt a little shaky too, so had just a tot to settle the nerves. Charlotte and I collapsed with relief until the morning.
We detrained in, quite literally the mdidle of nowhere. The track ran out and instead ran onto a circular platform that turned the engine round for the return journey. We noticed that everyone was rushing as fast as they could towards some rickety looking buses: gathering our belongings we followed. We managed to board one only to be told it would be one hundred rupees to the border, each! With every bus that left as we haggled our position got weaker and weaker and eventually we settled for 25 rupees each. I ended up on the floor sitting on the beloved and trusty bedroll Charles soon joined me realising his long legs would never take the strain. We couldn't see out but from Cha and Anne's running commentary we weren't missing much. Finally the bus stopped. All out. There in front of us was the border - closed until 10.00 the next day.
We found a small hotel and decided we needed food, " I know,' said Charlotte, who came from a long line of intrepid busisimen of the east, "Daddy says they always can make fabulous tomato soup and omelettes wherever you go. I'll order." And she did.
Charles felt he needed more sleep and went to bed - Anne took one look at the omelette and gagged - she too went to bed. We looked at out plates - in one a slice of tomato bled slowly into lukewarm water - in the other an congealed mass of half raw egg tried to simulate an omelette but failed, badly. "Biscuits it is then," We said brightly and headed for bed.
In the middle of the night there was the most ear piercing scream, from beautiful, calm and gentle Chalrotte, "There's a rat," she shrieked," a fucking great rat and it has just run over my face."I rather half heartedly threw my shoe at it but it was transfixedi n the centre of the room and it was big. "CHARLES!" we screamed.
TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW..
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