The Sonar, Kolkata Kolkata (Calcutta)

... and went to the Victoria memorial hall and Park Street. I gave half a bottle of water to a slum child and made his day!
On Monday I started at school and they were all very welcoming, I am working with the preprimary class and on an aac project (developing new software). Also the physios seem to want me to assess feeding but they don't understand im not trained. Mind you they do need help and common ...

... but a beautiful one because you cross through several villages

with exhilarating landscape. The best period is from June to

October…………R 30;

Highlights:-Leh & the Indus Valley, some monastery tours.

Traditional Tibetan-style Ladakhi & Zanskari villages

Cliff-side Tibetan Buddhist gompas

Beautiful campsites in remote locations

Demanding trekking and incredible Himalayan scenery

Calcutta, West Bengal, India partha.desarkar

Kolkata.... words may not be able to fully describe but I'll do my best.  If one were to make general comments it could be said that India is a dirty country and also that there is quite a bit of poverty.  If I wanted an example of that statement I would have to pick Kolkata as the top choice based on the cities I visited.  I'm not sure why this city seemed to be in tougher shape than Delhi or Mumbai but if I had to hazard a guess I would say it is because Delhi and Mumbai are ...

... for forest fires miles from the nearest town. A girl who could teach english, chef professionally as well as studying for a degree in bio-chemistry. A guy who was just back from traveling in Afghanistan and Pakistan. So many people with gifts and skills I will probably never have. The people I met on that roof made me feel embarrassed that I have done so little with my life, one language, no instrument, no interesting job. And yet because I travel I am part of the group ...

... here in Kolkata he and his family are Hindu and it is their year (once every 18 years) to host the Puja. His wife, Tashi, is Buddhist and from Sikkim. They live in a newer, large building that the family owns. The lower floors are open areas for parties and gatherings. They live on the 5th floor. Neil and Tashi with their two daughters live in one side of the flat and his mother and father live on the other. Families here ...

... Indian pick up a dog by it's rear left hind leg and swing it around very hard and let it go, "what a strange thing to do". The dog still alive ran off limping. Every time Terri and I see dogs in the street in Delhi that are not dead we look to see if they are limping on the hind legs, so many are? So we are in Connaught place in Delhi, getting some tourist advice Terri decides that she needs to get some medicine says to bring up the phlegm that's on her chest. We ...

... than good. It doesn't start with money and food, but it must start with a focus on love and attention. I believe that from there, other things will follow. Even in our own country, there is SO much pain and suffering. Maybe not as much on a physical level, but definitely on an emotional level. Just look at the number of anti-depressants used and suicides among mid- and upper class individuals. Love is the answer. In our own country, we are ...

... impressive and interactive. The teacher and students were solving problems together. I can't wait to teach calc next year. I'm learning a lot on this trip and it really has been forcing me to think about my beliefs about education. The private schools here remind me of charter schools in the US because they don't have to operate under the restrictions of the state, and can hire their own teachers. The principal was adamant that ...

... in Kolkata is... crossing the street. Man, they weren't kidding either. Traffic here is nuts on the main streets, with 3/4 of the population of vehicles being yellow Ambassador taxis. All honking incessantly. Now, people may hear me always mention the honking and think me a whiner. One thing that I have come to realize, and this goes for pollution as well, is that even though there may be honking back home, and a little pollution, you rarely get to ...

... it and I am going to Varanassi tomorrow on the sleeper train. Sleeper train is a bit of a misnomer cos you dont sleep much. Too many people selling stuff and the train is noisey etc. One interesting thing , the train toilet just drops straight down onto the track, so if you do a dump in the station when the train moves away everyone see's it. Nice. Varanassi tomorrow night and should be there for a few days. Gotta find a dobhi walla cos getting a bit stinky.