I recall arriving in Kolkatta's Howrah station in the wee small hours. Howrah's on the west bank of the Hoogly river which runs north-south through Kolkatta. My guidebook had recommended a cheap hotel in central Kolkatta (on the east bank). So how to get there?
The first thought was to avoid the taxi-touts who clustered around anyone looking remotely like a tourist. My intention was to take a local ferry across the river and then walk the mile or so to the hotel and so a few sharp words were exchanged as my far-too-large rucksac and I tottered towards the station exit.
The appropriate ferry terminal was only half a mile from the station and I think I arrived there about 6am - anyway, it was long before the first ferry. I dozed in the entrance along with other waiting passengers. I recall thinking that if I kept my guidebook hidden I wouldn't look too much like a tourist. H'mm, what did I look like? I was wearing a ragged cheesecloth shirt, a lungi, a huge rucksac and bumbag and I had a cuddly pig strapped to my rucksac?
Eventually the ferries started working and my fellow passengers and I glided across the river. I recall an hour or so of tramping through increasing heat through downtown Kolkatta, anxiously checking my map. I was tired and could feel my guts getting ready to shed their load. So the sight of the hotel was very welcome, even though the room I got was only just less barren than a UK police cell. I have to say that the staff were very friendly and helpful, especially later when I needed to make calls to doctors.
A shower, arranging clothes-washing and a couple of hours sleep worked wonders but I was still in guts-uproar order. I can't recall precisely the feeling or frequency of shitting but it must have been bad because I got desperate enough to cry when my first call to seek medical aid failed. I have to add that my guidebook firmly recommended using private hospitals because the government-run services in Kolkatta were very poor.
Eventually I got through to a clinic and spoke to Dr Anraj Singh. I want to record here that he was a lovely human being! He came to collect me from the hotel in his own car, took me to his office and must have smoothed away a lot of issues because in under an hour he'd taken me back to the hotel, collected my kit and got me into a room in a hospital.
Apparently I had blood in my stools, impetigo (infected zits) on my arms and legs and the swelling on my arse was a golfball-sized lump of pus. I recall crying with relief as I sank into my hospital bed.
Just in case you need, Dr Singh's details are
Asia Rescue Medical Services
42B Park Mansions
57 Park Street
Kolkata 700 016
email arms at vsnl.com
tel (91-33) 2229 2922
© (except the blatantly ripped-off bits) Random Bozo 2006