Last words

We are sitting in the airport in Thailand - a looooong stopover here. It's a good chance to write my last entry on this particular blog and pull in the final threads of our trip.

Down the hill from Darj on Tues morning, it was great to share a vehicle with the Nichols-Roy family - us inside, luggage on the rooftop, and songs to sing. A slow trip downhill - mostly doing between 20-30 k/hr (petrol costs about the same as NZ we discovered) and with a shortcut through a tea garden that involved some unsealed road in perilous hairpins curving down at sharp intervals. In spite of shutting my eyes several times, our driver seemed in perfect control, and we comforted ourselves with the thought that it isn't often that you actually see vehicles that have come off the side of these roads, even though at times the wheels feel very close to the edge!

Just out of Bagdogra airport we met up with several Hermonites - Anil and Kailash along with several others not from our particular class. Enjoyed their hospitality and Jagjit's new restaurant, before catching our respective flights. The N-Roys went back to Shillong for Christmas, while we returned to Calcutta for one night.

Wandered down Park Street, dinner in a dim flash restaurant with excessively instant service, another go at New Market the next day, and more successful shopping at a Cottage Industries Emporium. Eating our final Indian sweets at an open restaurant along Chowringhee, we were interrupted by a rat being discovered in the shop. All exits were being covered by workers armed with sticks etc. while Roxanne and I raced to finish our sweets before the rat was flushed out!

Lunch on Wed with Indu, her fourteen year old daughter and her parents was a nice time to catch up on the years since we were in Bible Class at Lower Circular Rd Church together. Mr and Mrs Herman were baptised the same day as I was there - and we still use Mrs Herman's famous recipe for tomato chutney and remember her biryani very fondly!

And a final visit to Annie and Kerry's, pizza for tea and a quick dash to see the Freeset ladies and enjoy sitting helping cut out some bags, before it was time to catch a taxi out to the airport to come home. Full suitcases as well as flights, we are happy to be on our way home, but sad that our 2004 Asian adventure is over. However, we'll definitely be back...

Thank you to all those who entertained us in so many different ways, who told us their stories, and who made us feel at home. And also to those of you who are still actually reading these ramblings - it is nice to have an audience!