The fun,frolics and hard line rail riding have taken their toll a little so this morning's plan to get up at 5.30 and go birdwatching in the Botanic Gardens gets short shrift. Instead we turn over and go back to sleep. Three hours later we take a leisurely breakfast and then start the packing process. Tonight we take an overnight train down the coast to Vizag, the jumping off point for our jaunt into the Orissa highlands. All the essential train trip gear has to be repacked for easy access.
All packed and paid up we are collected by a man from Paul Industrial who takes us by taxi to a workshop in warren of streets near Sealdah. This is a different place from the workshop that we visited two years ago. We are met by Mr Paul, a railway enthusiast and head salesman for the Company's brass built narrow gauge models.
D is keen to add to his very small collection of Indian rolling stock and after turning down a very tempting offer to have Darjeeling NDM6 diesel built, a deal is struck for a Kalka - Shimla box van to be delivered to our Delhi hotel before we leave India. During the negotiations we are served chai, made on an ancient Primus stove. Mr Paul is in no great hurry but eventually quotes a price which suits D's budget. Cash handed over he offers to call a taxi for us and then spends half an hour talking about the Indian education system and his family holiday in Shillong. Eventually he remembers the taxi and one of the boys in the workshop goes out to find one.
R has read about a place called the Sri Aurobindo Bhawan which promises peace and tranquility in the centre of the city. They have strange ideas about tranquil in Kolkata but we were able to sit in the shade and watch the world go by. We followed up with a refeshment stop at the catchily named BURP! food court in one of the smart air conditioned shopping malls. Not very intellectual but nice and cool.
We were both ready for a cup of tea by now so headed back to the Fairlawn for tea and internet. Shame to be leaving so soon but there are trains to catch.
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