Kolkata, India

After a 2 & 1/2 hour flight from Bangkok, we arrived in Kolkata, India, population 15.7 million. A taxi ride to the train station, and 3 hours later, we boarded the train for an 18 hour ride to Vijayawada. There we had a change of plans, and boarded a bus for another 18 hours to Hospit, so we could take another bus to Hampi, where we slept in a bed for the first time since Bangkok, 3 days ago.

Kolkata is India's 2nd largest city. One of the hottest, biggest, dirtiest cities we have ever been in. Vijayawada wasn't much better, so we decided to move on to something smaller.

Since cows are sacred in India, they seem to have the run of the place, eating off vegetable stands, and sleeping in the street.

Taxis and buses all appear to be from the 1950's and don't have air conditioning. Traffic is so heavy it stops frequently and the taxi drivers turn their engines off. One good point, the tuk tuks and many vehicles run on LP.