Dear All, Well i am currently sitting in Kolkata airport awaiting my flight out of India and onto my next destination.......Bangkok, Thailand! The past week here in India has been pretty impressive..........the beginning of last week saw us enter Varanasi.......and the land of the River Ganges.........well........an experience to say the least....watching a whole city bath, cook, clean, swim and do all daily chores in the local water supply was far from normal........although we went on a beautiful morning sunrise boat trip........was one of those moments i'll never forget......apart from the fact we sailed past a funeral, and were soon informed that all the dead bodies and ashes of those who live in Varanasi were placed in the river freely.......little concerned one was going to pop up and say hello while on the boat- however we were spared from this! Other than the Ganges, Varanasi had very little else to offer us, so we took this as an opportunity to do some street market shopping, and visit some local parks.....i am appreciating the amount of green that can be found in Eastern India in comparison to the West! So from Varanasi we took our final overnight train to the wonderful Kolkata/Calcutta- The overnight train was an experience in itself....i ahve had absolutely no problems with the long bus rides, or previous overnight trains.....however this one took its toll.........if it wasnt bad enough that i had a cough and cold (is going around the group!!)....i had a local gentlema/animal sleeping on the bed opposite me who had a serious nasal infection or something as he was snoring like a trooper........literally awful.........and in my confusion at trying to find out where the awful racket was coming from, i managed to knock myself out on a protruding metal spike, which the Indian train manufacturers had so aptly put at face level on the train- oowwww! Anyway, other than a shiner of a bruise, all is dandy, so lasting effects! LOVE IT HERE!!!! The first place ive not felt stared at for being white and female and English!!!!! Woo wooo! Quite a novelty! It appears we are staying in quite the wealthy part of the city....hence westerners are an every day occurance....along with the shopping centres.....the first ive seen in India.....with proper escalators and everything, i am in heaven!! Plus......an added bonus.......a PIZZA HUT!!!! ha ha ha, Guys i did you proud and took some cheesy pics of me inside with the other waiters......they were loving the fact i used to work for The Hut!!! ha ha So Kolkata has given me the chance to settle for three days, see some markets and local sites, and just enjoy India and what it has to offer for the last time before heading onto Thailand. India is a beautiful, inspirational place, with so much to offer us Westerners, although i would never have travelled it alone, and the tour was definitely the best decision i have made about my whole trip. Its not that it is dangerous, because its not, it is just a very intense country, with so many local ways, and culture shocks, and the travelling around from city to city would have been near impossible without the infamous Binu our tour guide! So.......Thailand...........i am picking up this email now from the buzzing centre of Bangkok......i arrived at 3am this morning- 15th February- and Stephen was already here and checked into our room at Hotel Asia........if you get a chance look it up on the internet......it is Lush!! 4 star pad, huge room, huge window, huge lobby, huge mini bar........just huge!! It has its own shopping centre downstairs, 2 swimming pools, and endless facilities, including massages and reflexology....all in all a welcome relaxation stop after Inida, and give us four nights to accommodate ourselves, do some washing, and make our plans now we're on our own!! Is quite daunting to know that there is no tour guide to point us in the right direction, no itinery to steer us to the good sights and sounds, and ultimately just the two of us!!! But so far, so good, was glad to see a smiling face when i landed in this mad city at some unearthly hour this morning......... So....plan now.......breakfast.....ha ha, after that.......who knows, plenty of options......including visiting the backpackers paradise of Khao San Road, The Emerald Budda and the Reclining Budda.....have a feeling we're going to be all Budda'd out after Thailand....... a huge weekend market, although as its a 'weekend' market am thinking we will have to wait until saturday to go!! Also the infamous floating markets and Rose Garden......so much to see.....but priority being brekkie at the mo!!! Also...have the pleasure of Max and Alex from the Winchester crew also being in Bangkok.....so a beer with some faces from home will be fantastic later on........ Right, think thats all to report at the mo, but just to let you know that Ellen's Mini Adventure is going fantastic, and im already on country number 2...........will be home before you know it, India has been and gone so quickly........quite amazing really how time passes so freely here! So....hope you are all well, and taking care of yourselves.......i will be in touch soon, once Thailand has been explored and we decide which island etc we are heading to over the weekend for some beach and sun action.......... Lots of love to you all, and missing you....wish you were here to share the whole experience with me.......but until i win the lottery and can charter a flight for 200 people, think you'll just have to live your experience through my emails!!! ha ha Be in touch soon, love Ellen xxx