Kolkata to Guawathi
“Assam where the Brahmaputra River weaves stories of life and resilience through its meandering courses” - unknown
Up before dawn my case needed to be on the deck by 6.00 am as we were told bus was leaving at 6.30 am sharp ( forgot that was Indian time) I picked up my breakfast box a sandwich and 2 pieces of fruit. Waiting waiting outside my cabin to get off the ship using the ramp sadly not the country boat. At 6.45 time to leave all the crew waved goodbye wishing us a happy journey. Nearly 7.00 before we departed it was a stop start journey to the airport across town Kolkata was dirty and polluted. Finally arrived at the airport which was a digital airport you can’t enter untill you have your eyes scanned and everything matches your passport and check in voucher considering where i was it was very efficient. Finding bag drop off was simple to find but the line was so long plenty of time bordering time 9.20 am it was just after 8. Made my way to the ladies security check moving to a dressing room type room to be scanned all very efficient. Then I found a coffee shop with an espresso machine and had good strong latte first in over 2 weeks it was heaven. The plan was late arriving but we departed on time it was a 1.5 hour flight north. Arrival was very quick and Pandaw team were there to greet us and take our luggage.
50 minute drive to RV Kindat Pandaw a slightly larger ship but was had more passengers mostly German and Australian.
We were directed to our cabins then lunch on the sundeck before we started the afternoon excursion.
Back on a bus convoy 5 to a bus we set off for the Commonwealth graves to see the graves of Indian soldiers who died during WWII there were three sections Christian and Muslim’s were buried and a single statue to remember the Hindus who were cremated. While there it was a high school, muck up day celebration strange place to have it
Kamakhya Nilachai hill temple is one of the main scared sites for Hindu the temple is dedicated to Mother Goddess Kamakhya a female goddess of Parvati. You needed to drop your shoes off at bottom before climbing about 60 stairs walking past temple shops to reach the temple, goats roamed every they would be scarifies later. Troucble was these was goat wee and dropping everywhere and I was barefoot yuk. Sticky in parts. Once again the devotion of the people praying is mind blowing to me as they appear at times to be mesmerised unaware of whats occurring happing around them.. To worship at the Yoni was a 3 hour wait not for me.
