The first few days

After a relatively easy 8.5 hr flight; passage through customs was a doddle and I booked myself a prepay taxi to my hotel for 350Rs (approx 4 squids). At the 1st set of lights we went straight through beeping the horn madly. This is normal I came to realise. No rules driving, total chaos. At a junction in the city a boy of about 4 came to the window singing "jingle bells, jingle bells, santa rules, santa rules." He then tugged my shirt until a 200year old lady reached through the window as the taxi set off. In Grant road where my hotel is, there are no tourists, the only white face I have seen the 1st 2 days was my own in the mirror when I shave. On the way to the clinic I saw a 6month old baby in the gutter. I assume he was not abandoned for a 3 year old was sat near by. People sleep in the roads, the streets anywhere. Of course this is just one side. Last night I went downtown to Leopolds Cafe in Calaba. I sat down next to Jim who was on his 3rd traveling experience in India. I got a bit tipsy before making my way back to the hotel through the red light district, even at 2am the roads are packed with people milling around.

Every car beeps their horn all the time and all seem to want to prove it right outside my bedroom window. There are no traffic laws whatsoever. Keeping to their own side of the road is the only loose rule. Junctions are chaos. People don't use the pavements.

All in all, hotel room is very basic but secure and clean(ish). The hotel "boy" will do anything and get anything for 2Rs(3p).

My timezone and useful info. Especially if you need to know what time the sunset is (thanks Abi xxx)
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=44

Curry and rice and drinks and trimmings in local restaurant = 1 pound
1 litre of bottled water = 15p
Shirt = 50p
Pint of beer in flashy joint = 1 pound 90
death-taxi across town for 30mins = 80p