We left Calcutta by train to a town called Malda…in the province of Malda. I was confused for a bit there. Anyway, the train ride overnight was great and our nearness to the first class train car meant a break from being incessantly woken up to be asked if I wanted “Chai! Coffee!” that tends to go on ALL NIGHT LONG on the trains last time around…

Anyway, Gangarampur is a typical Indian town, which means it's about 100,000 people packed into a very small area about 15 minutes away from the place before it. The difference this time around is that the area is almost entirely Hindu (Aside from the orphanage, there is only one family of believers). Coupled with the fact that the BJP (a Hindu political party with hardline views on other religions and outsiders) being fairly strong in the area, it's made for some fairly tense moments.

The hotel isn't nearly as bad as Mike made it sound, KK Ullas' wife and the two other women that live here are absolutely amazing cooks, and there haven't been any openly hostile moments, so thus far, it's absolutely amazing!

Anyway, more later.