Hello Indian Railways, My Old Friend

Pitch report - after a smattering of unanticipated rain, the groundskeepers clearly forgot to put the covers on, and the Maidan fields were wet underfoot. Conditions were unfavorable for running rugby, but seemingly this did not matter, as Crow Field was invaded by a number of boys and girls for their ripper rugby tournament. More to come on that later. But first, a huge happy birthday to Nikau's father, Leon Beazley, we hope you enjoy! 

Sickness Update:

Josh Roberts - the man is a legend, and is almost back to full health.

Ryan Donovan - has been dealt a double blow and returned to bed for most of the day, only to peak back in the evening. 

George Skinner - a new addition to the Grammar infirmary but continues to be his bubbly self, full credit to you George!

Michael Derevianko and Ben Lerner - staying in high spirits but still firmly in the sick bay for a little longer. 

Mr. Crook - fully back into the swing of things after a rough few days. 

Sunday 10 December

7:00am - the boys are woken up after a luxurious sleep in after this writer pulled rank. You're welcome boys. Bags were moved into one room room in anticipation of our checkout. Ben Lerner is delivered a fresh roll of toilet paper on a shiny tin platter - the service here will be missed!

7:30am - emotions were high and hearts and stomachs filled as we entered Blue Sky Cafe for the final time. They say goodbye is perhaps the hardest word, and this was particularly so for the waiters to 'Big Boss' (Mr. Jordan) due to his handling of the finances. At breakfast, Mr. Jordan finally contributes his first song to the tour playlist, resulting in a heavy fine. 

9:30am - we departed Blue Sky for Crow Field at the Maidan, where the Jungle Crows were holding an under 13s ripper rugby tournament. Teams entering were from various NGOs around the city, such as Future Hope. Our boys were split between the ten teams as managers and coaches, save Nikau, Richard and Will, who were asked to referee. Richard Boswell was a little whistle happy if you ask me and Ben Skeen would not have been impressed. We have been privileged to be hosted by the Crows thus far, but to see first hand what they do and undertake on a day-to-day basis was very special. The teams were all wearing jerseys with Per Angusta Ad Augusta and #grammarway plastered on their backs. 

12:00pm - at the conclusion of the tournament, the boys give a moving rendition of the school haka, led supremely by Nikau Reti-Beazley. 

12:10pm - the group cross the Maidan to the Queen Victoria Memorial. This immense building would not look out of place amongst Europe's top heritage attractions. The grounds are pristine, and the building itself well maintained. Comments were made how bizarre this was given it appears the only place held to this standard, and is essentially a symbol of the British oppression in this country. As one local said though, Indians are conscious of their entire history, as this forms the fabric of who they are. 

1:45pm - the boys were given free time to explore the area, find lunch, haggle and inevitably buy more "quality" goods. Sam Lindberg, I give your 'Casio' watch 3 days before it gives up, pal. 

5:00pm - after reconvening at the Hotel, the boys were then set off again to find their own dinner. Some dined in luxury, while others sought more humble samosas or a return to the great Hot Kati Roll.

8:00pm - and we were off. Goodbyes were said to the Hotel Emirates staff, and we packed into taxis set for Sealdah Train Station. On the next leg of the journey we are lucky enough to have Akash from the Crows travelling with us, and his navigation skills were already useful in directing some of the drivers to the station. 

8:40pm - The buzz of the station is immense, with thousands moving through it on a daily basis. Many will arrive hours before departure to ensure a good (upright) seat, on a journey lasting often over 10 hours. We quickly find an area to plant our bags, and card games, blogging, and reading begins. 

11:15pm - Indian Railways, long haul, we meet again. After a couple of hours, we board our train ON TIME, I repeat, ON TIME. Happiness quickly turned to despair as we were informed the train would be diverted and therefore delayed 3 hours and 21 minutes along the line. Cheers to our good friends at Indian Railways for that, some things never change. In saying that, upon opening our little parcel of sheets, we found a cute little face cloth is now included. A beautiful touch. After making beds, the group heads straight to sleep. 

MVP - Matt Illing. Let me paint a quick picture for you. As the group sat at Sealdah Station, a crowd soon gathered around, intrigued by these foreign beings in their local station. This crowd was quickly 6 deep. In the background, trains screamed and speakers blared. It was in this atmosphere that Matt delivered his Experts in the Field talk on the British Raj in India. As a result, around 200 people were treated to this great man's speech, applause erupting upon conclusion. Outstanding stuff, Matt. 

Thought - we are immensely lucky. Over the course of the trip so far, the boys have seen vast poverty and no doubt had some things put in perspective. We are all in very fortunate positions. However, over the course of this week, we have also been immensely lucky, in this case to share in our Kolkata experience with the Jungle Crows. These incredible locals have coloured our time here with their stories, laughs and time. For that, we say an enormous thank you. Until next time. 

Reuben