Last day in West Benghal

Last day in West Bengal

Again I have to walk a lot today – 25km. I start early at around 6 so that I almost reach my destination Kamakhyaguri at midday. So I can slow down, have a rest here and there, some snack, sitting in the nature.
Two young men, Rajkul and his friend approach me and have a lot of questions. Finally they invite me to there home for lunch. But… suddenly they feel a bit insecure, I guess because of Corona, and walk very quick in front of me, so our distance increase. They turn right, our distance is now maybe almost 100 meter. No turn around from them, just a shy look. I lift up my shoulders for a question mark, but not a real answer. So I continue my way.
This can happen in some culture. Someone promise something and then they realized they can’t fulfill it. It’s to awkward to them, to come up and talk about there problem, so they disappear….

Some km later I meet Jitendra, a teacher on the road and we start a long conversation. Because I talk with mask and he takes with mask and motorcycle helmet, it’s a bit like screaming and my voice gets hoarse. He invites me to come to his school. Meeting point is in front of the school – 500m. He drives in front and its longer than 500m, but finally some shop keeper picks me in order of Jitendra from the road. From Jitendra is nothing to see.
After some sitting Santoosh, a Yoga teacher, invites me for lunch to his house. I ask friendly, if no one is scared to have me at his house, no problem…. Also his nephew is there and later wife and daughters, neighbor’s. Nice conversation and hospitality. The whole family speaks english. They make me a nice vegetarian meal and I eat a lot. It’s nice to get good food and being welcome in a private house after so many hotels and Dhabas. Also Jitendra shows up after a while, he had a meeting at the school. (In India are all schools closed since March, reopening is planned for 15th September)
That was a really nice welcoming encounter with good conversation and meal.

It’s a bit, that West Benghal accumulated a ‚Good bye‘ event to me through this people.