My first port of call was India. The land of wall to wall people. And my first city was Kolkata(Calcutta).

Kolkata /koʊlˈkɑːtɑː/, formerly Calcutta /kælˈkʌtə/, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly river, it is the principal commercial, cultural, and educational centre of East India, while the Port of Kolkata is India's oldest operating port as well as its sole major riverine port. As of 2011, the city had 4.5 million residents; the urban agglomeration, which comprises the city and its suburbs, was home to approximately 14.1 million, making it the third-most populous metropolitan area in India. As of 2008, its economic output as measured by gross domestic product ranked third among South Asian cities, behind Mumbai and Delhi.^[11] As a growing metropolitan city in a developing country, Kolkata confronts substantial urban pollution, traffic congestion, poverty, overpopulation, and other logistic and socioeconomic problems.

I have taken the above quotation from Wikipedia, to give you some idea of the extent of Kolkata, and yet it is considered a relatively small city.One of the unique features of Kolkata are the trams, for they are the only trams to be found in the whole of India. This photo was taken in the early morning which was the only time when you would see so few people.

The sacred cows of Inia are legendary and to be seen everywhere you go.

Milk is transported in the cans we used some fifty years ago, and is delivered by hand to those wishing to purchase it by decanting it by hand.

The traffic is the background for a cacophony of sound from the continual sound of horns. Nearly all commercial vehicles have a sign on the back of them,"Sound Horn". As there is a movement to reduce the noise, the new signs read,"Follow Traffic Laws". 

As for the traffic laws though, one wonders if such do exist, as it seems as though,"first in is best dressed". Yet in spite of this, what could well be described, as "controlled chaos", I did not see one accident.

My accommodation was in a lovely old Guest House called the Sunflower Guest House. This was a 150 year old building somewhat dilapidated on the outside, beautifully clean on the inside with an antique lift whose driver slept alongside it and was available 24hours a day.

And here it is in all its glory. Surprisingly enough it was very quiet and efficient.

Parking in India  is not a problem - that is if you can find somewhere to park. There are no traffic inspectors or parking meters.

Just about everything you want occurs on the street. You feel thirsty and here is the man juicing sugar cane. 

Perhaps a shave, or a haircut.

Buy some food

Have your shoes repaired.

Maybe you wish to have a letter typed?

If you need water, you may pump water.

Even wash yourself and your clothes.

Kolkata is the only city in which I have seen the rickshaw still in use. 

My favourite form of transport is the tuk tuk which is to be found everywhere. The original one's were powered by a two stroke motor. These are being replaced by fourstroke motors in both petrol and diesel as they are considered less polluting, with many now going for LPG.

The first method to replace the rickshaw was the trishaw which is the least polluting form of transport.

And of course they have what we would consider as the normal taxi.