Sleeping Around

Inspired by the writings of my wicked smart funny friends Jesse Seret (Perfect Calm), Trish Deitch (Distant Dock), Jessica Schickel (Chagrin and Bear It), Jen Sincero (Hey Little Bad Ass), and Janine Schulz (Oiling of a Rusty Mind), and encouraged by people I’ve met here and there, I will now commence the blog. Maybe just about beds. Maybe about other things too. But the beds are a constant. I’ve been keeping record of every mattress, hammock, waterbed, and couch I’ve spent the night on for some time, as many of you know.

Not every bed makes it into the bed collection. Sometimes I forget to take a picture. Once my computer was stolen on a night train in deepest India and I lost an important year of photos. Sometimes the beds in which I’ve slept would cause too much of a stir if made public, so. But there are lots beds in the bed collection. And stories behind each one.

If beds bore you then there is still some hope for us having a blogger/reader relationship. Let’s see how it goes. I’m only about 80% comfortable with this set up and welcome your input.

Love and kusheln from my red velvet bed in Berlin,

Noa
June, 2010
~ Saturday, January 21 ~
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Hotel Mount View, Siliguri (January 21, 2012) — Once again bus tickets were snitched and we were left to make our way from Phuntsoling to Siliguri by hook and by crook and by tuk tuk. We tried for another bus but there was no doing so we took another tuk tuk crammed with babies and ladies and went to the Hasimara train station, 40 minutes into India along the tea estates. For 20 rupees we bought train tickets that took us the 4.5 hours from Hasimara to Siliguri. The train was a wonderful rickety thing filled with families and lady-boys, sleepy people, and chai-wallahs. The air was warm and the pastoral scenery easy on the eyes. Much better than any bus. We snacked on cold coconut chunks and roasted peanuts and finally arrived in Siliguri in the early evening, in time to have a nice Rajasthani feast. These transit towns—Phuntsholing, Jaigon, Siliguri—all have a lively energy and I was excited about my journey to come. We checked into The Hotel Mount View, a fine place near the station with no mountains and no view for about $20. In the morning I took a taxi to Bagdogra Airport बाघदोग्रा विमानस्थल. I think the taxi only had three tires, it wobbled like my hobbled suitcase. But we made it to the airport in about half an hour. I soon learned that the fog in Delhi had grounded many planes and my flight to Kolkatta was delayed. Which meant I would miss my flight to Chennai, which meant I would miss my flight to Sri Lanka. And so, I am ashamed to admit, I shed a few tears. At least I’d had a decent night’s sleep back in Siliguri. Hotel Mount View, Opposite Central Bus Terminus, Hill Cart Road, Siliguri, Dist. Darjeeling, Pin 734003. (0353) 2510030, 2510023. Rs1400/night minus 270 discount plus tax = Rs1200

Hotel Mount View, Siliguri (January 21, 2012) — Once again bus tickets were snitched and we were left to make our way from Phuntsoling to Siliguri by hook and by crook and by tuk tuk. We tried for another bus but there was no doing so we took another tuk tuk crammed with babies and ladies and went to the Hasimara train station, 40 minutes into India along the tea estates. For 20 rupees we bought train tickets that took us the 4.5 hours from Hasimara to Siliguri. The train was a wonderful rickety thing filled with families and lady-boys, sleepy people, and chai-wallahs. The air was warm and the pastoral scenery easy on the eyes. Much better than any bus. We snacked on cold coconut chunks and roasted peanuts and finally arrived in Siliguri in the early evening, in time to have a nice Rajasthani feast.

These transit towns—Phuntsholing, Jaigon, Siliguri—all have a lively energy and I was excited about my journey to come. We checked into The Hotel Mount View, a fine place near the station with no mountains and no view for about $20. In the morning I took a taxi to Bagdogra Airport बाघदोग्रा विमानस्थल. I think the taxi only had three tires, it wobbled like my hobbled suitcase. But we made it to the airport in about half an hour. I soon learned that the fog in Delhi had grounded many planes and my flight to Kolkatta was delayed. Which meant I would miss my flight to Chennai, which meant I would miss my flight to Sri Lanka. And so, I am ashamed to admit, I shed a few tears. At least I’d had a decent night’s sleep back in Siliguri.

Hotel Mount View, Opposite Central Bus Terminus, Hill Cart Road, Siliguri, Dist. Darjeeling, Pin 734003. (0353) 2510030, 2510023. Rs1400/night minus 270 discount plus tax = Rs1200