Love & Prostitution Ch. 31

Eleven weeks later Bangkok Girl has turned off the Hooghly River and has moored securely alongside in the Andaman Docks of Kolkata. Sansa (having returned safely after being away for 4 weeks), Amy and Sushila join Emily in the lounge of her cabin. Each of the ladies, except Sansa, having earned the US$2.1 million that they had received in exchange for their personal services during the cruise.

Nilesh joins the ladies at lunch to enquire about travel arrangements. Thoroughly relaxed after their 12 week cruise, the ladies decide it would be a shame to try to rush back to Delhi. They all agree it would also be a pointless exercise considering the long journey ahead of them among India's frenetic drivers. They decide on 2 overnight stops each after approximately a third of the journey. The first stop will be in Varanasi (formerly Benares) in the state of Uttah Pradesh.

Although not a state capital, Varanasi is regarded by hindus as the spiritual capital of India, the city dating back to the 11th century B.C. It draws Hindu pilgrims who bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges River and is a noted centre for the performance of funeral rites at 'the ghats'. They will stay in the owner's penthouse of the recently renamed Best Erotic Marigold Hotel of Varanasi. The second stop will be in Lucknow, the state capital of Uttar Pradesh where they will stay in the penthouse of the Best Erotic Marigold Hotel of Lucknow.

Nilesh asks about Achara and the other 5 'registered ladies' of the Delhi branch. Emily thanks him for the timely reminder and says that they will be travelling and living with the main group and asks him to arrange a comfortable air conditioned coach as their conveyance that will join the motorcade leaving in the morning after breakfast. Amy asks that Achara will travel with her in her car. Emily & Sansa decide that they will wear a travel sari outfit for comfort and to be reasonably inconspicuous.

The Captain approaches and asks if the ladies are in need of any extra security staff for their journey. Emily asks if he knows of any trustworthy PSOs that are in need of employment and are also proficient with firearms. He says that there are 3 such men in his crew that seek employment while Bangkok Girl stays in port manned by only a skeleton crew. Emily remarks on the serendipity of the situation and asks that the men report to Nilesh for instructions. They will travel in the minibus with the 5 'registered ladies'.

Everyone is content with the arrangements and Emily asks Nilesh to have packing commence while all the ladies that are travelling are at dinner. Nilesh nods to Emily with a smile, understanding that Achara and her colleagues are to be invited as well. Emily asks the Captain if he and his officers would care to dine with the ladies, his answer is unsurprisingly in the affirmative.

Having read the emails from the Treasurers, Emily reads on. There is also a host of replies from the Secretary of each branch, carrying the name of the 'jaded ladies' nominated by the branch for 'revitalisation' training in the brothel during the 12 weeks of the next sex cruise. Some branches, including Ranchi, nominate more than one jaded lady for the training. Each of these Emily forwards to Amy for her attention with a copy to Achara for her information. She sends Amy a separate email, copied to Achara, saying not to hesitate asking for her help if she feels the need.

Emily & Sansa prepare for dinner, their first night to themselves for almost three months. They undress and pop their garments in the laundry bag. Before showering they ensure that each other is perfectly smooth down below and then enjoy a refreshing, invigorating and intimate shower. Dried and fragranced they select their outfits and help each other to dress, it is so lovely to have both the time and opportunity to enjoy each other again. They admire themselves in the mirror and why wouldn't they, both being beautiful attractive ladies.

The diners assemble in the lounge for cocktails and Emily & Sansa join Achara and the 5 new 'registered ladies' from the brothel to try and allay any worries they might have. First she confirms that an air-conditioned coach has been hired to join the motorcade on its journey to Delhi. The 5 ladies will share the coach with 3 members of the crew that have been hired as assistant PSOs. Furthermore, the ladies will be offered employment in the Best Erotic Marigold Hotel of Delhi which will provide them with some income and a place to live. Not glamourous, but at least it will be a start, not forgetting of course their US$5,000 income for participating in the monthly club meeting. She finishes by assuring them that Achara will keep an eye out for their best interests and keep her informed.

Dinner is announced and Emily is delighted to see that everyone is sitting together, the tables having been rearranged into the shape of a large U and that the use of name cards at each place setting has ensured a good mixing of groups that may otherwise have coalesced. The chef and his staff have turned the occasion into a gala event: the starter is a potato and onion soup with a freshly baked bread roll; the fish course is a choice between caviar and smoked salmon with melba toast or Emily's favourite, an enormous peeled tiger prawn served on a crispy fresh heart of lettuce leaf and accompanied by a lightly spiced dipping sauce; the meat course is a huge beef Wellington with all the trimmings; the dessert is a baked alaska following by an excellent selection of cheeses, grapes, olives and crackers.

Emily is called on by everyone to make a speech, so she rises and thanks everyone for their contribution, the successful maiden cruise has worked like a well tuned engine in which the failure of any part, no matter how small it may seem, could cause the engine to stop functioning. Her thanks are targeted at everyone sat at the table in equal measure, in short it has been a remarkable cruise made possible by a remarkable team of people and that she anticipates, following the reconstruction of the brothel, that the next cruise will be even more remarkable. After spontaneous applause has subsided she raises her glass: "To Bangkok Girl and those that live and work in her". Everyone stands, echoes the toast and then drinks. Emily only stays for one nightcap in the lounge then takes her leave to get an early night ... and plenty of quality time with Sansa.

Refreshed by a good night's sleep, Emily & Sansa enjoy showers as they did in Kolkata and both dress, like twins, in a plain purple sari with gold edging, matching choli blouse, matching shoes, purple petticoat, and a black handbag. Nilesh knocks on the door and asks if her luggage may be taken to the car. Emily picks up her bag and umbrella, saying that she is going to breakfast, so her remaining belongings may be packed and taken to the car. After a light breakfast with Sansa, Amy, Sushila and Achara, they take their leave of the Captain and Bangkok Girl then disembark to join the convoy. Nilesh confirms that all luggage is loaded and everyone has boarded their vehicle. They all board their cars joined by their PSOs and Nilesh gives the signal for the convoy to move off then gets into the front passenger seat of Emily's car and Ranjit drives carefully following the coach.

The motorcade arrives at the Best Erotic Marigold Hotel of Varanasi well after the sun has set. Although everyone is tired after the long day on the road, everyone is welcomed by the General Manager, Mr P.K. Sharma. While their luggage is being transferred to the penthouse and the motorcade vehicles put into secure parking, Mr Sharma takes the party out onto the veranda for cocktails and to take in the spectacular view of the smouldering funeral pyres and beautifully lit temples on the opposite side of the Ganges River. Emily asks Mr Sharma what he estimates the current value of the land and hotel to be and he says a rough estimate would be in the region of US$5 billion. Emily takes a moment in awe of such a huge figure and says that no doubt the view is a significant share of the valuation, but he should not be concerned, she has no intention of selling such a jewel. His relief is inaudible but visually is very clear indeed.

During dinner, where Emily and Sansa sit together, it is clear that everyone is entranced with Varanasi. Emily, knowing that the penthouse in every Best Erotic Marigold Hotel is for her exclusive use, asks Nilesh to rearrange the itinerary to spend a total of 3 nights in Varanasi, so the party can enjoy the city for a couple of whole days resting and sightseeing. She also asks him to do the same for their stay at the Best Erotic Marigold Hotel of Lucknow. Emily does stipulate, that for personal safety in both cities, ladies may only go out in groups that must be accompanied by armed guards. The news goes round the party like wildfire and a very pleasant first evening of their holiday is spent where many a working relationship starts to turn into friendship. Emily is unconcerned about sexual relations between her employees, partly because there's nothing to be done to prevent that happening but, mostly because after 12 weeks of wall to wall prostitution, she thinks the other ladies will be as little in need of sex with men as herself!

Emily & Sansa had almost forgotten the sweet joy of just being alone together. Although they had both been committed career prostitutes earning a great deal of money, it had been and was always going to be, a business transaction. Their clients want carnal satisfaction, sometimes something darker and they, selling themselves to provide that satisfaction. Emily suggests that the time may not be far off when they decide to concentrate on the sex cruise business and, as wealthy women without the need to earn extra money, they might prefer to cease taking personal bookings, thus leaving them able to enjoy life together as the couple they always wanted to be. Sansa likes the idea very much and they agree to discuss it more.

In Lucknow, the whole group visits the colossal Bara Imambara (Shi'ite tomb complex). While worth seeing in its own right, the highly unusual labyrinth of corridors inside its upper floors make the visit particularly special. They also visit the historic site composed of the large collection of gardens and ruins that make up the Residency. The tour guide gives a fascinating glimpse of the beginning of the end for the British Raj. Built in 1800, the Residency became the stage for the most dramatic events of the 1857 First War of Independence (known by the British as the Indian Mutiny): the 147 day Siege of Lucknow, claimed the lives of thousands.

Just beyond the Bara Imambara, lies the Rumi Darwaza. It was built in the 1780s by the Nawab, Asaf-ud-Daula. It's unusual but imposing, and said to be a copy of an entrance gate in Istanbul. 'Rumi' (relating to Rome) is the term Muslims applied to Istanbul when it was still called Byzantium, the capital of the Eastern Roman empire.

After their delightful but unexpected holiday, the motorcade arrives outside the Best Erotic Marigold Hotel of Delhi and they are met by the Group Hotels Manager, Mrs Karima Chettri and her retinue. Nilesh without having to be asked, organises the hotel porters to move all the luggage, under the supervision of the assistant PSOs, into the appropriate room of the penthouse. Karima tells Nilesh that a welcome home dinner has been arranged and confirms to Emily that positions and accommodation will be found for the 5 ladies. Emily thanks her and they all go inside the hotel where the new Hotel Manager Ms Sangeeta Bhattacharya is presented to Emily. Meanwhile, the 4 PSOs refuel and move the 4 cars into the secure parking area and the coach drives away.