Most people here call it Bombay and so I will too. After catching a 6:45pm flight from Toronto to Paris on the 6th of December, my flight from Paris to Bombay arrived at 1 in the morning local time on December the 8th. I guess I've traded the 7th of December for a 48 hour December 21st when I return to Canada.
So far India has been equal parts exciting and scary.
Arriving in the wee hours...
Everything is so different here. Different than anything I've seen. Think of Asian scenes from India Jones and you've got a start. Smelly, smoggy, and filthy? Yes, yes, yes. Shanty towns? Everywhere. Crazy driving, yes. And, at night.....very very dark. It's more extreme than I imagined even after all the warnings. Driving through the shanty towns toward South Bombay you see everywhere the outlines of sleeping bodies along the roadside. It was all like some Philip K Dick post-apocalyptic scene, without the androids. The whole way I couldn't help but wonder if there really would be a room waiting for me at this hotel I had booked.....and if this kid behind the wheel,who couldn't speak a word of English, knew where he was going....or if he had his own plan
Things turned out fine. We made it to the Seagreen hotel (2050 rupees/night) eventually....where, oddly, there were people sleeping on the floor. Still, there was a room reserved for me which exceeded, just slightly, my low expectations. VERY basic. But clean enough. No sign of cockroaches. No sign of rats. Safe. A view of the Arabian Sea even. Relatively quiet.
Sleep! Beloved sleep.
Next morning...
India in the day light isn't quite as intimidating. Rajan, the potty-mouthed white Indian, has become my valet. I say 'white' because a disorder caused him to lose all the pigment in his skin back in the 80's. I say 'potty mouthed' because he keeps offering me candid details of his love life. He's 58 and a pretty good tour guide so far. He won me over outside the Ambassador Hotel, a more upscale neighbour to the Seagreen. So far he's shown me the Gateway of India (pic), Bombay's famous outdoor laundry, Mani Bhavan where Ghandi once lived and planned his resistance, and more.
The poverty here is more prevalent and pervasive than I had imagined. The streets are lined with begging children which, needless to say, is a real shame. Still there is beauty here too. I've already met some very nice people. I've seen some beautiful architecture. For a Canadian it's a very bizarre mix.
Quickly:
There are very few Internet access points here (somewhat surprisingly). It's going to be hard to make posts on a regular basis. Maybe in Hyderabad it will be better.
Temperature today: 34C Weather: Hot and smoggy
Most speak English. After all, India was ruled by the British for some time. There at least 10 English channels on the TV in my room. The times of India is a decent read.
As for currency....1 CAD = ~34 INR (Indian Rupee). My room at the Seagreen = 2050 INR or about $60 CAD. Bombay is known as the most expensive city in India.
Stomach check: Iffy at best. I have not yet sampled the cuisine. I'm having enough trouble with my medication....so I've put myself on strict granola bar and fruit-to-go diet for now.
Photos: as slide show | as album
Elsewhere:
Excellent pics. It's more modern than I imagined. Where are the cows? the rats?
What is the deal on the 'outdoor laundry'?
Keep us posted....
Posted by: Jeff | December 09, 2005 at 02:46 PM
Great writing. No wonder I like you so much. Sounds like you are having a life changing experience. Try to post as often as you can and takes lots of photos.
Posted by: Courtenay | December 09, 2005 at 03:27 PM