India: Take 1

Alright, the time has come. Meg, Tim and I arrived safely in Mumbai on the 16th, but not without a few small adventures first. I arrived in the wee hours of the morning and started off with a good ole' fashioned bout of the motion sickness. So upon landing, I b-lined to the bathroom gripping the barfbag tightly, finding comfort in the fact that if I may have to let it out, my first impression at least would not be spread all over the floor. I made it to the bathroom without incidence and did my business in the stall, not really caring what sounds were leaving my body. I just wanted whatever was making me feel so crappy to leave. Anyway, after settling in on the bathroom floor for a bit, I recovered.

I had 7 hours to kill before Tim and Meg arrived, so i ventured out of the airport briefly where many people waited. A trustworthy man offered me a free ride via airport shuttle to his hotel where i could rest my weary head, shower, and use the internet for a small fee. i just kept remembering what someone had warned me about on the plane, "don't trust anyone." but that feels so unnatural, and the offer sounded so great. but it was sort of true. the cost of the room was way too expensive for my liking, so i spent the remainder of the morning in the airport. that was small price to pay for an easy lesson.

We took a cab into the city and found our hostel. it is an experience in itself to ride in a cab in bombay where the lines on the road don't hold much meaning and the pedestrians take their lives into their own hands.

Yesterday, (day 2) we happened to be at the right place at the right time, and tried our talent as extras in a party/gambling/cabaret scene of a bollywood film. we couldn't quite figure out what the storyline was, but we enjoyed building up our star status. what a trip! we were dressed in some pretty glitsy clothes and bling. it was difficult to part with my gold ribbon heels but i managed.

and we spent today strolling around the city which was a nice way to experience it. for the first time, we understood the strong smells people had warned us about, and we began stumbling upon a few sights that left us with visceral reactions. just a few sneak peaks into a slum made me realize I have things pretty great. i could never understand a day in the life, try as i might. it does make me reconsider my wants vs. needs, and wonder how the hell these injustices happen.

on a lighter note, we will be spending another day or so in the city where the horns beep continuously. people have been very friendly to us, despite our obvious tourist appearance. in my first impression of the city i think i will have to disagree with the "do not trust anyone" statement, but maybe change it to, "be very cautious or you may have to pay a little more."