The night of January 26th, I took a taxi to Mumbai's international airport. I didn't worry about getting ripped off by the taxi driver, because a) I procured the taxi through the guard station at my housing complex, and b) after he started driving, I was sure to say "meter meter" until he pushed a button on a box with red numbers on it. When we arrived, he seemed to want me to hire him for the trip back, but I didn't know what to make for that, and didn't have a cellphone. I had to wait a long time at the airport, my own fault because I wanted to be extra safe. With confused foreigners at international flights at major airports, customs and such can take up to two hours. I brought a math paper to proofread, so I didn't mind waiting, but I was starting to get worried that I would somehow miss them.
But, around 3:30 they showed up. I pulled my sleepy head together enough to arrange for a prepaid taxi. We had a jolly drive back to the housing complex, being introduced to Mumbai at night. It was about a 90 minute drive, with mostly vacant streets. When we were finally home I took a little video for you to watch. Would you like to be videotaped at the end of an international journey?
As you'll recall two of my guests were my yoga workout buddies from back in Norman. Courtney is also a serious yogini. Since they had been on a long plane ride, it was clear that we were going to seriously exercise for the first few days. So the day started out with yoga on my terrace, and continued with an hour's walk down Colaba Causeway. It was a long walk which we would do several times. The walk starts out where I live in "Navy Nagar", a military area with guards preventing foreigners from veering off the main path. The sidewalks are very comfortable though. Then comes the downtown area, where the walking is more difficult. Pedestrian walking areas are crowded out by parked motor vehicles, merchant stands, people hanging out. There are free roaming animals, so you have to watch your step. Lots of other people are walking around too. So it's a struggle.
 |
| Is this appropriate? |
Nonetheless the walk is a nice opportunity to look around and appreciate life in the city. Let's talk not about the salesmen who approach you, but the rest of the folks, the ones going about their business. There is a very sincere look in their eyes, a stark straightforwardness of purpose. Do you wish that people were more transparent, that they would show you how they felt more often? Well, if you were a young fit western woman walking around young men in Mumbai, you might have mixed feelings about that. Yes, my friends got a lot of attention. I knew this would happen; I had even warned them beforehand that they would be treated like celebrities, and encouraged them to ponder the appropriate behavior for stars. It seemed that everyone with a camera wanted photos of my athletic friends, men and women alike. Schoolgirls would come up and shake their hands. Sadly, little of that glamour rubbed off on yours truly, who felt more like a roadie. However the dudes secretly gave me little "thumbs up" looks, as if they were proud of my accomplishment of traveling around with western women.
 |
| Kavitha, me, and Arnab on the boat |
You'll recall Elephanta from a previous post. This time I was determined to get a video of an Elephanta monkey:
I finally had the attention I craved.
 |
| Afterwards, this guy wanted a photo with me. |
