Where would that be you ask? Mumbai, India--
It is crazy, and wonderful, and speedy, and chaos, and heart-warming...
How else can you describe this world that I have just stepped into for the first time in my life but have barely made a dent? I arrived here 3 days ago, after an excruciating 30+ hours traveling. My flight path: Minneapolis->Boston->Paris (delayed plane..technical difficulties, crew change..5.5 hours)->Mumbai!
Even though getting here had some difficulties it was worth it, it is HOT and HUMID here to the 5th degree! About 90 degrees during the day with 70% humidity or so? Woofta! Hello summer!
How did I get here?
Well, considering my insane lifestyle right now of traveling, and no work, and no school... I decided to take this time off to finally take a trip to India where my mom is working for three weeks. Thanks to my wonderful parents this was possible and ma and I are having a great time.
First impressions?
"IT'S SO HOT!" ... and... "HOLY CRAP THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE!"
I didn't step foot into Mumbai until 5:30 in the morning because of my delays and still I was sweating as soon as I got outside and surrounded by a bajillion people. I'm not sure if people even sleep here? Driving to the hotel was my first India experience and wow... Driving is crazy here. The lines don't really mean anything.. you just go wherever you want. There are tiny little rickshaws all over the roads weaving in and out of cars.. its honestly amazing that there is not accidents everywhere. But somehow, this chaotic driving works and I have not witnessed any cars or people being hit... yet. Besides the crazy driving there is also piles and piles of trash on the side of the roads, but somehow it almost seems normal, no one even pays attention to it so thats kind of how I have decided to treat it, there are so many dogs aimlessly roaming the streets, people sleeping on corners, on the top of trucks... On my way to the hotel the thing I remember most is seeing carts, about 10 in a row on the side of the road and people sleeping, in rows on these carts and covered up with a large white sheet... I've never seen anything like it in my life. It is a new kind of poverty to see, and it seems weird to sit in this large, expansive hotel while the native indian world lives life completely opposite outside these walls.
Everyone seems lively though, and is very, very friendly... greeting you with a good morning ma'am or a good evening ma'am every time you see them. Getting to the hotel was also interesting... you leave the streets, full of people, animals, cars, and noise to a basically gated community of renaissance hotels. First, the driver pulls up the the security guards where they open your doors, greet you, while also checking inside, and the trunk, to make sure there is no extra baggage or persons...they also slide these.. mirrors on wheels basically, underneath the car to check for anything below... something I have never seen before. Then you proceed, driving past another set of guards until you reach the front entrance. At this point the driver hops out of the car as fast as possible in order to open your door before you even can unbuckle, he wishes you well and then you move onto the front entrance security... all bags must go through a scanner and the you step through a body scanner on your own, in the evenings they even wand you. However, they will not do this process in front of other people if you are woman... so, they lead you into this small set up black room... wand you over.. and you are free to go in. It's quite the process but begins to feel normal after only my 3 days here.
I have already been feeling a little ill here.. I am not sure where that is coming from seeing as I have not had much indian food yet. Concerned that it may be effects from my malaria pills so I will probably need to stop taking those if this continues. This morning at breakfast I got sick before we ate... which could have been due to any number of things... us going to the bar last night and being fed a billion bombay saphires and tonic... working out this morning without food in my stomach... or my pills...or just my jumbled life from traveling... who knows! Just hoping that tomorrow will be more stable!
Tonight, I went to ma's work at 8pm by myself.. I wasn't sure where to sit in the car because I was by myself? So I chose the front seat... and apparently that is weird... I guess I will remember that for last time. The driver must have just been too kind to tell me that I was being awkward... Anyway, went to work and met all of her Indian friends.. they all seem so wonderful and nice... I hope I get to see them much more before I leave. This one girl, Ponju ...( I think??) seems very nice and is going to take me shopping sometime during my trip so I can get indian attire :) They had a potluck tonight with traditional homemade indian food.. so glad to say that that was my first meal here. Oh my god, it was so delicious. All the new flavors and spices... incredible. And a lot of eating with my hands. I felt horrible because I only stayed to eat and then had to catch a ride back to the hotel with Kate because she is heading back to the U.S. tonight and needed to pack. I hope they didnt see that as rude... becuase that is truly how I felt.. But I am so grateful to have met them and got to share their food. Yummm!
Here is a picture of a rickshaw
(not my own picture.. but exactly like the little buggers driving around here!)
And from the pot luck dinner...
My feast :) yum yummm! The rice looking dish on the far left is called Biriyani and is made with goat or chicken (this kind was chicken) and is spicy. It was one of my favorites of the night...and also probably the only one that I can remember the name. Also, for dessert my favorite dish is Galub jamun which is these small balls covered in some type of syrup, it is very sweet and delicious. If you look in the picture of the table covered in food it is in the right far back dish. but looks like this up close...
Galub jamun
It is crazy, and wonderful, and speedy, and chaos, and heart-warming...
How else can you describe this world that I have just stepped into for the first time in my life but have barely made a dent? I arrived here 3 days ago, after an excruciating 30+ hours traveling. My flight path: Minneapolis->Boston->Paris (delayed plane..technical difficulties, crew change..5.5 hours)->Mumbai!
Even though getting here had some difficulties it was worth it, it is HOT and HUMID here to the 5th degree! About 90 degrees during the day with 70% humidity or so? Woofta! Hello summer!
How did I get here?
Well, considering my insane lifestyle right now of traveling, and no work, and no school... I decided to take this time off to finally take a trip to India where my mom is working for three weeks. Thanks to my wonderful parents this was possible and ma and I are having a great time.
First impressions?
"IT'S SO HOT!" ... and... "HOLY CRAP THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE!"
I didn't step foot into Mumbai until 5:30 in the morning because of my delays and still I was sweating as soon as I got outside and surrounded by a bajillion people. I'm not sure if people even sleep here? Driving to the hotel was my first India experience and wow... Driving is crazy here. The lines don't really mean anything.. you just go wherever you want. There are tiny little rickshaws all over the roads weaving in and out of cars.. its honestly amazing that there is not accidents everywhere. But somehow, this chaotic driving works and I have not witnessed any cars or people being hit... yet. Besides the crazy driving there is also piles and piles of trash on the side of the roads, but somehow it almost seems normal, no one even pays attention to it so thats kind of how I have decided to treat it, there are so many dogs aimlessly roaming the streets, people sleeping on corners, on the top of trucks... On my way to the hotel the thing I remember most is seeing carts, about 10 in a row on the side of the road and people sleeping, in rows on these carts and covered up with a large white sheet... I've never seen anything like it in my life. It is a new kind of poverty to see, and it seems weird to sit in this large, expansive hotel while the native indian world lives life completely opposite outside these walls.
Everyone seems lively though, and is very, very friendly... greeting you with a good morning ma'am or a good evening ma'am every time you see them. Getting to the hotel was also interesting... you leave the streets, full of people, animals, cars, and noise to a basically gated community of renaissance hotels. First, the driver pulls up the the security guards where they open your doors, greet you, while also checking inside, and the trunk, to make sure there is no extra baggage or persons...they also slide these.. mirrors on wheels basically, underneath the car to check for anything below... something I have never seen before. Then you proceed, driving past another set of guards until you reach the front entrance. At this point the driver hops out of the car as fast as possible in order to open your door before you even can unbuckle, he wishes you well and then you move onto the front entrance security... all bags must go through a scanner and the you step through a body scanner on your own, in the evenings they even wand you. However, they will not do this process in front of other people if you are woman... so, they lead you into this small set up black room... wand you over.. and you are free to go in. It's quite the process but begins to feel normal after only my 3 days here.
I have already been feeling a little ill here.. I am not sure where that is coming from seeing as I have not had much indian food yet. Concerned that it may be effects from my malaria pills so I will probably need to stop taking those if this continues. This morning at breakfast I got sick before we ate... which could have been due to any number of things... us going to the bar last night and being fed a billion bombay saphires and tonic... working out this morning without food in my stomach... or my pills...or just my jumbled life from traveling... who knows! Just hoping that tomorrow will be more stable!
Tonight, I went to ma's work at 8pm by myself.. I wasn't sure where to sit in the car because I was by myself? So I chose the front seat... and apparently that is weird... I guess I will remember that for last time. The driver must have just been too kind to tell me that I was being awkward... Anyway, went to work and met all of her Indian friends.. they all seem so wonderful and nice... I hope I get to see them much more before I leave. This one girl, Ponju ...( I think??) seems very nice and is going to take me shopping sometime during my trip so I can get indian attire :) They had a potluck tonight with traditional homemade indian food.. so glad to say that that was my first meal here. Oh my god, it was so delicious. All the new flavors and spices... incredible. And a lot of eating with my hands. I felt horrible because I only stayed to eat and then had to catch a ride back to the hotel with Kate because she is heading back to the U.S. tonight and needed to pack. I hope they didnt see that as rude... becuase that is truly how I felt.. But I am so grateful to have met them and got to share their food. Yummm!
Here is a picture of a rickshaw
(not my own picture.. but exactly like the little buggers driving around here!)
And from the pot luck dinner...
My feast :) yum yummm! The rice looking dish on the far left is called Biriyani and is made with goat or chicken (this kind was chicken) and is spicy. It was one of my favorites of the night...and also probably the only one that I can remember the name. Also, for dessert my favorite dish is Galub jamun which is these small balls covered in some type of syrup, it is very sweet and delicious. If you look in the picture of the table covered in food it is in the right far back dish. but looks like this up close...
Galub jamun
No comments:
Post a Comment
Let me know what you think!