A Day in Bombay

I just finished a very long day in the city of Bombay (Mumbai). My office and hotel are in Navi (New) Mumbai, and I haven’t ventured to Mumbai proper since I landed at the airport. Navi Mumbai is another city (not really a suburb) across the bridge from Mumbai.

I had a wake up call at 6:45 am. I got dressed and went downstairs for continental breakfast before my ride arrived. Sarika and Jitesh picked me up in front of the hotel at 8. They procured a car and driver for the day. We went to the Vashi train station to pick up everyone else. The ride from Navi Mumbai to Mumbai is a little over an hour. We drove through the city and they showed me various landmarks until we reached our first destination – a mosque. It’s a really famous mosque called Haji Ali Dargah. We had to take off our shoes before entering the mosque and they separated men from women. We took a few pictures outside of the part where you pray (not sure of what to call it), and then we started to walk back. The mosque was located in the middle of the Arabian Sea and we had to walk across a long causeway to reach it. The smell was horrendous in that area. I tried to hold my breath while walking, but I just couldn’t force myself to do it longer than a few seconds. I felt like I was walking through a land field. I gagged several times while walking over there. Every Feed the Children commercial I ever turned away from came stared me in the face today. A group of healthcare workers stood near the entrance to the causeway giving children polio vaccines. Those poor children and their parents presented a very ugly picture of the poverty that so many of us fail to acknowledge every day.

After visiting the mosque, we headed to Elephanta Island. Before catching the ferry to the island, we took several pictures in front of Taj Mahal Hotel. We also took pictures at The Gateway of India. This monument was built by the British to welcome King George V to the island. Ironically, the Gateway was the last site that the British used to leave the island after India won its independence. We proceeded to the ferry amidst the crowd and the “hawkers” along the path. Once on the ferry, we took pictures of the group and the various landmarks along the way. The ferry ride across the Arabian Sea was around 45 minutes. Another foreigner was sitting next to me. I overheard him on the phone and I knew he was American by his accent. I was a little excited to know there was another American aboard. I asked him where he was from when his call ended and he told me he was from Massachusetts. We struck up a conversation about our experience in India. He’s traveled around India for a couple of weeks. He left home over 2 months ago and has visited many countries. He’s leaving for Thailand and maybe China later this week. I was surprised to hear that his best experience was in Iran.

Elephanta Island has 8 caves that were carved in the 6th century by one of the Indian rulers.. The carvings represent various forms of Hindu deities. On the way inside the gate, my group hurriedly pushed me inside. They later told me it was because the price for tourists is higher than Indians. They’d told the guard that I was from Delhi to get me in at the lower price. The path to the caves was lined with vendors selling various goods. There were animals along the path such as the ubiquitous cow, and the equally present stray dogs. There were also monkeys in the trees. Scary monkeys. They have a reputation of snatching things from people as they walk up because they think they it might be food. They also hang out in the trees near the caves. One of them stole a bag of Lay’s from a member of our group.

We went to McDonald’s after visiting Elephanta Island. I don’t even eat at McDonald’s at home, but the rest of the group wanted to go there. I had the Chicken Maharajah Mac with fries. Basically, it was the Big Mac made with chicken, and the sauce tasted like a ginger-based, spicy paste. Victoria Terminus was across the street from the McDonald’s. I stopped to purchase a book for Rs 50 before heading inside the station. I bought a bootlegged version of The Namesake. I’ve bought books from street vendors before with no issues, but this time I had to look through 3 different books to find the best copy. It looked like someone got lazy while making the copies, so some of the pages were a little crooked. They also stapled the first few pages in the wrong order.

Victoria Terminus is the main train station and houses both local and regional trains. There are vendors everywhere. It’s very similar to Grand Central Station in NY. You can infer from the name who built the station. It seemed that most of the tourist sites and older building were built by the last group of people to rule India.

I started writing this blog last night when I returned to the hotel. I was so tired that I couldn’t finish writing about the rest of the day. Now, I am refreshed and ready to continue.

We went to Nehangir Art Gallery which was built by the Tata family. It showcases modern Indian art. There was one piece that really fascinated me. It wouldn’t mind having it in my home, but I probably wouldn’t be able to afford it. Down the street from the gallery was the Prince of Wales Museum, now called Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Museum. You will find that many of the streets and buildings have 2 names – one Indian and one British. We only had 30 minutes to see the museum before it closed. We did the “quick tour”. Jaya (a member of our group) studied history in college and spent a lot of time at this museum. She told me what was there and where, which made our visit more effective. I told her what I wanted to see and she took us there directly. She also gave background information on the museum and some of the pieces. She was a great tour guide, even though we had a limited amount of time. After the guards put us out of the museum at 6pm sharp, we walked back toward the vehicle. Rupali suggested that we go to Rhythm House Music Store, which was next to the parking lot. It was just like any other music store I’d seen, but there was a huge section for movie soundtracks. Bollywood produces over 1000 movies a year, and each of those movies also produces soundtracks that become just as popular as the movie. I bought Erykah’s newest CD (I’m listening to it as I type this) along with an instrumental Indian CD with 51 songs. I didn’t want a CD in Hindi that I couldn’t understand. I always read the lyrics of English songs too. I’m very careful about what I buy here. I don’t want anything representing a deity or some other image that I don’t believe in.

We drove back towards Marine Drive where the sun was going down over the water. We walked along the path to the end. There were lots of couples and families enjoying the cool breeze and the view. Across the street were several upscale apartment buildings. It was a very pretty site made better because you couldn’t see the dirty water of the sea in the dark. We also saw The Queen’s Necklace. At night, the lights surrounding the beach make a semi-circle that looks like a pearl necklace; hence, the name.

We drove for over an hour to Juhu Beach around 8pm. I nodded off for awhile when we were sitting in traffic. I was tired and hungry. I get very cranky when I’m hungry, so I thought it would be best for everyone if I stayed quiet and napped. When we finally arrived at the beach, which is across from the airport, it was crowded and fit the carnival-like atmosphere I’d heard about Chowpatty Beach (on the opposite side). There were vendors selling food, toys, and other trinkets while people and the ever-present stray dogs walked along the beach. Some of them ventured into the dark waves. The stars were very clear and bright. We headed toward a restaurant, but the wait was over an hour. We ended up at Tawaa, a restaurant that specializes in fire-grilled food. We had to wait a few minutes for a table. While waiting, the ladies went to the “washroom”. I walked in and was assaulted by the pungent smell. I walked out almost immediately. One of the guys suggested that we take a rickshaw to find another more suitable restroom. I declined and said I could wait. I’m glad I always carry hand sanitizer.

After dinner, the driver dropped me off at the hotel. The first thing I wanted to do was shower and get clean. I felt really grimy from all the pollution and sweating.

I had a good time visiting all the sites of the city. I appreciate Jitesh, Sarika, Alkesh, Jaya, Rupali, Prasanna, and Febin showing me around.

Yesterday, Sarika and Vinu picked me up from the hotel before work. We went to a small dosa restaurant that makes around 100 different types of dosas. After eating dosas, we climbed a mountain in the middle of the city. Vinu drove up and stopped at different points for me to take “snaps”. The city looked so serene from up there. We passed a lot of couples on the way up taking advantage of the scenery and the privacy. There was also a small village near the top of the mountain. We descended the mountain and drove through the city. Vinu was really good at slowing down for me to take pictures of the various sites. He was a great tour guide. We also stopped for coconut water. I wasn’t expecting to actually drink coconut water from a coconut. I assumed coconut water was a special drink concoction. In reality, the top of the coconut is cut off, a straw is inserted, and you have coconut water. It was good, but it wasn’t as sweet as I thought it would be. They told me the coconuts get sweeter as it gets hotter. Coconut water is fairly common in beach areas like Miami, Jamaica, etc.

It was nearing time to go to work, but we had to make another stop on the way. We went to the top of a hill where there was a church and several temples on the same street. The church was Catholic and they were having mass. Next to the church was a Hindu temple (for North Indians). We had to take our shoes off before going inside. I took some beautiful pictures of the sunset off the balcony of that temple. There was another North Indian temple next to it, and a South Indian temple was at the end of the road. I learned that the primary way to distinguish gods from the north and south was the color. The gods of the south are all black. They are black for the same reason that the Evans (Good Times) had a picture of black “Jesus”. People want to worship a god that looks like them.

When I went to work last night, everyone was making plans to take me out on Sunday. They asked me where I wanted to go in Mumbai, and I gave them a list. Before the end of the night, they had mapped out a route that would allow me to see the most places in the shortest amount of time and they told me to be prepared to walk a lot. There will be a group of ten of us going out on Sunday.

Today, I went to “the parlor” with Moumita and her friend. I had my eyebrows threaded along with a pedicure for less than $6. That was my first time ever using thread and it wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be. I think the lady was a little frustrated with me because I didn’t understand what she was telling me to do. Thankfully, Moumita was there and she translated for me. She wanted me to hold my eye taut. The pedicure was basically the same as one I would get in the US, except for one thing. The first thing the lady did was pour a powder into a bowl and mixed it with water. She applied the paste on my feet with a brush. At the time she was applying this paste, Moumita’s friend asked me if the pedicures were different in the US. I told her I’d never seen this white paste before. She told me it was bleach to lighten my feet. I wanted to jump out of the chair when she told me that. There is a great fascination with bleaching skin here that I find very disturbing. After leaving the parlor, we walked around for a bit. I saw an elephant walking down the street while waiting. The man riding him was asking people for money.

We waited for Anita to come get me. I’ve known Anita for two and a half years. She’s traveled to the US twice and we’ve developed a great friendship. She and her husband took me out to dinner. We had a good time at a place called Indulge that’s not too far from my hotel. They cleared up a couple of mysteries for me. 1) Everyone stares at me when I go out because of my hair. 2) After using the hose, you’re supposed to drip dry.

Your Questions

Some people have sent me emails with individual questions. I've responded to those emails, but I thought that other people might have the same questions. Feel free to post any questions you have about my experience in India in the Comments section of this post (Your Questions). I will answer your questions in this post only, so check back for updates. After I answer your question, you can always add more questions or follow-up on previous answers. Just click on Comments to pose a question. You can remain anonymous if you like, although I would like to know who is inquiring.

busy day

Today was one big adventure. I woke up around 6am and couldn't go back to sleep. I read a little bit before showering and going downstairs for breakfast. The hotel staff greeted me. "Good morning, Ms. Stephens." I like to sit by the window of the restaurant facing the pool, but that is the smoker's section. Thankfully, none of the smokers came down while I was eating my breakfast, so I ate in peace. (Aside: Why do smokers always get the good seats by the windows or the patio?) I was dressed and knew that I was going to do something other than stay in my room today, but I didn't know what that something was. I went back to my room and saw that it was still too early to call anyone. I waited a couple of hours before picking up my phone. Something was wrong with the phone and it wouldn't allow me to dial out. I had to use the phone in the room to call one of my co-workers. We were going to the mall, but she had to run a few errands before she could go. She asked if I wanted to join her and I accepted. I had to figure out how I would get to her place. She, like most Mumbaikers, does not drive. I'd asked the guy at the front desk if the hotel had a car for rent earlier in the day. He said it starts at Rs1200 for 2 hours and goes up from there. That was much too expensive. After talking to Moumita, I decided I would try a rickshaw. She gave me her address and I proceeded downstairs. I asked the front desk guy where I could catch the rickshaw and how much I should expect to pay. I went outside to the street and a rickshaw just happened to be coming my way. I told him where I was going ( I wrote the address on a slip of paper) and got in. On the way there, he stopped to ask one of his buddies exactly where it was. I arrived at my destination within 15 minutes. Moumita met me outside and we proceeded to her flat.


The apartment was small (appx 500 sq. ft.). Her roommate has a 2.5 year old named Advev aka Chucky. He was really shy and wouldn't talk to me at first. Then, he warmed up to me and we started playing together. He even shook my hand later in the rickshaw (it was a game to him), and he laid his head on my shoulder. His mother, Rashmi, told me that she's separated from her husband. It seems that it is becoming a trend in Mumbai for men to walk away from their families in a place where it was unthought of in the not so distant past. Divorce has a horrible stigma in Indian society. The woman and her family feels the brunt of it, and she is treated very badly for the rest of her life.


We went to the bank and grocery store. The store had three levels - groceries on 1, clothes on 2, and housewares on 3. It was a fairly inexpensive market. We went back to the flat for lunch. Rashmi cooked chicken curry South Indian style. We sat and talked for a while after lunch. I was invited to hang out with them again next weekend. The power went out for about 30 minutes and the apartment became a sweatbox. I hadn't heard Chucky speak a lick of English all day, but suddenly he started saying "electricity" over and over again. The power goes out twice a day in the city. I know that the power goes out at the hotel during the day, but it always comes back on a few seconds later. I suppose they have back-up generators at the hotel. I didn't realize it was happening all over the city. So many of us take it for granted that when we flip the switch we have light and air. Local residents also have to boil their water to remove impurities.


I had to use the loo before leaving for the mall. I walked in and immediately walked back out. I
needed instructions on how to use the toilet! I'd read about the Indian-style toilet, but I really wasn't expecting to ever use it. The hotel has modern Western facilities, and the office combines both styles. They don't use tissue, but a hose to rinse themselves. See the picture.


Later, we went to the flea market in a rickshaw. There were lots of people and dogs perusing the open market. Across the street from the market, hawkers had their wares on the sidwalks. We left the flea market and headed to the mall. Two malls were literally feet away from each other. The malls were bigger than the one I visited last week. One of them looked like it was plucked from LA and transplanted to Mumbai. All around were name-brand stores like Reebok, Wrangler, United Colors of Benetton, etc.



All day long, I was the main attraction. I don't like being the center of attention for everyone. I don't know what it was about me that made everyone stop and stare. I wore jeans and a t-shirt, which is not uncommon; especially not in the mall with all the Western stores. (I was surprised to see a couple of women with spaghetti straps.) Was it my skin? Half of the people around me, including Rashmi, were my complexion or darker. Maybe it was my hair. It is currently twisted, and I pinned the back up in a bun. At first , the attention was subtle, and I didn't mind it so much. There were a lot of double takes. People saw me and then had to look again to be sure they saw what they thought they saw. A couple of people in the grocery casually tapped their friends to tell them to look at me. One little girl gave me a really mean look, but I saw her do that to other people and realized she was probally just a mean little girl. When we walked around the flea market, people stared at me. There was a lady walking directly behind me. I think she was studying my hair. Every time I turned around, she was grinning at the back of my head almost tripping over me. At the malls, I was profiled. Store clerks stayed 2 feet behind me at all times. In one department store, 4 of the clerks crowded around the rack I was looking at and looked away when I looked up at them. Later, a woman snapped a picture of me with her camera phone on the escalator. I was trying my best not to be the stereotypical ABW, but I was getting annoyed. We went to the food court on the top floor. Rashmi and I split up to get our items. As I walked down the corridor, a woman did a total 360 when she saw me. She was facing me as I walked toward her and she turned her body completely around when I passed her. I turned back and looked at her, and she hurriedly looked away. I was so ready to get out of there. I didn't tell my shopping companions what was happening. The next time I go out in public, I'll wear a salwar kameez and cover my hair. I would like to see if that makes a difference in their reactions to me.



Rashmi and I left the mall together and took a rickshaw. Her flat is on the way to my hotel, so the driver dropped her off and continued on. I arrived at the hotel with just enough time to tune into Easter Sunday service online at my church. I logged in and was unable to view it. I tried another ministry and was unable to view it also. I was very disappointed. Last night, I wanted to watch Netflix movies online, but they are only available in the US. I thought Streaming Faith was available worldwide, but I guess not. UGH. After that disappointment, I was hungry, so I ordered room service. All I wanted was a sandwich and fries, no sauce/gravy or exotic spices. I had a good dinner and talked to an old friend online for a while.



Today was a very full day.

"The loo"

The malls look connected they are so close.

apartment building

"For Your Safety"

My company arranged a driver to take me to work each night. When he arrives at the hotel to pick me up, the hotel staff calls me to let me know he is here. It usually takes me a few minutes after the call to actually go downstairs. They make him park in a designated area until I arrive. Each morning when he drops me off at the hotel, the security guards stop him at the gate. One of the guards slides a long black pole underneath the car. Another guard asks for the keys and opens the trunk. I went downstairs one night, and they alerted him that I was ready so he could drive up to the front. While I was waiting, I asked the hotel guy about the long pole underneath the car. I already thought I knew what it was, but I asked anyway for confirmation. He said it was a mirror. I asked, “What is the mirror for?” He replied in an ominous tone, “For your safety.” I’m sure my mother finds that reassuring.

That does not make me feel safer. In fact, it heightens my awareness of security concerns. I’m surprised they don’t have bomb-sniffing dogs. It reminds me of the time I visited a church in Brooklyn. At the end of the sermon, the pastor called everyone up for prayer and told the ladies they should bring their purses with them for safety. That immediately raised a red flag for me. It made me think that theft must be fairly common in that church for the pastor to say that from the pulpit. How common are hotel incidents?

I was very sleepy the first night the driver picked me up from work, but I forced myself to stay awake. I decided that I would not sleep in the car, because I need to be alert to what is happening around me at all times. I don’t want to wake up and find myself in a strange/dangerous place. I can now identify landmarks and signs on the route from/to the hotel. There is a Pfizer facility protected by a gate on the way to the hotel. There’s also a sports stadium nearby, probably for cricket. I am always observant of my surroundings, but I am even more observant now. Women traveling alone must take many precautions, especially when you don’t speak or understand the local language. I have an international card that was issued to me for medical emergencies and other security concerns. They will also make arrangements for an emergency evacuation, if needed. Hopefully, it won’t be necessary.

Several people asked me how my mother felt about me traveling to India. Her biggest concern is my safety no matter where I am. All she or I can do is plead the blood of Jesus to protect me and keep me from all danger.

On a lighter note...
My friend recently climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, and she took wonderful pictures of her journey on the way up. There’s one picture of a goat that she titled, “our friend curry”. That picture was so funny that I wanted to take a picture of an Indian “curry”. As my driver was turning into the hotel this morning, a herd of goats was walking toward us. It was such an unusual site. I have no idea where they were going at 4am. I asked the driver to stop while I took a picture. The car was literally at an angle in the hotel driveway, partially blocking the road. All of the security guards were crowded around the front of the car, probably wondering why it stopped so suddenly and preparing to confront the driver. I took a couple of pictures of these goats out for a stroll. Unfortunately, the pictures did not come out clearly.

Before

This is how I looked after the colors.

Holi

Indians will be celebrating Holi (Festival of Colors) on Saturday. Many people took Friday off to prepare for the festival. It just happens to coincide with Easter and Good Friday this year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holi

My team at work will celebrate tonight. The festivities include throwing brightly colored powder all over each other. They will take a picture before and after to show the effects. They've already told me that I should bring a change of clothes.

It is 6:02am, and I'm awake. Why am I awake when I really should be sleeping? I'm hungry. The hotel has continental breakfast at 7am and I'm forcing myself to stay awake for free food. If I had gone to sleep when I got here at 4:30, I would have slept through breakfast and woken up a lot later, a lot hungrier. Also, the lunch here is really expensive, and I don't have any alternatives. Yesterday, my lunch was over Rs 900 (appx. $22). I have a per diem, but I'd rather spend the money on other things (that last longer). There is a method to my madness. I'm spending the time catching up on emails and paying bills. I'm also listening to Barack Obama's speech on race, but it keeps stopping at the same point. Don't they know I don't have time to stop and read the full transcript!

I went to work on Monday night and was pleased to finally get out of the hotel. I also had the opportunity to see the area around the hotel in daylight. There are office buildings on the same street and an open lot across from the offices. That lot has a couple of make-shift tin houses and cows. Yes, cows. The drive from the hotel to the office is around 30 minutes. There's a lot of traffic because people on the day shift leave at the same time. I saw the sunset on my way to work. It's amazing to think that I'm watching the same lowering sun that my family is watching rise. The office is located in an area that was formerly a village. When you drive into the business park, you'll still see a few leftover tin houses, more aptly described as lean-tos, and various street vendors. The actual office building is better that I imagined, and the associates are very friendly. As soon as I told them where I was staying, they knew that there was nothing for me to do in the area. Several of them live in close proximity and said that they would show me around. Thank you Jesus!

I went to the mall on Tuesday afternoon. My friend, Sarika, came to the hotel to pick me up and her friend drove us there. I met Sarika when she came to The Woodlands over 2 years ago. On the way to the mall, we passed several buildings that are under construction and look nothing like the rest of the city. This is probably the area that I passed on my way from the airport. We went to Center One Mall, which is across the street from another mall, which is next to a new mall under construction. Materialism at work. The funny thing is that in the midst of all these new structures and shopping malls, there is a field of cows. Cows just appear randomly here. The cow field is next to a large bookstore on a busy street that connects the 2.5 malls in the area. Very random. The mall is relatively small compared to American monoliths. It had several stores that you might see in the US, as well as distinctly Indian stores. Before entering the mall, we had to go through a metal detector and the guards checked our bags. I had my laptop bag with me because we were going directly to work from there. I bought a kurti (shirt) and salwar kameez (top with pants). See the links for examples. I also bought some beautiful material for making your own salwar kameez, but I want to use it to do something else. I will be firing up the sewing machine when I get home.

Kurti:
http://eshop.ahmedabad.com/shop/product/apparels_&_accessories/womens_wear/kurtis/True_Bllue/30986
Salwar Kameez: http://eshop.ahmedabad.com/shop/product/apparels_&_accessories/womens_wear/salwar_kameez/InVogue/50386
http://eshop.ahmedabad.com/shop/product/apparels_&_accessories/womens_wear/salwar_kameez/InVogue/50385

I saw another black woman at the mall. I thought I was the only one! After shopping, I called my driver to take us to the office. Sarika had to speak to him so that he understood. He speaks limited English. I went to work and came back to the hotel.

The hotel staff makes me feel like a minor celebrity because they all know me. I asked the guy at the front desk about breakfast, and he told me he would call my room with more details. I asked him if he knew my room number, and he said, "Yes, Elizabeth". He knows my name? Wow. I wonder if they talk about me amongst themselves. I have to watch out for the paparazzi.

I've decided to start taking my malaria pills right before I leave for work. Hopefully, it will be easier for me to remember since I leave around the same time everyday. I spray myself with OFF before leaving the room in the hopes that the mosquitoes won't come near me anyway. Let's see how that goes.

Follow-ups to previous posts:

• Dr. Hak, thanks for the suggestion. I'm getting a lot of ideas here. I actually considered bringing my crochet hooks and yarn right before leaving, and I decided against it. I could have made several projects while stuck at the hotel.
• You've probably heard of Tata this week. The Indian car company unveiled "The People's Car" yesterday in Geneva. It is small and costs $2500. This is very significant, because this car is expected to make car ownership easy for a country of over a billion people. You can also expect an exponential rise in carbon output, which impacts climate change.
• I remembered the Nina Simone song when I laid down on Tuesday morning. It's called Sinnerman.

Time for breakfast.

Stir Crazy

I am so bored! This is a really nice hotel, but there is nothing to do around here. I go downstairs for meals and the staff is really friendly, but there's nothing to do except stay in my room. I could sit at the pool, but it's too hot. I asked the people at the front desk if there was anything around here, and they suggested one of the hotel restaurants. So, I clarified my question. "Is there anything to do outside of the hotel?" They had a brief exchange in Hindi, and then said, "No, there's nothing around here for tourists." UGH

A lady from the office called me to discuss my transportation for later this evening. She and her team are responsible for my travel arrangements. She said this hotel was chosen because of its proximity to the office, but other than that there is nothing around here of interest. I have to wait until I get to the office tonight and talk to my co-workers about meeting in the city to do things before work.

I don't know how working at night is going to affect my desire to go out during the day. I will be working from 7pm to 3:30am IST (8:30 - 5:00pm CST). I guess you could say I've adjusted well to the time. Last night, I went to sleep after 3am because I had to watch CSI and CSI:Miami. I turned off the TV before CSI: New York could keep me up another hour. I woke up around 8:30am and went downstairs for breakfast. I came back to my room finished another Mumbai tourist book, checked my email, saw that one of my friends was still online and chatted briefly. Later, I went downstairs for lunch and enjoyed one of the best, if not the best, Indian meals I've ever had. Most Indians are vegetarian, so they can do things with vegetables that are beyond the creativity and culinary skills of the West. I need to do something a little more productive than eating. ; ) I still have a few hours to kill before work. I'll probably take a nap.

Random Thoughts

• People around the world know so much about America - good and bad. As I type this line, there is a newsflash about Britney Spears' latest hairstyle on TV. There was a news story on the TV during lunch about an Indian company's new manufacturing plant in Arkansas. How many Americans can identify an Indian state? Mumbai is in Maharashtra.
• I keep hearing a song during commercial breaks and I can't remember the name. It's the first few bars of a Nina Simone song on piano.
• Mumbai is hot. I sat outside for 5 minutes yesterday afternoon and was forced to return to my room.
• Mumbai has an industrial smell.
• Tata owns everything. http://www.tata.com/0_companies/index.htm#global. Every other commercial is for a Tata product.
• There are a lot of commercials for insurance companies and banks. I think the commercial cycle is: 1) Tata product, 2) insurance company, 3)Tata product, 4) bank/investment company, 5) beauty product (hair care, skin whitener, makeup), repeat. I've actually figured out some of the dialogue because I've seen the commercials so many times.
• I keep forgetting to take my malaria pills at the same time everyday. I need to set an automatic reminder for myself somehow.
• A lot of men work in this hotel as house keepers.
• Juno is a great movie. I saw it on the plane. It reminds me of Girl Interrupted and Little Miss Sunshine.
• If I were at home, I would be sleep right now with another hour before the alarm goes off.

First Impression

I left Houston on Friday afternoon for a long flight to Mumbai. I had a brief layover in Newark, NJ before a 14-hour flight to Mumbai. I flew business/first class and was able to enjoy the full experience of luxurious flight accommodations. The food aboard the plane was good and plentiful. I was also able to sleep (6-7 hours) rather peacefully flying across the Atlantic, although I missed most of the daylight hours and awoke in time to see the Arabian desert briefly before the sun went down. I arrived in Mumbai around 8:20 pm IST on Saturday. (Indian Standard Time (IST) is 10.5 hours ahead of CST.) As the plane lowered for landing, I saw the bright lights of the city and lots of traffic on the streets and bridges going the “wrong” way. I could also see a lot of apartment buildings and construction. The airport was also under construction and had signs everywhere asking patrons to pardon the inconvenience. The airport reminded me of the Times Square station in New York. It was very busy and had lots of twists and turns. I went through Customs and received the Indian stamp in my passport. I waited for what seemed like forever at baggage claim and it seemed that everyone from my flight had dwindled away. There was another American waiting on his bags also. He walked over to the area where the bags first come off the conveyor belt and saw his luggage sitting there. He suggested that I do the same, and there was my luggage. Who knows how long it had been there. I exchanged my currency before leaving the airport. The current exchange rate is 39.6 rupees (Rs) for every dollar. I round up to 40, so Rs 200 is approximately $5 USD. I walked out of the airport into what appeared to be an open air market. There were lots of people waiting for passengers behind a small barricade. Half of the people were from hotels or travel companies picking up travelers. The other half was family members and friends waiting on their loved ones. Most of the women were dressed in saris and few of them (mostly, younger women) wore jeans. There was a small dirt road behind the people and gov’t vehicles crossed occasionally. It was dark and dusty outside. There were Indian guards (with guns) sitting at the door not allowing anyone in the airport without proper identification. My name and hotel was not on any of the handwritten/typed signs that were held up. I took off my jacket in the heat and mosquitoes buzzed all around me. I quickly thought of the OFF in my bag that I didn’t think of putting on while I was still in the airport. I quietly prayed that the malaria pills would take care of me if bitten. I waited for almost an hour. I felt like a little girl waiting after school for her parents to pick her up after all the other kids had already gone home. Finally, I saw a white clad man wearing a name tag with my hotel’s name walk over to the barricade. I walked over to him and told him my name. He asked me if I was on Singapore Airlines, and I told him I was on Continental. Apparently, there was a mix-up at the hotel, and they thought I was flying on Singapore Airline. His sign had my name and that was enough for me. I followed him to the crowded parking lot as he pushed my luggage cart. I noted all the vehicles, most of them were recognizable brands, like Chevrolet, Toyota, Hyundai, Suzuki, and Honda. I saw a silver Civic as we left the parking lot and I thought of my beloved Syd(ney), my Civic.

The trip from the airport to the hotel was around an hour and a half. My senses were bombarded as we wound through traffic. Mumbai is the Bollywood capital and is considered cosmopolitan compared to other Indian cities. There were bright billboards and signs everywhere, like New York and London. Most of them were in English, but even those that were in Hindi had recognizable images that allowed me to infer the meaning. Hindi is the official language of India, but English is understood by most Indians due to the British influence. The streets were lined with pedestrians, motorized rickshaws, scooters, bikes, and cars. There were beggars sleeping on the sidewalks with stray dogs curled up a few feet away on busy streets, similar to Tijuana, Mexico. All the stray dogs made me rethink my decision not to get a rabies vaccination. The sidewalks were also lined with bricks. I’m not sure if they were due to mass demolition or if there was a mass public works project underway. There were dilapidated buildings all around used for housing, business, and food stalls. Almost 60% of Mumbaikers live in poverty. The shops and apartments looked like the favelas of Brazil, except they were not on hills. I saw a woman with a pretty lime green sari riding on the back of a scooter with her legs dangling to the side similar to the way women used to ride horses. As we passed the scooter I saw that there was a little boy of 2 or 3 riding in front of his father. None of them wore a helmet. In fact, I saw very few cyclists with helmets. Although there were lines painted on the street, no one seemed to pay attention to them. It was common to see vehicles riding in 2 lanes. The streets were very noisy with the sounds of people, vehicles, and screeching horns. The red lights were treated more like yellow lights that were used for rolling stops. One of my friends likes to use the phrase “organized chaos” to describe some of my hairstyles. I can’t think of a more fitting phrase for the traffic conditions in Mumbai. I’m so glad I don’t have to drive here.

As we crossed the bridge to Navi Mumbai, I saw fewer people and makeshift homes on the streets. We passed luxury hotels and apartment buildings that looked like they were newly constructed. Finally, I arrived at my hotel and was greeted by a very warm staff. I checked in and my bags were delivered to my room. I was impressed by the hotel appearance and friendly staff. The hotel reminds of the hotel featured in Lost in Translation. It looks very modern with bold splashes of color and caters to foreign tastes. It is the only 5-star hotel in the area. I am pleased that I am in a room that meets my wish to be near stairs even though my request was not stated. I’ve developed a preference for lower level hotel rooms near stairs since I began traveling somewhat frequently for business. The reason is two-fold: 1) I like being near the stairs for a quick exit in case of fire or other emergency evacuation, and 2) Being near the stairs encourages me to exercise. Since my food expenses are covered by someone else, I tend to eat more and require more physical activity. Hence, the stairs help me stay in shape. After I settled in my room, I went to the lobby for dinner around 12am IST (1:30pm CST). I was surprised to hear Stevie Wonder’s Mon Cherie Amore playing in the lobby along with other Western music. The hotel has several restaurants, one of which is open at all hours. The food was good and filling. I came back to my room and turned on the TV. It was already on CNBC, so I watched Suze Orman and other local business programs. I also found the BBCWorld network. Those are the only interesting English language channels I’ve found so far. I’m disappointed that the Indian programs do not have subtitles for me to follow along. While I was watching TV, I decided to try out the electric adaptor plug for my laptop. As soon as I plugged it in, the power went out in the room. I opened the door to see if it affected anyone else, and it didn’t. I sheepishly called the lobby and told them the power was out. A worker promptly came to my room and fixed the breaker. He also inserted an object in the socket that would allow me to utilize the plug safely. I will not be unplugging that adaptor for the next 6 weeks. After watching TV for several hours, I went to sleep. I wasn’t sleepy, but there was nothing else for me to do in the middle of the night here. I slept for about 4 hours and awoke bright and early this morning. I don’t feel the effects of jet lag. I looked out the window to get a view of my surroundings in daylight. The hotel is surrounded by a brick wall, almost like a fortress, with sentries standing guard. There is a hill across the street with buildings on the other side of the hill. There is a highway on the other side of the hotel. I don’t see any other shops or tourist places within walking distance. I feel a little trapped in the middle of nowhere. I am usually comfortable traveling alone and finding things to do, but I’ve been told that it is not safe to do that here. When I visited London, my friend gave me a subway map and showed me the train station and I was on my own to explore the city. I looked like a Londoner and generally fit in (until they heard my American accent). If only it were that simple. I’m looking forward to going to work on Monday for familiar faces (and voices). Hopefully, my colleagues can show me around and help me become more familiar with the area.

The paragraphs above were written shortly after breakfast this morning. Since then, I've come to appreciate the fact that I didn't have anywhere to go, as I developed a case of "Delhi belly". I don't know if it was something I ate or if my body is just trying to get accustomed to the new environment. Everyone is warned not to drink the water or to eat the ice. This morning at breakfast I even skipped the pineapples on my plate because I remembered that I shouldn't eat fruit that I didn't peel. However, when asked if I wanted coffee or tea, I requested tea. After taking a few sips, I realized my mistake, and shrugged it off. This is a 5-star hotel afterall; the water is filtered. From now on, I will make my own tea using bottled water. : )

Why am I going?

I am going to Mumbai to train our offshore associates on various processes. Some people have asked me if I'm teaching them to do my job. The answer is no. I'm teaching them to do work that is currently handled by contractors. However, I do not feel threatened in my job because it is not something I want to do forever. I believe that God has a greater work for me to do and this assignment is part of the preparation.

The Countdown...

I will be on a plane to India in exactly one week. I can't believe it has happened so soon. I have so much I need to do before I leave. I closed on my house this week, so I have to unpack my things in the house and then repack for my trip. I've made a few lists to help me out. My mother is coming to visit next week too. I will give her a list of things that she can do to help me out while I'm at work.

I went to the doctor for my Twinrix (HepA/HepB combo) follow-up this week. I hate needles. That shot was so painful my whole arm felt sore for a couple of minutes. The doctor said it was because it's a higher dose and it was cold from being in the refrigerator all night. I have to get the final dose in 3 months. I'm not looking forward to it. I also asked for more Malarone (malaria pills) because they didn't give me enough to last the entire trip and to take them after I return. I had to call my primary doctor for a prescription for Cipro http://www.cipro.com/scripts/index.php.