Greetings friends!
I could think of no better way to spend my thirty-first than on a 15-hour plane ride to India. There was a security issue that kept us sitting on the runway for an extra half hour...which landed me in Mumbai itself well after 10pm, with no hotel reservation. I've been to Mumbai three times now, each time without a hotel reservation...and inevitably I end up wandering around from place to place to find out that they're completely full. I even tried the, "What if you have a guest who made a reservation, and they're not coming?" lol!
I finally ended up in a Hare Krishna ashram (Lonely Planet failed to mention this detail, but I like staying in Ashrams because they're clean and safe), complete with a/c, a dining room table, and hot water! Score!
When I first touched down at the airport, India seemed really sterile to me, but after wandering about last night, India is in fact, still India - vibrant, alive, and permeating India-ness throughout. I saw well over 100 people sleeping on sidewalks last night, including babies - a spring of intense gratitude naturally arises, although these folks aren't necessarily unhappy, unemployed, or feeling like their situation is a plight.
Generally many friendly faces to help shoo me here or there - and I think it's time for my first Indian meal - a feeling of gratitude, again, naturally springs forth.
Also, it's hot. Many beads of sweat are there. Thank God for peppermint oil.
Looking forward to the day, and looking forward to sharing with my buddies in a short week!
Over and out = namaste!
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hey miss, glad to hear you arrived safe and sound. props for navigating mumbai at night after a trip 1/2 way around the world. that was too much for me to handle in 2006 and your methods seem more effective than mine (throwing money in the air while crying for help). keep the posts coming!
ReplyDeletemuch love, pie