We Made It!!!

Greetings from Mumbai!

After a very, very long journey through a string of Asian airports (luckily there was a Starbucks in Kuala Lumpur), we arrived late last night in the country that will be our home for the next two months. India is more intense that I had even imagined. As the plane touched down, all you could see for miles and miles were the tiny flickering lights from the shanty towns that comprise the largest slum in all of South Asia. After a (gasp) suspenseful encounter with the baggage carousel, we were on our way to Colaba (the neighborhood where our hotel is located) via an hour-long taxi ride. The air is thick and hot and the smells are so varied as we walk down the streets. A hot messy blend of stale urine and sandalwood. To say that we experienced sensory overload is an understatement. Karen, Nepal is like a tiny baby version of this place look out!

So after having a quiet breakfast of fried eggs, toast with marmalade, and a mango lassi, we are about head out to The Gateway of India to see some snake charmers (fingers are crossed!) and to book our ferry for tomorrows day trip to Elephanta Island, to explore some caves.

And tonight, well, let's just hope that this town can keep up with us.

xo,
Jeni

Yes, I agree with Jeni, sensory overload. I practically gave myself whiplash on the car ride from the airport attempting to take in every possible element of India as we zoomed in our taxi with an interior design that Cheech and Chong would envy. This place is not like anything I have ever seen, even on TV. There is simply no comparisson to give you folks at home a starting point. I drank up two story shacks, people living their lives on the sidewalk, even on bridges. We saw everything; dancing, laughing, sleeping, animals, praying, cooking over open fires, bathing, children playing, Bollywood advertisements, every building looks as if it may crumble (definitely no building codes in India), hardly any stop lights, even at intersections, lines on the road are mere suggestions, motorcycle drivers avoid collisions by putting out their hands and touching your racing vehicle. I teased Jeni that we should play slug-bug only instead of Volkswagons we would point out peeing men. We decided not to play so our arms would not be sore.

Jeni and I stayed in when we reached our hotel. We didn't dare brave this new world for the first time at night, no "Warrior Princess" for me! Today is off to an interesting start. As we began this post in our second story internet cafe the size of a handicapped restroom, a woman came in and mopped the floor around our feet by hand. Wowzers.

Jeeni