Sunday, February 17, 2008

First impresion of India

Hello everyone,

how are you all doing in far away countries (or am I far away? it all depends on your point of view I guess) I am in Mumbai or Bombay for the ones who don't know it changed name... That would be the New York of India I've been told HAHA isn't that crazy!

I got here after a long trip, leaving my house at 4 in the morning, getting here at 23:30 at night. I fell in love with Mumbai immediatly, and i mean that litteraly. The air coming from outside as they opened the airplanedoors was lovely, warm and comforting and I instantly felt like I was coming home. The smells (good ones! I only found the other ones later on) were soothing for the soul.

In despite of what I was told and what I was prepared for there were no screaming begging hurds of people and children outside. Quite the opposite actually, nobody noticed me and I stood there, lost, for several minutes. Got a pre-paid taxi, got a ticket with a four digit number and as the guy pointed towards a parkinglot filled with black cabs I had no idea how in the world I was gonna find mine, didnt even know were to look ... licence plates, top digits...?? A kind looking man with no english words but a whole vocabulary on smiles offered to help me out, he took me to the apropriate taxi, I payed him a few roepies, he asked me for a coin of my homecountry, gave him some and he left. I was taken across town (the ride took 45 minutes) through slums, crazy traffic, barefooted people on the highway, a dead horse in the middle of a junction, beautifull european looking airconditioned shops and little local juicebars. It was wonderful and I enjoyed every second of it. I got a nice, cheap but clean room in Colaba (far south end of Mumbai) went out looking for water, had an encounter with a furicious dog (woke him up as I turned the corner ... what do they say again ... dont wake sleeping dogs ... oops my fault) nearly stepped on a giant rat (small cat-size) to then finally make it back to my room.

The next day I went to take a shower, left my window open only to find out a cheecky raven came into my room and stole my apple !! he must have gotten a culture chock, tasting his first belgian apple HAHA
Now, almost one week later I have learned that the raven lives in my window and his siblings across the road in a tree and the end up having wild conversations about all sorts of things, preferably at four in the morning. But hey this is INDIA , where everything is possible !!!

Much love to all of you

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