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Published: March 7th 2006
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December 29th 5:30am
Enough about airplanes and hot Korean stewardesses, I'm here. In Mumbai/Bombay. To give the low down on the whole Mumbai/Bombay thing. Bombay was the name that the English gave this city when they ruled here which ended a few years back. Anyway, the Indians brought back the original name of Mumbai, but after calling a city Bombay for 150 years, it will take some time to get used to it. It's similar to how Peking is now known as Beijing. Now, Peking, after a generation or two is left to being known with duck.
I'm sitting here in the airport waiting for our bags to come out. We've been here since 4:00am waiting and hoping our driver is still outside, waiting for us with the fabulous words, ERIC BRAM written on his placard. We're not allowed to come back into baggage claim when we leave so we have to pray to Vishnu and Shiva that he waits. The luggage carousel is broken which is why we've waited so long and you think that they would just use another carousel, but hey, this is India. So us and the rest of the passengers are waiting. It's even
worse than it sounds because there are moments when it goes on for about 30 seconds and we all cheer until it stops again. I've seen this one piece of luggage for 15 minutes and I'm curious where the owner is. I mean, what else are you going to do at the Indian airport, it's not like they have a sports bar or somethng. It's exactly how you picture an Indian airport to look like, dirty, antiquated, and foreign. Danielle and I were the only westerners on the flight from South Korea and looking forward to getting to the hotel and showering. Pray for the carousel.
12-29 7:30 am
Sitting in my hotel bathroom. Can't sleep because of the sounds of the city outside. We are in the center of a section of Mumbai called Bandra at a hotel called the Executive Enclave. It's in the center of everything which is good, except if you're trying to sleep because you hear every dog bark, every cow moo, every crow caw (and the crows here are bad ass, they look like terminator crows because their beaks look metallic) and the sounds of people spitting. Yes, I must be in
Eric tirelessly writes in his journal
Do you see the sacrifices I make for brilliance? India.
Luckily our driver at the airport waited for us and it didn't take long to see the country and the poverty. People sleeping on the streets with blankets and mosquito netting to cover them. Shanty towns made of sheet metal dominate the area outside the airport while dogs, cats, donkeys, and cows roam the neighborhoods. I thought going to Asia would prepare me, but there sure are a lot of people here. And this is not like Asia or anyplace that I've been to because usually in most cities, there is a poor section, a middle class section, and then the rich section. Here you have beautiful apartment buildings in front of a shanty town and right next to dogs sleeping. To put it in Western terms Picture Sandra bullocks house in Beverly hills with people sleeping on her lawn and a Payless shoe store right next door. It's like a NY subway, or as Bill Murray puts it in Ghostbusters, "Dogs and cats living together. Utter chaos."
A little back story. D and I are here for my friend, Melanie's wedding. I've known Mel for 18 years and D and I jumped at the opportunity to go to a three day traditional wedding. She's marrying a great guy named Vikram Chandra and here is a shameless plug for him because he is an accomplished author who is really really good. I've read Fear and Longing in Bombay and it's fantastic. So that's why I'm here. It's a little intimidating because here I am writing this rinky-dink journal, when I'm going to be surrounded by all these published and accomplished writers.Their publisher is Simon and Shuster, mine is Yahoo. But I will trudge on because am I writing this for countless millions? For the movie rights to be sold? I'm writing this for me. Oh yeah, and you, my countless fans.
Vikram's sister and friends are accomplished directors and writers here as well. I'm sure you've heard of Bollywood. Mumbai is the center of Bollywood where they churn out double the amount of movies that Hollywood does. Granted not in the same budget. In fact, the Steven Spielberg of Bollywood, Vinod something or other is going to be at Vikram's and Melanie's weding along with paparazzi. So if you see me on E Entertainment Bombay edition, you're not seeing things. I guess my Best Buy commercial loses some of it's star power here. Maybe they have a Mum Buy here? Get it, Mum Buy? Damn, I'm funny.
To be honest, I'm a little lonely right now. I've only been separated from Jason (my twin brother) for one other birthday and it's difficult to think that I won't see him on our special day (New Years Eve). And our annual party is now being moved around 6000 miles so I won't see any of you. Thankfully Danielle is here and about 1 billion people so hopefully they'll keep me company. Quick fact, in twenty years, India will be the most populous country in the world, surpassing China.
I'm done and tired.
Eric
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