madness

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I think I've taken on the madness pretty well, but my impressions of Mumbai were slightly different. Don't think in all my travel experience did I foresee such a contrast between abject poverty and posh rich, but all built around the foundations of mud and a slightly worn and dilapidated infrastructure. I’ve been doing a lot of wondering about in the stifling heat (34'c and very humid) and taking it all in, as well as staying a couple of night at a friend of Kat's - Ankur who along with his mates are just sound as a pound. They're all really likeminded individuals about my age and all work in films, leading less major budgets rather than the Bollywood hits, but all part of that scene. They're all really talented, well versed in english and very knowledgeable of British culture, quoting Oscar wilde etc after they'd just got back from some acid trance party having subjected their minds to the aforementioned. After 2 days of overwhelming hospitality, Ankur went up north with his American girlfriend to his sister's wedding and left me to go back into Bombay and experience the madness and book a train to Goa, which I take in a few hours. Since then I've not met a single westerner, but plenty of Indians, which I've taken far more of an interest in. Today I met a Nepalese man and talked all about Nepal and how it's current situation is. He's a refugee from Pokhara and the situation there sounded far worse than what I'd gathered from the BBC news website. After a few chais with him I went to the one place he recommended to visit here and what sound advice he gave; the Mahatma Ghandi memorial, set in his residence during his earliest political years whilst he was still a carder and spinner of wool. It was a really educational and moving experience and enlightened me a great deal on the India that is today. Anyway, enough heat and hecticness, I’m now going to get a train south to Thivim in Goa, then go across to Vagator beach and do what I need to do- chill!

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