(Still) In the Big City

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The train trip from Varanasi to Mumbai was about 30 hours nonstop, and it was actually pretty amazing. We were in a sleeper with a couple other tourists and a very young Indian family, with a cute and highly energetic little boy named Om. We ate crappy train food and read and watched the beautiful landscape roll by through the window. Then Jason showed me the real treat. On every train trip we have taken, he has found a way to smoke, even though you are not technically allowed to do so on the Indian rail system. He brought me out of the AC car to the connector, threw open the door, and there we stood sticking our heads out into humid sticky sunny India at 60 mph. I understand now why dogs get the car-window rush. We took some high speed photos and laughed and held on for dear life as other huge 40 car trains rushed by not a foot from our noses. Not for the weak of heart, but a great way to kill a few otherwise incredibly dull hours.

Mumbai is a different kind of place. We arrived into Victoria Station, a massive and elaborate architectual holdover from colonial days, and haven't stopped being amazed by the beauty since. The city feels like being in Times Square while everyone stumbles out of work at 5, except it is always 80 degrees and Times Square on New Years Eve looks positively empty next to downtown Mumbai at rushhour. We have spent most of our time wandering around and taking pictures of the buildings and the Gateway to India and searching through the markets for things we aren't actually going to buy. We found a delightful coffee chain and got some cheap books and a chess board and have camped out, like in the good old Barnes and Noble days, several hours at a time drinking perfect cappuccinos. Oh, and we found McDonalds. I won't even begin to tell you about that. Let's leave it at that we have resisted the temptation for a very long time, and we caved. Caved.

Even in the budget guests houses, it is really expensive to stay here, especially if you want to be close to the train station. We weren't planning on staying long at all, but have ended up here 5 days because of stupid terrorists. A bunch of you send me a NY Times article about the terror threat on Israeli tourists spending the winter holidays in Goa, and after much deliberation, we decided to heed your warnings. We talked to some friends who are in the area who said that tensions are high, but they don't feel unsafe. But, as always, better safe than sorry. We cancelled our outrageously expensive and nonrefundable train tickets, and begged for our (outrageously expensive) hotel room back, and here we are, still. We are headed east into Hampi, Karnataka, where we will spend a severely budget but hopefully very calm Christmas/Birthday, and make further plans for New Year. If tensions seem to have cooled, we may very well end up in Goa, but it remains to be seen.

Otherwise, happy holidays to all of you. We spend a lot of time talking about the things we are missing at home this time of year, family and food topping the list. There is no way we could be doing this without your support, and that is the greatest gift families can give their children and friends can give eachother. Don't doubt that we will be thinking about you, and missing you acutely this otherwise merry season. Our gifts should be in New England by February, so hold out patiently. Around then, we'll have an address if you want to mail some things our way as well. Not necissary, but many of you have asked.

With love love love love love,
Sara & Jason

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Photos

McDonalds
Jason caves to temptation...

Comments

[ruins explorer]

I'm looking forward to your reports on Hampi. That was one of the places we wanted to visit but obviously didn't have time to see in the pitiful three weeks we had off from work.