Watching the video of my friends making their way around Mumbai and I’m overwhelmed. In a few short hours they had the Starbucks smacked right out of them and have melded into the mosiac of an ancient culture embossed with British tradition. I’m engrossed, the adventure is so foreign except for that wit and effortless class that is uniquely Matt and Nat. I can’t help but be envious, a part of my soul has always belonged to India. As the latest video opens to a view of the ram-shackled alley beyond the rustic accommodations of Hotel Jayshree, the raw reality of India is opened up to me; the train ride, the market place, the harbour filled with abandoned dingies and like all good Canadian children, the donut shop…
I felt SO much more comfortable in my second day in Mumbai. I think it’s because I felt a little more oriented with a lot of those basic elements like where some of the main roads and neighbourhoods were and how to get there and how to navigate on the train system. Speaking of the train system, we actually got caught in rush hour traffic coming home yesterday and it was one of the most overwhelming experiences in my life. Apparently the train system is supposed to fit a maximum of around 1,800 people at a time, but during rush hour, about 7,000 squeeze in. Just let that sink in. It’s sweaty, musky and claustrophobic. Luckily the stop right before mine is a popular one, because dozens if people literally vomited out of the train doors. It made me REALLY thankful that I didn’t deal with a situation like that….pretty much ever:)Yesterday I also bought my first kurta and salawar set at Cotton Cottage (this place was sweet!!) and MAN did it make me happy. All the variety and the COLOURS!! The man helping me brought out this white kurta and I had to tell him “No thanks, one of my favourite things about India is all the vibrant colours everyone wears. I feel like I fit in here:)” Matt also got a men’s kurta, which ended up being tailored by Mr. Khan, a man who used to be the tailor for the sultan of Oman. He told us some great stories, which we caught on video, of course.
Am I the only one that finds this adventure romantic? I’m so so happy that Nat wasn’t upset with me for posting it… this is just too good NOT to share! xox Matt & Nat, we miss you! Royal Caribbean missed out on THIS for their reporter at sea… they are clearly on crack.
DON’T YOU THINK!?!?!
You want to keep the adventure going? Watch the other parts!
2 Comments
Hahaha agreed, it’s such a shame I didn’t end up being the reporter for Royal Caribbean, but I like to think it’s because it was somehow my destiny to go to India now instead of three weeks from now. No holding me back…:)
Love how pumped Nat is to shop in the marketplace. Priceless.
Just a good cap of what they’re doing! love this post!
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