Now in Inja's sunny clime. . .

(Who knows the poem?) Day one in Mumbai. . .I sort of slept thru it. :-( I have several reasons. I had been more or less awake for the previous 36 hours and had had only an on board meal with the last 18 or so. And I was a working up the chutzpah to venture out. My research on India and Mumbai consisted of an article/interview with a filmmaker and the few comments heard from folks to whom I had mentioned that I was going there. The comments were mostly in the area of "Oh wow!" with a variety of emotions attached to that-jubilation, incredulity, excitement, astonishment, concern (mild fear). There were a few other comments I'd read or heard that were not real favorable and that may have added to my trepidation. I still had no map or guide of any kind so had I gone out, I wouldn't know where to go and the room was tiny but way cooler than the outside temp.

So wallowed the first day but was over it by day two. Day two, I was out the door. First order, get ride of my euros. I asked at desk if there was an foreign exchange in the area and I gotta say my trepidations were not totally without merit. We were both speaking English but I have no idea what the information was that I was given. It could be that the English I was speaking was as difficult to understand as the English I was hearing. By the time I finished asking for info, I had just a vague idea that what I was looking for was somewhere out the door of the hotel and probably off to the left somewhere. So that's where I headed. I headed out walking with a determined stride as if I knew where I was going, occassionally peering into store fronts. I found a city map that way and the clerk was able to show me the general area of where I was on that map. I continued my wanderings and came to a bank. Upon entering I immediately found the foreign exchange teller but as I had no account with the bank, I wasn't able to sell them my Euros but I did find out where the money exchange place was. "10 minutes by cab" said the teller. Hmm...OK, let's hope the driver knows the area a bit better than the first guy. I've got to get better at the bargaining business 'cuz I'm making it harder for all those who follow. My 10 minute cab ride (directly to the place) cost more than 1/2 of the ride from the airport which even if it had been direct was a lot longer than this day's ride.

Ya know those other unfavorable comments I mentioned? So far, totally unfounded. The major difference I see walking around in Mumbai from walking around any of the other cities I have visited is that there are a LOT more people.

Rupee's in hand, I stepped out to attempt task two-find a cyber cafe. Well, we know how that worked out, huh? In fact, that was such a goody that I'm at the same place now and I have my own account. My third task was getting a map and serendipity had taken care of that. I sort of felt that I had done pretty good for the day because in addition to taking care of some business I also located a McDonald's which I might stop in today if only out of curiosity. I thought cows were sacred here so I'm wondering just what be in the Big Mac because the 'two all beef patties' just don't sound right, ya know? I also found the cinema. It's at the end of the block from the hotel so not a real hard find. Where my hotel is located is not an area tourists are likely to venture so all the stores and shops are where the regular folk shop for toothpaste, electrical tape, printer cartridges, cranberries etc. Where the money exchange is more of a shopping district. Window shopping in both places is equally interesting and I'm gonna have to work hard at not going beyond the windows. I don't want to test the theory that things are way less expensive here than elsewhere because my bargaining abilities won't get me a great savings and I'm all ready overflowing my pack. In fact, I may be abandoning some stuff here (weather gear) and hope I don't need it for spring time in Japan.

Now is Day three and I'm still getting my India legs. The short cab ride yesterday is actually a walkable distance so I strolled here today. Of course I took the wrong street to get here. I thought I knew where I was going but now I have a map so I easily set myself right. However, my walk took me through a street market that I totally missed from the cab. If I can't find the other street I took to walk home yesterday, my avoidance of spending is going to be taxed beyond my limits. I had not main objective today, just to get more comfortable and explore a few more blocks and perhaps check out the massive train station (It is a tourist attraction) not too far from here. So that's what I'm gonna go do now, explore a bit more Bombay (I've been trying to stick to calling it Mumbai but I've heard locals call it Bombay, too).