Sovereign Nations

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Elevation 57’

I came to this place (India, my head) with very little in the order of expectations but of course I had some idea of what I wanted to find.

Day four, Mumbai…

It’s Sunday and this city is pretending to be quiet and pious but survival is still the order of the day. The monsoon reminds us that we are visitors and the gray shouldered crows wish that we were dead.

What have I found?

I have found that I am a white man with very little to offer and much to learn, I have found that I am still just a thief of images, and a stealthy one at that,

I have found that I really am still a monkey…

I have found that I truly love to be lost in a culture that will teach me everything that I need to know about me…

…Now my expectations have risen one level.

Well, we’re hanging out on the balcony at the Hotel New Bengal, waiting for some laundry.  We had a lovely time with Vishal and Sneh and their son, Akshay, who is 15 months old.  I hope we get to spend some quieter time with them - they’re cool people, but we were all tired from a long day and I have this sunburn that saps my energy.  Akshay knocked a 7-Up over, so my travel clothes were sticky.  I took them to the desk and they sent them out for cleaning, but they won’t be done until about 1pm and we had to check out at 8am.  Oh, well!

Yesterday was a big day - we walked down to the Gateway to India and took a launch over to Elephanta Island.  On the way, James and I got taken by surprise and a holy man performed a puja on us (for us?) before we even knew it.  See the slideshow for pictures…

It was wonderful to spend an hour on the water.  The water itself it not very attractive, but it’s water and it’s in motion, so we were in love.

The Elephanta Caves impressed me most by just being there.  Sometimes I’m overwhelmed by the history of a place, but in this case, I was impressed by the modernity of it.  The fact that it was still there, still present, and really, could be cleaned up and lived in again (in parts)…that was what I loved best about it.

Downside - we had our first day of paying too much for things.  Too much for a cab, for the puja, for a guidebook for the caves…but I knew that was going to happen sooner or later.    Of course, too much isn’t going to break the bank, so there it is.

And the upside - still falling in love with Mumbai.  Still excited about getting out and seeing more of the country.  Still happy - so happy!