Oh! The Places I'll Go...: January 2013

India so far has been amazing. After being in mostly Muslim countries for the last couple of stops, and after experiencing Bahrain, it's refreshing to arrive in a country where women can dress as they want....mostly. the airport in Mumbai and its stagnant air was packed at the early hour of 4:30 am. I was nervous about what to expect when I left the terminal but was pleased to see palm trees and feel warmth on my skin in the middle of the night. I walked outside and was met with family members and drivers. All except mine. Luckily, the man helping people find their driver knew the guy who worked at my hostel and called him up. He arrived 20 minutes later but I enjoyed the peoole watching in the meantime. The drive over was good and arriving inside the apartment like space I was met with hot air. The guy wanted to check me in but I had booked the next night and by this time it was almost 6 am and didn't want to pay for a night I wouldn't be using. I had to argue with him as he didn't believe that I hadn't booked the night. He even wanted me to pay for half price but I didn't want to go to bed and sleep all day. So I sat wasting time while the guy from the hostel lay down on a giant pillow in the common area. The first people finally were up around 8 and I got to know some new people.

After sitting around for another few hours some people decided to go on a slum city tour to which I instantly agreed. Heading out with 8 guys made me feel a little better about taking a taxi. As we raced down the roads of Mumbai my eyes darted every which way. I didn't know where to look first! At the woman sitting sidesaddle on a motorbike in a sari, at the slum areas beside the road, at the rickshaws winding in and out of traffic, or at the palm trees dotting the streets. We stopped in front of a train station but had some time before the tour began. The guys were all hungry so we wandered around to find some food. They ate at a small bakery and we headed back over to the meeting point. Crossing the roads were a whole new adventure! You go when there's space, and quickly. The slum city tour began on an overpass into the area. Sunny our guide gave us some background before beginning. We had many people stopping to stare at this large group of tourists. At one point I had to move as a beggar started to rub my leg. We headed in. The city has been around since the 1800's and though the government tried to build low cost housing, no one wanted to move here. And then the builder started selling the units for his own profit and so they didn't have a choice but to stay. Inside the city there are streets, stores, restaurants, homes....a community. We learned about how there is a plastics factory (factory being many small buildings with the different sections in them) that collected, cleaned, dried, melted and made pellets with old plastic containers. There's also a factory that makes aluminum products, such as the casing for the motor on your blender. There's a leather factory that washes, dries and dies leather. Another dwelling had piles and I mean piles of animal pelts that were being left out to go rancid before they would be sent to the leather warehouse. This area stunk beyond anything I've ever encountered. Moving on I saw a small cat playing with a dead rat beside a delicious smelling restaurant....my senses were experiencing opposing information. The cats I noticed didn't look coy or playful but dull and tired. It was sad. Next we started walking through the residential section where kids wandered out of their houses to wave hello. Practicing their English, children would ask your name and how you were before scurrying off, too embarrassed to say more.  We learned about the company that the tour guides worked for and how they use the money we give them to help children and other people in the slum city. They provide art classes to kids, organized activities, parenting classes to women, and an assortment of other things. I felt motivated to do something when I saw all the good things they are doing. Watching the way the guides interacted so positively with the children was heartwarming. As we were led out of the area we ran into a parade, some of us were pulled into dance with them in the street. After a fond farewell with our guides we went to the train to go to the"centre". I was a little nervous about this experience but was glad not to be alone. It wasn't too bad at all! The train arrived, people hanging out of the doors, and we jumped on. It wasn't that busy and we all had a place to sit. We got a number of stares as we were 8 men and me. We wandered around and walked to the water before stopping for some food. I had a delicious taste of a few different dishes. We then went to see the gateway to India which was all lit up for the night. We stopped to have some beer (I had a brownie) at a small restaurant before going to the train station. Just as we got there we saw our train leaving so ran and jumped on the first car. A woman stood up and exclaimed "this is the woman's only car!" I jumped off but they yelled jump on, we'll stay here. Not so.....the train stopped and police were yelling at us. We ran and jumped into another car and were on our way. I rode in my first rickshaw from the train to our hostel! It was awesome! I ended up falling asleep mid conversation with my room mates...but luckily they didn't mind.

On Saturday I went out with another group from the hostel, this time with another girl amongst the group of 8. We got rickshaws to the train and went back to Churchgate. We walked around the Gateway to India where I was asked to hold a baby so the family could snap pictures. We managed to escape with only a few photos. One of the guys in our group had long blond dreadlocks and he gathered a lot of attention. Many people thinking he was a girl. They would stop and point and stare....I don't blame them really, it's a hard look to pull off. We stopped and had lunch at a cafeteria type place which ended up being delicious, if a little spicy. After an attempt to find the men washing the clothes and a walk beside the ocean instead we decided to go back to the train station. We got back to the hostel and relaxed for awhile before deciding to get some dinner from a local place. A group of 11 of us went out and at our table of 6 we ordered a bunch of dishes and shared. My favorite was veggie korma, delicious. On our way back we saw some flashing lights in the distance and went off to check it out. As we approached, we could see it was a party for Republic day. As we stood on the edge of the celebration we wondered if we were intruding and were about to turn away when we were ushered into the fray. We were given small bouquets of flowers, and asked to pray to their god. We sprinkled coloured powder on the shrine and had sweets as a blessing. Us two girls were given bindi as a show of respect and a gift of a metal cup with a flower. We were told as guests of honor they would like us to hand out gifts to the children who'd won competitions earlier. Cameras snapped pictures as the winners showed their biggest smiles. We were then invited to eat, which of course all the guys did. I chatted with one of the winners who told me his game had been carrying an egg in a spoon in his mouth. We took our leave and thanked our host. What an amazing experience!

The next day a friend of Jen's, named Ruchi, came to pick me up and show me around. She was so sweet and took me on the train, explaining how to use it. We went for lunch at Leopolds Cafe. I had butter chicken, rice, buttered roti with a mango lassi. Ruchi had fried rice....lol afterwards we walked down the sidewalk which was a market. I bought a dress and some breezy pants for the heat. Ruchi, of course, helped negotiate a better price. Afterwards we went to the museum and Ruchi told me the stories of the gods we were looking at. We also went to the art gallery before heading back on the train. I asked her hundreds of questions about Sari's, Mumbai, men who are women, and India. She was so good about answering everything. She even held my hand when crossing the road to make sure I was OK. She took me all the way back to my hostel and even came inside to look for bugs in my bed! And then she had to go all the way back to the train to go home. She was so sweet and generous; I really enjoyed seeing Mumbai with a local and getting to know her! Thanks Jen, Dave, and Ruchi! :-)

After all my fabulous days it was time to see Mumbai on my own. All my friends had left to go see some caves on an overnight bus trip, so its just me! I went out to buy a train ticket for Goa. I took a rickshaw and the train all by myself. Unfortunately there were no tickets left. On my way back to book a bus a man stopped me and told me he'd take me to buy the bus tickets. Good price and great bus. I knew I should walk away but he convinced me. I figured it wouldn't hurt to check it out, thinking it would be a bus station. It was a travel agent and I kept thinking I shouldn't buy the ticket but I did. I just need to learn to say No! I had a really bad feeling after that and wanted to have a little cry when I was on the train. When I got back the guy at the hostel gave me a hard time for booking elsewhere. I paid a bit more but it turns out it's fine. It just is a long way back to the station. So in the end everything is fine but I am now going to say NO! I'm sad about my bummer day but tomorrow I'll be at the beach!

I spent the day Tuesday at my hostel planning my trip to India, which helped me get over some of my nervousness. I am really excited to experience it and know that I will be able to navigate the adventure that is India, as so many others have done before me. On Wednesday I went on another tour. We started in Irbid and saw Um-Quai. An Ottoman city that is in ruins. I stood on the top of a mountain and saw Syria on my right, Israel in front of me, and way off in the distance to my left was Palestine. Pretty cool to be at the crossroads of 4 countries. Don't worry dad, I was in no danger! After another two and half hours (after the two and a half to get there) we arrived at a hilltop castle. It's was pretty neat. Besides I do love castles. We stopped at Our Lady Of The Mountain and heard about the statue of the Virgin Mary that was brought from Italy over 200 years ago. Since then many miracles have happened at this site (though no specific details were given). Most recently, in 2010, 9 women saw red tears coming from her eyes. I do believe in miracles but I also believe that 1) they wouldn't have washed her face of these miraculous tears of which there was no trace, and 2) there would be flocks of people pouring in to see this special statue.

From there we went to Jerash which are the ruins left by the Greeks. They are beautiful. I don't know what it is about big white columns, but they remind me how amazing people of the past were. As we wandered through the rocks a Shepard came by with his flock of goats. And then as entered the amphitheatre I could hear the sounds of a bagpipe. Sure enough, an Arab Bagpiper entertained the audience!

I went to Hashim's delicious falafels with a group from the hostel for my last taste of falafel. It was a superb meal. A great end to my time in Jordan.

As I wait now in the airport in Bahrain I watch as women covered head to toe, literally, in black stream past and wonder what they think of my bare ankles and uncovered head and face. I think I may be the only blond person here. I don't feel completely uncomfortable but I definitely feel different, like a minority. Everyone should experience this once so they can walk in someone else's shoes. I'm getting anxious to begin my adventure in India......although I sure wish I would be sleeping first!