The Bombay Reality - Post 1

September 11, 2006

This is my first post from Bombay but it might not be. There is no wireless access in this coffee shop as I was promised and my laptop’s power cord doesn’t fit into the wall outlet. Time to put this machine to sleep and resume this post when it has some more juice…

Aah, many rounds of musical chairs and I have finally found the one seat that lets me charge my laptop as I work on this post. There is loud, Hindi music playing in this café; its interplay with the sounds of people (middle-aged women for the most part) cackling and the bellowing espresso machine provide an eclectic and offbeat soundtrack to this effort. Time for my daily tip to the foreign traveler visiting India – order the Cappuccino over the Latte if you are a Latte drinker, The Indian incarnation of the Cappuccino is the rest of the world’s Double Shot Latte, especially at Café Coffee Day. While I am enlightening you on Indian coffee, this is one of the finest cups of coffee I have sipped since coffee became my drink of choice. I consider myself to be a coffee connoisseur, with a refined palette that can distinguish good coffee from bad. This coffee is good! Indian coffee beans are now being procured by Illy (the world renowned specialty coffee maker) for roasting and distribution around the world. If Indian coffee is good for Illy, it’s definitely good for me!

For those who didn’t know this, my visit to India was meant to be a total surprise. No one in India (1.2 billion of them) had a clue that I was to arrive on the night that I did. For the ride from the airport, I sold my brother on a story that involved him picking up a “white” girl (ahem, me!) from the airport. I was intentionally vague with the details and in hindsight, that’s why my best “laid” plans fell apart. We crisscrossed each other multiple times at the airport and I finally called my mom up to tell him to meet said “girl” at terminal 2A. Like all mix-up stories, I was waiting for him for more than 2 hours at terminal 2A while he (and Joel) were waiting at Terminal 2C. Who’d have thought that Bombay had 2 terminals for arriving international flights?

You might ask, why didn’t we recognize each other even though we passed by each other multiple times? I didn’t because his baby-face has given way to a square-jawed, manly countenance. He didn’t recognize me because even though I might not admit it, I have bulked up a tad. Add the fact that he was expecting a “white” girl to the change in my appearance and it all becomes clear - I am neither cute nor white, so something had to give!

When we finally saw each other, Nikhil was stunned beyond belief. We got home and my mom thought she was dreaming, as did Vikas and dad was happy beyond explanation. To be reunited with family after more than 18 months makes the wait worthwhile and worthless at the same time - worthwhile for the sheer happiness, worthless on account of the elongated separation.

Bombay is uncharacteristically hot and humid this September. The effects of global warming are most felt and endured in this city – the pollution, humidity and heat make life uncomfortable if you aren’t in an air-conditioned environ. I perspire a few moments after my shower and even the slightest physical exertion results in beads of sweat trickling down my face, neck and back. As Junior would say, Ewww Gross!!!

Do I miss Seattle? More than the place, I miss my friends. Yes, I am the one who notches up 5500 minutes of talk time on my cell phone in a month; that’s time I spend talking to my peeps. I have grown attached to a small set of individuals over the past few months and the sudden severing of all communication is taking a while to abide. Before I know it, my 14-day stay will come to an end. I’ll be back in Seattle and life will return to “normal”. Is Seattle home? I say this with a heavy heart but with the passage of time, this is leaving the realm of doubt and becoming a certainty. I can prolong the inevitable but it won’t be long before “Is Seattle home?” will be supplanted by “Seattle is home.” - a subtle difference with dramatic implications…