Monday, September 18, 2006

The Bombay Reality - Post 2

September 17, 2006

Today is the 3rd day in a row that it has rained in Bombay and the mercury has dipped by a good 7 or 8 degrees. This is a welcome relief for people like me (America returns) who can't tolerate the heat even though they spend most of their time at home doing *nothing*. I am sure the unabated rainfall has wreaked havoc on the denizens of this city who are on the move all the time. One man's food, another man's poison...

I caught up with a good friend from college this evening over a cup of coffee. Life, family, children and the burgeoning Indian economy were mostly what we spoke about and I felt a little more convinced that I should return back home. I did tell him that the abject disregard for rules was what annoyed me most about my people when they are in India. Surprisingly, the very Indians that don't give a damn for where they throw their litter in India become the most law-abiding citizens abroad. Damn hypocrites.

I saw a new Hindi flick last evening with one of my longest standing friends - Lage Raho Munnabhai. The movie extolled the values and ideals first made popular by the father of our nation, Mahatma Gandhi, via an entertaining script punctuated with some classic one-liners. I'd recommend that you watch it even if it means you have to read the sub-titles. I'll come along in case you want some company and live translations. The pleasure of my company is the complimentary prize...

An entire week has elapsed since I got here and I am finally settling into a great rhythm. Nikhil and I workout every alternate day; our workouts consist of various combinations of cricket, a 30 minute run, lifting weights and badminton (I didn't know I had the skill for this sport). I don't have jet lag no more, I don't have to move a muscle to get stuff done and the food is as exotic as it is delicious. The thought of leaving Bombay now and returning to Seattle is just depressing.

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