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Days 2, 3, 4
Had a wonderful evening with Shiva and Maraithay tonight, he took us to his house after collecting us with chauffeur at our hotel and we had chai and bombay mix with his family. Then onto Mumbai Cricket Club for a lovely meal in sumptuous surroundings while the girls played with new friends. Home for 11pm, Fern and I couldn't sleep and lay reading and whispering to each other till 2am. Didn't get up till 11am on Sunday and decided to walk the beach. A very stressful experience but fascinating. Mumbai is like being in a skip with a hairdryer pointing at your face. After walking an hour, We stopped at a beach cafe and tried the local food. Got a rickshaw back which the girls loved. Rufus went out exploring in the afternoon, probably looking for opium, and the girls and I enjoyed a lazy Sunday brunch at the pool with kids games and coconut juice.
In the evening we ventured out. Being too brave/stupid for taxis, we took the local train which was INCREDIBLE. Fern was photographed a million times, Clover was fuming. We even ended up hanging off the train with the locals to everyone's amusement. I held Clover tightly by her ponytail which I guess, if she fell, would have resulted in a nasty scalping. The girls counted rats and beggars on the line and smiled and waved at everyone. The men all stare at me but in a nice respectful way, not leering at all. The train took an hour and people just grinned at us the whole time. Clover got a window seat which pissed Fern off something chronic. Clover celebrated by giving her dirty looks the entire time, which made her cry.
Passed through Dharabi, the world's biggest slum but all I could see was camaraderie, positivity, humour in the face of severe poverty. A real community. Nobody binge drinking or being stabbed - although maybe that was happening elsewhere. Poverty in Scotland equals resentment, greed, bitterness, anger. Poverty in India seems much more civilised and dignfied.
My hair frizzed up bigtime.
We saw the Fort, the Indian Gateway and all the horses and carriages. Soooooo beautiful. Then onto Marine Drive, the promenade and Chowpatty Beach which is nuts. It is like all of India gathered for a chat. We found a local restaurant and had curry. Then
we cheated and bought Baskin Robbins for pud. A one hour taxi ride home in the worst traffic I have ever seen. All the men hold hands and nobody screams abuse at them. Why is Scotland so angry and miserable? I love India and am mesmirised by the people and how good natured and tolerant they appear. I am proud of myself for managing the kids and the incredible situation we find ourselves in. Nice to be back in bed now enjoying the football results and dreaming of tomorrow. Why has nobody had diarrhoea yet? We're all quite excited about who will be first.
Monday - we saw the famous Laundry which was really just a group of men working hard - we went right down into it and got lots of stares. It was super stinky and we didn't stay long. Hottest day ever. Went for a walk locally when we got back and Fern got a lovely shalwar kameez. Still trying hard to get sick and tonight we manned up and had prawns, lobster and fresh fruit. Still nothing! I miss Jo and am glad she is looking at the
same sky.
Tuesday - went to the safari park and Fern got a great photo right next to a lion. I panicked the whole time about snakes, screamed at various sticks and leaves and ruined it for everyone. We got the local train there and back which we thought we had mastered - me and the girls go on the ladies carriage, Rufus mans up and gets in the sardine can. At one point it was so busy and hot in my carriage I started to worry we must be heading for Birkenau - the closest I will ever experience to what the Jews went through. One woman shouted at me 'why would you bring children here' - no reply from me,it was a good point. Clover was forced to sit on a toothless granny's knee which she managed with a grimace. Fern tried to hang off the sides like the locals. We phoned Grandad ('Dadz') to wish him luck for his operation. Gan Gan clearly disappointed it is going so well.
Back at the hotel, Fern burst into tears at the thought of asking for stamps to post a letter. Isn't it funny what kids can manage.
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