1am. Blurry eyes and swollen feet (I will never underestimate the functionality of compression socks) are a clear indicator that I've just stepped off a 16 hour flight from Sydney. It already feels like I'm worlds apart from home, and not just in distance. Otherwise I'm in good spirits about finally being in India, a country I've wanted to visit for so long.
I'd like to think I'm an open minded traveller, a requirement when visiting a country of more than a billion people in population..so I quickly dispel all predisposed warnings of smells and hostile stares and was happy to be welcomed by friendly faces and a rather relaxed customs officer. I wait at carousel four, in the hopes of finding my bag having arrived just as safely as I did. Among me are a mix of businessmen, tourists, locals returning home and...mosquitos. Lots of them (ladies, pack your repellents). Ah, the welcomed sighting of my oversized backpack...I'm ready to go. I look down at my list of to-dos, register on smart traveller, tick. Insurance, tick. Photocopy of my passport and visa, tick etc etc ... I get to the last item, exchange money. I'm told that exchanging money at the point of destination is the more economic thing to do so I'm glad to find a currency exchange booth (did I mention it was 1.30am?) and satisfied to get 5000 rupees for 100 Australian dollars (I'm rich in India!).
I look around for Carolyn, my travel buddy for the next two weeks, we are here on a two week research trip for our upcoming women of strength program in august where a group of women will return to learn more about trafficking prevention. we had taken a leap of faith and organized to meet at a "cafe" close to the exit. I say we took a leap of faith as neither of us had been to mumbai airport before and use quotation marks because the "cafe" ended up being a small blink and you'll miss stall, amongst a gaggle of women draped in beautiful saris who apparently all had the same idea (did I mention it was 1.36am?). I'm overwhelmed by the humidity and mob of men waiting outside holding up name cards of those to be picked up, I scan for Carolyn and was relieved to find her blonde hair stand out in a sea of darkness. We welcome each other with open arms and it sinks in, I'm in India.
We are greeted by our driver from the local hotel we are staying in for the next two days. We get in the car and I buckle up only to be laughed at and told "only the driver wears a seatbelt". Ah, the joys of learning the local culture. We set off, it's dark but the city is still very much alive, evident by the loud noises (insert anchorman reference here) mainly of car horns. If you've been to India before you will know what I'm talking about, but horns are the only form of road rules here, as long as you can be heard, you can drive any way - literally - you want. The orchestra of horns eventually leads us to our hotel, and by no means do I imply luxury when I say hotel, I'll leave it to your imagination but it had a bed, roof and security. And that's all we could ask for. 2.15am. I finally crawl into bed and try to drown out all the noise. I breathe in the Indian air and fall asleep in anticipation of what tomorrow will bring.
I'd like to think I'm an open minded traveller, a requirement when visiting a country of more than a billion people in population..so I quickly dispel all predisposed warnings of smells and hostile stares and was happy to be welcomed by friendly faces and a rather relaxed customs officer. I wait at carousel four, in the hopes of finding my bag having arrived just as safely as I did. Among me are a mix of businessmen, tourists, locals returning home and...mosquitos. Lots of them (ladies, pack your repellents). Ah, the welcomed sighting of my oversized backpack...I'm ready to go. I look down at my list of to-dos, register on smart traveller, tick. Insurance, tick. Photocopy of my passport and visa, tick etc etc ... I get to the last item, exchange money. I'm told that exchanging money at the point of destination is the more economic thing to do so I'm glad to find a currency exchange booth (did I mention it was 1.30am?) and satisfied to get 5000 rupees for 100 Australian dollars (I'm rich in India!).
I look around for Carolyn, my travel buddy for the next two weeks, we are here on a two week research trip for our upcoming women of strength program in august where a group of women will return to learn more about trafficking prevention. we had taken a leap of faith and organized to meet at a "cafe" close to the exit. I say we took a leap of faith as neither of us had been to mumbai airport before and use quotation marks because the "cafe" ended up being a small blink and you'll miss stall, amongst a gaggle of women draped in beautiful saris who apparently all had the same idea (did I mention it was 1.36am?). I'm overwhelmed by the humidity and mob of men waiting outside holding up name cards of those to be picked up, I scan for Carolyn and was relieved to find her blonde hair stand out in a sea of darkness. We welcome each other with open arms and it sinks in, I'm in India.
We are greeted by our driver from the local hotel we are staying in for the next two days. We get in the car and I buckle up only to be laughed at and told "only the driver wears a seatbelt". Ah, the joys of learning the local culture. We set off, it's dark but the city is still very much alive, evident by the loud noises (insert anchorman reference here) mainly of car horns. If you've been to India before you will know what I'm talking about, but horns are the only form of road rules here, as long as you can be heard, you can drive any way - literally - you want. The orchestra of horns eventually leads us to our hotel, and by no means do I imply luxury when I say hotel, I'll leave it to your imagination but it had a bed, roof and security. And that's all we could ask for. 2.15am. I finally crawl into bed and try to drown out all the noise. I breathe in the Indian air and fall asleep in anticipation of what tomorrow will bring.
No comments:
Post a Comment