One step at a time…

Landing in Bombay..excuse me Mumbai has always made me a bit apprehensive. Originally I was supposed to land in Delhi but then I changed my mind and thought, why not stick to the original plan and make Bombay my disembarkation port. A known devil is better than an unknown one. I also figured I might meet a few old faces while I was in town.

While walking toward the Immigration counter I started talking to somebody who is from San Francisco, more over he works in the Marina district. What a coincidence. He made a comment about how I must be happy that am “home” now after traveling around for the last couple of months. It didn’t feel like home and I told him, not yet I had to wait to get home yet! In a large sense India is “home” it will always be that . I feel anticipation when I land in India and when I land in San Francisco I feel excited. The sight of the city from the ramp on Hwy 280 never fails to remind me that am going home. Will I feel that when I land in Hyderabad?

I changed my plans before I exited the departure lounge. Instead of planning to stay till next day I voted to leave the same night (well 3.30am in the morning). The prospect of leaving the airport area to find a hotel and then wandering around aimlessly was not very appealing. But the idea of spending 5-6 hours in the no frill lounge at the domestic Airport (Bombay has 2 airports) was no better. After asking around for options I learnt that the Airport authority has some “retiring rooms”, all I had to do was ask the Airport manager. I did so. Well kept secret, I must say.

Wow! for Rs/- 450 I got a pretty decent room, which would have cost at least Rs/-3000 outside. I had to share that with another lady, which was no biggie. How come I did not know about these rooms before, I have been traveling the same route for nearly 12 years now. I have a feeling that this is not for public and is only given based on the mood of the manager as when I went to enquire about the rooms the board said they were all occupied. So be nice and polite and you might just get lucky.

After eating a very expensive Chicken Burger and Lassi I retired to my retiring room. Don’t ask me why I chose a burger for my first meal in India. I should have had Pav Bhaji! very Bumbaiya but no I had to have a burger. Well, since I have been listening to my intuition more than never I don’t question my culinary cravings anymore. A burger it was.

On way to Hyderabad I met couple of distinguished gentlemen from Hyd who turned out to be very successful businessmen from the New York. They exchanged very knowing looks when I told them that corporate work was not what its cut out to be and I sincerely hope I don’t HAVE to go back to it. They were a little shocked that I had backpacked for 3 months and that too alone. I think they silently thanked it was not their daughter. One of them invited me to come talk to him as he wanted to hear about my experiences in Cambodia. I had a very interesting conversation with him. This, very kind man seemed to know exactly what I was feeling. Money can be made anywhere he said, make money not only for yourself but create an opportunity that will benefit others as well. A true capitalist! But seems like he had a heart of gold. But I wondered whether he started businesses to provide employment to others or to make money. I did’nt know him well enough to form an opinion so I thought the best of him. Why not?

Sadly, I did not feel the excitement of seeing Hyderabad but sliding (the marble floor was being mopped) towards my father and brother 4.30am in the morning was definitely a homecoming. Of course within seconds we had to call my mom as well to say, “well here I am”. I am “home” in their hometown. Its good to be with them, good to see them again. In the last 12 years every time I have visited them they have lived in a different house in Hyderabad. Since December 03 (last time I was here), they have moved again. But inspite of the moves there are things in the house, which are always very welcome. The same furniture and curios are a welcoming sight. I can still see the same old vases catching dust, the same dinnerware, pretty much everything is the same. Nothing changes that much, a few additions here and there. Everytime I insist we buy couple of new things the anwser is the same “once we move to our own house”. I have been hearing that for the last 5 years or so.This time there are couple of additions, a huge AC, one more TV (WHY?) and enlarged family pictures. Sometimes what’s predictable is a welcome change. No place like home..is there?. Its good to see them and to be among familiar surroundings once again. Wonder how long this feeling will last…not long as I get very impatient in this town.

I don’t remember what I did the next two days. I think I either slept or I have temporary Amnesia. I did give my mother a list of dishes I wanted to eat and of course my wishes were like a command. As I said the princess treatment lasts for a couple of weeks and I am going to make full use of it! I was never one to say no to temporary pampering…contrary to what people say am not spoilt.

Well folks nothing to report except the Top 20 countdown. More later…

Cheers

Tags: India

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 2nd, 2004 at 3:58 am and is filed under India. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.