Ok, In Bombay Now

Ok, in Bombay now. My in-flight movie was stuck on some Arabian film with soft focus and sporadic singing. Al Pacino was just one channel further up. Eight hours stop-over in Muscat (which according to the in-flight map - the only other option other than the Arab movie - is in Oman). The transfers building was quiet and drab. Plenty of sickly blue uniformed men cleaning the floors and replacing toilet paper. Elevator music. Delays.

At Bombay airport they gave us arrivals papers to fill in. No pen. Hundreds of people filling them out against walls, counters, floor. A lady who wasn't fluent in Western alphabet asked me to fill in her form. Afterward, she gave me another five to fill in.

Took a cab into Bombay. Total chaos. No lanes. Lots of hooting and bicycle bells. Anything goes. Had to pull my elbow in a few times.

Bombay is very very humid, and hot. No flies, though. Much like Durban in a way. Got to my 'hotel'. I had called from London, then again from Muscat, and then from Bombay at the airport (can never be too sure when you say "Ok, and do you want my name for the reservation", and the voice answers "Ok, tomorrow night then"). Bought some toiletpaper on the 'black market', secretly run by some guy in the hotel.

Lay naked on top of my sheet - and felt the sweat rundown everywhere until I fell asleep.

Some buildings here are quintessentially British (like the oval, where people play cricket all day). Victoria Terminus is like St Pancras in King's Cross (same architect I think) - only more adorned. Sat inside it for a bit - families sitting on the floor and guys lying on mats - waiting, right there in the middle somewhere. Cleaning-wallahs sweeping the floors. Thousands arriving and going. Fell asleep a bit (my head almost resting on somebody's shoulder; mouth wide open).

Had some good conversation with a body painter. He told me he lives behind the Taj Hotel on the streets - he is a 'street artist'.

Went to Chowpatty Beach - where Rai Merchant first laid eyes on Vina Apsara.

The smells - I can't figure them out. Tamarind, jasmine, lead, rice, vegetation, rubbish.

Taking a train tomorrow night (second coach sleeper) to Ahmedabad, and then on to Buji in Gujarat.