Day one

After last night’s emotion reality check, we decided to super scrub this apartment and turn it into our haven. Mumbai can be overwhelming and will eat you up if you let it, so we needed a place to retreat. We also desperately needed water and food! After last night’s ride through the neighborhood we were a little (ok, a lot) apprehensive about venturing out but we knew we had to, so out we went. But, first we needed to accomplish a very important task: we needed internet! It was hard to be in Mumbai and not be able to let anybody know we had arrived safely and just stay in touch with our families.

I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to see the word “connected”! And then to be able to email. We sent out some quick emails and then went hunting for a grocery store. You need to picture the setting: it is very hot, very humid, very loud, very crowded, very smelly, very dirty, very unfamiliar, very surreal! The streets are just filled with litter and “debris”, open sewer, dogs, cars, riskshaws, busses, and anything else you can just imagine. The car horns honk 24 hours a day! People just stared at us as if we were aliens. I suppose in a way we are, but I would have expected that in Mumbai two white women wouldn’t be that much of a novelty.

Hanna had spotted a mall from our apartment window that looked like it was within walking distance. We got there and found no stores! In fact, even the security guard said there was nothing. Last minute our eyes caught something in the basement and won’t you believe it was a food mart! Since it wasn’t open yet, we went to walk around a little but soon found ourselves in a neighborhood that didn’t quite feel right. We headed back to the “mall” and found a McDonalds in there (so much for nothing having anything). I am not a huge McDonalds fan but this morning I sure appreciated a place to sit and cool of and have a coke. We had still not had anything to eat and way too little to drink and it was taking its toll.

The food mart offered so much of the things we needed! I have always appreciated the ease we have in the US to obtain basic necessities, but never have I felt so elated to find water and some basic staples! We noticed everybody staring at us, but were very friendly when we asked for help. Of course, I had to make sure we had some basic spices and found the new words for simple things.

We made our way back to the apartment with heavy, heavy grocery bags! Ladies, next time you drive up to the drive-up at the supermarket, send us a kind thought. It is murder to walk about a mile in this incredible heat with heavy bags, dodging insane traffic, disgusting trash, and huge open manholes in preparation for the monsoon. Back in the apartment, we rolled up the sleeves and pant legs and SCRUBBED for 3 hours! Then, a well deserved shower, except there is only enough water for about two 1-minute showers and a load of dishes per day. Nevertheless, by the time we were done and had cooked some plain noodles with tomato sauce, we felt like queens and it wasn’t long after before we both fell asleep for a long overdue rest.

Our surroundings are incredibly grey and can easily get depressing if you let it get to you. So we decided tomorrow to head out and try and see some other places south of Mumbai. I think it would be really good so see some colors.

Today, we feel we succeeded. That is an amazing feeling.