So we are back from our holidays in Mumbai - tired, exhausted and a little worse for wear, and me with a running nose. Better a running nose I say, than a running stomach! I hardly feel refreshed to start work again, let alone a new year. But a holiday in Bombay, especially during winter, is always like this. Weddings, Navjote's and Parties galore, filled with the 3 F's (Family, Friends and Food).
The holiday did not start on an ideal footing though. Our bags were late in coming out on to the carousel, (the priority bags came after the normal bags). The baggage carousel was empty of passengers when we reached it, post immigration, but by the time our bags came out, we were fighting for standing space, forget about positioning our trolleys. I could not help thinking that there was some mischievous 'Babu' (Indian bureaucrat) who takes vicarious pleasure in turning things around to teach us all a lesson. India does that to you - so many things go wrong, Murphy's Law is so evidently manifest everywhere, that it removes any thoughts of coincidence, and plants the seed of intent. The car ride from the airport to home took more time than our entire flight in from Dubai. The roads were completely gridlocked, and it was a wonder that we reached our destination at all.
But after that things started to change. The weather was wonderful, and the water shortage which was a threat, thankfully never really materialised. That meant that we could take a shower every day, instead of a bucket bath and feel like we did not need another that day. Our fair colony was absolutely inundated with NRI's, and like the migratory birds that we are, saw a mass exodus this past weekend. But during the time that we were there, there was a whirl of parties, dinners and get-togethers. The children enjoyed and made lots of new friends (my son included). We did manage to visit the Museum, which was lovely, and also did a bit of walking in and around South Bombay which was even better.
The holiday was interspersed with a break to Matheran with friends. This is a hill station a couple of hours away from Bombay. I was last there almost 25 years ago, but due to the fact that it is untouched by cars and pollution, the place has stood the test of time rather well. However the same cannot be said about the hotels and the facilities. One overpays for the value one gets, as is the norm in India, and our hotel by any criteria was extremely basic. Food was excellent though and made up for any other discomfort.
After three weeks, coming back to Dubai feels like a different world. One gets so used to the noise, dust, people and traffic, that their absence comes as a revelation. Suddenly one is transported into a quiet, clean, and efficient world, where things work as they should, fighting and shouting are not the norm, and the air is eminently more breathable. But the best, as always, is the first bath after coming back, the sheer luxury of a good strong hot shower to wash off the dirt and the dust which the puny shower (due to low pressure) in Bombay, can never do. In fact one luxuriates so much, that the water wastage becomes almost sinful.
And as I soaped myself, I smirked at the fact that only a visit to Bombay can make me enjoy something as simple as a bath!
No comments:
Post a Comment