Bombay - India 1

Clearing the airport and customs was a snap. Finding an ATM, no problem. Trying to get Rupees from an empty ATM: Problem. There is a bank across the street from the airport (no money exchange person working) and a travelex back on the other side of security (who had given directions to the ATM). So there I was in India, without a Rupee to my name.

Thankfully, the Westerner with whom I had chatted, had a car waiting to take her to the Hotel, and the person whose name was on the card the driver was holding hadn't shown up. So I spent the first night shacked at the Leela, which casually accepted my American credit card, fed me a buffet breakfast, portered my luggage, gave me all manner of toiletries (which I hadn't packed) and even started me off with business contacts. I love 5 star hotels.

John Greyman, South African, Jewish, Steel Purveyor and I had breakfast together. While I didn't receive a firm offer of employment on the spot, I was encouraged to meet him for dinner. This put me in a dilemma, particularly because the breakfast buffet included South Indian, North Indian, Bacon, Roast Beef, and all manner of conceivable breakfast. I had a feeling that Muslim/Hindu India might be a bit short on the Bacon and Beef. However, I had to throw caution to the wind, and decided to spend the day running around Bombay.

So I passed through 30 minutes of slums and 10 minutes of middle class on my way into the city. The slums, however, did have several places selling phone services and/or faxes and copying. I had to wonder what people would fax or copy anything in the dirt poor (dirt rich) slums.

After purchasing a train ticket to Hyderabad using hard currency on the tourist quota (1 person line rather than taking a number for one of 40 tellers), I set off through the city.

Many people say the crowds or the poverty are what first strikes them in India. For me it was the Dollar Store variety in the stands lining every walkway. Not only were the stores selling everything, but people with a cart setup next to a pillar sold everything as well. Fortunately for me, my hotel covered everything I needed, so I simply swept past and decided to wander West.

Thats when the poverty hit me. Its no problem to avoid kids begging or older people asking for money, but when they grab your arm and walk with you continually asking, well, I had to give the poor kid my scary face, the kind when you were little and your parents were mad at you. Instantly, the kid released my arm, looked back once, and went away.