jgohil_blog

Oh. My. God.

I think this blog would be a novel if I took the time to actually jot down every experience I’ve had here. It is nothing short of unbelievable. We made it through Italy and into India on the evening (local India time) of the 26th. Since then it has been a non-stop adventure. Ironically, for all of the culture and scenery, the majority of the adventure has been riding through local traffic. Although I had seen videos depicting the state of travel here, I can honestly say nothing compares to actually being in it. I got my first taste in the cab ride from the airport to the hotel but in retrospect that was tame compared with daytime driving in the Juhu Beach area of Mumbai. I have lot’s of video and even more pictures of our travels through town.

I have been to Cozumel, Mexico and so I have seen slums, but nothing the likes of which Mumbai has so much of. The vast majority of the 20 Million inhabitants live in conditions which are far below any poverty I have ever witnessed, either in person or on t.v. In sharp contrast we’re staying in a 5 star hotel (The “Sun & Sand”) right on the beach. It’s amazing how different and divided the hotel grounds are from the immediate vicinity. There is a wall that surrounds the entire hotel keeps out the hundreds of beggars and vagrants that frequent the beach daily - some of whom actually live on the beach with nothing more than the tattered clothes on their backs. It is truly a unique perspective and makes me appreciate everything I have that much more. I could go on and on about the poverty as it has really made an impact on me, but there is just so much more to talk about.

The morning of Day 2 - the 27th of December - we (my parents and Justin and I) had an amazing breakfast while we looked out on the ocean shimmering in the morning light. Following breakfast we embarked on a trip to ‘Elephant Island’ which is located about 10-15 miles off the coast. We reserved a car with a driver to take us all around for the day, which is really the only practical way to get around. It was some sort of a Toyota SUV - but a model that we don’t have in the U.S.

From the departure point of the shore we took a ferry which got us out to the island. This place from a distant looked so quaint. Once we actually made it on, I discovered that not even a place as remote as this is free from commercialism and the pollution of man. Not to wax philosophical, but I couldn’t help but think that as I walked past the hundreds of little stands selling everything from snacks to novelty souvenirs. It was really a strange mixture of nature and human influence. On the island we climbed up several hundred steps that took us toward the top where, in a natural rock formation, there were carvings of ancient Indian deities. It really was remarkable, but again the beauty of it was marred by the fact that it had become such a commercialized tourist attraction. What’s worse is that, unlike American attractions, the Indians apparently had no problems with people littering and in general defacing the grounds. I could go on and on about this place, but I’ll just upload the pics I took there and tell the stories in more detail when I get home. There is still so much more to talk about.

Unfortunately, I really have to conserve on my Internet time so I will have to continue this later. There is still a lot to talk about on just day two and it is actually Day 4 that I’m on now. Hopefully I will have the opportunity to get the rest of this done either later tonight or perhaps tomorrow.