After spending two plane trips doing a repeated sequence of watching movies, eating then sleeping , we arrived in Mumbai. All went smoothly, customs was fast and Prasanna was at the airport to meet us and Sejal was at home cooking a midnight feast of chickpeas, dahl, spinach and rice. Still feeling awake, excited at being in Mumbai and on our two hour sleep-wake cycle, we finally got to sleep on the 14 th floor with a breeze coming through the windows. At 5 am, I was woken by the call to prayer. I lay there, eyes closed, listening to the beautiful melodic sounds which were so foreign to me.
This morning (Tuesday 31 st December), we ambled around a local-shopping centre buying supplies, learning where to shop , what to buy and what not to buy … all from local resident’s perspective. Excellent advice was given and we lunged into street food drinking local chai at a tea stall and then fresh coconut water with a straw at a local vegetable shop. Tonight is NYE and fireworks are readily available. We are staying home and watching from the 14th/storey …. hope to see fireworks around us from the balcony.