So... Mumbai again.. I'm just passing through this time but it's strange to be back where i started. Everything looks so different. It's hotter, cleaner, under construction, and the family that stayed under the hotel is probably kicked out as the sidewalk where they slept is under construction also.. Nice to see the sea, though..
Anyhow I only have about 15 min. so I'll try to sum up.. First of all, the bus from Pushkar to Udaipur was fun.. sleeping sitting up for 8 or 10 hours, i forget. But i met an Israeli kid who had been with me in the Trika Yoga class in Rishikesh.. so we were talking.. and then when we arrived, we (Batiste, me, the Israeli (Amir), and a kid from Iran). And then we all stayed in the same hotel and hung out together and it was funny.. we all laughed about the fact that this Iranian kid (Fab is his nickname) was sitting around a table and sharing a room with his country's supposed worst enemy(ies).. That's what india's all about.. France, USA, Israel, and Iran.. Sitting around a table eating chappati and dal and sabji.
Anyhow Udaipur was nice.. Very tourist-y. All the hotels play Octopussy, the old James Bond flick with Roger Moore, because part of it is set in Udaipur with the Monsoon Palace and all that jazz.. and we did the tourist thing and saw the monsoon palace, and the imitation village they set up for tourists.. and that good stuff.. We ate on the Lakeshore at a honeymooners place called, ironically, Lakeshore ;op.. and played guitar and watched Octopussy and had a general good time.. saw many weddings the night before i left, as it was an auspicious day by the stars and planets for weddings, so there were many.. including one which rented out the city palace (a huge building which used to be the raj's).. so yeah.. anyhow.. that's that.. Then the travel arrangements from Udaipur were ridiculously expensive.. the sleeper bus (which took almost 18 hours with traffic) was 1200 rupees, and the train ticket for tonight (with a very hefty commission) was nearly 800.. so overall 2000 rupees to get to Goa by tomorrow.. But.. it was worth it / necessary as my time is running out.
Danielle and I are trying to work out getting me on a flight.. Probably the 15th Dec. So.. with any luck i'll be back in the USSR.. ha.. Beatles.. the same day.. yeah.. usa.. anyways it's hot and i have to waste about 10 hours in mumbai so wish me luck.. Cheers!
