Mumbai

We selected a hotel in Colaba near the harbor and celebrated our adventure by treating ourselves at McDonald’s. To see if it was even possible, we decided to pay 100 rs to watch a guy attempt to write an extremely long name on a grain of rice (5 words). This immediately made us a target to buy every cheap and odd/random souvenir in the entire city. The next day we made a quick stop at the Gateway of India and Taj Mahal Hotel to check them off on the “1,000 places to see before you die”. For the most part, though, we took it easy.
Our final days in Mumbai were spent running a couple of errands--mailing a parcel and getting some laundry done both of which are quite interesting processes. Laundry is sent off to the dhobi-wallahs where it is washed in the river and beaten clean before it's pressed perfectly and all pieces are returned. While they wash them with millions of other garments, they have a discreet marking system to ensure the loads are separated accordingly at the end. Mailing an international parcel brought us back to the 1800s. Our packages were boxed and wrapped outside of the building. We wrote our addresses in large lettering with black Sharpies knowing the package would endure a lot in the next two months since we were shipping it by sea. We waited patiently for the end of customs' lunch break before starting the 11-step process of approval. Our poor little package of souvenirs was opening, inspected, taped and sewn shut, stamped and signed, and then sealed with tar at every seam. Then, it was weighed and slapped with a barcode as if to remind us that we really are in the 21st century. Over 2 hours later, we left very pleased to know that we would never have to do that again.

With the stale smell of urine, extensive pollution, intense hassling, constant stares, and non-stop honking; India is a sensory overload. The pungent mix of smells and in-your-face commotion makes India a haven for descript adjectives that attempt to capture this country’s unique and vivid character—something that can only be fathomed by a walk down its bustling streets. We admit to seeing some beautiful places and overcoming challenges that made us stronger, more mature travelers. Being relentlessly vigilant and guarded can exhaust warm, genuine personalities. However, we learned that opening doors makes you vulnerable to India’s unfortunate corruption. After all of the chaos that this country put us through, at least we can say that we maintained a sense of humor and lived to tell about it. While we are still glad that we chose to come, we are also anxious for a return to normalcy. Meanwhile, the images of India’s widespread poverty will be a permanent and grateful reminder that we are merely fortunate travelers here temporarily to experience the reality and diversity of the world. Ironically, the deceptive driver in Jaipur told us: life is a journey and not a destination.

p.s. Brady stayed true to herself and safely maintained use of her left hand