Last Days In India

My last few days in India began with a 22 hour bus ride from Diu to Mumbai. Naturally, for me this mean several funny stories of misunderstandings, an upset stomach, and several awkward interactions.

The most notable however was when I was trying to get to sleep on the bus. My sleeper cell was the first one and anything that goes on in the cockpit would be heard crystal clear in my bunk. The noise coming from the front was especially loud for me also because there was a giant opening in my wall. So its about 12am and the driver is blasting some terrible Hindi music at max volume and the sound is funneling into my bunk and echoing. I cant sleep and I'm beginning to lose my shit. I start kicking on the wall but no one seems to mind. So to get his attention, I turn on the strobe setting of my headlamp and point it at the driver through the hole in the wall. Instead of just turning down the music like I expected, he pulled over and stopped the bus. He unlocked and opened the cockpit door and slammed a guy sleeping on the floor right in the head. This was only the beginning of the embarrassment I was about to feel. He grumpily asked whats wrong and if I had to go toilet. I said no and I would appreciate it if he turns down the music so I can sleep. Other than asking, "do need go toilet?" he didn't speak a word of English so comprehending my request was just not going to happen at this hour. Now all the other people on the bus start popping their heads out of thier bunks to see whats going on and get involved. Now I'm REALLY embarrassed! I'm that bratty gora (white man) stopping the bus for no good reason. After all was said and done, the driver closed the door and turned the music all the way back up to max volume....I didn't sleep.

The last two days were spent in Mumbai where I really didn't do much. I toured Colaba with some people I met between Diu and Mumbai and we all saw Avatar in 3D. The next day I spent eating as much Indian food as possible and finally went to see a Bollywood film in a famous theater. This was amazing, better than any of the other cinema experiences I've had in India. First the Indian National Anthem, then a series of terrible ad's by Vicco. When the movie finally began, everyone went crazy like a concert. When each famous actor came out they cheered and hooted. Throughout the entire 3 hour film, everyone was talking to each other or on phones, yelling out jokes, and booing certain characters. Though the movie was in and out of English and Hindi, I could easily follow the story...and it was terrible. You have love, hate, triumph, deceit, suicide, crying, laughing, singing, dancing, etc. It had everything, and somehow is seemed to all come together.

By the time I got on the plane, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of bittersweet emotions. I was so happy to be going back to Thailand and leaving the chaos of India, though I know I'll miss it all; the people, the sounds, the chaos, the smells, the cows, the food, the head wiggle and so on. But its time for the next leg of my trip and the conclusion of my journey begins.