The funny thing about flying to India is that I lose all sense of time. I could have been on the airplane for four hours or four days. I really don't know. All I know is that I left my house in Baltimore at 11am on Saturday morning and about 10pm on Sunday I arrived at the Mumbia airport. Two hours for baggage claim, an hour drive to the hotel and we had officially arrived.All of it could be a dream or a story-- the entire travel experience is in a fog. There were a few things that happened along the way, however, that reminded that I was truly going to (or in India). The first was on the airplane when we were served our first meal. In a neatly wrapped package of silverware, moist toilets, and a napkin was a little packet of what the airline food service calls "Dinner Epilogue." It is a mix of fennel, coriander, and sesame seeds (along with alot of unnatural food coloring). This after dinner mix is something I have only experienced India (or Indian resturants). My aunt Silla has a jar of it that she offers us after every meal. When I pulled the packet of this mix out while I was on the airplane-- I got chills. And then it hit me, my God I am really going to India!
The first stray dog I saw sleeping on the berm in the middle of the road also reminded me where I was. Matted, dirty, sleeping dogs is something I have seen in just about every Indian city. Finally, a sobering reminder that I was in fact in India occured when we pulled up to the Taj Mahal hotel. Our car was immediatly searched for bombs and we went through a metal detectors before we could enter the hotel.
The picture above is the view from our hotel. Truly breath taking!
Monday, we tour Mumbai and enjoy the amenities of the Taj hotel. We have been told that we arrived in time for Holi. Monday, everyone throws colored powder and celebrates. I am hoping for some great pictures.
