Couch Surfing Mumbai

We arrived in Mumbai at the ungodly hour of three am, luckily we had arranged a place to stay with a gracious host via couchsurfing.With a little bit of confusion, and a lot of stopping to ask for directions we found Ankush and his waving arms at  four thirty in the morning. Big hugs like we had been friends forever, but of course this was the first time we'd met. We stayed four nights in Mumbai, and spent our days experiencing it in every which way, taking in chai, Indian food, constant traffic jams, and smells that ranged across the entire good to bad spectrum. The best part was of course our hosts. Not only were they fun to hang out with, but they helped us catch trains and buses, told us where to go, and what to do. We also got to experience the true Mumbai driving experience by risking our lives multiple times getting into Ankush's car, who drives way crazier than even the auto-rickshaw drivers, who notoriously drive the craziest. Think fast and the furious, but real. India has the highest number of road accidents in the world, causing a death every 4.5 minutes. It's hard to put words to a city with almost fourteen million people living in it. Life is cheap in this city. The distribution of wealth is very divided, there are a lot of very wealthy people,  and there is a lot of very poor. The sight of a Rolls-Royce dealership with homeless people living in the street in front of it is an image I have burned into my brain. As Ankush put it, India isn't a good experience, it isn't a bad experience, its just an experience. 

Never before have I eaten good tasting airplane food.

Naan, saffron rice, curried veg, salad, desert, and a bun. Delicious, and vegetarian to boot!

Ankush showing us how the metro train system works, we would have been lost on our own.

Sunset over the Indian Sea.

Saurab and our host Ankush on our first day in India.

Glasses switch! Luc wearing Ankush's glasses.

Big smile! 

Christian church in Bandra.

Delicious orange despite its weird appearance, the fruit separates from the skin.

Playing "Carrom" a very frustrating yet fun board game.

Hukka bubbles.

On these streets, only the cows have the right of way.

The gateway of India at Mumbai harbor.

Cows are everywhere.

While at Elephanta island, lots of Indian men wanted their pictures taken with Luc, on account of his mustache.
 ( Baghat Singh)

Crafty monkey knocks over a garbage can in search of a refreshing drink.

A monkey drinks the fruits of his labor. Sort of sad despite its cuteness...

Birthday chai, we have made an effort to have at least one, or two, or three a day. The street vendors serve up the best cup.

Ginger feeding the holy cows, touching their head, then her chest to bless herself. Very Indian experience. 

Before dissection...

Vegetables, yum.

Preparing dinner, pasta sauce in the works.

Birthday dinner party! The wine is in the coffee cup, keep it classy kids.

Crazy packed subway, ginger being the only female, baring her shoulders, got lots of stares.

We're constantly taking tips, how to make food look good. The street vendors here have it down.

New specs! One of two pairs, the other is smaller... and wire.

Bumper to bumper traffic.

Pedestrian traffic jam.

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We love and miss you all, we hope you're having as much fun as we are. Check back soon for more India madness. xoxo!