Day 3

Well the trip ended just as it began. Off the plane in Mumbai with no one there to pick me up. Found the agency that was supposed to take me, and they had no idea who I was or where I was supposed to be dropped off. Having been to Pune before I was not too worried, and would have simply stayed at a hotel had things not worked out properly. Luckily a few phone calls were made, and I arrived at my ‘flat’ around 3:30am.

Could barley keep myself awake in the taxi, but was awake enough when I arrived to wash up and read a bit before crashing at 4am. I woke up at about 8am, just as three girls- two left over from last month and one who is going to be in my group- were leaving to go to the hospital. Found the bathroom, took a shower and was starving so decided to not wait around any longer. Despite not having a key to the flat or a phone I was off to find an internet café and somewhere to eat. Café successful. Michael and I caught up on video skype for an hour before I left to find some breakfast. After not really finding any place that looked open I went to the grocery store and got a banana, yoghurt, water, and snack bag. There had not been any water in the flat so I was quite thirsty.

I headed off back to the flat, tired, hot and hungry. After a 15-minute walk I found the complex, but was on the other side of a cement/barbed wire wall from it. I walked to the next street over, but the complex was not there. Feeling like I was in some sort of a time space continuum I decided to go back to the wall and jump through the wire; I had noticed quite a large gap in the wire where the wall was in someone’s driveway. Up and over no problem, and off to the flat. I get there and knock, no answer. So I sit down on the stairs and begin to enjoy my snack. Then the security guard arrives. He must have seen me jump the wall and wants to know what I am doing. “Dada” I say; this is the name of my driver, who let me in to the flat last night. The guard nods and knocks on the door. Again no answer; he must have thought I didn’t try that… So he leaves. I move on to the yoghurt after devouring the banana. Pop, the guard is back, but this time he brought a friend. She hands me a phone, “Hello?” No response. I give her the phone back. This goes on for some time, her trying to call and saying hello then trying again. She and the guard leave and then out pops Dada from the stair well. He appears stressed and says come. We get in the car and drive for a few seconds before he stops and Dr. Dabak, whom I have yet to meet at this time, starts ranting about my disappearance. I apologize and insist I am fine and was just hungry and thirsty. The caravan drives the three blocks to the doctor’s house where Mrs. Dabak is waiting. We discuss my morning and evening arrival while she cooks me an omelet.

All is well, Dada drives me back to the flat and I rest until two of the girls arrive. We introduce ourselves and share stories for an hour or so. Thunder, some of the loudest I have heard, wakes me from a two-hour nap. Outside it smells like honey as the rain pours down, and kids play in the parking lot of the complex. A fantastic dinner is followed by a trip to the bus station to drop off two of the girls who are going to Goa for a week. The third girl has left to a synogog for the evening and following day because of Sabbath. Dada droppeds me off at the flat where I move into my final room and unpack. It is now 11:50pm, and I need to head off to bed. I will post in the morning when the internet café opens at 10am.

Tata for now,

Kymberlee