Days 15-17: a Change for the Better, the House of Gandhi, and Relegation

So here we are…Wednesday morning 0504 sipping Haig Gold Label, watching a Valencia v. Zargarvaeraevaouiouopqzu replay (50th, 2-0 Val) and trying to think of something that would make for even a semi-interesting read….

…Well, since I don’t have any of that I’ll go ahead and stick with my formula, so webmaster please….

1116 UTC // 13.05.07


Sunday morning, last full day off of the trip, good night sleep after shaking off the hang over from Friday night. After hitting up the world famous Meridian breakfast buffet I decide to that I really should get out of my 200 sq ft apartment and “see the city.”

Back-story:

The one continuous issue that has remained a constant since my arrival on Indian soil has been my turbulent relationship with the company that was pre-hired to drive my ass from one rock to another for three weeks. Long back-story short, 11 days of drivers averaging 1.9 trips a day and approximately 19 drivers, one failed pickup and many lost in translation moments.

End of back-story

As I type in the numbers to the original driving company from week one, I notice that no one has picked up the phone for them the last six times I’ve tried. Since, this was the original company and there was a sudden change to another company half way through that I did not posses the number too, I decided that good things come in threes so it was time for a change. Week three, driving company three.

After negotiating a 35% discount through the in-hotel travel agent, I agree to his charges even though I believe I could’ve worked 45.

1142 UTC // 13.05.07

Immediately I noticed a difference in class with my third company. A 2005 Toyota Camry awaiting me with a driver who anticipated my needs and soon became my Indian best friend for the next 4+ hours. Jah-red new the deal, I’m sure the new came down from HQ that another bloody westerner wanted to see the lay of the land, get the photos, haggle with prices and tip well. I think we eventually got most of these accomplished.

I wish I had an amusing story I could tell you, but Jah-red was 30, married with two kids and worked all the time, some things I guess are universally blue collar everywhere. He hooked me up with the sights of the beach, a Hare Krishna, Muslim and Ganesh temples respectively, which quenched my religious vibe for the next decade. I suppose all the synagogues were off the main road.

We progressed throughout the afternoon, hitting only one notable landmark.

1302 UTC // 13.05.07

The House of Gandhi

Knowing nothing more than the name, or that Ben Kingsley did a remarkable job of winning an Oscar for portraying an English version of him, I entered his former home to witness the amazing pictorial archive and library that is this modest three story home in the heart of Bombay.

If Friday was the pinnacle of my visceral experience in Bombay, then the House of Gandhi was my emotional heart of my experience. Despite the all of the things that I will never adjust to about the Bombay way of life, I believe ever human feels some sort of connection with the concept of power through peaceful actions and figurine narratives of his life (sorry, the zoom got the better of the focus for this pic)

The entire scene at the House of Gandhi was uplifting and peaceful, something that is hard to get on the streets of Bombay. I left thinking a little higher about the humanity of us all, until I got back to the car and had to evade three different street-capitalists trying to give me a good deal on “post cards”. I have now made it a priority that there will be no post cards from India that will invade the Seattle city limits.

I leave you with this final image of the House of Gandhi, yes; the room has been kept in tact with full maid service for almost 50 years.

1713 UTC // 13.05.07

Jah-red drops me off after a full day of touring; I thank him for his troubles and steady information on religious temples throughout inner-Bombay. I settle into my room and prepare for one of the biggest nights of the English Premiership.

1930 UTC // 13.05.07

YOU’RE LOOKING LIVE!!! At Wigan versus Sheffield United on channel 23 and West Ham versus the Glorious One’s on channel 24, we also have the two hour Tom Cruise Behind the Actors Studio finishing up on channel 27 for those non-football fans.

For the next 50 minutes we have cut-ins from both games on both channels showing missed goals and goals alike as the excitement in both matches reaches…umm…ahh…fever pitch. After a few glasses of the Haig Gold Label I’m into the relegation battle between Wigan and the Blades, and as the rain continues to pour my emotion rises as I try to sway the results of the match with my whiskey soaked cheers from stately manner 232.

As all know now…Wigan captured the flag and won the all important Premiership millions and then…the coach quit. Only in English Football.

2130 UTC // 13.05.07

After the match I got to watch the Boys in Red prance around and raise the trophy, props to Wayn-o for the hat…nice touch.

So that was Sunday and following that “monumental” day I’ve been back in the grind with nothing really to report other than Sportcentre India is in Hindi, which is actually surprising.

A few days to go and probably only a final recap post remaining, unless of course something “major” goes down on Lower Patel road between now and then.

As always, thanks for reading.