My 28th Birthday in Bombay

Yeah I know it's really Mumbai but I couldn't pass up the opportunity for alliteration.

I am so happy my birthday fell on a Saturday, because every other day on this trip has been wildly fascinating, but also phenomenally exhausting. Needless to say we were all looking forward to an opportunity to relax a little and step away from the work. It turned out to be a pretty perfect day, other than the fact I didn't get to spend it with those of you reading this from back home.

We did not leave the hotel to sightsee until 2pm, what luxury. I slept in, had a good workout at the gym, and hung out by the pool reading for a few hours. Happiness! Then we all ventured into South Mumbai, the wealthiest. hippest area of the city where British colonial history lingers the most. It is a totally different Mumbai than what we’ve been experiencing - modern buildings, traffic signals, far fewer people begging on the streets, many more locals in Western dress. This is where the elite reside.

We had lunch at a TGIF feeling place, I was so excited for a break from Indian food (I have neglected to mention I am SO sick of Indian food, which I love, but it’s so heavy I prefer it on a once a month basis). I ordered a veggie burger and more or less got a samosa between a bun. Oh well I tried. We shopped, but it was so obviously that touristy strip – the Venice beach or the Fisherman’s wharf of Mumbai. It’s really hard to shop in a frenzy like that, when you travel you want that meaningful souvenir that appropriately symbolizes your experience and it usually takes a good while of seeing what’s out there, pretty much impossible with our schedule.

As the sun was setting we went to the top of the hill here to check out the view of the water and city from above. We walked through some very pleasant English gardens and oh my god I’ve never seen such an enormous bat in my life. Dinner reservations were still three hours away and we were all fading fast so we went to a really swank rooftop bar to pass the time. Since it’s so hot and humid here, it feels like vacation, and the outdoor bar with a view of the shoreline was a perfect way to relax.
Dinner was at 10:30 on another rooftop at Indigo, one of the nicest restaurants in town. The bill was still under $40 a person, but it felt a lot like any other upscale place back in the states. I should note that at this point I’ve been consuming copious amounts of caffeine over the past four hours to keep myself awake – two red bull and vodkas, a double espresso, and a cappuccino. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Nearly 1am and we headed to the club. I hate to say it but I really am a club snob – both on the music side and the people side. I’m not THAT particular, but…well I guess I know what I like. I also had an awesome night out before I left (thanks for that one Alex, Shine and Justin Martin killed it). The club was packed with young wealthy Indians, and the music was admittedly better than expected. My favorite part was when the DJ would play a song and the entire crowd would know the words and sing along. Gotta love that.

I retired early, and I managed to avoid inebriation. I’m headed down to the pool with my ipod and my book for some Jenny time before we leave for Brazil this afternoon. It’s going to be a whopping 51 hours of traveling. I’m trying not to think about it.