Bom Baia- The Good Bay

Mumbai is very different from Chennai. The first thing that strikes any guy's mind would be

the haute couture ladies who are abundant in Mumbai. In that aspect, Mumbai is waay better

than Chennai!

When it comes to roads, Chennai is a class apart. Chennai roads are world class. The traffic

is also well managed. Not so with amchi Mumbai. I have a feeling that at least a couple of

elephants have been trapped in those gargantuan potholes, which make you think twice about

the word "pothole".

And the traffic...Oh man, the traffic. The traffic is beautiful. I get into the company bus at 1830 and try to sleep during the rollercoaster ride homewards. We are airborne half the time, thanks to the wonderful roads! Air turbulence is nothing compared to Mumbai road turbulence.

And yeah, thanks to the wonderful(I know I am overusing the word!) traffic, we reach the hotel some 2.5 hours after boarding the rollercoaster.

The Mumbai suburban rail system is the city's lifeline. Its the only thing that can get a person from poiint A to point B in time. It is, however, very crowded. You just stand near the door and the crowd will carry you with it. Its a nice experience. Long live the suburban railway!

The autorickshaw drivers in Mumbai are angels compared to the Chennai rick-devils. They are very honest and charge by the meter. By the way, the fare meter is calibrated against time, not the distance, taking into account the traffic jams, which are quite common.

Me and my friend, have managed to find a small flat, near the office. Hopefully we will be moving in there, sometime this week. The rents are also so steep in this city. People say that Mumbai has something to offer for people of all budgets. Well, so it does!

Mumbai seems to be a rocking place. Some of my college mates are here, and am hoping to have a fundoo time ahead. Home is, however, a distant sight. It would be very difficult for me to go home, as Trivandrum is too too far away now.

When people heard that the two of us where going to Mumbai, the usual response was like - Uh oh..the poor chaps!(When us Mallus think of Mumbai, the main visuals that pop up are Floods and Bombs) Thankfully, neither has affected us so far. Hoping that it will stay that way!

Bye bye dear Chennai...

Chennai is a great city. Been here for just 2 months and already I love it. We had managed to get a nice apartment in the middle of city. Life was good. I was getting rooted to Chennai.

I started reading 'Future Shock' by Alwin Toffler some days ago. Its about how the pace of today's life is faster compared to olden times. I read about how a person gets rooted to somewhere, happy in its coccooned atmosphere. But today's world is apparently always on the move. People get shifted all over the world for various reasons, both professional and personal. I was having a ball reading about how the common man resists change when it stares at him in his face. We resist change inherently, he argued.

Two days after I started 'Future Shock', I got a shock; and it was about my future! I have to go to Mumbai this Saturday for my first assignment. I will probably be stationed at Mumbai for many months. Ah...Alwin Toeffler. I was half mad and half amused at his writings. Dammit...this was happening to me!!! LOL!

I was dazed at first, having to leave behind Chennai so fast. I had started to learn Tamil and had gotten used to the climate and the customs here. Now I have to start afresh...I am still resisting change.

Mumbai is apparently one of the best cities in India. I am looking forward to this( 'cos I have no option...boo hoo) ;-)

Adios dear Chennai...