Back in Mumbai this morning. Not necessarily where i thought i'd be this time a week ago. Mumbai all the same. And i must say a second visit is worth the work. Perhaps a 24 hour train ride with bus and ricksha squirts at the extremities is pushing it. But we are here. Here being Mumbai. Sunny. Hot. Sweaty and smelling like dog's breath when fish was dinner. Mumbai.
But we don't stay. No! We leave again tonight - on a bus - back to Goa - then on a train - to Gokarna - to Om beach - sorry Mumbai. So i am bloody knackered from so much movement but pretty good i think. Yes. Pretty good. Bhundi was wonderful. I was bored for the first few days, but soon learnt to move in time, to hear the grace tones. It is not so touristy and so you don't get hassled so much and the atmosphere is very different to Pushkar and Jaisalmer. But that is good. The Haveli we stayed in was beautiful. A blue, family home with a central courtyard for sipping tea and eating thali, reading Hemingway and dreaming ideas. The food was some of the best yet and when one of the Frenchys staying had his birthday we had a party with a traditional Rajasthani feast. We told stories and drank cheap nasty whiskey and sat on the roof as the bats flew overhead.
Outside the residence - Jas and i went for several walks: to the magnificent old Palace with its endless rooms and corridors decorated with rich miniature paintings. We sat in one old marble chamber with the microphone on; making noise and laughing hysterically. We took many photos of views and subtle textures. I felt like a twit whenever i got my camera out before. Like some knobble kneed stooge on a tour - but now it is fun. But i don't give you pictures today. That is a joke. Funny, no? Yes. Very funny. The web cafe here charges extra for uploads. I'll collect more pictures on the way to Gokarna and then give you a super deluxe image wagon to ride upon.
The fort in Bhundi is free so we decided to have a crack. The place is in dilapidatd ruins and provides an eerie hill top station to wander around. The only inhabitants these days are the monkeys, who are very aggressive. Armed with stones and sticks we negotiated the bastions and ramparts. That evening we ate like pigs and then demonstrated our ability at impersonating animal sounds. The young chap who worked at the Haveli is the only person i have ever met who, instead of looking at me like i'm strange when i impersonate a pig, a goat, a chicken, took the challenge and put on a barn yard show of his own. I recovered from my suprise and think i had him beat in the end. It was close though.
Okay. That is all for now. I am exhausted and must eat more before my long bus trip back to paradise. I hope everyone is well. I miss you all.
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