Saturday, April 9th was the last full day of the Indian version of Friends and Family Fun Days. That evening, Mom, Auntie, and Fez would all leave. Only Sister and FBIL would remain, and they would leave two days later.
Everyone woke fairly early on April 9th. We had a slum tour planned! Now, this might sound very strange to people- touring a slum. But the company has nothing but great recommendations. The world’s largest slum, Dharavi, is just a few short kilometers away from my nice comfortable home. The tour is not meant to gawk or deign pity. Instead, it is to show how successful the people truly are in Dharavi. There is plenty of industry, leather making, recycling, food production, etc that goes on in the slums. So I had heard very good things about the tour; it was uplifting rather than depressing.
Ironically enough, the tour agency that runs the visit was the best-organized group that I’ve ever communicated with in India. Whether renting a car, ordering food, simply paying a new bill, or especially trying to plan our Taj Mahal tour, it is usually a struggle. The people with the Taj Mahal tour were the worst, but I often won’t even order food, unless my husband is around because it is so frustrating. But this company had a simple form to fill out, online, and then responded immediately. When I responded back with a question, I again (shockingly) got a quick response. I was so impressed with the organization, and thought that finally someone in India was doing service right. Then I later found out it was run by an expat (American, I think) that my husband plays Frisbee with on Sundays. So it wasn’t an Indian, after all! But at least someone understood how not to cause frustrations.
We had one small hitch in our plans- the tour was for only six people and there were now seven of us, because we were back in Mumbai with my husband. Due to the small size and narrow alleys, I guess they like the numbers reduced. My husband pointed out that it was India, and rules were therefore only suggestions, but I still worried. I had originally figured that one of the seven of us would be sick after all of that travel. Mom had been sick the day before, but was feeling fine by the evening. So, I went to bed a bit worried the evening before the trip.
I shouldn’t have worried. Or I jinxed myself. I was the one who got sick! I woke up, felt fine, even managed to shower until I got my own version of Mom’s Bombay boogie. I didn’t lie on the floor for hours, though. I quickly, at everyone else’s urging, popped two azithromycins before it got too bad. I was now out for the trip. There was no way I was risking a three-hour tour with no bathroom breaks. We were down to six.
About a half hour before everyone was to leave, Auntie had the same problem. She was out now, too. She popped a pair of pills, as well. Actually, I think her directions on the bottle had her taking one. Mine had me taking two. So maybe I took more…. Regardless, the group was now down to five.
Auntie and I waved goodbye to everyone and settled into the chairs and couches for a long, quiet afternoon of reading.
For those of you who want to hear how the tour went- you’ll have to ask my husband, Mom, Sister, Fez, or FBIL. I didn’t get to go. Maybe someday my husband will put it on his blog. But it sounds like they all enjoyed themselves. Apparently, a group of Germans were there, and their tour guide (from a different company) never showed up, and so they joined them, making them more than six, anyway.
In Mom’s words:
I loved the slum tour. What struck me: Despite the conditions, women still had their hair combed beautifully and dressed nicely (even if a bit worn). The homes were like holes in the wall with no doors-just curtains. It felt like we were going through a big maze. The bathrooms were cement block structures with holes in them and a big pile of trash. What really amazed me was the industry of plastic recycling, pottery making, & leatherworks. The plastic recycling was just an amazing process and to be on the roof looking at all sorts of things we'd just discard like plastic lawn chairs, jugs etc were carefully gathered, sorted, chopped, turned into beads and colored for resale. All of the tools used in the process were crude machines but effective-like a very early Industrial Revolution. It also amazed me that there were migrant workers who worked there and they couldn't afford one of those hole-in-the-wall homes so slept on an open dirt floor. I also loved seeing the school children in their uniforms. Our tour guide told us that India is required to educate 20% of the untouchables. Not sure about his stats though. Maybe he meant college as I think education is free in India.
Next, they went shopping for cricket bats while Auntie and I continued our couch vigil. We were both feeling much, much better, actually. No Bombay boogie anymore, those drugs really work. We felt good enough to take a trip to the beach, even!
The beach, we went to Ju Beach again, was probably my favorite part of the entire trip. Yes, we’ve been to the most beautiful structure on earth, and yes, we stayed in lovely hotels, but there is nothing like playing with your friends and family on the beach.
There were eight of us- my driver came, too. He taught us how to play cricket! It was so much fun! We gathered quite a crowd- a bunch of mostly-white people playing the Indian sport- but they weren’t bothersome. They kept back a respectful distance, or helped by keeping the ball from rolling in the water.
None of us were too good at the game, save my driver. Just like a softball coach, he could point at a player and direct the ball in their direction. You could tell he was having a great time like the rest of us! It was so difficult to catch the ball (we were using a tennis ball) barehanded. I had thought I’d be fine, having played so much softball, but I still dropped it constantly. My husband was decent at batting, but the rest of us were fairly bad! I think we have to re-train ourselves to not do softball swings!
Time passed quickly, and we eventually watched one last sunset before heading back home. Yes, we put all of us in that small car!
Now, it just so happens that April 9th was my dad’s birthday! So we e-mailed him, of course, wishing him a happy birthday. We also had a skype session, with both Dad and Auntie’s husband, but I can’t remember if it was on his birthday or the day before. I think it was actually the day before. Regardless, all too shortly, it was time to take people to the airport.
Now, Mom and Auntie were on the same flight. It left super late or super early (2:15 am), depending on your viewpoint. But Fez was on a slighter earlier flight (departing at midnight). It was a rather unpleasant arrangement- do we make Mom and Auntie sit at the airport for two extra hours? Or do we make my driver make an extra trip (round trip, about 1.5 hours) so that Mom and Auntie don’t have to sit for too long? Mom voted for the extra driving trip, and so we all let Fez shower first when home from the beach.
Now, I strongly dislike riding in a car, so the prospect of two trips to the airport was certainly less than thrilling for me. Fortunately, Sister and FBIL went too see Fez off at the airport, so I got to guiltlessly I got to stay at home with Mom, Auntie, and my husband. When they returned, my poor driver had to turn around and take Mom and Auntie to catch their flight. I have to admit, I abandoned Mom and Auntie and let them go alone. I do feel a bit guilty about that! I wasn’t feeling 100%, but I also just had no desire to sit in the car for two hours. Plus, my driver is very emotional, so I figured I’d let him say the last goodbyes not in my presence.
I know my driver surprised Mom with real cricket balls (we’d been using tennis balls), and I will admit, that after they left, he spent hours telling me how much he missed them and how he cried on the way home. I’m glad I didn’t have to sit in the car alone for that hour! It is just weird to deal with. I mean, I’m happy he liked my family so much, of course. But I just feel odd talking with him about his tears.
Three down, two to go. Fortunately for Sister and FBIL, they gained possession of the vacated spare bedroom! I’m sure everyone slept well that night!
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