So Long, Asia
This is our last day in India. It's a incredibly weird feeling. We've only been here for nine weeks, but it feels like nine months. Maybe even nine years. India will do that to you. I feel old and beat down. I'm puffy, itchy, exhausted, and my colon may never be the same again. But I've survived.
We're flying out of Mumbai tomorrow so tonight we're at the City Palace Hotel in an incredibly overpriced room the size of a cheap stateroom on a cruise ship. Seriously. Have you ever been in one of those staterooms? Identical. We don't have a window either. But I digress.
Brendan wanted to spend a little more on a room with cable TV so that he could wake up at 4:30 a.m. and watch the Superbowl live. His Chicago Bears made it to the finals for the first time since 1986 and even though we're in Mumbai, he really wanted to at least try to be a good fan.
I don't know why we even bother.
According to a cryptic notice posted in the elevator at our hotel, there are a bunch of international channels that don't work in Mumbai anymore. That's code for our hotel not paying their cable bill. Nice work, City Palace. And sure enough, Brendan's sports channel just happens to be one of the casualties. It's the Golden Globes all over again.
"Oh honey, I'm sorry," I say.
But there's no point trying to get another hotel room. It took all afternoon to get the cruise ship stateroom we're in now. Everything's full. We'd be crazy not to stay here. We know this. We settle in.
Instead of the Superbowl, Brendan spends the morning watching Filmy, a channel dedicated to music videos from Bollywood movies. We actually know about half of the songs and even some of the dance moves by now. It's amazing what you absorb from Indian pop culture without even trying (Brendan thinks both Big B and his son are overrated and that Aishwarya could do a lot better).
After breakfast, Brendan goes off to the internet cafe while I catch up on some z's, (which is futile since our room is right next to the elevator which inexplicably plays a ringtone version of "Jingle Bells" every time the doors open, which is about 50 times an hour). Some time later, he walks into our hotel room dejectedly and informs me that the Bears lost.
"Oh honey, I'm sorry," I say.
"It's ok, I'm almost glad I didn't get to watch it now. What's on Filmy?"
Goodbye, India. It's been real.
-Sarah
Comments
S-So sorry that you did not have a good time in India. I am especially soory to hear about your colon. You have to be careful when exploring new places.
B-Don't worry about the Super Bowl. The Bears got toasted.
Love Ya
I guess you can't really expect things to go the way you want all the time. I pity Brendan though :(
So where are you guys heading next?
looks like you two had a good time over all.
The game was great if you were for the Colts but I thought my sister inlaw was going to kill her self during the game. she is a hard core Bears fan..
Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day with peaceful sleep and better tv.
I hope you guys have better luck with cable TV in the next country! :)
You do know that many channels are posting their programming online now, right? Certainly not huge things like the golden globes or the superbowl, but lots of shows are right there for the taking. You could catch up on your tv at the internet cafe and stop bothering to even look for hotels with cable.
@ WonderDonna
But it was going to be on live at 4:30 am! We needed to be in bed!
:)
s
Hey everyone wake up. Anna Nicole Smith died today. Now that's sad.
Really, she's dead? A little of topic. But is it true?
Man! That Trimspa is a bitch!!
Better to just stay fat the way men like women, right DD?
I'm glad u people are leaving INDIA. not bcoz i'm worried about u both but bcoz i'm really irritated listening to ur kiddish complaints abt the cable tv. guys, there r a lot more great things happening in india n wid indians. Heard of Indra Nooyi, the new CHAIRMAN OF PEPSICo , she's INdian. Heard of the tata-corus deal? well, its another indian achievement.
I know i look insane bragging abt india n indians on this site, but still it gives me a fraction of satisfaction to inform two whiners dat india wasnt all dat bad. maybe u could take a little more effort and enjoy the small but great moments that india cud hav offered.
anyways, bygones are bygones.
I wish u both good luck for any further journey dat u r going to make.
I'm sad for you Brendan! It really sucks that you spent so much time repacking and moving around so that Sara could watch the Golden Globes but she wasn't willing to do the same for your equivalent in the Super Bowl.:-( It just doesn't seem very fair...
Believe it or not, I was thinking the same damn thing.
FG: I wanted to hear more about Sarah's colon issues, but I was afriad to bring it up because someone would accuse me of being offensive. So I am not going to mention anything about Sarah's Colon in this blog.
I love Sarah and Branden. They are the greatest people in the world.
DD
It's probably safe to say her colon is back to normal.
Good idea to keep the "Offensive" in check. You never know who you'll offend.
B - I know how you felt man. I almost openly wept and regretted watching the whole game. They were rockin' pretty good at the start, though.
Good luck with the next cluster of destinations, stay safe and have a blast for the rest of us!
Arpita -
I doubt that having poor experiences with cable TV in India ruined their experience. Wouldn't you complain if you went to a hotel that's supposed to have cable TV but it's out for some reason or another? Maybe you should read their travel blogs before making comments like that.
B - I'm sorry that you couldn't watch the game, but I certainly don't feel bad for Sexy Rexy and the bunch. Rex Grossman and Super Bowl champion don't sound very well together.
Good luck in Brazil.
Hey!! First time posting here, I recentely started watching your vlog, and happy you are coming to my country..Brazil!!!!! I['m from são paulo but I hope u enjoy your stay in Rio de Janeiro, an advice if u guys have time is to go to country side rio..like Angra e Búzios...bye
Justin-
If u hav read their earlier blogs, u'd understand that they hav'nt written about any good experiences they had in India. Look, i dont want to read abt India on this blog, sure i'm here to read abt B n S. I like them too, but isnt it strange that they dint find anything good enough in all their 9 weeks stay to write abt.
Arpita
P.S- I'm looking forward to read abt Brazil, coz my fav writer 'Paulo Coelho' is also a Brazilian. :-)
Justin-
If u hav read their earlier blogs, u'd understand that they hav'nt written about any good experiences they had in India. Look, i dont want to read abt India on this blog, sure i'm here to read abt B n S. I like them too, but isnt it strange that they dint find anything good enough in all their 9 weeks stay to write abt.
Arpita
P.S- I'm looking forward to read abt Brazil, coz my fav writer 'Paulo Coelho' is also a Brazilian. :-)
Hey S and B -
It's so much fun to live vicariously through your travels. You open me up to the world on my lunch at work, it's awesome to hear about your travels especially to see the pictures.
Does leaving India and onto a new country make you think of the end of your trip? Are you on count down for the end? What's the next plan? Do you miss much of Home?
Keep up the good work on the sites - it's been a great vicarious trip!
