Mumbai/India – Varshi/India
Back in Mumbai, the frame which was damaged during the flight can be fixed unexpected easily in the same evening. So a problem is gone that had been a head scratcher for me about the continuation of the tour. Another day transactions in Mumbai and then back to cycling.
The ride out of town is an only waving tour. After 42km at up to 6-lane roads, I reach the end of the city.
Were Denise and I already observed as ‚ordinary strangers‘, I am on my recumbent a permanent magnet. At each stop crowds of people, I am constantly photographed or filmed. Many people carry digital cameras, the obligatory cell phone is apparently usually a camera phone. Not a single kilometre, I can go without the company of cars, motor rickshaws or motorcycles. Often I am stopped. Yet I leave everything happen to me kindly.
Allegedly several interviewers and photographers were by the press. At least one newspaper article about me I have. A woman takes an interview with me and records this. Only for her friends, but more substantial, than the press interviews.
Considering the circumstances, especially in view of the high heat, it gets well, but it goes difficult. I have to get used again to have the enjoyments at home far away. The Indians admittedly try to divert me as good as they can, but the talks are always the same. Even if I do not understand the questions, because you speak in Hindi, the local Marathi, or hard understandable Indian English or because it is always too loud, you’re very satisfied, if the questions are answered in the order ‚from Germany‘, ‚to Nepal‘, ‚Tom‘. Optional other questions require the answers ’29 years old‘, ‚engineer‘ and ‚unmarried‘. That often is a subject, even if you are totally unfamiliar, allegedly used to class your interlocutor socially as a relic of the strict division of society into castes, but which probably no longer exist.
Ultimately, I was quite prepared for worse. What anything is not written about the murderous traffic and people making a mad man. After conditioning in Africa it still is stressful, but everything absolutely to manage. After all, people are so far very friendly to me, even if they have a distance to miss what we would call impertinent, but I am quite amused.
Whenever I sleep in a hotel in a city, apparently everybody knows me soon. ‚You are the cyclist.‘ At least, I leverage for a delicacy and some free drink.
In terms of eating, I was looking forward to a cockaigne – versatile, tasty, cheap, nutritious. But always everything is pretty spicy, so for my taste it is fairly uniform. After all, there is food everywhere.
Tom
photos to this article: Mumbai/Indien – Varshi/Indien : Fotos
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