Thursday, January 06, 2005
eternal flame
So we arrived in Mumbai... expecting the worst. We found no cows, no monkeys, no rickshaws. Almost paradise. Black and yellow taxis made it seem like New York. British architecture made it seem like London. Something about it reminded me of Toronto (albeit hotter and smellier with palm trees and cricket and full of indians). Mumbai was cool. However all this is not why our 2 days in Mumbai will stick in my mind.
I will remember them as the 2 days that Pete went mental.
Ok, in fairness our flight from Jaipur to Mumbai was delayed, and we had read a few conspiracy stories in The Book about how if the taxi mafia didn't get us outside the airport the malarial mosquitos would. But I still don't think this can fully explain Pete's crazy, grumpy, paranoid turn of mind.
It started with the 2 Uni students who gave us directions to The Oval cricket pitches. They came across us a few minutes later sitting on the grass next to the pitches (Pete's theory - they followed us). When they offered us food and drink we accepted - I felt safe noticing the water bottle was sealed when I opened it. Hours later Pete felt a little twinge in his stomach and became convinced the water was poisoned (not the riduculously rich dinner we ate in the city's trendiest restaurant).
The next day at the airport things went from bad to worse. Paranoid Pete was joined by Grumpy Pete (a nickname earned in childhood, I'm told). Yes, the flight was delayed 3 times, and yes, the restaurant was incompetent, and the internet wasn't working... but still! There is only so much righteous complaining you can do (in English) to people who blatantly do not understand what you are saying (because they speak HINDI) - before the complete futility MUST BECOME APPARENT even to the chronically grumpy.
After complaining twice to the airline customer service rep and once to the airport manager (only shut up when told the delays were due to Tsunami rescue flights) he still hadn't let off enough steam. I pity the poor man who stepped in front of him in the queue to board - Pete's eyes glazed over and his jaw set... I'm sure the guy didn't see what hit him when Pete jostled him as he sprinted down the ramp and jumped back into the queue right behind me. Even the stewardess tut-tutted.
When we landed elderly nun got between us... I was almost too scared to look back.
As we watched the sunset this evening Pete complained that he was tired of hearing himself complain... perhaps this signals the beginning of the end? Or perhaps he is just moving to a new stage?
I will remember them as the 2 days that Pete went mental.
Ok, in fairness our flight from Jaipur to Mumbai was delayed, and we had read a few conspiracy stories in The Book about how if the taxi mafia didn't get us outside the airport the malarial mosquitos would. But I still don't think this can fully explain Pete's crazy, grumpy, paranoid turn of mind.
It started with the 2 Uni students who gave us directions to The Oval cricket pitches. They came across us a few minutes later sitting on the grass next to the pitches (Pete's theory - they followed us). When they offered us food and drink we accepted - I felt safe noticing the water bottle was sealed when I opened it. Hours later Pete felt a little twinge in his stomach and became convinced the water was poisoned (not the riduculously rich dinner we ate in the city's trendiest restaurant).
The next day at the airport things went from bad to worse. Paranoid Pete was joined by Grumpy Pete (a nickname earned in childhood, I'm told). Yes, the flight was delayed 3 times, and yes, the restaurant was incompetent, and the internet wasn't working... but still! There is only so much righteous complaining you can do (in English) to people who blatantly do not understand what you are saying (because they speak HINDI) - before the complete futility MUST BECOME APPARENT even to the chronically grumpy.
After complaining twice to the airline customer service rep and once to the airport manager (only shut up when told the delays were due to Tsunami rescue flights) he still hadn't let off enough steam. I pity the poor man who stepped in front of him in the queue to board - Pete's eyes glazed over and his jaw set... I'm sure the guy didn't see what hit him when Pete jostled him as he sprinted down the ramp and jumped back into the queue right behind me. Even the stewardess tut-tutted.
When we landed elderly nun got between us... I was almost too scared to look back.
As we watched the sunset this evening Pete complained that he was tired of hearing himself complain... perhaps this signals the beginning of the end? Or perhaps he is just moving to a new stage?
