Five Star

My sister, Tuna Tuna Tuna has wondered where I had been, having not posted anything in a few days. I will tell you, gladly, for I have been re-energizing. A close friend of mine has been traveling India and South East Asia for the past little while. She was joined by yet another firend of her's who works for the Hyatt. For Christmas they invited me to stay with them at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai. Rooms are regularly $550 US a night, I am used to paying $2.25 US per night. The stay here is free. The room is free the snack bar is free, the breakfast is free, the hot water works 24/7, the internet is free, the soap is free. I am not going to lie I have taken a few extra bars. It has been easy living for the past few days. I have never stayed in a hotle as nice as this one, not in Canada, not in the US and definitely not in India.

This post will be out of the ordinary, it will be for my personal memory when I print out the blog upon my return and turn into a book that I'll keep and cherish. I arrived on December 25th, I had been on a night train, sleeper class non-AC. This train was packed, there were people sleeping all over the floor. In the bunk beside mine, a family, an entire family lay on top of each other. The mother lay as I did, the father lay with his feet at her face, not beside each other but on top, her legs were open and his back between them, his legs came over her ribs and his feet acted as ear-muffs on either side of her head. One young boy lay beside them, how, I am not sure. And an even younger boy lay on his father chest. They slept soundly. I am not kidding, there were people all over the floor, I go up in the night to use the toilet, by that I mean the hole in the floor of the train. It is similar to any bathroom you'd find on a train or bus but much more simple. Moving on. I made my way off the train and to the hotel around 6 am. The rickshaw that drove me there was slightly out of place, most of the cars that came near were of high quaility. Neeless to say, the rickshaw was not allowed to pull into the driveway. The driveway has gates when you enter all cars are checked with those mirrors that allow you to see under them. The Hyatt in Mumbai has one of the best clubs in the entire city in the basement. I was told this by two younger India guys who are friends with a guy I know in Montreal but who grew up here. So, I arrive via rickshaw and am immediately smiling. A little luxury never hurt anyone. I felt as if i was boarding a plane in the US when entering the building, the security was quite thorough. I made it, I came upstairs to the room, turned on the shower, which was immediately hot, turned on the t.v. which was set top CNN and began to laugh hysterically as I washed my body. JOKES MAN, JOKES! I wait for the girls to arrive and when they do we are informed of a continental breakfast down in the special VIP lobby lounge. Now, we have all had contanental breakfast at the best western but not at the Hyatt. There is freshly squeezed orange, apple, pineapple and watermelon juice. There is the best smoked salmon I have ever eaten. There is croissants, both aux beurre and chocolate. There is cereal, all kinds. There is cappuccino's although I stick with my regular Masala chai. Unlimited fresh fruit, i could go on forever, I can eat as much as I want, go back as many times as I want until 11 am. The day goes on. We head into downtown Mumbai but want to take is easy so we make it back for the 6-8 snacks and drinks, also free. Imported champagne, good imported wine, beers, a nice gin and tonic made with bombay gin, FREE! Snacks like, seared anchovies with a fresh basil leaf served on rosemary cranberry cracker drizzled with white wine sauce. All as decadent as this, all free, a plate of prosciutto with cantaloupe, these plates are always full so are our glasses. These so calles 'snacks' have been our dinner for the past three nights. We tipped two of the waiters and told them that we never want our glasses of wine or our gin and tonics' to be empty. They are never empty, unitl 8 p.m. and everything shuts down. So that is that, I had a Merry Christmas. I hope you did also.
Mumbai is not a busy as everyone says, the local train was intence though. We were packed like rats into a car, i had to fight and push with all my might to get out. There re a hundred people in a space that is 5 feet by 5 feet. I cannot move. I will feel, in canada, on a packed bus that I have the space on a limo car. Well, I've got to go get one more swim in before we board a night bus to Ellora. The real world awaits. I could get used to this easy but it is not what I came here for. I could only afford about 5 nights and then the money which I plan on spending over the course of the next 4 months would be done. I will have to harden my skin again, and by morning, all will be right as rain again. I will be back in India, traveling.