Tuesday, May 17, 2005

I call this a "filler" post!

This post has been overdue. I can blame it on two things - one, my laziness and two, the tiring hours of travel in Bombay. Having spent 12 days in this city, I think I am the biggest moron, who hasn't stepped into the local trains still. People who have known Bombay have been viewing me with an element of surprise - "Something is terribly wrong with you."

Having landed here with great plans of finding an acco (read accommodation, henceforth) in the first weekend here, I (namesake/for the heck of it) checked out a hostel acco and left it at that. What do I do? I almost melted at the suggestion (I prefer to call it a sweet request) of my uncle and aunt, to continue to stay at their place. What's more now? I am happily getting used to the comfort of a fridge, washing machine, TV and a neat audio system!! :). I wonder where all this is taking me!!

And of course, how could I forget the good food? Off late I have been eating pretty well - I don't know if it is the place that has done the magic or it's my aunt's unrelenting effort to keep pushing plates and plates of goodies! :)

Two things make up my day otherwise - travelling and work. The first few days that I was getting used to the bus routes, I successfully managed to get down two, three stops before the scheduled stop, despite supposedly being "hindi literate"..Is this what they call learning with experience?? ;)

Work - yeah work, hmm..ah, uhh...Oh come on, it's been just one week! But I actually attended two edit meetings!:D

My cousin, who asked me whether I was going to come up with a "Bombay" narrative - well, a huge chunk of the puzzle is missing!! There isn't an Arvindswamy like guy around, to complete the romantic bit..:(. Probably, he stays at the Indian Express office and I still gotta check that out! ;)

Bombay is yet to reveal itself to me or rather, I am yet to discover the place. It all is a matter of time and I propose to begin exploring next weekend. For now, the Bombay I know of is that which exists between home and office. There is a world beyond that, that still needs to be discovered..

19 comments:

saranyan r said...

who do you work for?? get used to big cities, life ould always in top gear. I love those environments.

Anonymous said...

Have been reading ur blogs for quite sometime. Really nice reading them. Happy living in Mumbai.:)

Chakra said...

> despite supposedly being "hindi literate"

- hahahaha... thot only guys like me had trouble! :)

All the best for your career.. if you are working for IE, my spl. wishes to you as for some reason, I hold all IE guys with lot of respect right from my childhood.

Vani Viswanathan said...

hey moron!
nalla thinnu konjam gundaidu!! :P hey namma pota oru plan kooda work aagala...i thot i wud come to bby atleast...even tats not possible!

Badri said...

there is a funny proverb in mumbao "People spend 1/3rd of their life in trains and other 2/3rds talking about their train journeys"

Anonymous said...

hi

Welcome to Amchi Mumbai.

Let me know if you need any help finding an acco (post it on ur blog and will see how i can help u)

other options
a) Try Midday Classifieds
b) Spread the word around

Anu said...

Saranyan, I am used to living in big cities and yeah, like you said, at Bombay life does seem to be in top gear, always!! :)

Mo, tell me something different!;)

Arathi, welcome here and glad you liked reading stuff here..:)

Chakra, I don't work for IE..Does that reduce the speciality of your wishes?? :)

en arumai thangaye, romba advice pannadhey!! Yeah, i know, our plans did flop miserably, but I still think you can make it here, in the last month of ur vacation..

Arun, welcome here! So you are new to Bombay as well..I hope you are having fun! :)

Badri, i haven't stepped into trains still..So give me sometime to check out that proverb!! and yes, thanks for dropping by!

Anonymous, that was really kind of you..But could you share your identity please?:)

Amrita said...

Hi anu, who knows the woes in Mumbai better than me, I am literally facing the situations along with u everyday. I guess it is a temporal phase we would soon get used to it.

Anonymous said...

Anupama,

Best place to live is Andheri (west) - 4 bungalows, 7 bungalows or lokhandwala - a One bedroom , hall ,kitchen (1 BHK) will cost you approx Rs.8000

jogeshwari, goregaon - Rs.6000

Malad, Kandivali , borivali - Rs.5000 +

Where is your workplace? If its somewhere in Town (Nariman point/lower parel etc), I suggest you take up an acco in Goregaon, Kandivali east side. Thakur complex , Thakur village in Kandivali east is rocking. Anywhere to Anywhere in Mumbai to commute, is 1.5 hours one way .

Do NOT get stuck wth friends' friends who are looking for roommates to share acco with you . You will end up being with songi anoerexic women who smoke and drink all the time. All the best in your house hunt!!!

For the time-being, let me not reveal my identity, please!

Anonymous said...

Anupama,

I think you should organize a Mumbai-Tam Bloggers' meet to feel 'at home', what say?

Mr G said...

Finally a post on this new life... I suppose you feel there's still a lot of things to discover, but well... this is just the beginning!...
Hope you're enjoying your job...
And that your aunt keeps feeding you tasty, healthy food, which is probably vital to face the energy demands of life in the big city.
Take care,
:)

Eroteme said...

Hey Anu,
Glad to hear that you are eating well. Now we can see "more" of you!! I would second the Bombay bloggers meet suggestion. Go on, get the bunch together!!

Anu said...

Anon..,
You make me feel as if I am talking to a house broker.:). Nice of you to have come up with all those suggestions, but, I am not that keenly looking out for an acco now. Shall surely consider your suggestions, when the need arises..Till then, thanks! :)

As regards feeling 'at home', I am very much at home here..The bloggers meet could be arranged otherwise also..!

Mrgonsings, :)..Yeah new city, new things to discover and lots to eat - it has been a happy and the long awaited beginning..

Eroteme, yes! You will see "more" of me, 'very soon'!! :)

Vani Viswanathan said...

hehehe,
i'm planning to stop the intern in a month :P we'll see lah, hope i can come there!

Anonymous said...

anbe anu

i c someone is trying like crazy to get you a good house, some are praying that you eat good...and many more are logging to blog just to c what u have to say...

your "swamy" is not far away!!

Guess who? - your soft spoken cousin;-)

Anu said...

Vani, u and ur internship..so, you have already decided to wrap it up in a month's time..?:)..Wogay!!Come over..:)

Soft spoken cousin, you sound like the typical PTM play queen, when you say, "Your "swamy" is not far away!!" :))..what is this? you are bent on creating new ideas in my blog!! ;)

Narayanan Venkitu said...

Lucky you. You have your uncle and aunt.! I used to like the Bus travel in Bombay. Run to the top deck and sit in the front.! Would be amazing. Trains were always full and always 'Pudi Chalao' Pudi Chalao'. I used to yell in tamil 'Pudinchundu poh..pudinchundu poh.!'

I pray to god for that Arvind Swamy to turn up from the Indian Express office.!! Who knows...If not arvind swamy..It could be some Azhagiri Sami.!! So what as long as the two parties like each other.!! Good luck anupama.!

Anu said...

Narayanan, that is true..It is always good to have people who you know around you..But with me, even if I don't have people I know, I try and enjoy my best..:)

Yeah, bus travels...talk about them, I make sure I sit only in the first two/three seats..easier to get down, isn't it?

Azhagiri Saami aa? Narayanan, ungalukkey nyayama irukka?? ;)..Thanks for ur wishes, but it isn't a mission that I have set on..So, I would rather like to chase away the glamour that surrounds this topic!! :)

Twin-Gemini said...

There's so much of anonymous conversation going on with this post (and is also quite funny to read).

Anyway, enjoy your time in Bombay.