MUMBAI, INDIA
Passport Control and customs went quickly especially since I hadn’t checked a bag. I tried two ATMs to get local rupees but both failed. I would be back in the morning for my flight to Jaipur so I didn’t need much. So I hopped into an Uber and quickly was at the airport hotel I booked through Booking.com. Unfortunately, it wasn’t what the reviews showed and I debated leaving. The room wasn’t very clean and there were stains on the bedspread. Yuck. I decided I could endure it for eight hours but this reminded me that I hate cheap hotels. I ended up sleeping okay but quickly left once I was awake.
Not my favorite hotel in the world
I had originally booked a cheap $60 economy ticket on Air India for my flight from Mumbai to Jaipur. Luckily several days prior, they offered me an auction to upgrade. I did the minimum which I thing was $60 and it was accepted! So a total of $120 for a business class seat wasn’t bad at all!
Air India domestic Business Class check-in was a bit difficult to find. The signage wasn’t great. I ended up walking the length of the check-in area. Twice. I had checked in online and received a mobile boarding pass. But this seemed like a place where my mobile boarding pass would be met with stares of confusion at security. Luckily there were no queues and I had my printed boarding pass quickly.
Security turned out to be the most tedious of anywhere I had traveled so far. Everything with any electronics in it had to be removed. I travel with lots of electronics. They kept finding more. My bags ended up being scanned a total of three times. For my return, I would be packing more efficiently to avoid this all.
My AMEX Platinum got me into a number of lounges. I thought I would head to the Air India Domestic Business lounge first but never found it. Bad signage again frustrated me. So I ended up at an AMEX branded lounge which was quiet and had great food. The a la carte menu had masala dosas and I happily ordered one. So delicious. Then I ordered another. I was a very happy camper. I was back in India and loving the food already.
I saw there was another lounge much nearer my departure gate so I lounge-hopped on over. I met a nice guy from Jaipur on Grindr who happened to be in this lounge too. We met up and enjoyed a brief moment chatting before boarding. He designs furniture and owns a company based in Jaipur. There are so many amazing people all around the world.
FLIGHT #20 OF THE SABBATICAL
Air India #611, A321, BUSINESS CLASS
DEPARTURE: Mumbai, India (MUM) 11:20
ARRIVAL: Jaipur, India (JAI) 13:15
DURATION: 1h55
As I entered our plane, it was obvious that this wasn’t the newest in their fleet. This A321 had tired material on the seats, the AV screens were covered with fabric, and things looked dirty. The FA distributed wet towels and I used it to clean the surfaces of my seat. It was filthy. The flight was full in the back so I was happy to have a larger seat and even had a free seat next to me.
The pre departure drink options were water and not-fresh orange juice. I chose the latter and read today’s menu. I love that they still offer a menu on a short domestic flight. The printed menu might have been the best part of the flight!
For my snack I chose the Tandoori murgh tikka sandwich with masala bread served with a hot Thai inspired rawas tikka amuse bouche. I had eaten in both lounges so I wasn’t very hungry. Unfortunately, I tasted most everything but nothing really landed very well. Even though I’m not a sweets person, I tried the Saffron and Cardamom skrikhand mousse and it was very good. It’s the only thing I really ate.
Fun DEL lounges and then a quick AI flight to Jaipur
But honestly I still loved the flight. I was unexpectedly in India and experiencing a local airline. This could only be good! The Flyertalker in me was happy. A $60 upgrade to business class didn’t hurt either. The last time I had flown on Air India was in 2008 from LAX to Frankfurt. It was the end of our 15 year chapter in Los Angeles and we were moving to Munich for two years. The company offered us three full fare economy class tickets to get us to Germany. But I figured out that we could fly on Air India Business Class for only $400 more! Then being the AVGeek I also looked at their First Class fares! These were only $600 more per person! It turned out to be a great idea! They sent a limo for us as we left our home in Los Angeles. At check-in the station manager took care of us personally. The best news was that we would be the only passengers in First in the nose of their 747! He then walked us to a huge multi-carrier lounge where we were the only guests! He said he would come back and get us when the entire plane was boarded and they were ready to leave. LOVE THAT! At the time they were doing a secondary screening on all passengers and our flight was delayed but he came by to reassure us that he hadn’t forgotten us!
When he finally escorted us to the gate, it was entirely empty and all the ground staff welcomed us warmly. We felt very special. Then he introduced us to the purser who showed us to our seats in our very private First Class cabin. We had an amazing flight even on their aging 747-400. The purser and two others treated us like royalty and like family at the same time. The meal service was amazing with a huge trolley showing off all the variety of items. I think I had a little bit of everything. It was a great way to start our life in Europe and a great Air India memory.
JAIPUR, INDIA
Back in India,we landed in Jaipur and I quickly was in an Uber to my Airbnb in the Civil Lines area. I simply chose something in an area nearby the wedding festivities. I highly recommend Civil Lines because it felt very safe and had lots of police around. Many of the government ministers live in the area so that’s why security is so good there.
The Airbnb was absolutely perfect. For about $30 a day, I got a three bedroom apartment in a large house. It had a full kitchen and lovely A/C in all the rooms. The owner's strikingly handsome adult son checked me in and soon I was unpacking and getting ready for the wedding experience.
My friend Sam’s brother, Shakhil, is a tuktuk driver and picked me up at my place. Our first stop was to the local tailor to have a custom made kurta and pants made for the wedding. I had told Sam I wanted a proper outfit for the wedding and of course, he had a friend with a tailor shop. The owner of the large shop had lived in Chicago for a bit so we drank tea and I heard lots about his time there. After choosing the fabrics, he passed me off to an adorable and very flirty assistant who took all my measurements. The assistant suggested that he bring over beers to my place so we could hang out! Everyone is so friendly! He said my outfit would be ready by tomorrow afternoon.
With no rupees still in my pocket, Shakhil found an ATM that finally worked for me. It felt so much better to finally have real bills as credit cards are not widely accepted. Cash is king worldwide worldwide..
Shakhil next took me to the shoe store where I picked up some traditional leather slippers to go with my stunning new wedding outfit. If you come all the way to India, you have to do it right, shoes and all!
Finally we traveled along progressively smaller streets deeper into a dense neighborhood. Finally he stopped and he announced that we had arrived at the family house where all the wedding festivities would be happening for the next two days with the third at a big hall nearby. The place was busy with many family members milling about with lots of activity going on. I immediately started to meet many family members, starting with Sam’s father. Finally Sam heard I had arrived and we embraced for the first time. He looked really stressed but said he was so happy to see me. He introduced me to his mom and then a long string of siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins… Everyone was very friendly but few spoke any English.
We made our way up to the roof of the three storied house. This is where all the festivities would be taking place. Wedding season in Jaipur begins in the first weekend of November and lasts for three months during their cold season. The brides prefer the cooler weather so their makeup doesn’t run so much. On this, the first weekend of November, there were three weddings happening in the immediate neighborhood. I could see them all from Sam’s rooftop. It was a very exciting time.
The view of other weddings in the neighborhood
With Sam's mom and family
Sam had invited some other Westerners that he had met on the Couchsurfing website. They were from mostly Europe and Asia including a lovely young couple from Bangladesh. The rooftop was soon full with over 150 people! The first ceremony involved rubbing turmeric on the bride’s face and body. The women lined up to perform this ritual and I enjoyed watching these intimate moments with the bride. Next huge urns arrived containing our dinner of biryani rice with chicken. People sat in long lines on the ground and we ate in shifts. Sam reported later that they fed 250 people the first night! When I finally sat down, I was starving and the food was amazing, deeply flavorful and piping hot. We all ate with our hands and this was my real first “India, up close and personal” moment. This is EXACTLY why I travel. Such wonderful people and hugely generous. My sister in South Africa was correct to push me to accept Sam’s invitation to come.
Sam and his son
Sam's sister and the bride to be in the middle of her friends
Next the dancing began. It started with the kids who were adorable. But then moved on to the adults and well after midnight a male, hired dancer performed and was a huge crowd pleaser. It was getting late and I was exhausted. Sam’s brother drove me back to my place. Day 1 of the wedding was over, my brain was full of amazing experiences, and I crawled into bed with a huge smile on my face.
The next morning, I met up with another local guy from CouchSurfing, Ayan. He said he wanted to show me around Jaipur and we could eat some local food. For the second time in recent history, I had to grapple with my issues about riding on a motorbike. He had a helmut for me which met the minimum requirement but I just wasn’t comfortable doing something that I forbade my son to do. In the end, like when I was in Marrakech, I decided that it was worth it to have the experience. If Audrey Hepburn could do it in Rome with Gary Grant, I could grant some liberties.
Our first stop was breakfast at Tea Affair where he ordered these tasty veggie tostada type things. We got to know each other over the meal and he turned out to be very sweet. He was in his mid twenties and said he would get married and have kids by the time he was 30 but wanted to focus on his jewelry business first. His English was amazing in spite of never having left India. He said that he worked hard on his accent by watching lots of Netflix. We spent the morning visiting the top sites of Jaipur, Hawa Mahal Fort, the Pink Palace, Jal Mahal, and the Amber Palace. He was super knowledgeable about everything and I really enjoyed the tour.
Exploring Jaipur
With my Couchsurfing friend Ayan
Up at the Fort
For lunch we went to the Royal Jaipur Palace restaurant where we enjoyed a nice thali with naan and chicken tandoori. They even offered a dance show by a cute boy with his dad playing music.
A delicious meal
Cuteness
After lunch I was beginning to fade but he said he wanted to show me his friend’s spice shop. I had no interest but went along with him. I had explained I wasn’t interested in any shops or factories but he snuck one in. It was a nice experience and the smells were amazing in the shop. But I didn’t end up buying anything as expected. He also really wanted me to meet his guru but I didn’t need that either.
I am very protective of the covenant of CouchSurfing. It’s a site to meet locals and other travelers with no money exchange ever or promotion of paid services. I have met some people who seem to push the boundaries of this. Under the guise of sharing cultures, I offer some leeway here but I am fine treating a local for a meal after they have been generous with their time to show me around. I am not interested in anything beyond that.
After Ayan dropped me back at my place, I changed and immediately left for a local nearby restaurant to meet Ayush from Grindr. Neither of us were hungry but we enjoyed some beers while we got to know each other. He was a PE teacher and was looking for a job outside of India at an international school. Being gay, he felt he couldn’t come out to his family so leaving the country and living a separate, distant life was a better solution. He didn’t want to get married and ruin some poor girl’s life. We didn’t have a lot of time but he had a great moment together. We would be seeing each other again.
Soon, Shakil picked me up and we went to pick up my new kurta. I was met by the ever flirty Cookie who was even less inhibited as his boss was not present! We took a picture together to show off my new wedding outfit for the final night of the wedding.
My tailor Cookie and I in my new outfit
Finally we arrived at Sam’s place for night two of the wedding festivities. Immediately Sam’s family and friends all embraced me warmly now that we had gotten to know each other the previous night. Sam’s uncle Farukh had really enjoyed connecting and chatting with me. He didn’t speak much English but with the use of Google Translate, a friendship was born. I also enjoyed hanging out with all the kids who loved the opportunity to practice their English.
Me and my new BFF Farouk
The bride goes to the roof for the second night of wedding festivities. No groom to be seen though!
Me and lots of cousins!
At first we were hanging out downstairs and spilling out into the street. At one point Sam’s grandparents arrived and there was a special ceremony involving eating bread as they entered. I tried to get the backstory of many of the traditions but at times it was too chaotic. I simply enjoyed the moment.
The grandparents do a special ceremony as they enter the house.
Once we moved up to the rooftop once again, a presentation of gifts ceremony began. This seemed to be a big moment for the videographer and it was drawn out for hours. Finally around 11 pm, dinner was finally served. Tonight I sat with Sam’s family and had my new bff Farukh by my side. We all had a great time and the chicken curry with rice was so good. After dinner, friends and family all began performing various dances. After a while, the professional dancer arrived and he was accompanied by a comedian dancer who had the place howling with laughter. Farukh said he is famous and even appears on TV. One of his songs involved being an amputee. Wow. Humor is so different in many cultures.
The dancing begins
The comedian doing a number as an amputee
Sam made a speech at one point to his bride sister. He talked about how it was going to be hard having to say goodbye to her tomorrow. She would be living about 200 km away which meant they wouldn’t see her much. At one point, tears filled his eyes and his emotion swept through the crowd. Many of us also teared up at the intensity of the moment.
My favorite part of the night happened afterward when everyone was invited up and we all danced together. It was finally at this point that I saw Sam’s sister finally smile for the first time. She was with her family and friends. Everyone was dancing to celebrate. Never would there be a moment like this ever again. Never ever.
The bride finally smiles as we all dance.
Finally I arrived back at flat around 2 am after Shakil dropped me off again. My air conditioner woke me an hour later. It was malfunctioning so I moved to a different bedroom and slept for a few more hours. In the morning, the owner of the house invited me down for an omelet. He was a super chatty guy who far exceeded my ability to listen that morning. But he was sweet and well intentioned.
After two very full days, I needed some down time to myself. I was on sensory overload. But finally Ayush texted saying he wanted to bring over some beers, pizza, and Asian dumplings that they call momos. How could I refuse?!? It was a fun afternoon of hanging out and relaxing.
All dressed and ready for the final night of the wedding
The final evening of the wedding was not what I expected at all. People were the most dressed up and I had on my new kurta. But very little actually happened. The biggest thing was that the groom finally arrived with buses of his family and friends. As he walked through the crowd, he was veiled in flowers and we still didn’t get a look at him! Finally once he and his possé were seated on stage, he got a first look at his handsome face. Like his bride, he wasn’t smiling and was taking all this very seriously. Sam and Farukh were both running around serving dinner to 1400 people that night. Armed with the help of many people, everyone ate. I helped out for a while until Sam insisted that I just sit and eat too. Sam’s voice had long gone and I could tell that his energy was pushing through but barely holding on. Farukh had told me that I was supposed to eat with him and his wife. Unfortunately as Sam was telling me to sit, Farukh was nowhere to be seen. He seemed hurt that I didn’t sit with him. I felt bad.
The groom arrives finally on Day 3 of the wedding. He is veiled as he enters with flowers.
Over 1,400 people ate dinner at the wedding
My BFF Farouk with his mom and wife
Next the groom moved off the stage and began taking pictures with all of the bride’s family. At this point, we found out that a small ceremony had taken place between the groom and his family and Sam’s family. The bride herself wasn’t involved. We still hadn’t even seen her yet today but she had just officially gotten married.
The groom waiting to meet his bride.
Finally she and her possé set up camp at the opposite side of the big room but she remained unseen behind curtains and scarves. Finally she emerged and stood next to her husband. Not only wasn’t she smiling this time, she was visibly sad. She would soon be leaving all her friends and family to start a new life living with her husband and his family. Sam told me she had never spent a single night away from her family.
The bride is ready to leave.
The tearful procession to the awaiting car.
Quickly, it was time for them to walk out to the car and drive with the buses of his family and friends back to their village over four hours away. As the couple began the slowly walk to the cars, Sam’s family all began weeping. It was such an emotional moment after three days of building up to this moment. It is something that I will never forget. Seeing their car pull away and disappear into the night was hard. Sam’s wife even fainted. It was too much for many people to process.
We all sat for a while after their departure before we too began to say our goodbyes. This had been an incredible experience far exceeding any expectations I had. The kindness, friendship, and love that I had been shown made me really appreciate humanity.
I was thoroughly exhausted the next day. Another guy from Grindr convinced me that I had to eat and he would take me to breakfast. Aniket turned out to be fascinating as he was an out Indian guy! He came out to his family when he was only 16. And he’s never looked back. I loved hearing about his life and it offered me a new perspective on possibilities in India. He and his sister ran a successful digital marketing company and he lived a great life. But after playing hooky with me over breakfast, he needed to get to work. It was a short meeting but I really enjoyed it.
For lunch that day I met up with another guy Vishal from CouchSurfing at a great place called Thali & More. By the time lunch rolled around, my stomach was starting to act up. Maybe it was the shashuka from breakfast. He and his family are practicing Jains which is a fascinating religion, very kind to animals. He was an artist with a greeting card line and also taught at an art school. He also was mostly gay but his family pressured him to get married so he did. After lunch we walked around a bit and then he invited me back to his place to meet his wife and newborn. His wife knows that he likes men and they seemed to have worked it out with each other. We went up to the rooftop of his apartment building and enjoyed the sunset.
Vishal and have an amazing lunch together.
Soon I needed to head home since I was meeting Ayush again for dinner. My stomach still wasn’t 100% but I was pushing through. We had chosen to meet the Spice Court where we had a beautiful table outside with a nice traditional music band playing. It was actually really romantic. Ayush ordered us a nice variety of things including an amazing speciality of theirs, lal maas, a rich, spicy lamb dish. They had wonderful breads including some garlic naan baked in their tandoori oven. The mixed veg korma was also outstanding. So I ended up not really babying my stomach at all. But it was good at the moment.
After spending time with Ismail in Egypt and Dubai, along comes Ayush to also show me that I enjoy connecting with people. We were really clicking. His English was excellent and we had some great conversations. After dinner, he came in for a bit to hang out but my stomach was needing some time alone.
I relaxed and hung low in the morning hoping that at any moment my stomach would pop back. In the heat of the afternoon, Ayush suggested he come over and we watch a movie and order food. It turned out to be a lovely time as we enjoyed Notting Hill. Nothing beats a romcom. Finally I was feeling a bit better so he suggested that he take me up to the Nahargarh Fort positioned on the mountain above Jaipur. It was a harrowing motorbike ride there but provided us with some beautiful views of the sunset. Finally I was worried about riding the bike in the dark so we left. And then it started to rain! Luckily by the time we got back in the city, it had stopped. I also had him stop by a pharmacy to pick up some probiotics to help my stomach recover. Traveler’s tummy is a thing that luckily I had mostly avoided in the past four months.
Back home we decided to lay low and just watch another movie. This time Ayush chose an Indian movie, Rani, on Netflix. We ordered some terrible Chinese food but it was still a nice evening. Just as the movie was ending the rain started again and he was worried about getting home so he headed back. I was leaving the next day so this was our goodbye for now. I told him that he needed to get an international school job somewhere and I would come for a visit!
I loved spending times with Ayush
Finally on the morning of my departure, Sam was finally free of wedding duties and came over to hang out for a while. He had gone with a few family members to do another ceremony at his sister’s new home. He had invited me too but it was four hours each way and car rides in India are challenging. Soon it was time to leave and he dropped me at the airport. I thanked him for an amazing time in Jaipur. It was a beautiful experience that I would never forget.
FLIGHT #21 OF THE SABBATICAL
Air India #612, A321, BUSINESS CLASS
DEPARTURE: Jaipur, India (JAI) 14:00
ARRIVAL: Mumbai, India (MUM) 15:50
DURATION: 1h50
Luckily the Jaipur Airport midday wasn’t too crowded. Like on my way up from Bombay, I did an auction for a $60 upgrade and won! My return ticket was only $29 so this was a great deal! I stopped by the Business Class check-in to snag a printed boarding pass but my mobile pass worked everywhere! Go India!!
There was no lounge for AI C-class pax but my AMEX Platinum got me into the Primus lounge. I should have taken the entrance queue as a bad omen but once I got in, this tiny lounge was packed, mostly with families with loud children. I hadn’t had lunch so I tried a couple of things but it all looked pretty dicey. The only beverage options were water and boxed juice. While these might be perfectly fine for a three year old, I was not amused.
So I packed up to search for a restaurant that might have slightly higher standards and better options. Unfortunately, the best option was a coffee cart with sandwiches. But a good latte can solve problems. I spent about an hour writing at one of their tiny tables while enjoying my food and coffee. It was crazy that my coffee and sandwich cost $10 which in local money was exorbitant. Airport prices!
As I boarded I caught a glimpse of our captain for today’s flight and he was very handsome. Nothing better than a sexy pilot! For once I was hoping that he would come by to thank me for my loyalty to his airline and to the Star Alliance in general. But alas, he never visited me.
The flight back to Mumbai was similar to previous one. I had a free seat next to me and they served a very mediocre snack. While I would have been super happy with a veg curry and some rice but instead the cheese and tomato sandwich with a salad with dry chicken was the offer. It was nice having extra space and a quiet cabin. It was well worth the price of the upgrade.
Another AI flight back to Mumbai
I had booked a moderate hotel in the Fort area of Mumbai. At $100 a night, I thought the Grand Hotel Mumbai would be on the higher end as this is a ton of money in India. After a lengthy check-in process of over 30 minutes, I finally got into my room which had a nice view of the harbor. I went out on the balcony to enjoy the view but as I returned, I noticed that the balcony door didn’t lock. My neighbors had full access to my room. I called down and they said they would send someone. So as I waited, I decided to watch TV, but the remote didn’t work. So I called down for that. After the guy came and fixed the balcony door, he showed me that it now didn’t open when locked. Great. But I went over and slightly lifted the door handle and magically the door opened! I was supposed to leave to meet a friend from CouchSurfing but that was getting delayed.
Next I walked down and asked if I could change rooms as I didn’t have time for this drama. They gave me a new room and I got my things moved over. Just before I left, I checked the patio door and was shocked to find it also didn’t lock! I called down again with a little more exasperation in my voice. I texted Yas to see if he could join me at the hotel. Maybe we should order room service as I wasn’t comfortable leaving. So he came over and we met in the lobby. He turned out to be a police officer in his mid twenties. He had contacted me on CouchSurfing and said he would love to meet. I wondered if he might be gay but wasn’t sure. So it turns out yes, he was gay and a policeman. I had recently seen movie Badhaai Do on Netflix where a gay policeman marries a lesbian to keep their families happy. Hilarity ensues.
So Yas, my local gay policeman, was super sweet and only liked Daddies. He confessed that he had a huge crush on the guy running the huge Tata corporation who was in his sixties! Yas was a super hot, young guy in great shape. He runs marathons on the weekends when he’s not working out at the gym. It is fascinating to me that so many younger guys like him are uniquely attracted to older men. As a cop, he couldn’t be out at all but had figured out how to balance all the different parts of his life. He had gotten his own apartment away from his family which helps a lot. Now he was also studying to pass the civil servant exam which will help with his career.
As I meet people around the world, I definitely prefer guys who have a real job and have their own place to live. They show that they have gotten their life together. And are on a good pathway. This is very appealing to me. At 25, Yas had all of this and was looking to improve too.
We enjoyed beers and a nice meal from room service as they came to fix the balcony door. This time armed with power tools, they actually fixed the door! We hung out a bit more after they left and then Yas suggested that we walk around so I could see the area. The Gateway of India was nearby next to the Taj Mahal Hotel. When I first booked my ticket to Mumbai, I looked into staying at the Taj but decided that it was foolish to spend $400 a night on a hotel in India. Our walk was lovely but since it was a school night, Yas had to get to bed because of work in the morning.
As I tried to enter my room, my key card didn’t work. Ugh. This hotel and I just weren’t getting along. Back at reception, they gave me a new key and sent someone with me to make sure it worked. In fact, it didn’t. Not even his master key card worked. He said that he would need to get a real key to open the door.
He returned with a physical key and said I would have to move rooms again! Something was wrong with the key lock device. SERIOUSLY!?!? Couldn’t they just replace the lock? No. I had a new room. So I packed up a second time and moved over to the new room where I immediately checked that the balcony door locked and my key card on the front door worked. The Grand Hotel was less than grand.
I managed to sleep fairly well. But from the moment I woke, I decided that I needed to find another hotel. It didn’t help that Yas had walked me past the Taj Mahal Hotel and it looked lovely. So I found on the Taj website that they have a separate modern tower with slightly more reasonable room rates. As I sat having breakfast, I took the plunge and booked this special treat for myself. I have often said it’s amazing how many problems a 5-star hotel can solve!
I went over to reception and resolutely stated I was leaving as their hotel wasn’t working for me. I wanted a refund for the unused nights that I had prepaid. They needed to cover the cost of the room service when I was held captive in the room that didn’t lock. They agreed to everything and apologized for it all. The only thing that I didn’t like was that they couldn’t issue me the refund as I stood there. It would take two to three weeks. Ugh. I was just happy I had an exit plan and my stay would be complete.
As I packed my things, I began to think about my Sabbatical. Everything had been going very smoothly. Considering that I was doing lots of travel and we still were struggling with a global pandemic, things were actually working out. To date, in the past four months, this hotel stay and my little run-in with the Dubai customs folks were the only bad things that I could think of as I packed my bags for the FOURTH time in 24 hours. I had been overall very lucky.
A short Uber ride brought me to the port-cochere of The Taj Mahal Hotel and Tower Mumbai. From the moment I got out of the car, I knew this was going to be special. I was escorted to the Reception and immediately given a refreshing drink and cold towel. Then a woman asked if she could perform a special welcome ceremony using a tray of marigolds and a candle. It ended as she touched her finger into some red powder and touched it to my forehead. I was officially welcomed.
The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower
Even though it was morning, my room in the Tower was ready and waiting. Another person escorted me to my room and showed me all its features. I enjoyed the nice view to the east featuring many beautiful buildings. I unpacked a few things and then decided to explore this historic hotel. There were pictures in the main hallway showing all the famous people that had visited including Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, John Lennon, and so many others. The use of fresh flowers made each space feel opulent. I ended up looking at beautiful prints at the museum/art studio. I walked through the back terrace and pool area. They looked very inviting. I just figured out what I was doing for the rest of the day.
Enjoying the pool at The Taj
Mama is so happy
I ran up to my room to change into my pool wear. I was soon relaxing under an umbrella by the pool. The service at the pool was spectacular and I felt pampered. The water temperature was the perfect coolness compared to the warm Mumbai November air. One of the activities that I read about at the hotel was their High Tea. So I ate a light lunch by the pool in anticipation of my 4 pm reservation.
Back in the room, the valet for my floor brought me a gift of incense. It was very sweet and just added to this special opportunity I was having. This had turned out to be such a good decision.
I love High Tea. It’s a special event that I only treat myself to when in foreign lands. High Tea at the Taj Mahal turned out to be one of the best I have experienced. I had asked for a window table when I booked and they gave me an amazing view of the Gateway of India. The first part of the tea was a huge savory buffet that should have been my entire lunch. Then multi-tiered plates arrived with many sweets. The buffet also offered additional sweets if that wasn’t enough. The sheer variety of items throughout was astonishing. At one point, my waiter said the chef had freshly from the oven scones arriving in five minutes which were also hard to turn down. I sat there enjoying this feast for 90 minutes! I also used this time to book a half day private city tour with guide and driver for the next day. Since it was my first time in Mumbai, I needed to get an overview.
High Tea at the Taj with a lovely view of the Gateway of India
High Tea
That evening, I met with a guy who had contacted me through CouchSurfing. I was honestly a little embarrassed that I was staying at such a nice place but he had always wanted to visit the hotel but didn’t feel comfortable. I met Avdhoot out on the sidewalk and then toured him through this amazing place. We chatted as we walked around. He had a car and was just starting a tour company for tourists. I gave him some suggestions about sites to look into but made sure he understood that CouchSurfing wasn’t about him selling his tours. He had been a little unclear about this so I was happy to help him sort it all out.
From the hotel, we walked to a nearby Irish pub where a larger CouchSurfing meetup was taking place organized by a local Couchsurfing Ambassador named Sharan. We ended up being about 10 people from all around the world. The best surprise of the night was that the nice Bangladeshi couple that I met at Sam’s sister’s wedding were at the Irish pub meetup too! Eity and Hredoy had taken a bus from Jaipur and were exploring Mumbai for the first time. I invited them to join me the next day on the private car city tour and they loved the idea. I really enjoyed getting to know them at the wedding and looked forward to more time together.
The pub was VERY LOUD and I felt like a grumpy old man as we all sat around this big table. Even the younguns were having trouble hearing! But in the end we had a great time together. I love using CouchSurfing to meet up with people like this.
The organizer Sharan had contacted me when I first posted my trip on CouchSurfing. He collects Starbucks mugs and wondered if I could bring one from Cape Town for him. He would pay me for it when I got to Mumbai! Sure! His collection includes 350 of these mugs from around the world. He was very excited to get this new mug from Africa. He turned out to be a super nice guy. He spoke excellent English and was easy to talk to. At some point, I could feel my energy slipping and walked back to The Taj. I felt very safe walking around this area. I didn’t have any concerns.
A fun night with Couchsurfers in Mumbai
After a wonderful breakfast in the main restaurant at the Taj, Eity and Hredoy arrived and we all went with our guide/driver. Our first stop was the Victoria Terminus. This historic train station was a beautiful relic from the colonial days with its blend of Indian and Gothic revival architecture. Our next stop was the world’s largest outdoor laundry, Mahalakshmi Dhobi Ghat with over 100,000 garments washed and dried each day! It was an amazing site to see. The movie “Slum Dog Millionaire” made the Dharavi slum famous. And for me, this was the most interesting stop of the entire day. Over 1.4 million people live in this compact 4 square kilometer area. We parked on the periphery and walked through its streets and markets. I was fascinated to see how it all worked. It was an entire city unto itself.
Next we visited Bandra and Juhu beaches where we enjoyed some momo dumplings for lunch. It was nice to sit and enjoy the beach for a bit as we sat under some palm trees for a rest. Heading back into town, we passed the $2 billion 27-story apartment building that only houses one family of six! Our tour ended with a visit to the Gateway of India across from my hotel. It was built to welcome King George V as the first British monarch to visit India.
A tour of Mumbai. An incredible city.
After we said goodbye to our guide Mehadi, Eity and Hredoy wanted to see the Taj Mahal Palace hotel and I was happy to give them the nickel tour. They were as shocked as I was to explore this luxurious setting.
After a nice swim and a nap, I met up with a guy that I had been chatting with on Grindr. He worked for a production company for local TV and Bollywood. He picked a nice local restaurant near my hotel and we had some amazing Indian food. Most of the clientele were upper-middle class working professionals like Ravi. I was fascinated to hear about TV production to compare it to the world of Hollywood that I knew through my husband’s TV writing work.
After dinner, we went back to my hotel and had a drink at Mumbai’s first licensed bar. Like so many that I have met on my trip, I really enjoyed getting to know him and hearing about his life. As a gay man in the entertainment business, he was partially out to his family enough to where they didn’t pressure him to get married. His successful career was enough to keep his family happy.
A quiet early evening pool break
On the final day I managed to get a 2 pm check out and spent the morning by the pool. Soon after getting settled into my chair, I noticed on Grindr that someone was only 20 meters away! We started to chat online but soon Mohammed from Dubai moved to the chair next to mine. He was on a business trip with his father but had taken the morning off. I love how Grindr makes this kind of connection so easy. It is interesting that we could have drinks by the pool but had to move to some nearby tables to have lunch. No poolside dining at your chair. We enjoyed a nice meal getting to know each other but soon I had to head up to my room to get ready to check out.
That afternoon, Couchsurger Sharan offered to take me on a walking tour through old Mumbai. We met up at the Mumbai museum and then walked around the University of Mumbai, the Jewish Synagogue, past many students playing cricket, a beautiful row of Art Deco buildings, and ended up at a train station. I had mentioned that I loved taking buses, trains, and planes. So Sharan said I needed to experience Mumbai’s trains. We got on one heading away from the center. And then headed back. All for the experience. It was lots of fun!!
Sharon shows me around the city
The Starbucks Reserve in Mumbai
Our final stop on Sharan’s tour was at the new Reserve Starbucks store. He was very proud that Mumbai was one of the few places in the world to host this high end version of the Starbucks brand. I treated us to a nice cup of coffee which definitely was a step up from the normal Starbucks brew. I had an almost midnight departure back to Singapore so I didn’t mind some caffeine late in the day.
I really enjoyed my time getting to know Sharan. He is warm and welcoming, a wonderful unofficial ambassador for CouchSurfing and Mumbai. When he contacted me on the website, I read his many references and knew that he was something special. I was very grateful to have been able to spend time with him enjoying his beautiful city.
Back at The Taj, I retrieved my bag and soon was in a Uber for the one hour transfer to BOM. Even though flying on Singapore’s A380 new First Suites was no longer an incomplete Bucket List item, I was still super excited for tonight’s flight in the world’s best First Class.
FLIGHT #22 OF THE SABBATICAL
Singapore Airlines #612, A380, FIRST CLASS SUITE
DEPARTURE: Mumbai, India (MUM) 23:35
ARRIVAL: Singapore (SIN) 07:30
DURATION: 5h25
It took me a while to find the Singapore premium check-in area at the Mumbai airport. I consider myself to be fairly smart and it bothers me when I can’t do something as simple as finding the correct check-in desk. Could I just be getting old?
Finally I was greeted warmly and it all went smoothly. I had a connecting flight on Scoot back up to Phuket but they couldn’t figure out how to check me into their LLC. I mean really! Who would ever go from SQ First to Scoot? Oh, wait, I am about to do that.
Security also turned out to be a bit frustrating. I loaded up my things into three different bins. I had learned on my domestic Indian flights that their “TSA” wanted ALL electronics out of the bags. After they passed the scanner, the agent that was seated watching the screens yelled something at me that I didn’t understand. I asked him to repeat what he was saying. He just remained seated about 15 feet away and yelled at me more. Was I allowed to go? Instead of getting up and professionally speaking with me, he just sat and just yelled. Finally another agent came up and told me he was saying that I had two bins that were stuck together and thus affected the scan. I had inadvertently grabbed two bins. His behavior was entirely inappropriate and really pissed me off. I took a deep breath and moved on. I had a great time in India and met so many lovely people. One bad apple wasn’t going to spoil my trip.
I had read that the Adani lounge that SQ uses for the Suites passengers in Mumbai was excellent and I had a wonderful stay there. As I entered the lounge, they welcomed me warmly and I was escorted to the exclusive, private dining room for First Class passengers.
By the time we reached this special area, I decided that I wanted to shower before dining. I had been walking around all afternoon and wanted to clean up. Unfortunately the shower space was very basic offering no bath mat, place to sit, or place to put the luggage. The good news I left refreshed and in fresh clothing.
Tonight happened to be my husband’s and my anniversary. This was number 32 and the first time that we were apart on this day. We have chosen over the years to celebrate the date when I returned from the Peace Corps and we began “Phase 2” of our relationship. We had dated for two weeks 35 years ago during “Phase 1”. But our first date is Phase 2 is the moment we like to recognize. The State of California wouldn’t pull their head out of their rear-end for another 17 years to let us legally wed. We don’t celebrate the actual wedding date ever.
Our anniversary tradition is to have a quiet evening at home. From the very beginning, we have eaten lobster to celebrate the moment. For a while it was surf and turf. But we realized that the surf part was what made it special so we returned to just having two lobsters with clarified butter, some asparagus, and some sourdough bread. Early on, Terry began the tradition of naming our lobsters Fluffy and we would say a few words ceremoniously before murdering them in boiling water. So this year would have been Fluffy, the 32nd. The lobsters in California breathed a sigh of relief at their stay of execution since we weren’t together to celebrate.
Sitting in this lounge by myself was definitely a harder moment of the Sabbatical. Not being together for our anniversary made me feel the severity of spending the year apart. This was a big thing. We decided to take this year apart knowing that it was a risk. A lot can change in a year. We would naturally grow apart and that’s why we committed to two months of reconnection together after the year was over.
Happy 32nd Anniversary
As I sat back in the restaurant and took a look at the menu, a big smile came across my face. They had lobster! So I ordered lobster bisque, jumbo shrimp tempura, and then lobster thermidor for my main. Paired with a nice Grey Goose martini, I was celebrating our 32 years together. I got a bit teary as I toasted to Terry and our relationship.
I finally sent Terry an anniversary greeting and some pics of my meal thinking about him. This all felt really odd but necessary as part of our individual journeys. The food was excellent and this lounge lived up to its reputation. I knew that the crew would be serving me supper on board so I skipped the cheese plate!
Soon I could feel the excitement building in my stomach. I was about to experience the SQ A380 Suites again! Normally I prefer to board on the late side. But tonight I wanted to maximize my time on board so I was at the gate five minutes before boarding. Like my 10 year old self used to do, I stood and stared at the beautiful bird waiting to take us back to Singapore. How was such a big bird going to be able to fly?
I was met at the upstairs door of the aircraft and escorted to Suite 2F. Even though it was my second time flying in this product, I was still so impressed. There was so much space that I could walk around in it! Soon I was seated enjoying my first glass of champers. As I often do, I began with a toast to my parents. They helped make me the traveler that I am today. I am so grateful for all the opportunities that I have received. Once in the air, I changed into my pajamas and enjoyed my meal beginning with a smoked salmon starter. I used the Book The Cook service to order a main of a “Tandoori Platter”. I figured this would be a good choice ex-BOM. It was nice but I realized that I was super full still from my anniversary meal in the lounge.
Tandoori platter
I also change right away out of clothes on a long flight.
I was greedily hoping that I could get a double bed again on tonight’s flight but the suite next to me was occupied. The flight attendants performed their magic and soon a gorgeous bed was inviting me to slumber Luckily the single bed is also very comfortable and I quickly fell asleep. This is an amazing product. I slept like a baby until the landing announcements started my day.
A lovely bed!!
The biggest problem with the flight is that it wasn’t long enough. I wanted more. But this is a great feeling to have. The Singapore crew was once again top notch. They have perfected their service. I have a reservation to experience this suite again next spring when I head back to Europe. It’s nice to have something to look forward to. But little did I know that I would be getting to experience SQ’s Suite again soon that I thought!
SINGAPORE PRIVATE ROOM
A transit in Singapore meant another visit to the new Private Room. Even though I was flying out on the less than glamorous Scoot airlines, I was welcomed into the Private Room since I arrived in Singapore First Class. As I rode the escalator up to the SilverKris lounges excitement set in again! At the top, the agent recognized my golden lounge pass and escorted me into my quiet sanctuary. The first order of business was a shower after a long flight and I knew that the Private Room had a lovely one waiting for me.
Seafood Laksa in the Private room
Dim sum
Next I walked through the almost empty lounge and sat at my favorite table on the side of the restaurant. There were only three other passengers in the whole lounge and I was alone in the restaurant. The servers started me on a lifeline of champagne followed by Seafood Lobster Laksa and dim sum. It is such a lovely way to start a new day.
I asked the lounge agent if she could get my Scoot boarding pass but she also wasn’t able to do it. What kind of partnership is this? Doesn’t Singapore Airlines own Scoot? I would expect this to all work better. So alas, I needed to leave with some extra time to schlep over to T1 and figure out check-in.
As I exited the Private Room, my bucket list adventure in SQ’s A380 First Suites had come to an end. All aspects of the experience had been wonderful. For me the best part is simply how large the suite is. I love having a real bed and a separate real seat. Paired with amazing SQ service and I look forward to future trips this year on this outstanding product.
Over at the T1 Scoot transit desk, things didn’t go very smoothly. Because it was two separate tickets, she wanted me to exit the departure area, get my boarding pass from check-in, and immediately go back through security. WHAT?!? I asked if a supervisor might be able to avoid security again. I wasn’t looking forward to jumping through these unnecessary hoops. Low and behold, the supervisor was able to produce a nice boarding pass for me and I didn’t have to do the proposed craziness. Amen.
I still had some time before boarding and I popped into the Plaza Premium lounge. Unfortunately it was super crowded. I struggled to find a place to sit. Having just eaten and drunk in the Private Room, my needs were few. I was just looking for a quiet place to write. In spite of little signs encouraging the use of headphones, almost everyone around me had audio coming from their phones. I could have thrown on my Bose headphones but I just wanted a space that felt calm. Recently I have debated joining the noise pollution trend and simply playing Camina Burana by Carl Orff at full volume to see if my neighbors enjoy me returning the favor of sharing sounds from our mobile phones. As a human being and considerate member of society, I will try to avoid this type of confrontation. But one day I am going to snap. If I end up in a mental hospital in some obscure corner of the world, you’ll know what happened.
FLIGHT #23 OF THE SABBATICAL
Scoot Airlines #656, A380, ECONOMY
DEPARTURE: Singapore (SIN) 11:05
ARRIVAL: Phuket, Thailand (HKT) 12:15
DURATION: 2h10
When flying a low cost carrier, I always pay extra for a good seat. On Scoot, this meant I had a seat in the first row. The flight attendants treated me like royalty. At one point another passenger tried to upgrade themselves to the vacant seat next to me and the FA shooed him away.
Scoot first row is sort of like Singapore A380 First. Sorta.
Otherwise, the flight was uneventful. I slept most of the flight. It was my first time on Scoot and while it’s not the world-class, full service airline like its big brother, it works and it offers a competitive price point. I would definitely fly Scoot again!
The past two weeks have been incredible. It started with a lovely, long layover in Dubai with Ismail. Then I enjoyed four amazing International First Class flights on Emirates and Singapore. I decided to take a risk by unexpectedly going to India and to experience a three day Indian wedding. The best part is all the wonderful people I met. This is why I travel. I was welcomed with warmth and kindness by so many people. They embraced me with friendship and generosity. My mom Resi in South Africa taught me that once you are checked in at the airport and are safely in a lounge, you give a final call to say all is well and you are ready to go. It is often when you get to say a final “thanks for everything” and “I love you.” A final moment to appreciate each other and the time spent together.
As I have been traveling during this Sabbatical year, I use that time to quickly send a thank you message to all the people that I met that made my visit so rich. As I was leaving Mumbai, I was amazed how many people I wanted to reach out to. I had connected with lots of people during my short stay in India. I let them know how much I appreciated them and that our paths would surely cross again someday.
Since I left South Africa, I have been full-throttle adventuring. I had not had much time to write about this experience. I worried that I would forget significant details that have helped shape my journey. Luckily I have a solid month ahead of me in Thailand where I can dedicate most of my time to capture my thoughts on how the Sabbatical is changing me. This year is about me focusing on myself, taking time to listen to my brain and body. I am bursting with thoughts and Thailand will give me the space I need to process them.
Four and a half months into this adventure, I am ready for some down time of reflection and beautiful sunsets over the Andaman Sea each night. I am so grateful for everything. This is an amazing opportunity that I believe will help me figure out what happiness for me looks like in the future.
So happy to be back in Thailand.