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Every year Mumbai welcomes the monsoon and revels in the idea of a few days of minor disruptions and rainey day holidays. Not this year.
Tuesday evening, back from a day out in drizzly London, and the phone was ringing as I walked in the door. My father in-law calling from Calcutta to update us on what was happening in Mumbai. Many calls and web news alerts later we ascertained that both my brother in-laws were at the homes of friends, my mom in-law, niece and one sister in-law all safely home but my other sis in-law was stuck in her car with colleagues enroute home and amidst a sea of water and cars. A long night later she reached home at 7am. Safe and dry now thankfully!
Two days later - right now - V and I are packed and ready to get onto a flight to take us to Mumabi and then on to Chennai for 3 days of celebrations. My cousin's wedding reception and my aunts birthday celebrations beckon. Further to that we'll have a few days each in Chennai and then in Mumbai will complete our holiday.
Our flight from Heathrow tonight has been cancelled and is now due to take off tomorrow. Instead of a day in Mumbai before we head off to Chennai, we will arrive near midnight, and leave really early on Saturday to get to Chennai. A day of work and holiday lost due to the vagaries of weather. Extreme heat in the US, lowest rains ever in the UK and highest rains ever in India - weather changes we seem to have brought upon ourselves. However, the delight of being able to see my whole family in two days will not be made less by the difficulties in getting there. Whats life without obstacles eh? India here we come.....
In the meanwhile, electricity and bands of normalcy are brining Mumbai back to it's feet. It's a city with an indomitable spirit and the numerous tales of people helping each other during the weather crisis are not surprising only comforting. My thoughts are with you Mumbai....
Tuesday evening, back from a day out in drizzly London, and the phone was ringing as I walked in the door. My father in-law calling from Calcutta to update us on what was happening in Mumbai. Many calls and web news alerts later we ascertained that both my brother in-laws were at the homes of friends, my mom in-law, niece and one sister in-law all safely home but my other sis in-law was stuck in her car with colleagues enroute home and amidst a sea of water and cars. A long night later she reached home at 7am. Safe and dry now thankfully!
Two days later - right now - V and I are packed and ready to get onto a flight to take us to Mumabi and then on to Chennai for 3 days of celebrations. My cousin's wedding reception and my aunts birthday celebrations beckon. Further to that we'll have a few days each in Chennai and then in Mumbai will complete our holiday.
Our flight from Heathrow tonight has been cancelled and is now due to take off tomorrow. Instead of a day in Mumbai before we head off to Chennai, we will arrive near midnight, and leave really early on Saturday to get to Chennai. A day of work and holiday lost due to the vagaries of weather. Extreme heat in the US, lowest rains ever in the UK and highest rains ever in India - weather changes we seem to have brought upon ourselves. However, the delight of being able to see my whole family in two days will not be made less by the difficulties in getting there. Whats life without obstacles eh? India here we come.....
In the meanwhile, electricity and bands of normalcy are brining Mumbai back to it's feet. It's a city with an indomitable spirit and the numerous tales of people helping each other during the weather crisis are not surprising only comforting. My thoughts are with you Mumbai....
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