Amchi Mumbai

A view of the sea at BandStand, Mumbai
Get out on the road here on peak office time and places like Delhi, Bangalore seem comfortable.
Luckily we had a deadly combo of Michael Schumacher and Valentino Rossi. The 4 wheeler and 2 wheeler champions seemed to have merged to form our 3 wheeler auto driver. He was bent forward like a bike racer, precise like formula 1 car racer and maneuverable like a Fighter Jet.
I don’t think we could have made it to Andheri station within the 1.5 hours we did, if it hadn’t been him.
The stairs of Andheri station is a jaw dropping experience if you are seeing it for the first time. You get to see such an enormous number of people in your 1 eye span that it is difficult to fathom. It’s like a big huge wave. When you – a non mumbaiker, are at a Mumbai local station for first time, mind often wavers to the Train blasts a few months back. But thinking practically – is it really possible to have some security setup on stations to cater to such a gigantic number of people. It may be possible if you think sitting in an office or home but when you stand for 5 minutes and see the numbers, all plans seems to wane away.
After around 2 hours of bad traffic, vehicles with zero road sense, sense numbing screaming of horns and car engines, we reached Juhu Beach. And as you touch the waters of the sea in the lovely breeze, all your tensions, the difficulties fade out…Its very similar to the waves of water coming.
At some distance, a huge wave is formed. It’s seemingly violent, creating lots of noise, threatening…
Then as it comes closer, the retreating water slows it down; the noise becomes a mild Sussshhhh… And it comes and gently kisses your feet..
And if you sit there for some time, you experience continuous cycles of violent whooooshss followed by mild Sussshsss..then again wooooshh.. and then susssshhh…Amid these you are busy - happily building home like structures in the weak sands on the beach. That, I think is Life!