Mumbai Stopover - Obama's here too!

I feel we should get some sort of award for least informed international travellers. Not only did we not realise that all the fireworks last night were because of Diwalli*, we also didn't realise Barack Obama is in town! Half the freaking City is closed off because of the security for the US PResident but it hasn't stopped firecrackers going off in their millions last night despite a supposed ban in honour of Mr Obama.

A quick read of the Times this morning confirms not much changes as you go around the world at least in big cities. The political sections are full of real estate corruption as slums are bulldozed by developers and housing planned for low income people or war veterans is appropriated by the friends and families of the ministers in charge of giving out the approvals. Meanwhile in the sporting pages Saschin Tendulkar is still king while in the social pages young Indian women just want to party!

Same same but different.

Today we have a short internal flight to Goa at midday where we can hopefully relax for a while. It's the start of the season and things should be a little quieter than they will get when things are in full swing around December January.

*Deepavali (also spelled Divali in few countries) or Diwali[1], popularly known as the festival of lights, is an important five-day festival in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, occurring between mid-October and mid-November. For Hindus, Diwali is the most important festival of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes. Deepavali is an official holiday in India,[2] Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore, and Fiji.

Read More