Timestretched

Monday 24 November 2008
Bombay

Actually it was an awesome night's sleep. I even woke up early and then didn't bother to leave the bed, as a result I went back to sleep again. I have an overnight train trip but I think at this stage its better to get more sleep to recover comfortably from the previous night's escapdes.

Some guy knocked on my door asking me if I wanted to be an extra in a Bollywood movie. If I hadn't had to make my train in the evening, I would have said yes. Maybe next time.

For breakfast I went to a fairly posh restaurant which was actually the bistro son of the most popular restaurant in Bombay – Indigo (named after the Tata car I guess). I had my favourite – Eggs Benedict – and right tasty it was too. After checking out of the hotel and depositing my bags with them I set off into town. I'd seen a palm-reading fortune teller yesterday and wanted to see what he would say for a bit of fun.

Unfortunately when I got there it seemed that he was already drunk, the time now being just after midday. I guess it's a stressful profession, always knowing what is going to happen. I wasn't intending to barter with him but by mistake he halved his fee for me. And then with a bit of difficulty with him slurring his words, he told my fortune.

The highlights were that I'm going to live to 78 at least, though I will have problems with my heart after the age of 60. I'll be married within the year and will have three children, two girls and one boy. Funnily enough the last two facts are exactly what the palmist told me in Vietnam. I'll have a “middle class social life” apparently, so I guess wife-swapping in Surbiton it is. About sex he told me that I have a “normal” amount of love, 30% above average imagination (not quite sure how that's relevant), “middle top” physical abilities (tell me something I don't know) and above average exhibitionist tendencies. Where's the nearest forest? I'll also have a career outside over 2000 km (1250 miles) away from my birthplace (Chertsey). Well that rules out the UK and a bit of Western Europe. Stadium gigs in LA perhaps?

Anyway after that I went to see Quantum of Solace at the local cinema. I could have seen a Bollywood film but the only one showing (Dostana) seemed to consist of a hot chick and hunky guys standing on a beach. The Indian equivalent of Baywatch perhaps? Anyway, I wasn't sure it would be in English (they usually aren't) so I gave it a miss. The Bond film was good with lots of connections to the previous one, and had a bit of a nice lyrical quality to photography and editing (like The Constant Gardener) and good framing. Though most amusing point was that there was an interval half way through. Apparently in India you have the trailers in the middle of the film, rather than at the start.

After that I killed quite a huge amount of time on the internet, using wifi (although I had to pay for it) catching up with various bits and pieces including watching the preview of the Doctor Who Christmas special that was show on Children in Need. I was so excited by it that I had to go and read the forums on Gallifrey One extensively just to find out what the explanation for it was. And then read the spoilers for what's in store for next year's specials. I really shouldn't do that, I kinda ruined series three with that approach and series four was a lot better for me as I'd learnt my lesson.

Anyway at 8.30 I went to pick up my train ticket, and thankfully it was there as the travel agent had promised. After that I ate some food, bought a couple of books, finished off my packing and grabbed a taxi to the train station. This was one of the places which, two days later, would be covered with the blood of the victims of the Mumbai attacks. I boarded the train and – luxury of luxuries – I was in an air conditioned sleeper cabin. Rejoice! I chatted to the girl in my section. She was called Megan, an American, from Minneapolis (whose capital is St. Paul) but interestingly she worked in the Antarctic, on a base camp for scientists, working in a shop providing camping and travel equipment for the scientists as they venture into the wastelands.

Down there during summer it gets up to a balmy -20 degrees with winter reaching a bracing -40. And every year the South Pole rises higher, as new snow falls and never melts. That has meant that the scientific base that was originally built there some time ago has now sunk completely underground, and they've just built a new one which can be raised up every year (presumably by tucking bits of snow underneath it). Anyway soon it was time for bed and we set up the bunks and all fell asleep.