mini-update from mumbai

I think I might have just broken my toe. I am not sure. How can you tell? Maybe it's not broken, because I am not in any pain at the moment, and it doesn't look broken. But this internet cafe is dark so I can't really tell. It's not even a good story - I was walking on the sidewalk and I tripped on a loose brick or something and hit it really hard. And then when I tried to put pressure on that toe to walk, it was excruciating pain. Maybe it is just fractured. I suppose it doesn't matter - there is nothing to be done for a broken toe anyway, right? Ugh.

I also just managed to get groped on the sidewalk. It's not a good day for me and the sidewalk! I'm normally pretty good at avoiding random gropings, because I keep as much distance as possible from sketchy men who are staring at me or following me, but this one I didn't see coming. This kid who looked no more than 12 totally grabbed my ass while I was walking by him! I would never have expected it - he was just a kid in a school uniform! And it was definitely intentional, no mistake about it. What a pervy kid. The lesson is, be on guard all the time, even around seemingly innocent looking school children.

Last night after I left the internet cafe and went for dinner, I walked around the Colaba area. I managed to get scouted for Bollywood within about 15 seconds. They were recruiting for a TV commercial, and a London nightclub scene for a movie. Neither of these were of particular interest. I am not familiar with the actress in the movie, and I don't feel like being made to wear a mini-skirt this time around. You see, now that I've worked with Amitabh Bachchan, I'm quite choosy about what roles I'll accept. Hahaha...ha...ha...

I also ran into my two favorite sketchbag Bollywood scouts from last time I was here! They both recognized me, which was weird. The creepy greasy one with the ponytail has actually cut his ponytail off, much to my dismay, because I was hoping to take a photo of him this time to show everyone what a Bollywood scout looks like. He did leave himself a glorious rat tail in the back though, so all is not lost. I have to find a way to ask for a photo without him interpreting that as a come-on. A guy at Leopold's (Mumbai's most famous restaurant/bar) also remembered me. Weird.

I am mostly avoiding that area of town for the rest of this trip though - too irritating. I got followed by 3 different guys wanting to take me for drinks. One of them got pissed off when I rejected his spontaneous marriage proposal and called me a slut in Hindi. It took me a minute or two to remember what the word meant though, so I missed the opportunity for a comeback. I'm ready next time though. (I should point out that my sexual harassment stories do not reflect all of Mumbai. It mostly just happens in Colaba because that's the tourist area so the perverts hang out there. Most of Mumbai I could walk around hassle-free.)

I am now going to try and figure out transport to Delhi. And then go to my hotel and decide if my toe really is broken. Ahh, my hotel has the scariest elevator ever. The stairs are closed so I have to take it, and it freaks me out a bit every time. It just seems... rickety. In the event of a fire I'd probably have to jump out the 4th floor window in the hallway. Eeeek.

Better stories and photos to come, I promise.