Mumbai

As soon as I took one step off the airplane I could feel the continuous buzz around me. Even at 5 in the morning when I exited the airport I could sense how crowded Mumbai and India are. Mumbai is unlike any place that I have ever been. It seems like non-stop chaos. The drivers and traffic are horrendous. On a four lane road you have at least 8 lanes because most drive in between two lanes squeezing in any free space. At the same time people are crossing in the middle of the street and motorcycles and bikes are everywhere. Somehow all of the weaving and crazy driving works, in part due to drivers honking non-stop. This isn't mad honking, like at home, but more of a friendly hello I am here, please move over a bit so I can squeeze by between two lanes.
As you drive along the road, the poverty in India is very apparent. There is no way to hide the slums, broken down buildings, garbage everywhere, wild animals in the street, and people just sitting in the dirt. The people we are staying with have drivers (labor is cheap so drivers, nannys, and maids are very common for those with a bit of money) which has helped with getting around this huge city. As nice as it has been to have this luxury I can't help but to feel guilty as I sit in a tinted windowedMercedes with a driver, passing by people who live a life where $5 is considered a lot of money. It really is such a different life here. It makes me realize time and time again how fortunate we all are for where we live and how much we take for granted. Of course there is poverty at home but with the spread of wealth and infrastructure it is different than here in Mumbai.