Gimme Shelter

The boys have been told many times over how Mumbai is a city of contrast, more so than any other place we have or will visit. Today, we met fisherman who head off on 2-3 week fishing voyages, earning a monthly wage of roughly 7000 rupees ($150NZD). Only hours earlier, we had spent around 2000 per head on an amazing breakfast at the Taj Hotel. In this city which 28 billionaires call home, many of us struggled to comprehend how inequality could have reached this height. Rightly or wrongly, this is India, and it continues to frustrate and fascinate.

In terms of sickness, Lachie Dickson remains near to a toilet, but morale is high, and we had one other addition, which is given in great detail below…

Tuesday 26 December

7:15am – we all received a cheery Indian wake-up via our hotel room phones, and after quick showers met outside the entrance to the hotel. After one room had to then still be woken up (the culprits to remain nameless but their wallets a little lighter) we set off for the Taj Hotel for breakfast. This 560 room, five star hotel is a hub for wealth in this city, with many overseas business people checking in daily, as well as the uber rich.

8:00am – we were escorted by staff to the restaurant. Now, in the past, when this trip was under 'different management' we had dined at the ground floor restaurant (there are four in total). However, this trip has gone up a level since 2015, and we literally went up multiple levels (see what I did there?) to the rooftop restaurant. As we stepped out of the lifts, we were greeted with smiles and 180 degree views of the sea (albeit still covered in a layer of smog). Boys filled their stomachs with fresh coffee, juice, fruit and cereal to start, followed by bacon, eggs, hash browns and croissants as they well and truly cashed in on the buffet.

9:30am – after an hour-and-a-half of solid eating, we waddled our stomachs to the exit, and back to the hotel for an hour of rest.

11:00am – we were met by our friends from the Magicians again. After the fun of touch yesterday, it was time for us to find out a bit about their lives. Our first stop was Colaba Municipal Secondary School. From 8:30am-3:30pm everyday, this tiny school is home to 2177 (the headmaster proudly announced the exact figure) students, both male and female. The total land area would not have been more than that of the sports centre at Grammar. We joined in lunch time rugby practice, headed by a few of the senior Magicians. As the headmaster told us, he loves the involvement of the Magicians as it gives an outlet for the students, and he recognised the increased confidence levels of those physically engaged.

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12:30pm – after pausing for the singing of the Indian national anthem, we departed the school for the nearby docks. The docks are where many of the Magicians and their families are employed. An overpowering stench of fish hang in the air as we walked through women shelling prawns, and men hauling fish off their boats. Unbelievably, the women spend around 12 hours a day crouching, shelling prawns. Their workplace is simply the uncovered, concreted ground. We continued our walk along the outside of the docks, stopping at one of the Magician's boats. He had just returned with a boat-load of kingfish, although these kingys looked little like what most of us were used to.

1:30pm – split into two groups, we were guided to the homes of some of the Magicians. This slum community is bordered by the Arabian Sea on one side, and a multitude of high-rise apartments on the other. We entered homes which were no more than 3x3m. In many cases, this was a residence for more than 5 family members, and includes kitchen and bathroom areas. Despite this, the generosity shown by the families was overwhelming – saying "no" was not an option, as we were treated to cold drinks and cookies both purchased from nearby stores or made at home. This was followed by a walk through of Dhobi Ghat. Still located within the community, this is an enormously famous laundromat in Mumbai, where half the city it seems sends their washing for as little as 20 rupees (40 cents) an item.

2:54pm – mark this time down, folks. This was the time that Tom Rapson got sick in India for the first time ever. 2011, not a sign. 2015, a mere rumble. But today, it appeared he had been building since the trip's inception. Before leaving New Zealand, he crowed at how effective dukarol was and of the strength of his stomach. Even at breakfast this morning he said, and I'm not even exaggerating here "I'm home and hosed boys, no one gets sick in Mumbai or Goa, I've completed the clean sweep, the trifecta!" So, imagine the delight of the other 25 members as Thomas proceeded to turn green, and empty his guts everywhere. Man officially down.

3:30pm – we returned to the hotel and said our goodbyes to the Magicians. Free time was given. Whilst many were knackered, staff stressed that only two full days remained in Mumbai, followed by four days of complete relaxation. Boys took the opportunity to explore, heading down to the Maidan to join in on games of cricket, as well as head to book stores, and generally wander the streets, taking in this crazy city.

7:30pm – we continued the buffet theme of today, and dined at our hotel. Don't worry, we weren't making a theme of the luxury however as the YWCA buffet was a lot more humble, and almost as delicious – back to chicken curries, dahl and roti.

9:00pm – after a trip to Baskin Robbins for waffle cone ice creams, we broke into debrief. The topic for this evening was to talk to yourself as you began Grammar. If you could, what would you tell yourself about the years that have followed since, what would you change, what lessons would you tell that young thirteen-year-old? A fascinating exercise for everyone, and many came to the realisation of how much they had grown and developed as people since then.

9:45pm – debrief wrapped up, and the group was left with time to blog, email families and unwind. The tour playlist is at this point eagerly awaiting its rejuvenation in Goa when we are no longer restricted to the 52 songs we currently have.

10:30pm – lights out, except for Tom, his had been out since about 3pm. What a great day for all.

MVP – Zac Morrow. Last night, as Tom detailed, we did Secret Santa as a group. Those receiving their presents were unaware of who had bought that gift for them. Many purchasers took this opportunity to get stupid presents, while some purchased truly great presents. Zac, it must be said, was firmly in the 'great' category, as it came to light today that he had purchased possibly the best present in the history of the India Immersion Programme Secret Santa Extravaganza. As Tom mentioned, a brick was gifted, and today we learnt that it was young Zac who had done the honour, for Ollie Schnauer (known as Brick for his similar appearance). What he is most deserving for, however, was the fact that he had set upon this brick in Delhi, meaning he had carried it inside his pack up until this point. A truly great New Zealander, Zac, and a deserving recipient of MVP today.

Thought – today the Taj Hotel offered complete escapism from this crazy country. For 90 minutes we could have been at a high tea in London, such was the luxury. It seems, unfortunately, that many travelling to India end their 'travels' here, in the comfort and safety of their five-star hotel room. What started as an easy beginning to the day soon become confrontational as smells and sights, some nothing like we had ever seen before, replaced this comfortable bubble. We ventured into uncertainty, unfamiliarity, and discomfort. How often can we say we truly step outside our comfort zones? Experiencing India in all its harshness has well and truly shattered our, at times, bubbled realities.

Reuben