From Singapore to Mumbai

Monday, September 23, 2002
Singapore is fine! That's a joke here actually... you get fined here for so many things that lots of people say "It's a Fine City!" That's my kind of humor! We've been here a few days now. Our first stop was the Hash where we got to see some beautiful scenery around the island, and went inside a historical house... at least that's what the taxi driver said about the starting location of the run. We went to the zoo and to the Night Safari and they were incredible! I might even go as far as to say that they were better than the San Diego Zoo. No guinea pigs though, like the Cairo Zoo!

We also went to another hash last night, but somehow we were late to the start of the run and they had left by the time we got there. So, we following the marks until about 3/4 of the way until the end where we lost the trail. We may never had made it out to the touristy island of Sentosa, but how many visitors can say they have been inside a Singaporean sewer?? They are pretty clean, as far as sewers go, not that I really have a basis for comparison. And, not only did I START the run late, but I left early as well. I had booked tickets for the opera, so Carla trekked back to the hash and I went to the opera. I was an invisible visitor as far as the Lion City Hashers were concerned since they never even would have known I was there unless Carla told them!

The opera was really interesting - it was an introduction to Canonese Opera; which usually last for 6-8 hours. That's why I went to the "introduction" which lasted less than two. I like opera, but not that much. The evening was also the start of the festivities for the Mooncake Festival. There were street vendors everywhere, giant karoake areas set up and even an acrobatic display. The acrobats were young local children who easily could have been part of the Cirque du Soleil. It was amazing... and I just happened to be walking by. The waterfront here is beautiful, as is the rest of the city at night. I'm at the airport now and off to India in an hour!

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Okay, I wrote that at the airport before I left Singapore, but never got a chance to send it. I'm in Bombay at the moment and Carla and I are heading off to a movie shoot soon. We were recruited to be extras in a party scene for a movie! They are going to pay us $15 each. It will be my first day of employment since I got laid off seven months ago! Bollywood is what they call Bombay since millions of movies are made here. I watched one on the plane actually - they are dramatic, a bit tacky, and always involve lots of drama and singing.

We arrived at the airport and never found our friend from Wisconsin, but by chance we did run into our Canadian friend who we didn't think we were going to see until we got to Goa. Good thing for the coincidence too, because Brook (where are you?!?!) made the reservations and we had no hotel booked. Fortunately Micheal had 3 beds in his room because his 2 friends weren't coming in until the next day.

The number of people we have bumped into around here is amazing! Every tourist is a hasher! We met 2 Norwegians on a ferry boat ride out to Elephanta Island that we emailed a long time ago, but never met. I finally met the Boston Hasher that I never met, just by chance the first night in the bar where Ozge, our Turkish friend was meeting us.... and the list goes on! I didn't realize I had met so many people on this trip. All the official activities start up tomorrow and I can't wait! I'll keep you posted, so until then... ciao!

Love, Alison

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