So some guy started yelling in the hallway at 4:30AM and conveniently woke me up. I tried getting back to sleep with little to no luck.

When all things are pointing in the wrong direction, to whom do you turn?

Family.

My Anna Srinivas lives in Mumbai with his wife, Vasumathi Manni. Thank GodManni reached out to me and asked me if I’d like to stay with them at around 6:00AM. I gratefully agreed and told her that I’d do my morning Y&M and make my way over.

That morning Y&M and was really important to me, to do in this less that hospitable space. Find comfort in the uncomfortable.

I completed it and felt great. She was fantastic and gave me all types of instructions on what to do, and I hopped in an Uber and made my way over at around 11:00AM.

Got to their place and it brought back a flood of memories. I remember being here as a child, and many of the photos that my cousin Seshadri showed me were of all of us in that apartment. I remember spending time with Rahul, should I say, never leaving his side and bugging him to no end. I remembered playing on their computer, playing ping-pong on the dining room table against my late uncle, and this huge bathroom!

Instantaneously I was transported back as I walked in and placed my things down after giving Manni and HUGE HUG and expressing all of my thanks and appreciation to her and Anna Srinivas. I don’t know why I didn’t stay there from the beginning. Lesson learned for next year.

We sat in their living room and we chatted for a bit. About how horrific that previous was to start. Turns out the ‘Fort’ area is right next to the docks, and that area tends to be pretty seedy and not with the best clientele. Priya, Manni and Anna’s daughter, was expressing concern to them about this place I was staying at as well. So nice to feel so much love and care!

Anna came home at this time and we hugged. This was the re-uniting of the youngest and eldest cousin on my mother’s side! Really wonderful.

We had a ‘simple’ lunch of sambar, chapati, and this delicious vegetable. Anything but simple. It was SO delicious, and you know I ate a whole bunch. Nothing like that home cooked food! I remembered sitting at that table in ’95 and eating a vegetable with a chili in it and my mouth being on fire as I tried cooling it with water. Manni was later telling me that, when they were about to get a new table, Priya said that they had better not because the table has so much history. So many family members, and others, have sat and talked/dined there. Cannot get rid of it!

Took a nap for a bit after all that food, and then got the afternoon Y&M in. It felt so great! My Acca Padma who lives downstairs then came up for a visit. I took a quick rinse and then we all started chatting! We caught up on all the family affairs and what everyone was up to/how everyone was doing.

She left and then Priya came over! I haven’t seen her in YEARS, maybe since her wedding? We began catching up on everything as well, and she told me about the program she runs called The Pomegranate Workshopwhich works with schools and focuses on various branches of the arts. It was so cool, and it is clear how passionate she is about what she does! She had this coolness/confidence about her as well, also so amazing!

Manni and then decided that we would take an evening tour of Mumbai. We would have done it the next day but there was a potential strike from one of the caste’s wanting more spots in the workforce, so it was better to do it in the evening and after rush hour.

Priya, Manni, and I left together. Priya took an earlier stop in the taxi, and Manni and I continued on. Mumbai’s traffic is SO MUCH BETTER than the other cities, especially Bengaluru. They have a lot of one-ways, super wide roads, and do not allow two-wheelers.

We went down Marine Drive, the most expensive area in Mumbai. Between Manni and Priya I had gotten the lowdown on the city. Much of the architecture is old, and has been there for years. It was also interesting to see the difference between the English establishments and the Indian establishments. Priya explained to me that, down by the harbor, there was clamor for an Indian identity in terms of architecture to move away from the Gothic (Priya please correct me if I am wrong!). They chose art deco from Miami!

We saw the Queen’s Necklace outlining the harbor, a huge mosque, the harbor, and the train station that was spectacularly beautiful at night, all bright.

We made our way back home and Anna Srinivas was home. He had gotten me some tandoori chicken and samosas. I dug into those and that yogurt! Soooo good. We chatted a bit, at which point in time I think Anna told me that people go to Fort hotels for hourly rates, not for the whole night. Sad face. Good thing I made sure those sheets were clean!

We said goodnight and I went to bed, feeling so full and grateful for family and just feeling at home.