Salaam Bombay!

Today ends my visit in the one-of-kind city of Bombay. I'm actually rather sad to go. Kristen and I never did get out to Elephanta Island and it feels like I could shop for at least another 3-4 days. Oh well. The KSG-ers had their presentation to the Bombay city council yesterday, so we hit the town in style to celebrate afterward. A terrific seafood dinner at Trishna was followed up with some partying at Red Light. The girls had to talk us in. Yes, it was because of the excessive males, but not exactly how you think. In Bombay (perhaps all of India?) only couples are allowed to go out. In an effort to prevent moral turpitude, single men ("stags") and women ("lady stags") are either completely banned from clubs or forced to pay couple cover charges (in other words, double). Luckily, at Red Light last night at least, American women were allowed two boyfriends each. Good deal.

I got really hammered and then ended up back at the boys' pad where we drank some more and watched "Wedding Crashers." Not unlike a typical weekend in the States actually. Except that this time, when I awoke from my rather typical passing out, I had to wake up a cab driver sleeping in his car to take me home. Thankfully, Dennis, my Blondie Bear (of course I gave him a nickname), was nice enough to accompany me to make sure I got home since Sarada had gone to bed hours earlier. (Not that I wouldn't have made it alone. I rule these streets.)

So, tonight at 11:25pm, I'll board a THAI (Thai Airways International) flight to Bangkok and then, after a few hours stopover, I have another THAI flight to Vientiane, Laos. There, my instructions are to hop in a cab and ask to be taken to Namphu. Apparently it's a fountain. Once there, I must seek out first the Joma Cafe and, if that is closed, the Scandinavian Bakery (no joke) to find my next travelmates, Chris M. and his friend John. I'll let you decide for yourselves the chances that I don't eff this up some how.

I must go attempt to book a flight to Chiang Mai that Adam wants me to be on. Hopefully the damn THAI website will actually be working (it hasn't been the last hour or so). I'll do my best to check in from Laos (where Chris is expecting me to board a 15-passenger plane to go see the Plain of Jars) but my next post might not be until I return to Bangkok on the 14th.