Mumbai-Consciousness

Arriving in Mumbai @ 3am, after 22 hours in planes and airports, I felt overwhelmed, happy to have finally arrived. I made my way from the airport to my couchsurfing hosts apartment 20 minutes away. The cab driver didn't know the area well so he stopped several times to ask for directions. Once I settled down for the night I wrote this stream of consciousness piece to document my first half hour in this metropolitan, chaotic city...

heart beats, my whole body is awake and conscious...

ewww, I'm sweating, where's that cab? #3845. wow, there's more backpackers than I imagined! "bye Sarah (from Salt Lake City), I'll tell you all about Osho over email", there seems to be no driving rules! garbage everywhere, don't hit that dog! close. I'm safe, follow the breath. they can't see my face, I'm invisible, people sleeping on the side of the road in perfect rows, this is not an "experience"- this is their reality.
breath, he's asking for directions again? are we lost? don't stop the cab, ok calm, night-a man's world. sleeping in your tuk tuk (three wheeler vehicle): a job and a bed! I'm very awake, it's 3:30 am here and 2pm back home. there's a sign for Inorbit, finally, we are on the right track Sherlock.
i need a phone soon, don't be so thrifty, safety first. i will not get out of this cab until i know i've arrived at my host's home, here's 10 rupees, thank you, how do you say it? shukrian? maybe? where do I go now? there's no #73, ok 7th floor seems to make sense, i'll walk up, eww I'm so sweaty, I have to ditch all these cotton clothes soon and find some light stuff! up and down and up again, i can take off my scarf now, this elevator is cool! heart racing...pushes door bell, this has to be it? hello? Shamiyana?
oh, thank you! how do you pronounce your name? you are so kind, thanks for hosting me at such a strange hour. I feel so stupid, I don't follow politics, am I stereotyping too? she's so sweet, aww she's taking the couch, I feel bad. where is the toilet? does the shower room double as the urinal? when in Rome/Mumbai! breathe. i feel so grateful! stretch out. rest at last. it's only been half an hour. hello India, please be kind!

heart beats, my whole body is relaxed and tired, zzzzzz...