Movie Stars and Explorers

We are still in Mumbai.  I am not sure how long we have been here... maybe it has been four nights now, maybe five, I have lost track.  I did not expect to be here at this point.  My first perceptions of Mumbai, having recently lost a wallet and struggling with a bacterial sickness, were not favorable.  I thought we might stay a few days, then move on.  But the scout from Bollywood said he could hook us up with a gig, so we stayed a little longer, and then we missed the gig, but got another that would require us to stay a bit longer still, and we managed to make that one-- five oclock last night until five oclock this morning-- which brings us to today, and the fact that I am currently running on about half an hour of sleep. 

During our days here in Mumbai we have:
-Taken a ferry to Elaphanta island, where, among other things, we...
   -Saw a roughly 20 foot tall stone bust of Shiva meditating, carved 1500ish years ago.
-Walked about, with aim and without (largely without)
-taken a double decker bus tour
-eaten a surprisingly large quantity of meat (chicken and mutton)
-failed to eat at Leopolds (of the Shantaram fame-- it is expensive, but we are splurging on it today)
-stayed in a dorm with lots of folks from all over the world and made some friends
-eaten three slices of white bread with jam and butter, one banana, one hard-boiled egg, and several mugs of chai every morning for breakfast
-mingled with the natives(?)
-and participated as extras in a Hindi film.  They paid us rs500 each.
-oh, and waded our way through a crazy fish market (apologies for any more weak adjectives from here on out...)

I am going to write a little more detail about the Hindi film because that seems like the exciting (sounding), new, unusual thing we have done recently.  I am really dragging here...  I have ten minutes left on this internet...  Let's see what this sedated mind can pull out for you folks.

K.  So, the green shirted man-- call him Jimmy-- was like, hey.  He came to the Salvation Army Red Shield House (the dorm where we are staying) and started throwing around brown little business cards... This is too much detail.  We will capitalize the next sentence to aid in the image of a mantage.  A DAY AND A HALF OF WALKING AROUN EATING THINGS, AND THEN 30 WHITE PEOPLE ON A BUS FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF ON THE WAY TO FILM CITY.  We lined up to get our costumes, drinking chai, as per usual...  I got a traditional sort of Maharaja tunic thing and tight pants, and josh got a business suit.  They wanted me to shave, I said no.  The guy tried to comb my hair a little, gave up, and told me I was ready to go.  STRANGELY DRESSED WHITE PEOPLE MOSY TOWARD BRIGHTLY LIT GRASSY AREA WHERE THERE IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE A WEDDING BETWEEN A COUPLE OF THE RICHEST PEOPLE IN INDIA, BOTH IN MONEY AND WHITE FRIENDS (APPARENTLY IT ADDS A WORLDLY FLAIR, OR SOMETHING...).  GENERAL MILLING ABOUT.  Essentially, I sat around drinking chai for 9 hours because my hair bore too much resemblance to the wildest parts of the 60s and my beard bore too much resemblance to the wildest parts of a jungle.  Josh got to stand around and walk back and forth over and over again, take after take after take.  For the final shot, they deigned to allow me a spot, and I got to throw flower petals at the bride and groom with the rest of the crowd.  I did my best to throw them hard. 

Etc Etc.  End of story, Josh and I are famous, Josh more so, and everybody should watch the bollywood remake of Hollywood stepmom, or something, when it comes out, because the best seconds are Josh's, and the very best milliseconds, and micrometers on the screen no doubt, are mine. 

We might leave this city in a couple of days,
I need sleep,
I love you people,
CHance.