More Banking Issues Sorted, Shopping for Kitchen Appliances, Tea with Friends

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Bombay

More Banking Issues Sorted, Buying Kitchen Appliances, Meeting Girlfriends for Tea

Namaste from Bombay!

My life seems to have flitted into fairly easy routine. After awaking at the West End Hotel (where I am beyond comfortable), I feasted on breakfast of a freshly-made masala omlete, a chicken sausage, baked beans and salami) with fruit and coffee and left immediately for my Dad’s place in Bandra on the suburban train—I am already feeling like a pro in navigating my way through the ancient commuter rail system. Somehow, in the midst of the teeming millions to which it caters, it still works! I tried to get a rickshaw at Bandra station but the drivers disdained my patronage. I went and stood in the bus queue and within minutes, two buses came along and I had a seat and was at destination in less than ten minutes.  The BEST bus system is yet another miracle of commuter public transport in Bombay.  I have always loved them (as much as I love the red buses in London) and I continue to do so. Because most middle class people now have their own transport, I find the buses actually not just quite empty (on the routes through which I ply) but a pleasure to use. I know...you probably think I am nuts, but thankfully, I do not possess the snobbery that makes the use of public transport in Bombay below my station or my dignity.

Getting Foreign Exchange, Banking Work and Lunch:

The morning passed swiftly as I awaited the arrival of the foreign exchange agent I usually use for changing my money.  In the next couple of days, I will need to make a lot of big ticket transactions as I pay for the deposit on my studio, first month’s rent, realtor’s commission, etc. plus buy the few appliances I will need to get me started.  The Indian rupee has sunk to a new low against the dollar—which gave me an excellent exchange rate. The Indian government has liberalized the economy so much that it is now possible to have fully legal exchange control operators furnish the needs of customers at rates preferable to those offered by Indian banks. Hence, the exchange was effortless.

I needed then to get to my bank immediately to deposit the money so that I can write checks in the next couple of days. Fortunately, the bank is right across the road from my Dad’s driveway and I am becoming known to the banking personnel who always treat me with courtesy. It was a pleasure working with Rachna Shroff, for instance, an extraordinarily patient and courteous Parsi lady, who put me through the paces and is initiating me into the intricacies of Indian banking—a fun learning curve for me!

Shopping for Kitchen Appliances with my Interior Decorator Friend:

Luckily for me, I have very close friends in Bombay who are more than willing to lend me a hand with my move and resettlement.  I had made plans to meet my friend Nafisa who is a Singapore-trained, top-notch interior decorator. She came from Byculla, where she lives, to Bandra, to take a look at my studio and give me some ideas for how I could best utilize the minimalist space. She has recently traveled with me in Italy—so it was great to see her again. 

 She loved my place and the atmosphere evoked by the swaying coconut palms in the building’s compound. She assessed the place with her expert eye and gave me the considered benefit of her advice which I much appreciated. We then decided to take a rickshaw to Linking Road so that I could take a look at a few kitchen appliances—smart TV, microwave oven, electric kettle. We started off at Chroma where Nafisa gave me the benefit of her advice which I found extremely helpful. 

At Theo Broma, a fancy French patisserie, next door, we stopped for coffee and cake (delicious hazelnut eclairs) while awaiting the arrival of my friend Shahnaz who did arrive and settled down with us for coffee.  Shahnaz told me not to buy a TV as she would loan me one! I was absolutely thrilled as it will save me investing on a big-ticket item that I will only use for a short time. She also offered to help me with my move. I feel blessed to have such close friends who are more than willing to put themselves out for me. After buying a loaf of raisin-nut bread and a few croissants (almond, pain de chocolat and plain) from Theo Broma for my Dad and Russel, I said goodbye to my friends and left to return home.

Mass and Dinner with my Dad:

Meanwhile, upon my return home, I discovered that my landlord-to-be had my rental contract ready to be emailed to me.  I was on the phone with him for a bit before I left for 7.30 pm Mass with my Dad. The Novena for Bandra Feast  to our Lady of the Mount, as she is known, (September 8) had begun and the service was conducted by children. I found it exceedingly boring and very tedious to sit through a long-winded and horridly delivered sermon of over 15 minutes! This is the reason why I am not a fan of Indian priests—really poor preachers put their congregations through the ordeal of having to listen to them. Give me the Anglican preachers of England, dear God, and I will gladly attend three Masses a day!

Grumbling all the way home to my Dad, I settled down for a quick dinner and left for my hotel where I reached at 9.45 pm. As I said, this time too I jumped into a bus that took me to Bandra station where the General First Class compartment whizzed me to my destination at Churchgate speedily and comfortably. I did not waste too much time before watching a bit of TV and getting to bed.

Until tomorrow...