Bombay is supposed to have this dramatic thing every year when, theoretically, it rains almost non-stop for a few months.  Again theoretically, it’s supposed to be torrential rain – something that is actually deserving of a fancy name like “monsoon.”

We’ve been getting nothing like that.  Last year, I was shocked at how much of a non-event “monsoon season” was.  I felt robbed – so I have been looking forward to a real, bona fide monsoon season this year, maybe even with some serious, torrential rain.

No such luck.  Apart from a few short-lived teases, we’ve had no rain, and certainly nothing that could be termed significant.  Instead, to add insult to injury (or maybe it’s the other way around), it’s just gotten hotter, stickier, more intensely sunny, and generally more gross, stifling, and disgusting.

We’re all seriously parched over here, and we’re seriously tired of waiting for some actual weather.  Come on, rain gods – give a girl a break!

Saw this sticker on the back of a car on my way to work recently.  Had to take a photo of it.  Not because the sticker itself is that incredible or anything, but mainly because of what the answer to this question would be if someone asked the majority of drivers on Mumbai’s streets.  To put it in perspective, this photo was taken while stopped at a red light – while watching at least 15 or 20 vehicles just driving across the intersection from behind us, paying absolutely no heed.  Sigh.

Last night we had a potluck at a colleague’s house to welcome a sizeable group of new arrivals to post.  Part of the way through the evening, I looked out the window and felt almost giddy as I noticed drops of water falling off the side of the building.

To my knowledge, there has not been one drop of precipitation in this city since the 5- or 10-minute spate of drizzle during the terrorist attacks in November, and nothing that could actually be called “rain” since late August or so.  The lack of any actual weather – or even so much as a few clouds – has been driving me completely insane.

When we got outside at the end of the night yesterday, my hopes were confirmed: it hadn’t just been some upstairs neighbor washing off their balcony – it was real rain!  Ahhhh, I can’t describe how incredibly good it felt.

… I’m pretty sure I won’t be ordering any catering done by these guys.

Honestly – who thought up this combination of businesses?

I’m pretty sure “Prestage” is an attempt to write the word “Prestige,” but I’m not sure what “V.N.” stands for.  My guess is “Very Nasty.”

We went to an event today hosted by the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce.  It was down at the racetrack (that’s horse racing, not cars or dogs) in a lawn sort of area behind the stands.  It was a nicer venue than that description makes it sound, I promise.  We met up with some good friends and their 9-month-old, and made a very pleasant afternoon of it.  But to move on to the point of this post:

There was bratwurst.  Real German bratwurst (not the stuff you sometimes find in other countries that they pronounce “brat-worst”, but the stuff you find in Germany that they pronounce “brat-vurst”).  And there was beer.  Real German beer (not the stuff you find in the majority of affordable establishments in India, where no matter what brand it is, it all tastes like the same swill).  And there was wine.  Yes, real German wine.

We enjoyed ourselves immensely, and we’re toying with the idea of going back again tomorrow, since the entry ticket works for both days.  Mmmmmm, sausages.

Thank you, Matthias and Suzanne.