The boisterous nature of Bombay (Mumbai if you will) brought out the frugal in me. Lucky for me, in India, the Salvation Army is a chain of guesthouses rather than clothing swaps. Stepping into this humble abode, the man behind the desk seized an opportunity with his fair new customers. Thus, the next morning, along with 500 Rs. apiece, me, Luke, and two other guests were ushered into a taxi and driven 2 1/2 hours to a Bollywood film studio. Upon arrival, we were immediately rushed into hair and makeup and I sat wide-eyed for an hour while two women combed, straightened, and pinned my locks while two men contemplated what to do with my unusually red complexion. After I had a glamorous up-do and eyes to kill, I was ushered into wardrobe where I was slipped into a black ballgown, some faux jewelry and strappy silver heels. Needless to say, the whole experience left me pretty disoriented.
Helping me back into reality, a small Indian man ushered me onto the movie set and I stepped into an exquisite rendition of an Indian wedding scene. Then, the four of us, having been reunited again, spent the next six hours standing as guests of the wedding in multiple positions, holding drinks (mixed with gasoline so we wouldn't drink them), and 'starring' in the upcoming Bollywood movie "No Problem" with the former Ms.Universe. Not bad for a day's work.
This whirlwind Bombay experience goes to show you that the totally unexpected can actually happen with just the blink of an eye. And, even a teacher like me can go from 'dirty backpacker' by day to movie star by night. Voila!
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