The town that never stays

While New York is the city that never sleeps, Bombay is the town that's always out of town. Mumbaikers appear to more often "out-of-station"--a unique Indian term--than in town. A city in perma-transit.

I have a few theories:

1) Is it history? Mumbai's roots are of a trade city. What is trade but moving of goods for money. I suppose people need to move to effect movement of goods.

2) Is it family? There's always a cousin's wedding in Delhi (60% of air traffic in India is the Bombay-Delhi corridor)--and of course, every one has to be there! What will your aunt think?

3) or Is it just the weather? Bombay is tolerable for literally 14.58 days in Dec/Jan. No wonder people head to Florence/Kashmir in Summer, New York/Ambi Valley during the Monsoon, Phuket/Goa in the fall, and Switzerland/Alibaug in the winter.


By the way, I'm writing this from Calcutta. And while we're talking about the topic of being out of Bombay--I'll be in New York on weekends of Aug 13th and Aug 27th and in LA on Aug 20th weekend. Holla if you're around.