When we were asked to star in a Bollywood production on the streets of Mumbai, we all thought it was due to the attractive ladies at our side (Kahlia and Sarah). We were wrong… it turns out I’m kind of a big deal… in India J.  Really, if you’re western and visible anywhere in Mumbai you’ll get asked to be an extra in whatever film is currently being shot. You get a little bit of money and a great, although long, experience.

We arrived on set with a hundred or so adorning fans trying to get a glimpse of the stars. I’m pretty sure there were a couple with my photo to sign, but no time we were due on set. My first role was as a hotel employee named Robin Mal (later changed to Dominique, one name is way more mysterious… think Prince, Madonna, Cher… I wish I could think of more mono-named men) who was walking around greeting people. That’s right people, lines! I struggled for a while with my motivation for the part but in the end I’m sure I nailed it.

My next role was as a marketing exec for a company called Stimulus. I was in frame with all the big stars (Jesse Metcalfe, Larry Miller, some other guy that looked like the Osborne kid). My starting mark was even in the room with them so between takes we shot the breeze and swapped stories of stardom. The kudos for this scene goes to another extra, a French guy they gave a line. He was very nervous as his pronunciation of the English line wasn’t perfect. The line was to Jesse Metcalf during a dialogue, so they couldn’t cut it out. The production crew didn’t seem to notice his accent.

So brunette doesn’t cut it in Bollywood; the girls weren’t a hit with the Indians. That was fine for them as they took to backseat directing more than acting anyway. Kahlia did get chatted up by Jesse Metcalf. He even suggested to the director he should do a double take of her as he pass by her in the shot, it didn’t fly.

On a more serious note; being part of making a movie was really interesting, definitely a great experience.  They only managed about 5 scenes in the day (most were mere seconds) and one scene took 24 takes.

 Met at our guesthouse by a guy from “Casting Planet” at 7:30am and began making our way to the set of a movie now called The Other End of the Line with Larry Miller (remember the guy that got raped by the hamster in Dr Doolittle 2?) and Jessie Metcalf (the gardener in Desperate Housewives).  The female lead was an Indian actress famous in Tollywood making her break in Bollywood.  It turns out Adam is kind of a big deal as he made his way into everything they shot for the day.  Reagan was also very popular with the casting people…  They must have hated Sarah and I though, because even though they promised us all costumes, hair, and make-up we got none of these.  In fact, I think Sarah were the only 2 of 40 odd extras that didn’t get a clothing change…  And it is not that easy to use 2 girls wearing distinctively backpacking clothes in a movie set in a 5 star Californian hotel and corporate office.  At least Adam and Reagan got their breaks.  We got fed for the day, and paid 400Rs ($12) at the end of the 14 hour shoot.  We met a lot of fun people though, and stayed out a little while with some of them, but still didn’t make it out in the clubs of Mumbai.

 The madness of Mumbai after the serenity of the Maldives is, well, startling. I’m slowly getting over the shock and really enjoying it. The food is great and cheap and I have found my favourite cheap beer. Beer Lao was the cheapest beer I had found in Asia, at 33 Baht (about AUD $1), it was also the worst beer I had ever tasted. We now have a great tasting beer at similar prices; A round of applause for the mild amber ale Hayward’s 2000. It weighs in at 45 rupees (about AUD $1.30). Sorry no photos like Charlies write ups.

There is indeed a lot of poverty here, we haven’t been to the bad spots yet, besides some of the personal hygiene issues (like defecating on the streets) it hasn’t been that confronting yet. The strangest thing has been their time zone is GMT +5.5; I didn’t think that was allowed!

The old colonial architecture is amazing. I really think I’m going to like England. I can’t help a sense of loss when I’m here; I feel I missed something amazing by not being here in colonial times. So far this is my number one choice destination if I had a time machine. I’m sure it would change if I thought about it for longer… but for now it’s India and where better than the Gateway to India… Bombay, sorry I’m still in living in its past, Mumbai.

 A Sri-Lankan tuk tuk back to the airport not long after we awoke to our obnoxious alarm.  Only to arrive at the airport for them to tell us that (Happy Birthday Kahlia) Sri Lankan Airlines had overbooked the flight, and they wanted us to fly out either after midnight or the next day.  Not cool.  The nice guy next to us actually gave up his seat and we got on the flight after all.  At Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) in Mumbai (Still “Bombay” to locals) we eventually met up with Reagan and Sarah and got a taxi to Colaba down on the water.  We drove past the most beautiful colonial buildings.  Sydney got jipped with only the rocks to show for our heritage!  Unfortunately, after finding out 400 Rupees guesthouse and eating dinner, we all crashed into bed.  But not before we lined up a day as extras in Bollywood and Reagan and Sarah pulled out an inedible birthday cake from Goa and they all sang me “Happy Birthday”.

So late at night…  Caught a prepaid taxi to our accommodation (Windmill Guesthouse) in Negombo.  We just crashed despite everyone wanting to talk to Adam.

 Our time was up and we were starting the more adventurous part of the honeymoon. The trip back was uneventful. We spent it chatting with a couple, Bill & Rachael, we had met from Manchester. They were an older (just J) clone of us. He had an internet company; she was working in the same area of health as Kahlia. We shared wedding horrors and highlights almost missing out flight to Sri Lanka.

The airport at Hanimaadhoo was very cool. You arrive to the jetty by speed boat (still barefoot) you walk across sand to the waiting lounge until you are ushered to your flight. No bag checks, no announcements, no passports… no hassle. This is air travel in paradise.

Kahlia is keen to come back, I would love to come back in a yacht and sail around the atolls. But for the cost of the resorts there are so many other places to see for the first time that I think the Maldives will have to wait awhile.

Off we go in search of a new paradise.

Photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chambills/tags/maldives/

 Our over water suite was initially a little disappointing after the opulence of the Hideaway Palace. Our bathroom didn’t compare to the outdoor masterpieces of the Palace. Our ocean view bathtub, sauna and steam room helped us overcome this.

The next morning we arrived at the waterfront restaurant for breakfast. To my amazement the water was filled with jack fish…. and about 20-30 black tip reef sharks around 1-2 ft mark. It was amazing! Having just come from Kapalai and Sipidan we had expected to be disappointed by the marine life, this made my day… and every other breakfast. The sharks made Kahlia a little nervous initially (although small there were a lot of them… an Army of sharks really). We soon learnt that the bread rolls at breakfast (and all uneaten scraps) were to be thrown to the fish and sharks. If you threw with the sun behind you the fish would be there before the food landed and with a great flourish a feeding frenzy would begin.

Later in the week I got in with the sharks at breakfast and our butler brought different types of food for me to watch be devoured from underwater. To my disappointment the sharks were very scared of me. They also were not really interested in the bread or cooked meats. Then Easa brought out raw chicken and the sharks went absolutely nuts… I can’t wait to do the Mike Ball diving trip in Cairns where they dump meat into the sea with real size sharks feeding. Good times J

The hotel visitor information suggests that you don’t swim at night. Despite the warning being buried in their literature it’s probably unnecessary. If you walk to the water’s edge at night the lights from the restaurants and resort reflect of the seemingly fluorescent fins of the many sharks hunting in the shallow waters. Even to me it was an eerie sight and one which was not conducive to swimming.

After numerous days of nothing we ventured out to the water sports office and picked up a surf bike. This contraption is a sailboard bottom with an exercise bike mounted on top which drives a propeller, very fun. We cruised around the lagoon swimming in the crystal water; it was a truly amazing scene. We eventually stumbled upon an eagle ray and chased him around the lagoon jumping in to catch a glimpse when we got close enough.

We had a single dive at “The Aquarium” to say that we have had a dive in the Maldives. We were also hoping to see our first Manta Rays as the season had started and the plankton was in bloom. We were disappointed… both at the lack of Manta Rays and at the bad visibility caused by the Plankton. In general we are just spoiled by Sipidan.

The week was very relaxing and enjoyable. Either the wedding was taking its toll or relaxing is a hard business because we left still quite tired. The island is amazingly beautiful, the food is very average, the accommodation is wonderful. The price tag makes you cry but this is a once in a lifetime thing.
On the price tag, when we checked out I had forgot to transfer money to my credit card in time to pay. When I received the bill I almost croaked as I realised we couldn’t pay it!! I embarrassedly asked for internet access to transfer money to my debit credit card. After holding up the boat for 15 minutes (the internet is really slow) I finally paid. To my relief the amount they charged was not the total bill (I had already paid half as deposit). It turns out we could have easily paid them without all the hassle and hold up… very embarrassing.

http://www.island-hideaway.com/guest_villas/HWS.html