I’m sure you’ve tried your hand at channel surfing thought if you life in Bombay I doubt you’ve been doing that off late. Sadly again if you live in Bombay surfing the sometimes sweet but mostly salty, always polluted waters of the Arabian Sea is not an option one can exercise without getting tiny flagellated protozoan parasites into ones body not to mention whatever pollutants that call that blessed sludge pool we call the Mithi river home.

The question arises – Have you ever gone Couch Surfing ? If you are lukha* (not a lafaanga) like me you have probably spent nights on other peoples couches (and their other random act of kindness) and many daylight hours sleeping on your own (couch). Couch Surfing is a free international Internet-based hospitality service that allows you to stay with locals on your travels. Some say it is the only way to travel – who needs hotels, hostels anyways. If you are wondering where Mumbai come into all this just hold on a minute and let me finish my inane rant. OK I’am done. Something about CS appeals to many Mumbaikers out there which has culminated into a lively forum on their website [link]. I don’t know what is it that attracts your average Bombay denizens to such a community may be they are attracted to the squatter-like quality of this entire exercise, or may be they just love their privacy being invaded or would just want to use this as a dating service (bad person bad) but mostly I think it is born out of their interest to meet and connect with new and interesting people.from all over the world.

Mumbai CSers are hosting a meet up on Sunday 27th of August at the Carter Road Ampitheatre (Open area) followed by Joggers park at 5 pm.

The group’s page has more info

If your like to travel or even better are visiting the city you can turn up as long as your are wearing a black cap with a red carnation and a pink tutu to boot. Just kidding they’ll be happy to have you. Highlight of the evening Aparna reminds me would be a small presentation on Balkan region – Lithuania by my friends from Kaunas and probably Macedonia by her two other friends from Skopje.

Here’s the full address.

For directions use the Mumbai Navigator stating caterroad(pali) as your desitination

The Amphi is opposite the Cater Road CCD the address to which is as follows.

Shop No. 14/15,
Gagangiri Premises Building,
Ground Floor,
Carter Road
Bandra
Mumbai-52

You could comfirm your presence by emailing couchsurfingmumbai@yahoo.com – all queries could be directed to the same address

Unrelated Note :

Mumbaiya lesson for the day Lukha & Lafanga –

lukha denotes, at various points in time and persons, unemployed, useless, worthless, and the unemployed is often hailed as lafanga though lafanga is used to ‘mark’ an individual who is amiscreant, usually an eve-teaser.

Defination Courtesy Zainab