It has been almost 8 years since I’ve experienced the rush of being new to the city where I live. I had forgotten what that rush was like: the urge to explore, to memorize big roads and directions, the slight fear of stepping out alone, the need to know the best places to eat, drink and entertain yourself. Effectively, the first few weeks in any city are an experiment to see if you can belong.
Admittedly, my choice of city has been a bit unconventional, but there are still some idiosyncrasies of the city that are very similar to some of the other cities I’ve been to. Here’s what I saw in my first couple of days in the “New Flower” city J
1. No matter where you go, if you tell someone that you’re from Mumbai they will say one of two things: “Ohh! Is it safe now? Still many terrorist attacks?” OR even better “ Mumbaaii!! You know Shahrukh Khan?” – it’s amazing how in a country of 1 billion people, only Shahrukh Khan has managed to imprint himself on the collective memory of the whole world, literally. We underestimate the power of this man.
2. Like any big city, locals think that foreigners are incapable of handling their public transport system. I must admit that in the case of New Flower, it was borderline. Big taxis called minibuses operate throughout the city and work by stuffing as many people as they can in the 10 seater tempos. The taxis are cramped, smelly and as a foreigner, you have to be very careful with your bags. In my maiden trip, I had to change 3 minibuses to get to my hotel and was very fortunate to be helped by this oh-so-cute-Ethiopian. Guess what we talked about? Yes. Shahrukh Khan! However, the risk of these minibuses is worth it for everyone wanting to save some money. On my way to the city centre I had to shell out 80 birr for a private taxi. Compare that with 6 birr that I paid for 3 minibus rides, and I’d take the discomfort any day!
3. Every big city has some annoying, fucked up men who think they can con us tourists, because we’re actually 5 year olds. May it be Mumbai, Delhi, Paris or now Little Flower, these guys come up to you with some old tried and tested con act and expect you to fall right into their trap. Of course when you don’t they use their remaining English skills to say “Faaacckk, whai u nawt lissening to mee? Whaii u suchaa beeetch?” :P
4. I think this city is right up there on the list of cities-with-best-food. The variety of cuisines available is mind boggling and so are some of the prices. Not spending astronomical sums on food just makes the whole experience of exploring a city that much more fun! Having said that, the restaurants and cafes that exclusively serve the firang crowd have consistently mediocre food. The best places are those frequented by locals and firangs and they are always the hardest to find!
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