High Court attempt and another scam

After a few more hours today sending emails I decided that with no scientists to meet as yet I would instead go for a walk to the High Court in Mumbai. A chance to see the Indian justice system in action and to get more of an insight perhaps into how evidence is presented and assessed.

Managing to get out of the area of Mumbai I have so far confined myself to, Colaba, I was about to enter the Fort area when a man promptly inserted a small pointy stick into my ear. Time for a bogus medicine-man style con... Sadly knowing someone is about to try and con you doesn't necessarily help. A pointy stick in the ear tends to root you to the spot I found... Seconds later after a scrape around, followed - no doubt - by some slight of hand and some concealed clay he pointed out that my ears were full of nasty brown stuff (incidentally not the same colour of any ear wax I have ever seen on a cotton bud). However, I decided to play along and next thing I know he was pulling a small stone out, also covered in clay. All good fun. No idea how I've been managing to hear with all that stuff in there! Even more surprising that my hearing was exactly the same once the stone and other gunk had been 'removed'. Anyway I asked how much this service cost and he conveniently pulled a card, laminated, so therefore legit showing it was 500 rupees. I quite enjoyed the scam, but not that much. I thought 100 was plenty (around £1.40 I think) and also I now know to move away quicker from men with small pointy sticks. I think he also knew he had done well, so all happy I moved on.

Anyway, after a couple of wrong turns I made it to the High Court. Unfortunately too late to get in, so will have to return tomorrow. I thought that while I was there I'd at least get a photo of it. I crossed at least 4 lanes of traffic to get a better view which is a skill I am still working on. Many, many indians crossed before I had the nerve to walk out into the traffic. Getting to the other side I realised that the view was no better from there as the trees conceal most of the building, still having risked life and limb I was going to get my photo. Except I wasn't. Next lesson of the day - camera batteries work far more effectively inside the camera rather than inside the hotel.

Back at the hotel I have at least had some good news - neuroscientist Dr Champadi Raman Mukunda, developer of the BEOS system has been in touch again and is still keen to meet!

So lessons for today:
1) Don't let people stick sharp sticks in your ear
2) Turn up to court early
3) Electrical equipment works best with a power source

Admittedly I really should have known these already. I blame the jet lag.