India’s Got Talent trip 2014
Do you like organized chaos? I thought I was over with it when I left China, but honestly I miss it! I read ‘Shantaram’ and many books about Buddhism, I dreamed of visiting India. Lucky as we are, the Craz-E-Crew Stunt Team got invited to perform in the India’s Got Talent show. Needless to say, it was quite an adventure and a very good one indeed.
As a good start, my flight got delayed which made it quite complicated to reschedule to arrive on time in Mumbai, India. This randomness is to be expected at all times when we travel, a taste of what the trip was going to be like. When I got to the airport’s exit, on December 3rd 2014, I saw the biggest crowd ever. Pacing back and forth for about 5 to 10 minutes, I finally found my name tag through the maze of people and got to meet with Ishmael (the awesomest driver in Mumbai), Stephen and Andy. Let the journey begin!
We made our way through the chaotic giant puzzle with Ishmael’s reckless driving on bumpy busted roads animated with all sorts of vehicles, especially tuk tuks. Exactly as I imagined; a concrete jungle filled with tropical vegetation, an abundance of people, stray dogs, road side shops and thrashes. Maybe a little more than I imagined!! Half an hour later, I got to meet Vince, last but not least, who completes the coordinating and protecting crew. Without these guys, we were lost in mayhem, many thanks to them!
So here we are in a hotel at a retreated area around 2 am, after a 15 hours plus ride, and next thing I know is that all performers must leave at 7 am to get to another location. Cruising in a bus this time, we got a ride in the never ending traffic, which could be translated as a persistent nasal congestion. The Indians themselves say they spend a lot of their lifetime in it! After one full aeon, we made it to the JW Marriot Hotel, heaven in Mumbai. We got acquainted with Rav Singh from RFS Entertainment, the organizer of the event to whom we are all very grateful to! Ultimate buffet and coffee with impeccable service, a giant pool, a nearby beach and a very classy room, we couldn’t ask for more.
And then it was business as unusual. Back and forth rides to the Andheri Sports Complex, the official show site. At this location, we were to find out a tight-knit brotherhood of Indian workers, ranging from rather young to older, welding in sandals, lifting equipment on bamboo frames without any kind of safety, painting without masks, hammering nails to fix plywood on the stage and on the ramps frames and add 30 Celsius degrees to this for long hours, it doesn’t get any better than this. The theme of organized chaos was hereby repeated with the director’s crew from which we could only get vague answers but who eventually did put everything together last minute to form this amazing show. We, the Craz-E-Crew, don’t like to mess around. So we gathered all of our professionalism, squeezed it into a short 2 hours only practice and pulled off an intense 3 minutes first act for the huge heart warming crowd. We did well and so did all the other performers. Look up for Akshat Singh!
Getting surrounded by our fans of all ages, taking pictures, shaking hands and getting my business cards snatched is something I will always remember. It is beyond words as to how awesome it feels to make people happy and gather around like brothers and sisters. Then it was time to party! Anyone there can tell you that we party as hard as we ride; this is how we do it!
Next and final day, I got to meet up with Dipak Panchal and his friend who took me for an extreme motorcycle ride. Then I got to meet all the other riders at a location that seemed impossible, since there is no apparent riding spots anywhere to be found in the city. Hung over and without much riding lately, I managed to pull off a few combos with the locals. It’s awesome to hang out with the riders in Mumbai; anyone going there should hit up Dipak and go for a session. Decent spot in the shades, I wish I could have stayed for another month and discover the culture.
All compounded phenomena are impermanent, therefore we had to pack and leave on December 8th 2014. This kind of event reminds me of our deep interconnectedness and I wish to thank everyone who made this possible. Despite the overall look of the city, it feels like a strong and united humanhood in India. That’s something I have yet to find in Quebec City. All of you made me feel at home on the other side of the planet and I am very grateful for this. I was in high spirits the whole time. Had a blast with everyone! Here are my special thanks to the restless who made this happen; Rav Singh @ RFS Enterainment, Vince, Andy , Stephen, Ishmael, Indian workers and director’s team, Craz-E-Crew Stunt Team, Dipak Panchal and the rider’s crew. May the light be with you, Namaste!
I am now waiting for my soul to get back here with my body and I can’t wait for a new adventure. Stay tuned and ride hard. We are one. Peace and light!
Sincerely yours with Indian head shakes,
Jason Plourde
