No airport filming passes for non-Indians

Location Hotel room in Mumbai | Mood Lonely | Date 25 October 2005
Filed in:
Author (full name): 
Franny Armstrong
Location: 
Hotel room in Mumbai
Mood: 
Lonely
Soundtrack: 
Distorted Hindi pop from taxis outside
Ailments: 
Sore eyes from sleeping in contact lenses
Date: 
25 October 2005
Current crisis: 
No airport filming passes for non-Indians
Current silver lining: 
Camera has been taken apart and cleaned for 25 quid
Next job: 
Jeh at home with son and pregnant wife

I've been following the cabin crew around for days, trying to film them doing their life raft practice.

 Day one, we all got to the pool, but it was only three-feet deep, so hard to practise drowning.

Day two, we get to pool two, they all change into their shorts, t-shirts and life jackets and line up by the edge ready to jump. I've got a lovely wee shot set up. Water sparkling, sun shining, girls who can't swim trembling. Then Mr Hotel Owner informs them that swimming in t-shirts is not allowed in his pool. Two-hour discussion ensues. Really two hours.

Day three, pool three, and I'm there at 5pm as agreed. The problem this time is that the Government Inspector who has to oversee the test is tied up with something else. We wait till 7.30, by which time it's almost completely dark, even though it's an indoor pool. Then they decide to do it without the inspector. In they all go, but it's probably too dark to end up in the film - although with a bit of tweaking, it may look amusingly like moonlight sparkling on the water and we could maybe make a funny scene pretending that it is a real emergency and they are all in the sea. Maybe.