Indian Navy

Being on the ground floor at R 33 in New Navy Nagar has its good points and its bad points. You don’t have to climb any stairs, which is great after a long shift with the Indian Navy. But on the other hand, you do hear everyone walking past the window at all hours. Colaba is right at the tip of the city, so the air feels different here than it does in the suburbs. It's a bit saltier. The office or living space here is pretty basic. We’ve got the standard furniture and the usual stacks of paper that seem to follow the navy everywhere we go. It’s a bit of a maze in New Navy Nagar if you aren’t used to it. People are always stopping and asking for directions to different blocks. We just point them the right way and get back to our own work. It’s a bit damp during the monsoon season, being on the ground level and so close to the coast. You learn pretty fast to keep things off the floor. We don’t really do much besides the work that needs doing. There isn't any fancy decor on the walls, just some old calendars and maybe a map or two. It feels functional. That’s probably the best word for it. We know the local shopkeepers by name. It’s a tight community. You see the same people at the mess or the gym. It’s a steady life, even if the work changes.