Day 15: India - Arrival in Mumbai (Bombay as was)
Saturday mid-day and I arrive in Bombay - sorry Mumbai. Get 500 Rupees out of the cash machine, and go to find the taxi desk. The woman says R 700 into town - that seems a lot I thought, that’s…. that’s…. wait a minute that’s nearly 100 quid ! No, no, 78 to the pound not 7.8 you bloody idiot. So, I’d just got the substantial sum of about £ 6.50 out of the machine, which actually would have lasted me all day as I was to discover.
Out of the airport and immediately there is a smell to the place - don’t know what it is, but those of you who have been to India will know what I mean. This time there is no tour guide to greet me, no brother to turn to, I am on my own in India !
Taxi ride into town was hairy to say the least. They drive with their horns and change lanes every few seconds. Arrive at hotel which is small but comfortable, and my room no. - oh so close 405! That’s 404, 404, 403, and 405. What are the chances of this Mr. Evans ?
I spend the afternoon walking round the Fort area of the city. Amazing, the place is amazing. A mixture of classical Victorian Gothic architecture alongside art-deco style buildings, alongside dirty, grubby little side streets lined with street vendors selling clothes, shoes, bags, watches, telephones, cold drinks, freshly squeezed juices and cane sugar, bajia and other food items, most of which I don’t recognise. There is constant noise - from traffic and men (mainly) conversing with, and shouting to each other. Black and yellow taxis buzz around like a swarm of bees ( apparently there are about a 140,000 in the city ) In spite of all the vendors trying to sell their goods, there is no hassle. Just a “hey sir, look here sir” and if you say “no thank you” that’s it, they leave you alone. The pavements are littered with sleeping people and sleeping dogs. People having their lunch, people playing cards, people just sitting or standing around - doing apparently nothing. But everywhere there are people.
I venture out for dinner and come across a lively little place which is packed. I enter with some trepidation. “Yes, sir” a man says and saying I would like a table for one he tells me to follow him and finds me a table , gives me the menu, and says he will be back. The menu is extensive but most of it unintelligible. So, I tell him to choose something off the fish menu ( fish and seafood being their speciality) I end up with a very nice filet of spiced fish. I try some conversation with the two blokes who have joined me, but their English isn’t that good, so it’s one of those conversations where he says something and I nod, and he looks at me as if to say “well what do you think ?” and I say “pardon” and he repeats the question, and I still don’t know what he said, and so it goes on, or rather doesn’t. I pay the ridiculous sum of about R230 ( less than € 4 ) which would have been cheap for the 50cl bottle of beer alone!
Well that’s my first day in India - no events, no disasters , just fascination with a totally different life and culture
See you tomorrow
Mike in Mumbai
April 14th, 2008 at 10:54 am
I think Cairo was a good preparation for the sights and sounds of Mumbai. You are bound to meet some interesting folk. You are sounding good, strange to think of you wandering the streets and alleyways by yourself. Have you come across anyone else doing a similar trip? Will check on the probabilities of the room numbers with Pete when he gets back from his shiatsu with Annie. Meanwhile, keep smiling, and blogging. x Kate.
April 16th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Yep, that’s India for you…the smell you will never forget, more things to look at than you can believe and conversations that make no sense but are full of smiles and head nods!
xoxo