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Published: July 24th 2010
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16.07.10
After receiving our Visas almost a month after applying we're finally on our way to Mumbai YEYYY!!!
We leave fromHeathrow airport with Jet Airways (really nice). At the airport we pick up some rupees at the exchange in the departure lounge, we couldn't get them anywhere else in the UK, apparantly it's not legal to take rupees into India from outside but we thought best to have something as we are arriving so late. Glad we did as the exchange in the airport wanted to charge us 700rs to get 1000rs!!! We arrived at around midnight where it was announced the temperature was 28 deg 98% humidity!!! Got through customs and immigration no bother. We waited in the 'pre-paid'taxi queue and ordered a taxi to the Carlton Hotel in Colaba which cost 400rs. You get a receipt with a number which gives you your taxi reg number.
Walking out of the airport was like walking straight into a sauna!! Hundreads of people around the place was buzzing even at 1am in the morning. We find our taxi and drivier (who didn't speak a word of English) and now our adventure begins!!
After 5mins in the taxi, sweating like a fat
bloke in a sauna, the driver stops and walks off somewhere!?! We sit in the taxi hoping he has gone to find directions for our hotel. Eventually he comes back and we get on our way. As we drive there are young boys and girls running along asking for money. The traffic is crazier and the roads even crazier!!! A red light means go and a green light means go, simple!! The rule is beep your horn to tell someone to get out of the way. Seems to work for these Indians though!
What a culture shock, on the way we see hundreads of people sleeping in the streets in the pouring rain, unreal.
Eventually after stopping a few times we get to our hotel & give the drive a tip of 100rs, weren't sure what the norm is here. Sweating like mad we walk up to our hotel, it was dark and looked a bit dingy. As we go in there are 3 dogs who look like they could do with a big bowl of Pedigree Chum sleeping on the stairs. I say to Brad Í can't stay here'and we head back out. As we turn around the hotel
Mgr comes out, Brad asks him if the dogs are ok and he says of course so we head up the stairs of the Carlton Hotel )just next to the Taj hotel). We chose an AC room (1000rs) , Non-AC was 800rs. The guy shows us the room which is nice and clean, TV Fridge and a nice balcony outside. The toilets and shower are seperate but nice and clean, all you need. Raj, the friendly manager bringd us a couple of Kingfishers (Brad's happy already) and a couple of bottles of water, we chill on the balcony for a bit and can't believe we're finally here, happy as pigs in muck!!!
Next morning we get up and walk around taking it all in. All the Indian blokes are staring at me and we are constantly stopped by people selling things, beggers etc. We head to the Gateway of India on the harbour, a memorial of King George V first visit in 1911. On the way back we are stopped by a Bollywood scout asking if we wanted to be extras in a Bollywood film the next day and get paid 500rs, why not!!! We the grab something to eat
at Leopodls (very expensive for India).
I'd been watching a family who lived on the street outside the hotel, strane to say but they seemed happy together. The little girl was absolutely gorgeous and the mother was immaculate in her Indian dress. I never once saw them beg. I said to Brad lets go and get them something so we got a bag of fruit and some drinks which they were over the moon with. We sat chatting to them for a bit and went back to the hotel. Went back out to get a SIM card and they they were sitting around eating the fruit and passing the drinks around, I filled up!!.
At 8am the next morning we meet outside the Salvation Army to go to the Bollywood Studios. We meet other travelers and get on our way with ''Shetty Travel"! We are still overwhelmed at what we see on the way, the cows in the street, people everywhere!! After an hour we arrive at the studios, not as glam as we thought!!! We were taken to the ''green room'' and we sat chatting together while the producers were talking between them. A few of us (Brad
and me included) got black suits to wear.Ok,let me let Brad take over now-Hello all,so we on this Bollywood set and the producer comes and picks me out,he gets the make-up dude to get to work on me and then the BOMB,i have a speaking role as the lawyer for this HUGE guy,muscles everywhere,5th strongest guy in the world(very famous Indian actor/sportsmen),and my assistent is a famous Indian actress!!!Well i almost shat myself as my drama skills are non-existant and the heat being in the suit are unbereable...Having Hollywood style cameras on you and people around is pretty hectic,but it was such an experience!!!To top it all off i get on the credits and the movie is released in the USA,Canada&UK in November this year.(got paid aswell,woohoo)So guys,I'm open to autograph signings any day of the week!!!(Oh yeah,and Lindsey was the judges assistant,but that was easy,haha)
India is an amazing place and you realise all the materialistic things in life are just not important. You cannot believe how these people live and you just have to admire them and come to terms with this is how life is here. The men stare but they are harmless, there are stray
dogs and cows (and a we just saw a goat) they're just chilling. We're having a fantastic time, everyone's so friendly and we've met some great people in the few days we've been here.
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CraigHunter
Craig Hunter
India Blog
Enjoyed the blog. Brad, did you get him off the charge ? If so, we can use you here in the States. They pay, lawyers $500 an hour here. So for 500rs a day, I'll be your agent.