Blogs from Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Asia - page 86

Our introduction to Mumbai (Bombay) was probably quite suitable and apt, though at the time it felt more like a stereotypical nightmare. Arriving into 41 degree heat at 7.30am, jet-lagged and hungry, our taxi driver seemed no more acquainted with the city than we did. At 25mph, he drove around in ever expanding loops, once threatening to drop us at the wrong hotel, several times refusing our gently proffered maps and directions, finally (after a three hour sweat-drenched jaw-clenched tip) on our eventual arrival, demanding double fare as his misunderstanding of directions had been "our loss". The views from the taxi windows added confusion to our ire, as this vast city of contradictions unfurled around us. Leaving the airport, we passed tall glitzy Hilton and Marriott hotels, before plunging immediately into mile after mile of slums. ... read more

The train ride from varanassi was a real long haul. we left at 11:30, arrived at our hotel... a lot later the next day. The train wasn't as packed as before, and we ended up sitting with a really nice Indian family, who lent us money for popsickles, offered us food, etc. etc. The only creepers this time were the people accross from us... the staring you get here is quite intense, and sometimes even waving people off doesn't deterr them! But we met some other cool indians who came to chat with us during the trip, showing pics of their fams, offering us stays at their places. Unfortuanley, we told them, Pune just wasn't in our travel plans for our short one-month thing here... maybe next time!!! The scenery on the ride was interesting... A ... read more

Hi, welcome to my Indin adventure, i'm in Goa now, i wrote this in Mumbai, but thought i'd wait and stick a few photos in... This is just a quick first entry, i only have a few minutes, then we have to go bock to the hotel to pick up some train tickets for the train to Goa tonight. The first few days in India have been quite intense, Mumbai is an incredible city, there is so much going on here, so many people and so many amazing things to see, not really in terms of sights, because we've only really been to one or two, but in terms of people and the unbelievable diversity which is everywhere you look. We got the taxi to our hotel from the airport, the airport is a good hour ... read more

Ok, so after spending so much time on the beach where it's quiet and just lazing around...I can't take big hectic cities anymore! I took the train from Canacona to Mumbai last night and arrived early this morning (6:30 am). I think I just got so used to the buses here that I really truly did not enjoy the train all that much. I was on the upperberth (really high up there) in 2nd class sleeper, no a/c, on a pleather cot with screaming babies all night long.. yeah well no sleep for me. At least theere were toilets on board.. LOL So I took a rickshaw to the International airport as it's cheaper than the domestic one to get there. There's a free shuttle to it so why not? ALthough it took over an hour ... read more

So here we are in Mmbai after hours and hors of bus travels we're heading more South, and the beaches are to come soon! Mmbai is a great city, so many people we met along the way told s bad stories about it and to me they were all wrong. This city is great! So mch to do, friendly people, great food and nice architecture. I have to say thogh that accomodation is quite higher in price but that's what big cities are for right? We've been here 2 nights now and have walked the city streets for hours. It's great. We leave at 5pm tonight to head for Goa, were the beaches are awaiting us, a nice break from it all. Carolyn is leaving on the 8th adn I'll stick around India somwhere 'til the ... read more