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Published: January 6th 2008
apollo hotel view
View from our hotel roomWendy here. This is difficult to get started! I'm sitting in a poky little room up an insane flight of stairs down a back street of colaba writing this. Casey and James are resting up before we embark on our overnight train journey tonight down to the konkan coast. We really haven't done alot in mumbai, but have rested and ate really well. The food and people are delightful everywhere we go!
The journey here went very smoothly - no hiccups whatsoever and we even did the free tour of singapore provided by the airport during our transit, including a bumboat tour of the river complete with a recorded overly enthusiastic american guide.
Flying in to mumbai was amazing even in the middle of the night. It was quite a shock to see the ramshackle homes built right up to the edge of the airstrip and so many people asleep on the sidewalks as we were driven to our hotel in the tiny little ambassador taxi. It was all so surreal and you just can't be prepared for how all the sights, smells and sounds will make you feel. It seems so chaotic and desperate and yet so much seems to
work so easily and smoothly.
Spent the first day recovering and just walking about the streets of colaba. Witnessed a bag snatch - very exciting to see on your first morning! The guy came racing out onto the street and jumped onto the back of his accomplice's motorbike, shouting "Go, go, go!" The victim was a local and it was all very distressing really.
Yesterday we took a ferry out to Elephanta Island. The one hour boat ride was lovely, no white caps Errol will be pleased to know. Very calm and a lovely cool sea breeze. Walking about the rock cut caves of Elephanta was quite a serene experience. We got out there early so it was a very peaceful outing. The monkeys however always manage to put on a show and enjoyed the corn cobs they were able to snatch from the hands of young children.
Later we enjoyed a meal of chicken tikka and garlic cheese naan at the famous/infamous Leopold's. In the evening we jumped on the MTDC open air bus tour to see all the amazing architecture of the area made so pretty with twinkling lights. With all the constant tooting of horns and other
gateway to india
Leaving the Gateway to India on te way to Elephanta Island associated traffic and bustle noise, plus the constant chatter and moving about of one large extended family group on the bus, it was impossible to hear anything that was said about any of the buildings and it didn't matter a single bit because it was just fantastic to drive about and see the city from that height and feel the gentle sea breeze again. At one point I heard the guide emphasise that everyone needed to listen very carefully and that they should all, "Stop the talking or start the walking!"
Today started with big plans for more sight seeing before we head down the coast but these were wiped when one of us started to experience the dreaded stomach cramps. I won't say who - leave you all guessing, but the upshot of that was that we decided to just chill out and see what eventuated.
So we've really enjoyed a slow start and are glad to be leaving the city and finding some space to move. We'll be passing back through soon so will have time for more seeinfg of sights then.
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richard branson sighted at leopolds
OK Casey, what have you done with James? Left him in the hotel room to recover while you and your ma have dinner with Mister Branson. Tres relieved to seeing your smiling faces in situ. More photos of Casey please!