Get the hell out of Mumbai

---

O.M.G
We finally arrived in Mumbai after an amusing flight. Cat (who Im travelling with) started to black out on the flight. I've never seen the colour drain from someones face so quickly. Luckly we had Rob sat next to us, a paramedic from London-who helped out loads even though he was completly pissed on red wine.

Mumbai is full on in ya face chaos. A big shit hole full of smelly slums, run down buildings and wild dogs everywhere. We decided to roll with it, and embrace. This is a city in India after all.
We got a taxi to Colarba. the unoffical tourist hub of mumbai. And found our budget hotel.

After a quick kip and change, we headed out to check out this hectic place. In hindsight 5.30pm on a friday was probably a bad idea, it was like lambs to the slaughter.
We got followed around by everyone. Teenage boys wanting photos with us, at one stage there was a group of about 30 men stood around us. Cat made things worse by wearing short shorts and having bleached blonde hair(noone shows their legs in Mumbai, not even men).
Then the beggars found us. Women with babies asking for money to feed them-this broke my heart. But we had to just say No and move away.

Day two we took a boat trip from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island.
Being the only two white females on the hour long boat ride made us mini celebrities. Children wanted to sit next to us and touch us as if we were Bollywood stars.
Elephant Island was rubbish-a collection of caves with carvings of Indian Gods. But they were too poorly lit to see.
The only excitment was when massive storm clouds came over and it started to get windy. All the Indians started getting excited and rushing around to cover their market stalls. Cat shit herself and started legging it back to the boat. Ive never seen her move so fast. Didnt realise she can't swim. On the boat trip back the Arabian sea was rough and the rain lashed down with a full on lightening
storm above us. I didnt know whether to laugh or cry. Very surreal.

Day three we got the hell out of Mumbai and took a taxi to the airport.
We travelled in style in a indian version of an old skool larda, that broke down and stalled at every set of lights.
Traffic is free for all carnage. Everyone swerves in and out of lanes using their horn to let cars know they are coming through.

Flew straight to Goa and took a taxi to Arambol, in the north.
Felt like I'd arrived in hippeville, all the shops smell of incense -selling crystal jewleryand colourful indian clothes There are western travelers everywhere and yoga centres. I've died and gone to heaven my perfect world.
We've got an appartment over looking the beach for 300 rupees per night which works out 1.80 pound each.
The first night we had dinner on the beach, all the tables were lit by candles(arrh the romance).
We had two main meals and 8 cocktails, wine and beer for a total of 6pound. As you can imagine-I took full advantage of this and got hammered orderina style.

Have had a few days chilling out with the sunshine and eating yummy seafood and Goan curries. Everyone is so relaxed here.. Apart from George, a crazy russian rasta wanna be we met last night. He thought he came from out of space and seems to have been in India way too long.. Ha!!

---