MArch 15th, Mumbay-#1

---

March 15h, 2006,
Day 69 of our cruise of 105
Mumbay (formely Bombay), in West India

Busy day

We were out from 8 am till 5:30pm
10 of us rented a small bus and drove 86km north of Mumbai to Lunavala a Hill Station of the British( they went there to escape the heat of the city). We climbed a mountain by tuk-tuk and then the rest by foot to reach Buddhist caves carved in the mountains, 600AD.
On our way back we walked through the Hanging Gardens and toured the seedier parts of the city. We also visited a Jain temple. We stopped at the Gateway to India ( where the British arrived and departed) across the street from the grand Taj Mahal Hotel.
Again, all a very pleasant surprise, India is lovely. We hear from people who have been here before that it has really been cleaned up.
Tomorrow we are on a Ship excursion: Marvels of Mumbay- 4 hours

We had been warned to beware and careful of the revelers during the Holi festival of colour. It was harmless. People go around throwing coloured powder at each other or coloured water. It is fun. Terry said OK, they could and they did- red dot and red finger marks on his cheeks and neck. I said no, and they did not! They also seemed somewhat intoxicated; when we asked, we were told that today only(Hoil festival), they could drink a homemade opium liquid.

That’s all, goodnight.

Hope you had a happy birthday Daniel- love you.

Hello my children, hello granny. - please send us news

Ttys, love to all

They are fixing the satellite, I could not post so you get 2 days worth

Hello my children, hello granny.
ttys

---