Mumbai Goodbye....

Where to start, lets talk about the good, the flight with Jet airways was superb and as luck had it I was seated next to the only other white people on the flight, two blokes from Denmark who liked to drink. I figured this out when they both ordered 4 brandy's each and wine, this was when I figured out that all drinks were free! Needless to say it was one of the best flights ever, well until I woke up.

I am leaving Mumbai 2 days earlier than planned and am heading for Goa on the overnight sleeper train tonight (12 hour journey). Mumbai has such a contrast on one side you have very wealthy living in massive palace type houses and then you have the poorest of the poor with 6 people leaving in 1 room no bigger than an average sized bathroom. They wash and bath in the streets. I stick out like a black man at a KKK gathering and am constantly harrassed by beggers, some with babies some without some with limbs some without and mainly they do nothing to warrent any money, some walk with you for 10 minutes then ask for 60 rupes. Another thing is overcharging for tourists however I dont find this too bad as overcharging it is still remarkably cheap, like a 40 minute cab ride should have been around 90p but I paid $2 (no pound symbol on this keyboard). Driving here is erratic at best, it took me a while to figure out what side of the road they drive on (left), there also seems to be no law with cars doing what ever they like beeping their horns every 5 seconds.

The hotel is pleasant enough but the matress is like sleeping on the floor and the pillows are not of a material known to man yet, probably moon rock. I now wish I took the danes up on their offer of them stealing me the pillows and the blanket provided by the airline.

I have seen all the sights of Mumbai like Ghandi's crib, the slums, the biggest laundrete in whole of mumbai but no Dot Cotton or Mr Apadopolopolus. There was also Jain temple and Hanging gardens where I became somewhat of a celebrity as there was a school (english) trip and once I was spotted I had masses of fans and I can only describe it as being in a really bad boyband like A1 or five. They had pictures taken of me and practised their english which was shit. That has been another problem here as a lot of the people here speak only broken english which proves very difficult. No street signs and with every street looking the same (Imagine Thamesmead but shitter) I can litteraly walk 2 streets away and be lost and have to get a cab back to the hotel.

Food is a whole new chapter, It is like a lottery as you dont know what the food is but unlike the real lottery I am winning, no apple splatters for me. Eating with just the right hand is difficult.

I will try and get some photos on but the speed of their internet is straight out of 1985!


Hoping Goa will be better.