Day 6-13
From Ahmedabad, we took the train down to Mumbai and I almost cried when we arrived at our hotel as despite dreading the worst, it was lovely; clean, friendly staff and a great location for accessing the rest of the city.
We stayed down in the south of the city at Chateau Windsor, a hotel just off Marine Drive which lines the edge of the coast and was beautiful; the room even enjoyed its own balcony. Every evening after getting back from the cricket and before we headed out for dinner, we sat on the big wall that boarded Marine Drive and watched the sun set. Believe it or not, it was here Ian and I ate the best pizza of our lives and if you ever find yourselves in Mumbai in the future, you must check out ‘Pizza on the Bay’ on Marine Drive. I wouldn’t usually use this term but it was pukka! (or ‘gorgeous’ as our friend, Paul described it).
Can you spot me?
Mumbai is very cosmopolitan –at least by India’s standards- and although I remained covered up where possible (despite the heat), it’s a city open to westernisation but you still need to be respectful of the culture. This is also why I was pleased we visited here last as we could properly relax and enjoy ourselves, but also because we had experienced what I would call, ‘real India’ before arriving.
The Taj Hotel, Mumbai
Often when people think of India, they think slums and it’s true, poverty is everywhere across the country. People, particularly children, approach you for food and/or money all the time and it becomes annoying, but eventually you numb to it. In Mumbai, although people sleep on the streets all over the place, the main slums are situated in the north of the city which we only saw on our way to the airport home. It’s horrible to see but it’s part of India; beauty and ruin, the rich and the poor are literally side by side everywhere you go.
Mumbai Beach
So that guys, is my trip to India done. I would love to know if any of you have been there or if this group of posts has perhaps inspired you to visit? What I would say, is that as brilliant as Mumbai was, it isn’t a true insight into India and if you had the time, you must travel to somewhere like Delhi or Agra just to see things in a less developed state.
I hope you enjoyed these posts.
Until next time x
Hi Claire,
Mumbai is a city of dreams and is lovely in its own way. I love how you have written about your experiences about Mumbai and its people. Poverty and riches are like two sides of a coin in India and Mumbai is a city where this factor of India is highlighted the most.