Mumbai

28.09.11

We arrived in Mumbai at 7.40am and went straight to the ticket booking office to try and book a train out to Aurangabad a.s.a.p. we were told that tourists couldn't book a ticket at this station and had to go to another station across town....mmmm, not sure why, suspicious. However we shared a taxi with a very serious, stressed out German man who had obviously had enough of being pestered and people trying to rip him off. He began to get very shirty with the taxi

driver because what the taxi driver wanted to charge was much more than what he had been told. Anyway we calmed him down and asked the driver to put the taxi on meter!

Whe we got there we went between the railway bookings of and the tourist office to decide whether train or bus would be a better option. We realised that we would have to wait to 9pm this evening to get on a train or bus, so we booked the train. Next we walked trhough central Mumbai with out packs about 1.5km to get to the station our train would be leaving from and hopefully could leave our packs, which we did.

We teh had 12 hours to kill around Mumbai. Which actually didn't prove to be too difficult, apart from the fact we were really tired and sweaty and dirty, still in the clothes we had put on the day before and slept in! We ended up having a really good day. Although I have too say that I was very cranky, finding it difficult to be polite to people hassling us to buy things and get in their rickshaw. Martin however smiled politely at everyone that spoke to us,

he got me through the day without fuss!

Actually we found in Mumbai we got a lot less hassle. Mumbai definately felt more western, more cosmopolitan. Alot of the architecture was designed and built by the British, including Victoria Station and Horniman Circle. In parts we could have been in Oxford or Cambridge, walking past the university for example.

We must have walked for miles and miles exploring the city, heading initially to India Gate, passing the Bombay Stock Exchange, the docks, Institute of Science, taking a detour to the Modern Art Museum and the university. We spent a good hour sat in one of the parks watching children play cricket. At India Gate, there was a very high police presence with

our bags being arbitarily checked to get near the gate. Around the Gate were several elaborate gypsy style carriages to take tourists for rides, you could go on a boat ride for good views of the gate or you could buy a human size balloon on elastic (why?)!

Before getting on the train we treated ourselves to a 'posh dinner' in an ac restaurant near the station, which came to a total of £6 including 2 mains, 2 soft drinks, a bottle of water, roti and a double sundae to share! Bargain! Then we back on the train for another 7 hour journey to reach our final destination of Aurangabad.

Jaipur to Mumbai

27.09.11

This morning was eventful! The price we were quoted for the taxi was again too much so we started looking at trains around Rajasthan, it looked like we couldn't get out of Jaipar for a few days. So we decided we would take Martin's friend John, up on his offer and head to Mumbai then Pune. We found a train online and thought we'd better call John to check

before we booked. 2 minutes later, we could nolonger book the train. So we headed to the train station and again booking had stopped 4 hours before the train was due to leave. We were told that we could go an hour before and try and get a

ticket an hour before.

With much dilemma this is what we did and we got on the train at 2 o'clock. we had Ac2 sleeper which was much more spacious,with only 2 bunks, 6 bunks in a carriage. We saw any unexpected sights as we travelled, from warthogs snuffling around on station platforms, people casually crossing the tracks. It was very noisy on the train, from the rumble of the train on the

the tracks, the horn sounding frquently, people snoring gently and vendors calling out their wares. In our carriage there was a really friendly the couple. They spoke to us about their lives and life in India, telling is about their daughter's 5 day wedding with 3,000 guests! They also helped explain what was going on on the train and ordered us a meal.

Unfortunately when our meal came most of it was inedible! When the couple saw us struggling they were insistent that we share their meal. They explained that they deliberately brought more food when on a journey so they could share it. It was delicious, they had made fresh roti and aloo gobhi, which was so tasty.

Soon it was time to make up our beds, stretch out and go to sleep. We were not due in to Mumbai until 8 am.

Having met this couple and a old man on the train. It made me think about the first impressions I had had of many of the Indians I have met. Typically people have not seen very open, friendly or smiley on first impressions. It's common not to be greeted automatically. People can also come across quite abrupt and stern in their manner. We have not heard one person apologise if they bump in to you or say excuse me. It is also not considered rude to stare which can be

a bit disconcerting! We have also had many people ask to have their pictures taken with us!