This week’s on this day post comes from the 9th-December-2011, and I’m in Mumbai, India, on my world tour. After flying in from Turkey the previous day, today I’m playing the tourist before I head off into the wilds of India tomorrow to continue on my world tour.
Friday 9th December 2011 in Mumbai
Well, I think I’m going to like India, curry for breakfast again! After breakfast, I went out for a wander. Unlike Istanbul, I wasn’t hassled to buy anything, especially not any carpets! While out, I bought some sugar cane juice from one of the many street traders. Not too sure if that was a good idea or not. We’ll see tomorrow!
After finishing my juice, I went for another wander and found myself at the impressive Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj railway station. The inside of the station wasn’t up to much! Although that’s possibly not true! It was so busy that I could only see crowds of people! After leaving the station, I continued walking around and unsurprisingly, I saw loads of cricket matches being played. They certainly do like their cricket here.
Some Things Haven’t Changed
I forgot to mention yesterday that I went to Leopold’s café, which was involved in the 2008 terrorist attacks. There are still signs of the attack, with two panes of glass preserved with the bullet holes still in them! Ten people at the café sadly lost their life! I hadn’t known this. It was told to me by an Indian sports presenter, who said he was famous! Really? I’ll Google him at some point. But whether he was famous or not, it was nice talking to him, and he was good company.
After Leopold’s, I went to the “Gateway of India”, which was extremely busy. Whilst I thought it would be busy with tourists. After all, it is one of Mumbai’s main tourist attractions. But I was amazed that most of the tourists were Indians. I hardly saw a westerner at all! Across the road from the Gateway is the Taj Mahal hotel, which was also involved in the 2008 terrorist attacks.
I went out for a shave with one of the street traders in the evening, which cost me less than fifty pence! It wasn’t quite the same as Michael Palin’s shave when he was filming his “Around the World in 80 days” tv series. A blind man shaved him! Mine was in the dark, though! While out tonight, I also brought a bell for my bike. Everybody lives on their car horn or bike bells. It’s a constant cacophony of horns and bells! So, if you can’t beat them, join them! Look out, India, here I come!
It’ll be good to get back on the road tomorrow; I’ve not cycled for a week now! I think getting out of Mumbai could be an adventure!
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