Friday in Mumbai

Today we do a walkabout in Mumbai to adjust
to the jet lag and see some sights.  This evening we
meet our International Expeditions (EI) Guide and
our two travel companions from Canada.

 

On walk to Gateway to India

Gateway of India from window of Taj Mahal Hotel restaurant

Ferries to boats in bay

We see a wide range of architecture - 
from grand colonial buildings to humble housing.

Fishing 'Village' next to sea in Mumbai

Lobby of Taj Mahal Hotel

Day 2: Feb 22, Friday

Seeking sunshine on our first real India day, we took a taxi to the old town area of Mumbai.  Three things we learned you need in order to drive in the city: good brakes, a good horn and good luck.  They pay no attention to lines, little attention to red lights (ignore them when they don't 'see' anyone coming) and the horn constantly says, "I've over here." We forgot to ask what we needed to survive as pedestrians so we stayed close to people who looked like they knew how to cross… who also didn't look suicidal. The variety of vehicles makes your head spin, but not fast enough to capture it all with photos.  Still, as crazy as it was, it's seems less crazy than what we saw in Vietnam: more tuk-tuks and cabs and fewer bicycles and scooters.  Same rules of the road though.

The Gateway to India arch and mall welcomed people from the sea to Mumbai.  It has serious barricades and one security entrance, but the agile young people climbed over with fast fluid motion like cats.  We went through the main entrance, of course.  It was a photographer's dream of colorful saris and adorable children.  We saw several photographer teams with lunchbox sized printers selling photos of folks posed with the Gateway in the background.  We didn't have the nerve to ask anyone to take our picture using our own camera… thinking we'd never see the picture or the camera again.

The venders all around peeled cucumbers, squeezed lemons for lemonade that people drank from a common glass, sold balloons, fresh fruit, and jewelry spread out on tarps.  Families sat with babies and their toddlers toddled around sans pants. 

Did you also notice the dancing Mickey Mice?

We walked to the Taj Mahal Hotel for a bit of soup and a view from the 18th floor restaurant. Delicious, expensive, expansive and spectacular. From that view we could see some colonial buildings close by to walk to next. Crossing several more death defying intersections, got close to the grand buildings and we ended up at the National Museum of Art which we paid $3 each to see.  No review here, but it was skimpy. Our feet hurt so we took a black cab back to the hotel. (The black cabs have no air conditioning, but we're from Florida after all, and wouldn't want the window to block any great photos anyway.)   

At 7 o'clock we met the tour guide, Vijay, and the other couple in our small group, Janet and Dan, from Calgary, Canada.  Vijay introduced himself as a naturalist who has been with IE for 26 years. He told us:  We'll see ten (10) UNESCO historic sites. Drink only bottled water, use same for toothbrush, no ice.  It will be HOT.  India has 21 official languages and 1,700 dialects and English is their common second language.  He says even he doesn't understand the English of some of his countrymen… somewhat like Miguel and the southerners he's met in North Carolina? We won't see all of the 1.4 billion people living in India. We will probably see a Bengal Tiger and lots of magnificent birds…birding being his favorite thing.  We will not see such nice accommodations as the Jaj President Hotel when we get to the jungle lodges where water will be hot only twice a day. Eager.

Four travelers with Vijay, our guide for the next 17 days.

Vijay said goodnight and the four of us went to dinner in the hotel restaurant. Again, delicious. I, perhaps obviously, decided not to take a half ambien, so I'm up here at 3 AM, in the dark typing on this adorable 11 inch MacBook Air.  So far so good.