Saturday 26 November 2005
Today we take a trip to Juhu beach in Mumbai's northern suburbs. On the train Clive has a map open, checking that we're heading in the right direction. This appears to fascinate several nearby passengers who follow his every finger movement across the map. Juhu beach has a reputation as a playground for Mumbai's rich and famous, but like most things Indian it's grubby, smelly, and you get hassled by touts and beggars. We find a beachside hotel for a spot of lunch, before walking back to the railway station where, on the way, we visit a shop selling the most glorious bejewelled Indian clothes. We daren't ask the prices!
Clive gets quite excited on the return journey when he spots a number of centre-cab 8-coupled diesel-mechanical shunters employed on carriage shunting duties, but fails to get the numbers. Sarah was relieved. For dinner we go to Café Mondegar which has a jukebox and the motto "Enjoy Beer and Music Together". Clive goes over to the jukebox to see if it contains any good old Kiwi classics which might weed out some NZ backpackers from the crowd, but when he reaches the jukebox he discovers he can't read the song names without his glasses, which he doesn't have with him. Poor old sod!
The plan is to go to the Taj Hotel in the evening for another dance. On the basis that it didn't start getting full until midnight on Wednesday when we last went, we don't set out until 10pm. However, when we get there we're confronted with a R1300 entrance fee - over $43 just to get in! "b***** that for a game of soldiers," says Clive (he often says that but no-one knows what it means, including him) and we return to the hotel for a milky drink and an early night.
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