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We arrived in Mumbai today, a little apprehensive but very excited to be in India. We had been warned by several people that Mumbai was a bit of a hole, but nothing quite prepared us for what we found.
When we left the airport (which was very nice and contolled by dodgy looking men with hand guns and Ak's) we emerged into the incredible heat which is India and immediatly got set upon by an over enthusiastic mob of cab drivers. This was not so much a problem, we gingerly picked one out (the one that appeared to be the least dodgy). He immediatly took our hotel directions to a booth and came back saying it would cost 400 rupees (around £4), However the piece of paper he was holding (our bill) quite distinctly said 350 rupees. Not a problem it was only 50pence. He took us to this broken down cab with no seat belts or air con. Also not a problem. Then we find out he's not actually a driver but a porter who has over charged us and now expects to be tipped, and won't go away without being so. We relented.....it had been a long sleepless flight.
As we left the Airport we were greeted by the fowl stench of raw human waste wafting in from somewhere near. Needless to say we closed the windows.
The cab ride was one of the most frightening experiences of my life. All vehicles seem to barely miss driving into each other, do not indicate, take over one another when there is no space to do so and beep their horns incessantly. He also got lost and did not know where our hotel was so we spent 2 hours driving round in circles (a free tour?). And as a dog ran out in front of the car, he sped up instead of slowing down.
There's not really the words to actually describe the city in a way that would do it justice, but i'll try:
There are millions of people. I knew this before i got here but you don't fully grasp it until you see it. These people walk down the middle of motorways and step out in front of your car.
The city is a mess. There are slums everywhere. Just when you think you've got to a more modern area, youy simply find that the slums are on the pavements instead. Children play by the ruthless traffic. They go home to their shack on the pavement in the evening. Some are lucky if they have a roof, we saw some places where they're homes were simply beds laid out on the pavements. Even, what i can only assume are flats, seem to be falling down and decaying around the people. And every so often the stench of what you know is raw sewage, hits you and it becomes unbearable. We look on intrigued but incredibly saddened and very shocked. Children run naked, people work on the roadside and the women gather, and laugh. Nothing can prepare you for what you see. One of the greatest things though, is that the women, who live in these areas still hold on to their pride. They're clothes are spotless and could compete with any of the richer areas. And the children laugh as they play.
When the taxi driver finally got us to our hotel, we walked in only to find that the receptionist had no listing for us and no listing that we had previously paid the day before over the internet. She insists we provide proof, which we dualy said we would if we could use the hotels internet access, which we had to pay for! Half an hour later, and with thirty hours of sleeplessness under our belt we went to our room. Needless to say we will be going to Goa tomorrow and will not spend anymore time in this frigging hell hole!
Trust me this is not an exaggeration, it is actually worse than this. Chris swears he saw some dead bodies at the side of the road.
Never go here....don't even pass through!
Sorry i needed to rant...
Charlie x
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