Slept well again (probably after all the walking, the heat and the relatively short sleep on the sleeper) and the feared effect of the street mango juice with ice had, well, no effect. Some immunity perhaps following our family trip in August? Breakfast was acceptable but not outstanding and there are a few little oddities about the place I am staying (not least, as I write, the fact that I’ve locked myself out of my room and I had to go hunting to find someone, who now is on a video call to the manager who is away and who is guiding someone through all the keys to finding the right one…which is proving challenging. One ceiling fan is not working and my arms are dripping sweat all over the glass table I have placed my laptop on).
It has been minging hot again. I took the local commuter train 3 stops north to visit the famous Dhobi Ghat – where Mumbai’s washing is done by hand. Really interesting and colourful. I had been approached by a number of guides elsewhere wanting to take me but felt there was no need and I’d read it was close the station on a line that was just 5 minutes from where I am staying.
From an H&S perspective, I shouldn’t say this, but I do love the doors being open on a train – eek. OK perhaps it would be better to say the windows, but it adds to the whole experience. Jumping off at Mahalaxmi, literally, which had cost Rs10/10p return, although I wonder how many people buy tickets, it was clear which way to go. There was a great viewpoint over the railway bridge where a few hawkers and guides lay in waiting. I headed for the Ghat and had read that it is a public area and therefore no entry fee. Of course some entrepreneurial guides tried to convince me that I had to pay them to get in and take photos. I pushed on around the corner and found an entrance which was “unguarded” and, at first, cautiously wandered through the tight alleyways packed with people washing, sleeping, playing games, looking at their phones. It almost felt like a step back in time, although it really is exactly that. I kept me phone camera in my pocket and only pulled out to take a discrete photo with no people in it. As I wandered through I became more relaxed and a number of men working there cried out “Hello! Good morning!” and one or two struck up a brief friendly conversation. At this point I asked if I could take a photo of the colourful washing in front of me. No problem!
The number of westerners I have seen has now reached double digits!
Back in to Churchgate – and I’m feeling like a real local now. Wander around similar area to yesterday hoping to find a decent place for some street food. Get diverted by a sweet lassi that was off the charts for Rs20/20p. Find a place recommended by Time Out magazine close to CST/VT. Stand-up eating a local speciality of Pav Bhaji at the bar served by a team of elderly ladies. Delicious. Not sure the cheese and slab of butter helped with something that appears to be bulging a little more after 3 days…??!
Back to Gateway. The heat is perhaps affecting the cab drivers as an altercation ensures between 2 drivers. I take the crowded local ferry to Elephanta Island, Rs240/£2.40 return, which I visited on my trip 25 years ago. The caves are less impressive than I remember but I would say that could actually be because after that trip, I visited the Ellora and Ajanta caves which were stunning. The heat is now taking its toll on me and I can feel my face is bright red. The locals are probably thinking I look like some odd kind of pink sweaty mess! I haven’t been helped by the fairly steep climb to the caves and what was probably a fairly brisk pace up them and around the caves.
Back on the boat after another delicious, no ice, sugar cane juice, I realise that slowly but surely I have been somewhat surrounded in an inquisitive friendly way by some young men and conversation develops. Before I know it, I have a new follower on Instagram (perhaps that will open up CrockysTravels to a whole new audience 😉 and drive the number of followers off the charts?!). They’re a funny bunch of guys on a guys trip.
Confession number 1 for the day: I am done and can’t be bothered to walk to Churchgate for the train 2 stops back and get an Uber all the way. It was Rs150/£1.50. Blow the expense.
A cold mango and beer awaits and strangely, the two seem to go together.
Type this up. Need another cold beer. Purely rehydration purposes. Seriously. OK, dinner calls. I have to be away by 04:30 tomorrow for the train journey to Goa which should be a belter. Heading off to Girgaon Chowpatty for hopefully some curried seafood.
Mumbai has really got under my skin. I’ve loved it. It has a South East Asian feel to it, combined with the energy, heat, chaos, noise, relative lack of hassle, some seriously impressive pieces of colonial architecture, the Parsi influence, and even has the feel of some of the more traditional areas in Hong Kong such as Kowloon, Sheung Wan and Wanchai, with their dilapidation but character buildings. Perhaps that is why it has appealed? Or is the copious amount of mangoes lying around that, seriously, are driving me crazy!!
