Mumbai is jumpin!

Well I bet you all didn't expect to hear from 'me' so soon! I came across this internet cafe just down the road from my 'temporary' accomodation in Mumbai. I have been here a couple of days and I must say, on the night I arrived here I wanted to go back home again! I am staying at the Hotel Anukool - for a start the 12 year old taxi driver and 'his pal' couldn't find their way to it and kept asking other taxi drivers every 5 minutes for advice. I eventually got there and what can I say, I have a room costing about five quid a night and what more can you expect - maybe a bit of cleanliness wouldn't go astray but I do have a room to myself so I can't complain! Well I could, the bed is so hard its like sleeping on the floor and I have had an itchy heid since the day and hour I slept in it - oh yes and my first day - I got a mosquito bite and so hey its not looking good for me, malaria here I come. Saying that I havn't had the runs...yet and my staple diet is pretty much fruit and huners of it!

So my actually 'Day 1' I was a bit worried as my guide book is for the south of India but on close inspection I noticed it did cover Mumbai. And so it recommended the tourist office near the train station and so thats where I decided I was heading. Dead proud of myself, I got the train - it was pretty cool in that there is a 'ladies' department - I would love that in the toon. So eventually found the tourist office after negotiating my way around the very very very noisey traffic - horns are blown every second in Mumbai and contrary to my usual self - no thats not exaggerating - its a fact - its a rat race out there. So anyway! I got to the tourist office and looked at what was recommended, there was quite a few things but I only had an afternoon and a day before my next stop and asked about a guide - meaning 'about what was on' - I was pointed in the direction of the person organizing 'guides' - turned out positive as I ended up with the wonderful 'Rama' - previous freedom fighter of India and woman in a million at 79 years old. Rama took me round Mumbai the next day - ie today. Yesterday I went to the Prince of Wales Museum, very good and a few people chatted with me and asked if I needed any help of information including a ten year old girl who kept giggling and pointing at things saying 'nice, yes'!

So Day 2 with Mother Rama, she is the coolest. She got to Anukool at 9am looking for me and demanding I go downstairs to get her. We got a taxi and headed for Muhatma Ghandi Museum, and can I just say 'I was blowen away'. That museum has made a life long impression on me. Hopefully I will work out how to put photos on here and you can share some of my experiences. What a feeling in that building that he spent a lot of his life in. A note - it was owned by Rama's grandfather who was a friend of the man himself.

From there we went to a 'Jen' Temple. The Jens are a break off of the Hindu religion although they are a very old religion themselves. They have a lot of Temples and seem to be the most affluent of Indians. They do not eat meat and more than that won't eat veg from the ground as in pulling it out you could hurt insects. Respect to the Jens.

It was raining a 'lot' today, in fact it is torrential outside right now but still very warm. We got a taxi and as there was no other we managed to share a taxi with a 'jeweller who is also a musician' - Udit Sarda. He recommends his shop - Bienvenue (specialises in silverware, gifts and novelties), 6 Nepeasnsea Rd, Opp Uti Bank, Mumbai - wwww.bienvenuesilver.com.

I met some really cool people in a beautiful shop in Mumbai - it specialises in handmade goods, including silk carpets, duvet covers, cushion covers and also jewellery they make to your specification. You are treated like royalty when you go in to the shop, they give you a 'refreshing drink' and then they all rally round showing you what wonderful hand crafted gems they have to offer. I was asked to talk a look around the jewellery section - but do they let you leave - of course not! Sit, sit, sit, sit! And not in an annoying way but actually very endearing with their sweet smiles and kindness. I had to be hard, I could have spent a thousand quid in that shop easily today, I kept telling myself what I was here for plus the fact I have no space in my luggage - yes I have brought far too much stuff! Anyway the 2 that had my full and undivided attention the most were Sahil with the cheeky smile and Asif who was more a cool and collected charmer! They showed me some beautiful gem stones and tried to convince me to be good to myself, Sahil (Zahoor - nickname!) even offered to buy me the gem as a gift as I sat so long talking with them and enjoying their company. And YES if or when I come back to Mumbai I will most definitely be coming back to visit you guys. The shops name - APSARA INTERNATIONAL, Electric House, Colaba Causeway, Mumbai 400 039. Tel 2284 1790, Fax 022 2204 0906.

Another highlight of the day has been celebrating 'Ganesh', one of the Gods of the Hindu religion and bringer of prosperity! This festival lasts 16 days and started yesterday. Don't tell the Bishop but I had some of the sweet and yogurt they offer and got a bit of red on my forehead, in fact it is still there right now. Ganesh is the elephant like God, he was created by his mother, and was told to protect the home and not let anyone enter, when his mothers husband tried to enter the house he tried to stop him as asked. The husband (his father I suppose!) cut off his head, the mothers tears were endless and the father went out and found an elephant sleeping and cut off its head and replaced it - and there you have Ganesh. There is more - look it up on tinternet. I have a photo of a couple of beautiful boys dancing around the alter of Ganesh for me as they wanted me to take a photo, so very endearing. I have found all the Indian people I have met here so very nice and helpful and sweet. And you know what it has been pretty good being the minority for a change, although a lot of people do stare!

When I first got here what struck me most was the poverty, so many people sleeping on the streets, especially children, and so many people begging. Also the majority of the buildings are very run down and in need of great repair. I was pretty apprehensive at this first sight. But now I must admit, I have fallen head over heels in love with this people. They are so humble and beautiful. Rama, my guide today also took me to the Taj Mahal hotel - it was too expensive in there and what a direct contrast to where I was staying, costs of about two hundred quid a night. Again, I have photos. Rama knows the manager and got me some free fruit, matches, peanuts, a pen and a look around, it was great.

Well I am shattered, its 9.30pm, I am 4 and a half hours in front of you guys, I have been up with Rama since 9am this morning and I am so tired but happy. Rama also took me to her home tonight. It is very simple with the necessities of life yet beautiful. She also has 2 men - brothers (she calls them boys) who are like servants to her and go and see there familys only about 6 times a year as they live out in the 'paddy fields' as it is too expensive in Mumbai. They showed me back to my 'accomodation' tonight, they are so sweet and protective. What beautiful people.

Well, all the best and keep in touch, your comments and emails make me smile!

Love and hugs
Sylv x