Mumbai

Some of you will be aware that India wasn't one of the countries I was most excited about. Now that I'm here and have conquered my fears I can say that the reason I wasn't amped about it was due to concerns about cuisine, cleanliness, poverty and transport. For me Mumbai(Bombay) was a revelation of how wrong my perceptions were but also how overwhelming cultural differences can be. It's not a particularly beautiful city and there isn't a whole lot to do but the tempo is out of control and the food is absolutely fantastic. Getting in at night only adds to the confusion and when that night is New Years Eve it can be a little daunting. As our taxi neared the centre of town we found ourselves trapped in streets of dancing, singing, drum playing, crazy mumbikers who's idea of fire works is anything that explodes, the louder the better. Considering the DFAT warnings for NYE in Mumbai and Goa it was more than a little disconcerting falling asleep to the sounds of bomb blasts. We spent the next few days wandering the streets taking in the sights and sounds, having numerous heart attacks in taxis and eating fabulous food for bargain prices. At this stage I'm going to be heavily reliant on a tummy bug if I'm going to lose any weight at all in India. Tonight we head off on a 12 hour train trip to Goa.

The Taj Hotel

Bombay Uni

Crowded streets in the Bazaar district