Mumbai

Trip Start Jan 22, 2008
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45
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Trip End Aug 22, 2008


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Where I stayed
Bentleys Hotel
(Mumbai (Bombay) hotels)

Flag of India  , Maharashtra,
Friday, May 30, 2008

We caught a bus to Mumbai from Nasik, which was a mistake since the road was very bendy and I felt a little bus sick. Also, although we were told many times that we were going to be taken to the centre of Mumbai we were dropped off near the airport and it took an hour to the hotel.. especially since the taxi driver had no idea where the hotel was and therefore just kept driving around in circles, while we were getting more and more annoyed!!

Anyway we arrived at the Hotel (1600rps a night with air con) in the Coloba area - which is really near the Gateway of India and the expensive Taj Hotel. The area is really the backpackers area and this is easy to see with many white people around and expensive food and drink prices.

It was hard to leave the air conditioned room, but I had to go over to elephant island to see the famous cave(s) with a view over chowpatty beach
with a view over chowpatty beach
 . It took about an hour in the boat to get across to the island (120rps) and then 10rps tourist fee and 250rps to go into the caves. After Ellora and Ajanta it felt a little bit of a let down that it was actually only one cave that had sculptures in it. The ferry ticket included a free guide ( which lasted about 10 mins) and explained the 10 sculptures, but the guide book (40rps) showed it just as clearly. It was a shame that my camera was not good enough to take pictures at the back of the cave (although you were allowed to use a flash). Was lovely to be in peace and quiet in the cave and for the boat journey over there.

We also went up to Malabar hill near Chowpatty beach - which is said to the have worlds 4th expensive real estate there. There are beautiful parks and temples there that overlook Chowpatty beach below.

On our final day we decided to spend the last day in places with as much air conditioning as possible - so we went to the internet, browsed for jewelry in a gem shop, went to see Narnia Film at the cinema (for 100rps/ just over a pound) and went to a air conditioned pub before getting a taxi to the airport (350rps) and flying to Nairobi.
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