We’ve now paid our first visit to India’s most crowded city – Mumbai – and we loved it. Beautiful architecture, tree-lined avenues, efficient service, super restaurants, and taxis that use their meters and have conversion charts so you know how much to pay.
We did most of the tourist things – went to the Gateway of India (a building site at the moment), and had bhel puri and kulfi on Chowpatty beach as the sun went down. The climate was terrific, cooler than Goa and with a breeze much of the time.
However the big draw for us was the general sense of a cosmopolitan, progressive, happening city. It reminded us very much of London. The contrast to the Goan ’so laid back they are comatose’ nature was refreshing.
To be fair, we may have seen Mumbai at its best. The three days we were there comprised a Sunday and two holidays, so it was quieter than we suspect is the norm. Still we enjoyed a New Year’s Eve party on a balcony in Breach Candy, watching the world go by below, and the next day had kebabs from a roadside foodstall that’s got a bit out of hand and now has to provide seating otherwise all the people in their cars queuing for take-outs block the road.
Had a better journey back than on the way – although we were four hours late leaving the station. Reminder to self not to book the Mandovi Express again. Feeling a bit holidayed out at the moment, although we’re sure we’ll soon be ready to plan the next one.
