26th March
So, a steaming sweltering day greeted us as we arrived in Mumbai when we docked at 4am.
A lot of building work was going on in the port area so looks like new arrival buildings are going up.
The sun was straining to get through the early morning heat haze which hung over the city but by the time we got off to catch the bus over to the port gates it had broken through. A lot of the Indian staff on board were given the day off so as to spend the day with their families, some who had travelled miles just to see them for a few hours. Our waiter was meeting his wife and 4 year son he hadn’t seen for 6 months. You could see them practically running off the ship at 6 am this morning!
After immigration we headed out to walk as it would only take about 1/2 hour. The second we stepped through the port gates we were literally bombarded with taxi drivers offering to take us here there and everywhere, following us down the road and jostling each other trying to get a fare. However politely we said “No” they completely ignored you and just carried on. As we neared the main road they dropped off a bit but still stopped on the road side to offer rides. We walked on through the busy noisy streets to get to the Gateway to India on the sea front and the famous Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Popped into the hotel first to confirm our lunch booking and then walking round to the Colabro Causeway which is a long road lined with shops and stalls selling just about everything. You can buy saris, bangles, shoes, bags, clothes, washers for your taps, car spares, fake sunglasses, walking aids and so much more! Everything has to be haggled for which I love doing and most things you can get for way under the original asking price. All the time you have cars and bikes whizzing along with their hands permanently on their hooters making a deafening din!
After this we walked back to the Taj hotel to meet our friends there for lunch. First of all though I must tell you about my walk back. There I was, walking along, minding my own business and looking round for manic scooter rides or kamikaze car drivers when I suddenly skidded a bit with one foot and caught on to Phil to steady myself. When I looked back to see what it was I realised I had stood on a dead.....RAT !!!! There it was, laying flat out with its legs akimbo and in a very flat squished state.
Oh my god! I could feel the soft squishy feeling under my foot for the rest of the day and was SO thankfully I had my proper walking shoes on and not just flip flops! Yuck!!! ( shoes were scrubbed and disinfected on return to ship !!!!!)