Hello,

We arrived in Mumbai on Thursday at about 3pm. We were immediately hurled into the chaos of the enormous city. We got a taxi from the airport to our hotel which took about 1 and a half hours and cost Rs.450 (which is about £6) although the taxi driver had to keep flagging down other taxi drivers on the "motorway" to ask for directions... There are no road markings, and even if there were they would serve no purpose. There are cars and motorbikes everywhere! People will cross the road in every place and everybody beeps at everything. A red light does not guarantee the traffic will stop. It couldn't be a bigger contrast to Oman.
Our first hotel was well hidden, in a building site! But it was clean although the room was small. We had air con and a "shower" (a hose and a bucket). We moved hotel today to a hostel further south in the more touristy area by the Gateway to India. The location here is much better and we are meeting other travellers.
On our first night we went out to get some food and then to a bar where we met an Austalian and his Indian "friend", Mr Snoop... We were suspicious, and became more so when the austalian told us how great Snoop was and how he never asked for any money , and then proceeded to tell us how he had just given him thousands of rupees (in cash!) for Snoop to buy him a plane ticket for the next day... We doubt whether the Australian ever made it to Kashmir. There are lots of scams like this running all over the city. They are some of the nastier ones. There are sadder ones involving children from as young at 1 grabbing at your legs while other children try to pick pocket you. There are also lots of beggars. It is really hard to turn a blind eye, but it is very difficult to know who really needs the money (some "beggars" have their nails done).
Yesterday we had a really tough day getting to grips with the city. We are stared at by everyone. Today, however, was better. The new hotel and the location means we are meeting more travellers which has reassured us. We are also more streetwise and braver on the roads. I would not say that we are exactly loving it, but we are certainly learning.
Tomorrow we are going to an island off Mumbai called elephanta island where we will look at the caves. Then, on Monday, we are getting a train to Aurangabad (7hrs for £3 for both of us!). Simon called up a man at a hotel in Aurangabad today and got us a good room for a good price.
While we have been writing this we have been talking to an Australian couple who have been travelling for the last 10 and a half months. They assured us India was the worst place they had been in that time. However, they have also told us that Mumbai is tame in comparison to the rest of India... Hopefully our trip will be better!