Mumbai

Friday 1 September, I was up early to finish my packing.  The SIM card Salil had arranged for me still had no service!  By 7:30am I was ready to go, so I woke Salil who called for a taxi which arrived in 10mins.  I wanted to leave early to avoid the traffic as I needed to travel through Bangalore to reach the airport.  Traffic in India is similar to that of Cambodia, dusty, erratic, without obvious road rules which makes it chaotic.  The difference is that in India there is more honking of horns.  I was told that drivers are not always attentive so the horn needs to be honked to keep them alert!  I’m not sure how that can be as there are always surprises coming from all sides.  There are even signs on the back of trucks saying ‘Please use horn’.  I don’t think they needed reminding – horns are used if someone is in your way, if they don’t move quick enough, if you see someone encroaching on your space, or you want to move lanes or just because you like the sound of you own horn… it’s something like an orchestra sometimes it just needs that extra note to complete the melody.

That morning like every morning, I had taken my litre of water and apple cider vinegar when I woke up plus oats in my mueslie which have a diuretic effect.  So about half way into the journey which is over an hour I was hanging on tightly waiting to reach our destination to use the toilets. My thought was, I could stop along the way but as we were mostly on the freeway this was a little difficult. Finally we arrived.  I grabbed my bags and because it was prepaid, thank the driver and sped off.  Oh no! there was a queue to go through the doors.  All bags and persons were being scanned.  Hang in there girl!  The guard asked for my ticket and passport.  I tried to explain I didn’t have a print out of my ticket as I booked on line and didn’t have a printer.  No excuse.  He directed me to a counter outside the airport doors where I could get a print out.  I manoeuvred as quickly as I could around the crowds with my baggage to the Go Air booth where more questions needed to be answered and 50 rupees paid for a print out.  The attendant then wanted to explain where I was to go to book in.  I said never mind I had other pressing matters to attend to.  He smiled and pointed the way to the ladies toilets.

As I had arrived well ahead of time and far too early to book in I had some time to fill in.  I tried to log into the free wifi but needed a login code which would be sent to my mobile…. but I had not connection!  Grrrrr  I explained my situation to a friendly lady at the information counter she kindly helped out by getting the code sent to her phone.  Praise the Lord I was in.  But only for 45 mins!  Oh well this gave me time to send a few messages to my friends in Mumbai re my arrival plans.  It was decided I would take a paid taxi to Vashi Mall in New Bombay where Joanne would wait for me.

The wifi wasn’t that great as once l lost connection I was logged out.  This had happened before and I knew I could probably get a new connection later once I had entered the departures area.   This time I didn’t have to ask the staff inside the departure area, an attendant seeing me approach asked if I needed help connecting to the wifi.  Once connected I sought out a hot cappuccino and went on line. Then just before boarding, sitting waiting for our gate to open I noticed a banner on the wall saying Bangalore airport one for?? the best in the world.  One of the men in the picture was holding up two fingers which to an Australian was a rude gesture but here it was the victory or peace sign no matter which way you held your fingers.  I had to smile.  It’s amazing how many hand signs are different all over the world so just be careful.

We flew over vast rural lands and small country towns as we flew from East to West.  As we came across the ridge of mountains and headed into Mumbai  I was amazed to see so many blue roofs but as we came closer I realised many of these were blue plastic or tarps not only on the roofs but also over the sides of the dwellings.

No customs or immigration this time so I picked up my bag from the conveyer belt, saw that my phone was finally connected but of course not activated.  I stopping at the cab counter to pay for my taxi.  Well that is what I thought I was doing.  Later I found it was just a service fee to call for a taxi.  Looking back they didn’t really do me any favours as the driver didn’t speak a word of English neither did he know the place I was going. Had I know this I would have taken the first cab that arrived as I headed out the door as he spoke perfect English.  My driver switched on the meter which made me a little nervous and have alerted me that it was a metered fare not prepaid.  He then drove to the cabbies station to ask his mates how to get to Vashi Inorbit Mall!  I wasn’t impressed either when he stopped several times along the way to ask directions and finally arrived with 1090 rupees on the meter!  Fortunately I had been communicating to Joanne on his phone as well as complaining to the centre at the airport.  Joanne called back and told me not to pay anything till she had spoken to the driver.  This discussion went on for some time including communications with the cab centre till eventually she told the driver it was not our fault he didn’t know the way and had taken the longer route but we would only pay the normal fare of 600 rupees.  I felt rather sorry for the driver but angry towards the guy who had organised the taxi as he should have found someone who firstly knew the way and secondly spoke a little English.

I was relieved the ordeal was over and that Joanne was there to rescue me.  In the future I would definitely be more aware of the type of taxis and how to look for a prepaid one.

I later found out there was a nationwide industrial strike which affected all transport and other services.  Delhi was most affected with rioting, but Joanne also told me that while she was waiting for me some men threatened to beat a taxi waiting near her with rods.

My time in Mumbai was spent between relaxing and madly sightseeing.  I was also able to fix an old watch of mine that was given to me at my 12 yr old birthday, which I wound backwards when I first arrived in Sydney because of daylight savings, we are on God’s time in WA.  A watch with date should never be turned backwards, I had been told, I knew but hey what’s one hour!  Oops! It worked out to be nearly 20yrs and $10 worth before it was working again!

I also tried a variety of local street foods, sweets and some really nice Indian restaurant dishes.  My favourite part of traveling is not only meeting people but trying new foods.

Some of the things I experienced were the local motorised rickshaws, taxis and local train.  I visited the central train station which is a replica of the London train station building, the Gateway of India, Taj Hotel, Rajabai Clock Tower which is a reproduction of Big Ben in London, David Sasson Library and other amazing colonial style buildings.  We walked 3 ½ km along the Marine Drive around the bay and down the hill from Kamala Nehru Park which is on the top of a hill overlooking the city and the Arabian Sea.

My last day I relaxed most of the day with a short outing for lunch to try the local Biriyani and to change some money before Goa.  The Aussie dollar is not doing too well these days!

Pictures:   1. Mumbai Railway Station    2. Blue tarps Mumbai     3. Eating Momo’s dim sims    4. Joash and Joanne    5. Mumbai Railway Station   6. Marine Parade   7. Taj Hotel Mumbai    8. Guard Taj Hotel    9. Gateway of India  10. Horse & cart rides  11 + 12 Sunset and Dusk from Kamala Nehru Park

Prayer & Praise Points:
Praise the Lord for helping me arrive safely and being so well looked after by Joanne and Joash while I was in Mumbai.

Please pray for my flight to Goa and for my friend Zameer and his family which whom I will be staying with there.

Praise the Lord for He continues to provide hospitality, guidance, generosity and love wherever I go through people I meet and friends I stay with.

Please pray for the Lord’s guidance and safety as I continue my travels through India I’m heading back to Bangalore and would love to travel overland to see some of the countryside.

Please continue to pray that I have wisdom as I minister to people along the way and the opportunity to share my faith.

Please pray for ongoing good health, protection and safety on my travels through India.