To back track a little, these almost 9 months of travel, I've been travelling primarily independently, minus some time here and there where I've traveled with people. So any opportunity to catch up with friends, I'm on it! In London my BFF Allison was already there and was super nice to extend her stay there to hang out with me (AWESOME! Thanks Al!), then in Bangkok I stayed I with my friend Christen. So when I knew I was going through India, I contacted my friend Raj, who lives in Mumbai. When I was here 3 years ago, he was actually living in Chicago, but graciously let me stay with his parents, who were super sweet. Now he is living here and happens to be this VIP businessman... doing something with environmental venture capitalism. Buuuuuut as it happened, he got called to business 5/7 days I was here and was in Washington D.C. for most of the time. Wah wah. But his parents once again stepped up to the plate to entertain me, and.... I may have mentioned this earlier (all the way back in South Africa), but I joined this "organization" called couchsurfing, which basically allows you to stay at locals places.... for free! BUT it is also a network to meet local people in your area where you are traveling. So every time you log on, people can see where you are, and they can contact you or you contact them to meet for coffee, etc. Well I once again had a couchsurfing experience in Chennai (I hadn't done it since South Africa because just didn't have time (it works better if you know ahead of time when and where you will be, my travels are fairly last minute))... and I got many "invitations" from people in different areas to meet up for coffee, etc, but this one woman (always a smidge safer to stick with the females, especially in India!) was staying in the same suburb where I am, so we met up and later with her hubby, and had a great night bouncing from a coffee shop to an Indian-Chinese restaurant (this is whole new type of food, and Mumbai is particularly known for this. Delish!) to Bombay Blue to have ice cream and hang out. They were super nice and her hubby gave me a lift on his sweet and super shiny motorbike. Thanks Melody and Calvin!
I have to admit the days before Raj finally came, were awesome! This whole trip I've had rare opportunities to be in one place for more than a couple days (wow! Actually unpacked), but stayed at a nice place with things like a beautiful terrace,
hot water, clean (can walk around barefoot!), could finally do laundry with a machine and not hand-washing, and all those little "luxuries" I forget about. So I literally just caught up on internet stuff, watched TV, saw a Bollywood movie (Tanu Weds Manu, which was funny. Before the movie everyone stands for the national anthem, there is assigned seating and an intermission, and it is NOT uncommon for people to loudly cheer and/or stand up and dance during the movie),
and just lounged around.Loooooooooooooooove it! Got to see some nice sunsets also from the terrace,
Not only that, there was the maid that came everyday that also cooked. How could life get any better?
Soo....when I was NOT being lazy, I did some sightseeing around Malabar Hill's, which I thought was really amazing. This area had everything from posh high-rises to beautiful gardens, the Hanging Gardens and the Kamala Nehru Park,
to serene temples such as the Jain Temple,
(above, "the tank" with the random wooden pole in the middle. Which, according to legend, is the "center of earth" because Lord Ram created the tank by piercing the earth with his arrow.)
(above... these locals actually asked me to take their picture, which happens, BUT unlike most people, they didn't ask for money or anything. They just had fun laughing at the picture when I showed them. Which, by the way, for anyone that likes to take pictures of local life and people, people REALLY appreciate and like when you show them the pic on the digicam. I have had nothing but smiles and laughs with that, so it takes the awkwardness out of taking their picture and going away. I know how it feels when that happens to me, so I always make a point to do that... and of course hold the camera tight in my hand :-))
To the Prince of Wales museum, it's former name. The new name is: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastru Sangrahalya Museum. Phew... try saying (or spelling!) that three times. Anyway, it is Mumbai's biggest and best museum, known for its miniature paintings and Hindu and Buddhist sculptures.
Passing the magnificent Mumbai University, which was built in the 15th century and really was a British masterpiece, with a twist of Gothic and French styles in it.
To the Rajabai Clock Tower, which is actually a part of the University (dang, which my University looked like that!).
To the High Court, which was actually built inspired by a German castle and is a non-Gothic building, not like the others in the area. As you see, this area had a great British and European influence!
To the Flora fountain,
To St. Thomas Cathedral, the oldest English building standing in Mumbai!
And finally, on the way back home caught a nice sunset view of the Haji Ali's Mosque, which, as you can see, is connected by land by this causeway. Legend has it that Haji Ali died trying on his pilgrimage to mecca and his casket miraculously floated to this area. So his tomb is here.
And finally when Raj DID come back, he was a bit jet lagged and a little sick so we spent more time lounging around and our activities included going out to eat, such as at a super nice Chinese/Indian restaurant that used IPADS as a menu (faaaaancy!) and had some delicious dim sung, which we had as appetizer, and also this yummy fish below,
to getting a FABULOUS foot and hand reflexology massage for 90 minutes, and ... some quality TV time. Again, I loooooved it because there have been RARE days where I wasn't either on the go or in the works of planning. So it was AWESOME for me to just chillax for once.
Next I am going by land, trains and buses, to Bijapur, Hampi, Bangalore... and more of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Playing it by ear and we'll see where I end up and what happens! Until next time then!
