One of the things I’ve noticed in Mumbai, is if I put on my Work boots, which look like good quality hiking boots, it markedly increases the number of beggars, as well as their persistance. New lesson: Put on your backpack and carry bag at the same time and Whoop! Up goes the number and persistence again.
Right outside the dorm was a treat for anyone who really cares for their knives. A (now I understand, typical) professional knife sharpener at work. Check it out for yourself;
He was very happy for me to check out his work. It was excellent. With nothing more than a foot powered Bench grinder wheel, his results were damned near as good as I can get with professional sharpening tools and whetstones graded from 60 to 8000 Grit
Walking from the dorm to the train station showed up a host of very healthy, well fed looking beggars on top of the norm. Quite the culture shock for an Aussie travelling abroad for the first time.
This next view is what it looks like on a Typical late evening outside Bandra Railway station. Bandra is an outer suburb, a bit like Fern Tree Gully or Croydon, about 50 minutes train ride from the city. This is well past peak.
Catch the train into Chhatraprati Terminus which is the “Melbourne” of Mumbai. I just love the random dog
spent a few hours wandering the streets of Mumbai after checking my bags into the cloak room. Lit up at night, these majestic buildings look spectacular.
By 1AM, the crowds have pretty much gone and many, say 1/2 of what’s here now will lay down on the seats, floor or anywhere else to sleep, waiting for morning trains. I’m on a 5AM train, so no pointdoing anything other than what the locals do. Wealthier people tend to hire sleeping pods or use the A/C lounge. You guys know me, I’m going to be out in general Pop. if you have to pay for the pretty waiting area.
The thing that cracked me up the most was needing to head to the John! The cubicle doors are labled Indian or Western, I thought great, I’m in luck.
All in all, I have to say I’d enjoyed every part of the Mumbai experience other than the Mumbai Flu and what was now a rather frustrating set of Asthma symptoms, which I was assuming was being caused by Mumbai’s Air quality issues.
Time to head to Goa.