09/01/2011
Today I went to the Haji Ali again with two guys, one American. We walked a lot but one guy didn't drink much water so got sick on the street. We saw a lot more of the Mahalmaxmi area and the central city with all the high rises and Bollywood money. Lots of people wanted a photo with us as we're the token 'white people'. I'm quite used to being called white girl now as my name! Strange!!We saw the 'washing town' where literally the whole area does the cities' washing!It was huge. I bought a little purse thing of a cute street girl as she spoke very good English and was a bit cheeky. We ate a lovely street fried potato spicy thing and returned to the hostel and met a new lovely Italian lady. She was at the end of her trip but came for dinner with us at the shopping mall. This is a huge clean shiny complex, a complete contrast to the rest of Mumbai (again Bollywood millionaires). We had an Indian buffet which was served so fast. Each waiter had a 'dish' which and a symbol which they would give across the room to one another when a dish is empty. Very good service. Completely different from the rest of the slow and relaxed service in India. Then the Italian girl and I looked at the most gorgeous saris- I wish I had an Indian wedding to go to so I could wear one!
10/01/2011
Today Raj slept in so in true Indian stlye we left at 0730 instead of 0630 to go the the Temple. Raj goes to the temple every Monday so he took 3 of us with him.It was a bizarre (put that in just for you John!) experience.It was in the mountains, and first off we stopped at the 'resting place' where we had Chai Tea (love that stuff) and met some very local mountain people. We then headed up the mountain, rested again at a random stop where I met a boy who lives LITERALLY in the forest with the animals as part of a tribe. He was wild! The mountain spruced-up TukTuk took us up to the Temple finally where I observed a 'service' (I don't know what the proper term would be) and walked to the very top 'resting spot'. I had a Tika put on my forehead too. Here I saw soooo many monkeys just playing in the trees! They then continued to shop us many beauty spots of the mountain. The views were amazing and the spots would have been beautiful if the Indian people didn't litter EVERYWHERE. You'd think in their Holy beauty spots they wouldn't spoil it but yes, there were plates, bags, plastics- all kinds of everything, I don't think they have bins?? Very strange. We also went to the 'Dada's' house and ate with the people there. It was really nice curry and we had to eat with our hands making your palm a scoop. I got a bit messy, Raj was laughing at me.
Back at the hostel I paid 700rps for the day (about 10pound).Then I took a TukTuk to the Dadar station to get my night train to Goa (Thivim). Bit of a nightmare, the TukTuk driver stopped halfway and said he cannot go over to Dadar (first time he told me) but that his friend in the taxi that we met could. He wanted basically double. I argued as he was trying to rip off the tourist again and eventually I paid the right amount!.
11/01/2011
Anjuna, Goa... Quite spacious and friendly hostel (Evershine) and I met two girls who were just leaving who explained a few locals tips like the cost of water as, again, the white tourist tends to get a higher price. I have become quite used to being called 'white girl' which is a bit odd. I wandered to the bank being accosted along the way by shop owners who physically grab your wrist, "'I give you good price'' was the standard line too. I got cornered and bought some nice jewelry (all very very cheap in pounds). It's a very hippie area so I got myself some Ali Baba pants which are like genie trousers! I met 3 lovely New Zealand girls- Anna, Rebecca and Clare who invited me to the bech. Here we were accosted by little girls selling stuff, they lay their wares out on your leg so you can't move, we bought the odd thing but then asked them to leave us however their was a swarm of about 8 of them so eventually WE had to leave to get rid. One girl was really nice though called Lily. Before this though we found a stray puppy (it had a lead- hence we could tell it from all the wild dogs that roam) and so Anna (vet nurse) took it to the local animal shelter. There were also cows roaming free in the streets- which I quite liked! It was very sad though seeing so many young girls on the street. For dinner i had Paneer Palak and two mojitos- this is where the beginnings of my relationship with the bathroom started!
12/01/2011
Wednesday Flea Market Day... Feeling horrendous I got up and met the girls, we walked to Cafe Diogo (meaning Pussy Cat) for breakfast and I watched the others eating amazing breakfasts while I just about managed toast. At the market I was collared by a drum seller who could see the want for a drum in my eyes so he didn't leave me alone and I ended up buying one (quite cheaply) hpwever had a problem as the seller told me it was Mango wood (it was not) so ended up having to trade it thanks to the help of a local western man who obviously lived there as he spoke their language, they had to switch once they couldn't hide behind the language barrier- but then I had the dilemma of what to do with it- it's in the post to you my lovely parents! The market was huge and hot so we left for the beach. As most traders were at the market it was relatively quiet. We were however, accosted by lovely Lily who entrusted us with her shop when the police came and she had to hide. We chatted to her and she told us of her life and her friends. She was living away from her family with her boss and he takes half of everything she earns. Not good! I then made the first studid mistake, taking my malaria pills without food- within 10mins I was being sick on the beach (yak) so we headed for food at the same place again but I didn't eat much.
13/01/2011
Last day Goa. I haven't quite learnt how to use the clock grandparents (Scarth) bought me so I slept in, luckily the girls stayed close so I could find them. I felt a little better. I ate a Goan breakfast which was really nice, a spicy omelette with pickled dressing- VERY spicy, and what were effectively soft Tattie scones! We then all went to the shop of the man who had helped Anna with the puppy the day before to get Henna. I had to go for money and to post my drum though so the man offered to take me and I had my first moped ride!! Loved it, I want one hehe! A very complicated post office system, nothing is easy or explained well in India as far as I can tell. They sewed up the bow. Back at the shop we saw the girl who the previous day explained she was engaged to be married since she was 12, doesn't know anything about the man and won't meet him until her wedding day and how once married that was it. If she didn't do it her parents would literally kill her. Very difficult. TO symbolise their new marriage the woman wears a toe ring and also paints their parting red. On the beach we saw a 22 year old girl with 3 kids, 2 live with her family in the north and she carries the young on in toe. Very difficult life. We relaxed on the beach with a curry- quite a surreal experience but I ate a very nice vegetable massala and then the girls had to leave to get their bus. I then just relaxed at the hostel and as I was waiting for the taxi to pick us up to catch my night bus, loads of people arrived and suddenly the hostel had life! Gutted!
14/01/2011
Arrive in Mumbai early. A TukTuk driver took my bag as I got off the bus and told me it was 200rps to my hostel. Now I know where I am and I am 3mins away by TukTuk so I argue with him as he drives (I had to go as he took my bag) until he went down to 100rps but I made him stop and drop me off by which time I am around the corner however didn't know the way well enough to walk. I coller another TukTuk eventually that agrees to tae me for 20rps (by now this is more than it should be anyway) and he drops me after about 1min around the corner, easiest 20rps he ever made. BEWARE they try to rip you off at every turn! I met nicenew people at the hostel (Raj lets me leave my bag and shower at the hostel). One of the group was a propr Jordy lad- typical Englishman abroad type- and we head to town. I apparently become the tour guide as they are all lost sheep who seem scared by all the people nd don't know where to go. We saw Colaba and Fort, I saw some markets I hadn't seen before and had a really nice lunch. We then headed to watch a Bollywood film. It's like going back in time. The cinema is an old thetre/cinema hall kind of place. You buy your ticket (ridiculously cheap) and then wait. Eventually they let you through yet another pointless security gate (they beap but noone stops you) but in true Indian styleeveryone barges and crushes through this one door- not nice! We then find we have hour an hour until it starts AND seat numbers so there is no need whatsoever for a surge trough the door. Strange part of th culture. They all stand and sing the national anthem before the film which was quite a strane experience. The film was 2 and 1/2 hours long, we left in the interval. We met lovely Indian guy who explained about the story (as it was all foreign with no subtitles) and we had guessed right! We got the train back and a guy showed us which platform to go to an to go on the slowtrain as we would be cruched on the fast- and we definitely would after seeing it for ourselves. It as rush hour at the other side so TukTuks tried to royally rip up off charging 200rps for a 20rps journey. Thenice Indian guy we had met then walked us to or hostel insisting it was 7mins away whe I knew from walking before it was 1/2 hour but we went as h wanted to help however he clearly didn't know where the hsotel was so I ended uyp having to lead near the end as he kept asking others on the street for directions. Funny. After some help from the hostellier, they got me a TukTuk to the airport for 30rps after they tried to charge me 200rps again, I felt better as the hostellier walked away just like I had been doing so didn't feel I had been rude anymore. The airport was busy, an Inidan man in front who was a diamond distributor (iI have his business card) put my bag on his trolley as there was a long wait. We talked then he wanted to sit next to me (eek) but luckily the lady checking us in didn't do as he asked and we sat separately. The security Mumbai airport is AWFUL, anyone could get through it quite easily. Women and men are separated but the men get 8 security gates, the women, 1. So it took forever. The man bought me KFC- literally insisted and would not let me get my own. It was Indian style KFC which subsequently, after being then forced to eat on the plane again, I regretted as I did not feel well.
Today I went to the Haji Ali again with two guys, one American. We walked a lot but one guy didn't drink much water so got sick on the street. We saw a lot more of the Mahalmaxmi area and the central city with all the high rises and Bollywood money. Lots of people wanted a photo with us as we're the token 'white people'. I'm quite used to being called white girl now as my name! Strange!!We saw the 'washing town' where literally the whole area does the cities' washing!It was huge. I bought a little purse thing of a cute street girl as she spoke very good English and was a bit cheeky. We ate a lovely street fried potato spicy thing and returned to the hostel and met a new lovely Italian lady. She was at the end of her trip but came for dinner with us at the shopping mall. This is a huge clean shiny complex, a complete contrast to the rest of Mumbai (again Bollywood millionaires). We had an Indian buffet which was served so fast. Each waiter had a 'dish' which and a symbol which they would give across the room to one another when a dish is empty. Very good service. Completely different from the rest of the slow and relaxed service in India. Then the Italian girl and I looked at the most gorgeous saris- I wish I had an Indian wedding to go to so I could wear one!
10/01/2011
Today Raj slept in so in true Indian stlye we left at 0730 instead of 0630 to go the the Temple. Raj goes to the temple every Monday so he took 3 of us with him.It was a bizarre (put that in just for you John!) experience.It was in the mountains, and first off we stopped at the 'resting place' where we had Chai Tea (love that stuff) and met some very local mountain people. We then headed up the mountain, rested again at a random stop where I met a boy who lives LITERALLY in the forest with the animals as part of a tribe. He was wild! The mountain spruced-up TukTuk took us up to the Temple finally where I observed a 'service' (I don't know what the proper term would be) and walked to the very top 'resting spot'. I had a Tika put on my forehead too. Here I saw soooo many monkeys just playing in the trees! They then continued to shop us many beauty spots of the mountain. The views were amazing and the spots would have been beautiful if the Indian people didn't litter EVERYWHERE. You'd think in their Holy beauty spots they wouldn't spoil it but yes, there were plates, bags, plastics- all kinds of everything, I don't think they have bins?? Very strange. We also went to the 'Dada's' house and ate with the people there. It was really nice curry and we had to eat with our hands making your palm a scoop. I got a bit messy, Raj was laughing at me.
Back at the hostel I paid 700rps for the day (about 10pound).Then I took a TukTuk to the Dadar station to get my night train to Goa (Thivim). Bit of a nightmare, the TukTuk driver stopped halfway and said he cannot go over to Dadar (first time he told me) but that his friend in the taxi that we met could. He wanted basically double. I argued as he was trying to rip off the tourist again and eventually I paid the right amount!.
11/01/2011
Anjuna, Goa... Quite spacious and friendly hostel (Evershine) and I met two girls who were just leaving who explained a few locals tips like the cost of water as, again, the white tourist tends to get a higher price. I have become quite used to being called 'white girl' which is a bit odd. I wandered to the bank being accosted along the way by shop owners who physically grab your wrist, "'I give you good price'' was the standard line too. I got cornered and bought some nice jewelry (all very very cheap in pounds). It's a very hippie area so I got myself some Ali Baba pants which are like genie trousers! I met 3 lovely New Zealand girls- Anna, Rebecca and Clare who invited me to the bech. Here we were accosted by little girls selling stuff, they lay their wares out on your leg so you can't move, we bought the odd thing but then asked them to leave us however their was a swarm of about 8 of them so eventually WE had to leave to get rid. One girl was really nice though called Lily. Before this though we found a stray puppy (it had a lead- hence we could tell it from all the wild dogs that roam) and so Anna (vet nurse) took it to the local animal shelter. There were also cows roaming free in the streets- which I quite liked! It was very sad though seeing so many young girls on the street. For dinner i had Paneer Palak and two mojitos- this is where the beginnings of my relationship with the bathroom started!
12/01/2011
Wednesday Flea Market Day... Feeling horrendous I got up and met the girls, we walked to Cafe Diogo (meaning Pussy Cat) for breakfast and I watched the others eating amazing breakfasts while I just about managed toast. At the market I was collared by a drum seller who could see the want for a drum in my eyes so he didn't leave me alone and I ended up buying one (quite cheaply) hpwever had a problem as the seller told me it was Mango wood (it was not) so ended up having to trade it thanks to the help of a local western man who obviously lived there as he spoke their language, they had to switch once they couldn't hide behind the language barrier- but then I had the dilemma of what to do with it- it's in the post to you my lovely parents! The market was huge and hot so we left for the beach. As most traders were at the market it was relatively quiet. We were however, accosted by lovely Lily who entrusted us with her shop when the police came and she had to hide. We chatted to her and she told us of her life and her friends. She was living away from her family with her boss and he takes half of everything she earns. Not good! I then made the first studid mistake, taking my malaria pills without food- within 10mins I was being sick on the beach (yak) so we headed for food at the same place again but I didn't eat much.
13/01/2011
Last day Goa. I haven't quite learnt how to use the clock grandparents (Scarth) bought me so I slept in, luckily the girls stayed close so I could find them. I felt a little better. I ate a Goan breakfast which was really nice, a spicy omelette with pickled dressing- VERY spicy, and what were effectively soft Tattie scones! We then all went to the shop of the man who had helped Anna with the puppy the day before to get Henna. I had to go for money and to post my drum though so the man offered to take me and I had my first moped ride!! Loved it, I want one hehe! A very complicated post office system, nothing is easy or explained well in India as far as I can tell. They sewed up the bow. Back at the shop we saw the girl who the previous day explained she was engaged to be married since she was 12, doesn't know anything about the man and won't meet him until her wedding day and how once married that was it. If she didn't do it her parents would literally kill her. Very difficult. TO symbolise their new marriage the woman wears a toe ring and also paints their parting red. On the beach we saw a 22 year old girl with 3 kids, 2 live with her family in the north and she carries the young on in toe. Very difficult life. We relaxed on the beach with a curry- quite a surreal experience but I ate a very nice vegetable massala and then the girls had to leave to get their bus. I then just relaxed at the hostel and as I was waiting for the taxi to pick us up to catch my night bus, loads of people arrived and suddenly the hostel had life! Gutted!
14/01/2011
Arrive in Mumbai early. A TukTuk driver took my bag as I got off the bus and told me it was 200rps to my hostel. Now I know where I am and I am 3mins away by TukTuk so I argue with him as he drives (I had to go as he took my bag) until he went down to 100rps but I made him stop and drop me off by which time I am around the corner however didn't know the way well enough to walk. I coller another TukTuk eventually that agrees to tae me for 20rps (by now this is more than it should be anyway) and he drops me after about 1min around the corner, easiest 20rps he ever made. BEWARE they try to rip you off at every turn! I met nicenew people at the hostel (Raj lets me leave my bag and shower at the hostel). One of the group was a propr Jordy lad- typical Englishman abroad type- and we head to town. I apparently become the tour guide as they are all lost sheep who seem scared by all the people nd don't know where to go. We saw Colaba and Fort, I saw some markets I hadn't seen before and had a really nice lunch. We then headed to watch a Bollywood film. It's like going back in time. The cinema is an old thetre/cinema hall kind of place. You buy your ticket (ridiculously cheap) and then wait. Eventually they let you through yet another pointless security gate (they beap but noone stops you) but in true Indian styleeveryone barges and crushes through this one door- not nice! We then find we have hour an hour until it starts AND seat numbers so there is no need whatsoever for a surge trough the door. Strange part of th culture. They all stand and sing the national anthem before the film which was quite a strane experience. The film was 2 and 1/2 hours long, we left in the interval. We met lovely Indian guy who explained about the story (as it was all foreign with no subtitles) and we had guessed right! We got the train back and a guy showed us which platform to go to an to go on the slowtrain as we would be cruched on the fast- and we definitely would after seeing it for ourselves. It as rush hour at the other side so TukTuks tried to royally rip up off charging 200rps for a 20rps journey. Thenice Indian guy we had met then walked us to or hostel insisting it was 7mins away whe I knew from walking before it was 1/2 hour but we went as h wanted to help however he clearly didn't know where the hsotel was so I ended uyp having to lead near the end as he kept asking others on the street for directions. Funny. After some help from the hostellier, they got me a TukTuk to the airport for 30rps after they tried to charge me 200rps again, I felt better as the hostellier walked away just like I had been doing so didn't feel I had been rude anymore. The airport was busy, an Inidan man in front who was a diamond distributor (iI have his business card) put my bag on his trolley as there was a long wait. We talked then he wanted to sit next to me (eek) but luckily the lady checking us in didn't do as he asked and we sat separately. The security Mumbai airport is AWFUL, anyone could get through it quite easily. Women and men are separated but the men get 8 security gates, the women, 1. So it took forever. The man bought me KFC- literally insisted and would not let me get my own. It was Indian style KFC which subsequently, after being then forced to eat on the plane again, I regretted as I did not feel well.
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