Travel East of White's Cross
Travel East of White's Cross
Mumbai (Bombay) Madness
Dia dhaoibh a Dhaoine Uasail go Leir,
Day 6 in India and the world is still in a spin around me. This country is a whole different world. None of my senses have yet got over the shock: the food, the smells, the noise, the humidity and heat. All change, but all good!
We spent 5 days in Mumbai and saw some truly stunning sites. We met up with a remarkable Indian man (though he claims to be 1/8th Irish, his great grandfather from Laois fought with the British Army in India), and he guided us around the city and suburbs. His very unusual name is Terence Allen Bradley; I’m still trying to get my tongue around that one!
We saw sites in the city that there is no way we would have got to without him, we walked through a city slum where 1.6million people live in a square kilometer of space. Three generations of a family living in a 10m by 10m space, some of them with widescreen TV’s in the room! Open sewers running between the houses, boiling up with germs and rotting waste, lovely stuff altogether.
We traveled and hung out from vastly over-crowded buses and trains. Were you swelter in the heat while being compressed on four sides by Indians who can’t understand why this Westerner is streaming sweat from his face.
We stayed in an un-touristy area of the city where the streets are lined with traders and craftsmen all plying their wares: mobile barbers, radio repair men, fruit juicers, shavers, clothers traders, fruit traders, typists ..you name it and somebody will provide it.
500 water buffaloes in sheds where their owners and families live above them in the sweltering heat and smell. We went through the Red Light District where we had to keep dragging Ray back into the taxi, the castrated Eunuchs and male prostitutes were just too reminiscent of home for him.
Unusually I suppose, the food has been amazing and 100% non-sick inducing. Our man Terence gave us a great introduction to our first few meals and gave us tuition on the different food types as well as eating etiquette etc.
After being taken through the morning meat and fish markets of Mumbai, the three of us swore a policy of no fish or meat while on Indian soil. The places were rank. Butchered meat staked next to where animals to be killed eat and defecate. Cats and dogs rooting through heaps of meat destined for Mumbai’s finest restaurants. Enough to turn anyone vegetarian really!
Sleeping was a troubled affair in Mumbai, it’s abut 33 degrees Celsius at night time there and good high humidity. Not much night time rest for us wicked!
Luckily, mosquitoes have not proven too much of a problem so far, long may it continue. In general, Indian people are a great race, they are friendly, respectful, hard-working, very intelligent people and we have not felt threatened once during our time so far.
So after our stint in Mumbai, we decided we needed a bit of R&R, as well as some clean air, clean sea water and traffic not intently trying to run over you with every step you take. I am writing from Goa, south of Mumbai now, a place which fits all of the above requirements. From here we will re-launch ourselves to the hot north, up to a mostly desert region called Rajasthan.
Take care to you all, and I’ll try to do likewise from this side of the world. Please let me know of any news from the Emerald Isle, like any recent news on Fianna Fail’s revised strategy for CAP reform, important stuff like that!
Regards,
John
Mumbai (Bombay) Madness
Dia dhaoibh a Dhaoine Uasail go Leir,
Day 6 in India and the world is still in a spin around me. This country is a whole different world. None of my senses have yet got over the shock: the food, the smells, the noise, the humidity and heat. All change, but all good!
We spent 5 days in Mumbai and saw some truly stunning sites. We met up with a remarkable Indian man (though he claims to be 1/8th Irish, his great grandfather from Laois fought with the British Army in India), and he guided us around the city and suburbs. His very unusual name is Terence Allen Bradley; I’m still trying to get my tongue around that one!
We saw sites in the city that there is no way we would have got to without him, we walked through a city slum where 1.6million people live in a square kilometer of space. Three generations of a family living in a 10m by 10m space, some of them with widescreen TV’s in the room! Open sewers running between the houses, boiling up with germs and rotting waste, lovely stuff altogether.
We traveled and hung out from vastly over-crowded buses and trains. Were you swelter in the heat while being compressed on four sides by Indians who can’t understand why this Westerner is streaming sweat from his face.
We stayed in an un-touristy area of the city where the streets are lined with traders and craftsmen all plying their wares: mobile barbers, radio repair men, fruit juicers, shavers, clothers traders, fruit traders, typists ..you name it and somebody will provide it.
500 water buffaloes in sheds where their owners and families live above them in the sweltering heat and smell. We went through the Red Light District where we had to keep dragging Ray back into the taxi, the castrated Eunuchs and male prostitutes were just too reminiscent of home for him.
Unusually I suppose, the food has been amazing and 100% non-sick inducing. Our man Terence gave us a great introduction to our first few meals and gave us tuition on the different food types as well as eating etiquette etc.
After being taken through the morning meat and fish markets of Mumbai, the three of us swore a policy of no fish or meat while on Indian soil. The places were rank. Butchered meat staked next to where animals to be killed eat and defecate. Cats and dogs rooting through heaps of meat destined for Mumbai’s finest restaurants. Enough to turn anyone vegetarian really!
Sleeping was a troubled affair in Mumbai, it’s abut 33 degrees Celsius at night time there and good high humidity. Not much night time rest for us wicked!
Luckily, mosquitoes have not proven too much of a problem so far, long may it continue. In general, Indian people are a great race, they are friendly, respectful, hard-working, very intelligent people and we have not felt threatened once during our time so far.
So after our stint in Mumbai, we decided we needed a bit of R&R, as well as some clean air, clean sea water and traffic not intently trying to run over you with every step you take. I am writing from Goa, south of Mumbai now, a place which fits all of the above requirements. From here we will re-launch ourselves to the hot north, up to a mostly desert region called Rajasthan.
Take care to you all, and I’ll try to do likewise from this side of the world. Please let me know of any news from the Emerald Isle, like any recent news on Fianna Fail’s revised strategy for CAP reform, important stuff like that!
Regards,
John
posted by John Meade | 12:18 AM
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