I remember the first time I came to Mumbai, it was in May 2005. I was extremely excited, I was going to see the city I was born in. I boarded Dadar Express, I was very very excited for two reasons; I was going to the city I was born in and I was travelling alone. I bought some juice from this guy who promised to bring back change for Rs. 50. That was the last I saw that Rs.50. Ripped off! That was not a great start. I try gathering knowledge from experiences like this. I learned that I should give exact change or I should get back the change immediately if I buy something from someone apart from the pantry guys. I was cautious from then on. :) The rest of the journey was pretty smooth. Nothing like a good book that can give you company. When you are a young girl travelling alone, people come forward to make conversations with you and all these small conversations make the journey much less boring :). My cousin made sure that I saw Mumbai the right way; I travelled by local, bus, auto, taxi & a ferry all in one day or rather between afternoon and late evening (Yes that was possible in Mumbai 6 years back). I remember whispering to my cousin when we got into the auto"Why aren't you bargaining with him?". She laughed and told me that autos ran on meter and they wouldn't cheat you. For someone who comes from Chennai, it was a BIG surprise. My jaw literally dropped. You mean you can actually get inside an auto without having to bargain with the auto guy?! That's AWESOME. I remember telling myself that I should live here for a while some day. I had to admit, it is hard for someone to not fall in love with Mumbai... oops.. I spoke too soon..
Mumbai is currently the home for over 20.4 million and I am one among them. The city has drastically changed, it has become dirtier and more crowded. You have to join the crowd to survive here; survival of the fittest. You cannot walk casually here, you have to always do brisk walking, kinda like an exercise while you are trying to get to work! :) Travel by road is absolutely painful. Something that is just 4kms away can take you 1.5 hours to reach. Local! The lifeline of Mumbai is the best way to travel in Mumbai. The amount of time that is saved is tremendous. You don't have to get inside the bus or train, you just have to stand somewhere near the entrance and the crowd will push you inside and also push you outside when you want to get down. Mind you! Nobody tries to take advantage when you are smashed in a crowded bus or train. A girl cannot ask for more can she? It is one of the safest cities for a girl. She can walk alone on a road even at 12 am. Mumbai's uniqueness is its people; there's a varied mix of culture here and people are so friendly. Help is given to those who ask for it. A person might be running to catch a train but he/she will stop and help you if you ask for it. Mumbai is known for its food stalls by the road side; Vada Pavs, Dabelis, Sev Puri, Pani Puri ... The list is endless. For a foodie, Mumbai is the place to be! :) The other attraction here are the malls. For someone who comes from a place that does not have a mall culture it is something new to experience. I recently went to Palladium mall and my eyes became wide when I entered the mall, it was simply royal. :) This mall is a must visit for those who visit Mumbai! A friend once told me that the Britishers left the money in Mumbai. Boy! He was right. I've been learning to cook, manage a house and work all the same time. Finally a change that I have been wanting for such a long time! :) :)
It just doesn't rain here, it pours! Umbrellas do no good here. The rains does get on your nerves and once the rain stops it just become humid and hot and this starts as early as October in Mumbai. The sea is so dirty that you can't even imagine stepping into it. You cannot go to the beach to relax. (What a drastic change from Chennai where the beachside is the best place to go when you just want to sit & relax). Life here is hard and hectic. Travel pain adds to work stress and you tend to lose your sanity every once a while. The topography of the city is beyond pathetic and the city is so polluted that you can end up falling sick every once a while. All this makes you stronger and gives you the ability to survive anywhere else in the world. Life in Chennai & Pune was pretty laid-back and relaxing, Mumbai is just quite the opposite. This place is going to be my home for at least the next two years and I might as well learn to love it. :)
A struggling Chennaite signing off . . .
Mumbai is currently the home for over 20.4 million and I am one among them. The city has drastically changed, it has become dirtier and more crowded. You have to join the crowd to survive here; survival of the fittest. You cannot walk casually here, you have to always do brisk walking, kinda like an exercise while you are trying to get to work! :) Travel by road is absolutely painful. Something that is just 4kms away can take you 1.5 hours to reach. Local! The lifeline of Mumbai is the best way to travel in Mumbai. The amount of time that is saved is tremendous. You don't have to get inside the bus or train, you just have to stand somewhere near the entrance and the crowd will push you inside and also push you outside when you want to get down. Mind you! Nobody tries to take advantage when you are smashed in a crowded bus or train. A girl cannot ask for more can she? It is one of the safest cities for a girl. She can walk alone on a road even at 12 am. Mumbai's uniqueness is its people; there's a varied mix of culture here and people are so friendly. Help is given to those who ask for it. A person might be running to catch a train but he/she will stop and help you if you ask for it. Mumbai is known for its food stalls by the road side; Vada Pavs, Dabelis, Sev Puri, Pani Puri ... The list is endless. For a foodie, Mumbai is the place to be! :) The other attraction here are the malls. For someone who comes from a place that does not have a mall culture it is something new to experience. I recently went to Palladium mall and my eyes became wide when I entered the mall, it was simply royal. :) This mall is a must visit for those who visit Mumbai! A friend once told me that the Britishers left the money in Mumbai. Boy! He was right. I've been learning to cook, manage a house and work all the same time. Finally a change that I have been wanting for such a long time! :) :)
It just doesn't rain here, it pours! Umbrellas do no good here. The rains does get on your nerves and once the rain stops it just become humid and hot and this starts as early as October in Mumbai. The sea is so dirty that you can't even imagine stepping into it. You cannot go to the beach to relax. (What a drastic change from Chennai where the beachside is the best place to go when you just want to sit & relax). Life here is hard and hectic. Travel pain adds to work stress and you tend to lose your sanity every once a while. The topography of the city is beyond pathetic and the city is so polluted that you can end up falling sick every once a while. All this makes you stronger and gives you the ability to survive anywhere else in the world. Life in Chennai & Pune was pretty laid-back and relaxing, Mumbai is just quite the opposite. This place is going to be my home for at least the next two years and I might as well learn to love it. :)
A struggling Chennaite signing off . . .
