India Awaits: Mumbai day one of fun

We had a fabulous day today discovering Mumbai (Bombay, still want to call it that). We had an early breakfast at the wonderful hotel - fuelled up for a day of sightseeing. We met our guide, Pranav, who thought we were English and turned up in an England shirt. Mike and the boys soon corrected him and he was quite embarrassed, as he knew the boys were mad cricket fans. So, the boys gave him a hard time and showed them their bowling style constantly. It was very funny.

Our first stop was the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel where the 2008 bombings took place. It was quite surreal to be there and it felt like the Indian nation were really trying to 'forget' it ever happened. The Gateway of India was huge and a beautiful entrance to the city from the Arabian Sea.

We then went to a local place called, The Ovaal cricket ground, where hundreds of local men and boys were playing cricket. You just turn up, grab a spot and start playing. It was so much fun to watch - we'll probably go back on Sunday - I think Mike and the boys are going to try and grab a game.

The colonial history is very evident in Mumbai with many British style buildings - the High Court, Mumbai University, the Rankabi Clock Tower and many more.

We then visited the Victoria Terminus Railway Station where hundreds of thousands of people use this daily to get to and from work. It is also very well known from Slumdog Millionaire scenes. Some of the trains in peak hour carry over 4500 passengers in 12 carriages (when it should be only 2500). Due to safety issues, the ladies still have their own carriage - the first one!

Next stop was the Crawford market - we had the best strawberries we have had in India, and we saw a young boy carving intricate patterns into pineapples. Also we saw the ladies getting porters to help them carry their fortnightly fruit and vege home - on their heads!!

We visited famouse Chowpatty beach - no swimming here, the water in the bay is pure filth! We visited the Hanging Gardens where many of the expats relax in Mumbai and there's a great view from Kamla Nehru park over the Bay.

A big highlight today was visiting the Gandhi museum and learning so much more about this wonderful man. His letter to Hitler and his letter from Einstein were inspiring.

Next stop was the Hare Krishna temple, which was very ornate. Max really like it but got a but confused as we left and said to the monk 'hare christmas'..... We were rolling around laughing!!

Pranav then stopped and bought us a beer each enroute to the outdoor laundry - 2 longnecks Kingfishers ....... I didn't quite get through mine - luckily I have Mike to help me with these things.

Dhobi ghat is the outdoor laundry where about 600 men (only men) do the laundry for thousands of people - mainly wholesale for hospitals, small hotels etc. it was amazing to see. I could have watched for ages.

A very Mumbai tradition is the dabbawala or Tiffen men, which are men in white hats who collect the hot meals of over 200,000 men, daily from their homes and deliver to their office. Then collect the boxes and take them back to home - amazing to see.

This was all done by 2pm, so it was time for an afternoon by the pool, prior to a traditional thali dinner. It was such a great day!!

A quick 'Max' story from yesterday at the hotel. We went to the restaurant for lunch and the waitress brough menus to the table. She handed them to myself and Mike, and then Jack. She looked at Max and asked would he like one. With a shake of the head he mumbles, 'No thanks, I can't even read'!! Clown!

These photos are only from my phone - sorry.