First impressions of India (Mumbai)

February 27 - Jaz and I landed in Mumbai at 3am on a Sunday morning. We woke up the next day of in the most humid and noisy city that I have ever been to. We joined up with the tour the next day. What a difference between a weekend and weekday in Mumbai. The city has a population of 18.5 million people. When we walked around on the Sunday afternoon, it was pretty calm; people playing cricket in the park, tourists at the Gateway to India and there were a few people in the shops. Monday morning was a completely different story. We saw the difference immediately of the 12 million people who commute to and within the city on a weekday. Crossing the road took minutes and the traffic was incredible. I was very glad that we only spent a day and half there, although we do have to return for another day and a half before we fly home.

While we were in Mumbai, we visited the Gateway to India — a colonial marker conceived after the visit of King George V in 1911. For those who have been to Paris, it is similar to the Arc de Triomphe and now serves as a hangout for people living in the city.

Other highlights included Mani Bhawan (where Ghandi lived and worked) and the Hanging Gardens (a public garden that sits on top of the city's largest water reservoir).

Photos of Mumbai