Day 56 - back in the big city - Mumbai

After our relaxing days in Goa, it was time to take our last overnight train and head for Mumbai! We were really looking forward to getting here and after a day wandering around and seeing all the sights, we weren't disappointed....

We arrived just after the furore with Brad Pitt and Jolie's filimg problems erupted and there were loads of people waiting at the beach to watch them return from a boat trip...

After a mammoth 5 hour trip exploring the city (and doing lots of shopping for fabrics etc (Emma, not me)), we came to the famous Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. Very swish with an amazing central staircase that seems to go on for ever.

Also had to get a picture of the Gateway to India, built for a royal visit in the 1800s. The beachfront is very lively and was a nice place to enjoy the gradual cooling as the sun went down (this part of India is very hot (but not as muggy as Goa)).

We were lucky enough to get tickets for the cinema (a lovely old art-deco monster) - couldn't manage a 3-hr bollywood extravaganza so we settled for a 2 hour Bond adventure - I think Casino Royale has come out earlier here than in the UK.

I won't spoil it but Daniel Craig is good as Bond but the film is pretty trashy - none of the wit of the Brosnan releases.

Things were tainted somewhat when they started to play the National Anthem on the cinema screen (along with the Indian flag) - everyone stood up and, naturally, we stayed seated. Someone then asked us to stand-up (which we did) - but it felt funny and I'm not really sure where I stand on whether we should have stood or not. If pushed, I'd say they had no right to ask us to stand (but we are guests here so it's a tricky one).

Anyway, the rest of our time here has been great and it's even getting easy to handle the street hawkers - they just don't have the drive of their counterparts in Rajasthan.

So we're out of here today, flying to Kuala Lumpur tonight - 5 days investigating there before we hit NZ for a few weeks. Time is flying by and we'll be home all too quickly.

Still lots to do though.

TTFN

E and J