Mumbai

The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower








The Reality...



After four visits to the Indian Embassy in London (to get my visa) and four other shots in both my arms, seven malaria pills and a ten-hour flight, I finally got to India.

I always heard this place would be an extreme between rich and poor, I also knew it probably wouldn’t be my cup of tea. But I made it anyway and I think I can now say that I know the world, much better.

I got to Mumbai around 2:00pm and from the moment I stepped out of the airport, into the taxi, I was in constant disbelief!

So far I have been in India for five nights and the only thing I can think of to describe this city is - MESS! One good example of it – When I asked the taxi driver if these beggars, who I was seeing them everywhere, where really hungry or just trying to get some cash out of the tourists, he told me that these people are actually in a organized group.
The grown up’s are actually not hungry but the children are. Many couples have one baby after the other just to make life easier by carrying them around and touch peoples hearts and wallets.

It is shocking to know that here you can find some of the richest families in the world and yet, at the same time, the poorest. It is impossible to go anywhere without having a beggar asking you for help. The moment you step out of a hotel (even a five star one) you are woken up with a dramatic reality check.

Being positive and looking at the flipside to this all, is that Mumbai has a great nightlife, amazing hotels and even better nearby beaches. It is also a fact that India, together with Brazil, Russia and China is the fastest growing economy in the world. Hard to believe!