Between slums & Bollywood
At our surprise, Mumbai is not so bad for a huge Indian city. It is still a chaos everywhere you go apart from Colaba where every backpacker and tourist end up staying as all the guest houses and hotels are gathered in that area. Colaba is in south Mumbai out of the city centre bazaars. We enjoyed experiencing hopping on and off the city buses without knowing really if they were heading towards our destination. A day pass is the key (Rs 25 = E 0.4). We saw quite a bit in 2 days as in between the 2 we experienced the Bollywood world. It might be a dream for thousands of people but it can't be a dream for a foreigner hired as an extra. Indeed, not even 2h in Mumbai and we were already proposed to be part of the Bollywood world for a day, a long day they warned us though. Ok we said as this is the only way you can experience it and meet Shahrukh Khan, the Indian most famous productor/actor (which of course we knew about:-()...). We confirm that it was a very long day (13h) where we had to dress up... I won't go in too much details but we will remember it... Hey who knows maybe Hollywood after Bollywood?
At our surprise, Mumbai is not so bad for a huge Indian city. It is still a chaos everywhere you go apart from Colaba where every backpacker and tourist end up staying as all the guest houses and hotels are gathered in that area. Colaba is in south Mumbai out of the city centre bazaars. We enjoyed experiencing hopping on and off the city buses without knowing really if they were heading towards our destination. A day pass is the key (Rs 25 = E 0.4). We saw quite a bit in 2 days as in between the 2 we experienced the Bollywood world. It might be a dream for thousands of people but it can't be a dream for a foreigner hired as an extra. Indeed, not even 2h in Mumbai and we were already proposed to be part of the Bollywood world for a day, a long day they warned us though. Ok we said as this is the only way you can experience it and meet Shahrukh Khan, the Indian most famous productor/actor (which of course we knew about:-()...). We confirm that it was a very long day (13h) where we had to dress up... I won't go in too much details but we will remember it... Hey who knows maybe Hollywood after Bollywood?
I have just started reading 'SHANTARAM' by Gregory David Roberts (highly recommended by travellers) which takes place in Mumbai. So if you want a real feel of Mumbai (just by reading), go and get it now.
'INCREDIBLE India' should see us again - at least the very North near the Himalaya and Nepal at the appropriate season (not too cold). The first week seemed to last forever but the whole 5 weeks finally seemed to only last a week. India was a good choice to start with as we are now ready to deal with pretty much everything which will come up during the year. This is a must-do learning experience which will carry on nourishing us for quite a while.
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| Haji Ali Mosque |
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| Dhobi Ghat - Giant washing machine |
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| Railway Station |
Entre bidonvilles et Bollywood
A notre grande surprise, Mumbai n'est pas si terrible pour une megalopole indienne. C'est tout de meme le chaos partout ou tu vas sauf a Colaba ou les touristes et backpackers se restaurent car tous les hotels sont regroupes au sud de la ville. Nous avons aime visiter Mumbai par bus local ne sachant pas toujours si la destination etait celle que nous desirions. Un pass journee est donc la cle (Rs25 = E0.40).Nous avons vu pas mal de chose en 2 jours car entre deux nous avons ete decouvrir le monde bollywoodien. C'est surement un reve pour des milliers de personnes mais surement pas pour un touriste engage a la journee comme figurant. En effet, meme pas 2h dans la ville que l'on nous proposait deja de faire parti du monde bollywoodien pour la journee, une longue journee nous ont-ils prevenu. Nous avons accepte car c'est le seul moyen pour en faire l'experience et pour rencontrer Shahrukh Khan, l'acteur et producteur le plus populaire en Inde (bien sur nous le connaissions:-()...). Nous confirmons que cela etait une tres longue jounree (13h) ou nous avons du nous deguiser... Je n'irais pas dans les details mais nous nous en rappellerons... Hey qui sait peut-etre Hollywood apres Bollywood?
Je viens juste de commencer a lire 'SHANTARAM' par Gregory David Roberts (recommende par plusieurs voyageurs) qui a lieu a Mumbai. Donc si vous voulez une description de Mumbai et ressentir un peu le vibe de la ville (juste en lisant), allez l'acheter maintenant.
'INCREDIBLE India' devrait nous revoir un jour - au moins pour le Nord-Nord pres de l'Himalaya et le Nepal a la bonne saison (pas trop froide). Notre premiere semaine nous a paru interminable mais finalement les 5 semaines sont passes comme une fleche. L'Inde etait un bon choix de depart car nous sommes maintenant prets a affronter a peu pres tous ce qui va se passer pendant l'annee a venir. India est une experience d'apprentissage a faire qui continuera a nous nourrir meme apres etre partis je pense.
'INCREDIBLE India' devrait nous revoir un jour - au moins pour le Nord-Nord pres de l'Himalaya et le Nepal a la bonne saison (pas trop froide). Notre premiere semaine nous a paru interminable mais finalement les 5 semaines sont passes comme une fleche. L'Inde etait un bon choix de depart car nous sommes maintenant prets a affronter a peu pres tous ce qui va se passer pendant l'annee a venir. India est une experience d'apprentissage a faire qui continuera a nous nourrir meme apres etre partis je pense.
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