Thursday 2nd of February

Thursday 2^nd of February

Another hot day and we are venturing out into Mumbai again; Suuske on a trip and me out in a taxi again. I am joined by some new friends Dermot and Kay. Dermot is a retired High Court judge from Dublin and both of them are nice people to be with.

We commenced the journey at 9.00am and we were soon out into that horrendous traffic fighting for space with cars, buses, cycles, motorbikes, trucks, hand carts, horse carts, as well as the thousands of people also fighting for space. It was a great day and we visited a number of new places including Ghandi’s house. We also went to the Indian National Cricket Teams pitch and managed to persuade the security to let us in. They were reticent at first but relented and also relented on the no photographs rule. Dermot is an avid cricket fan and I thought it would be nice to have a picture for our own fantastic cricketer grandson Jasper. In actual fact the approach to the ground is a mess. It’s a building site but the pitch itself is great.

I am still amazed at this place with its contrasts and noise and smells (not unpleasant) and the people milling about in their thousands. I took some pictures of some shanties on the way back to Black Watch, very poor people but always smiling. Their lives must be horrendous but they live in the hope of Karma treating them better in the next life. We had some near misses on this journey but here it is inevitable.

Because Black Watch left port in the daytime It was possible for everyone to be on deck with the band playing non-stop dance music as we left. Very evocative but happy waving from the ship to shore looking out over the city shrouded in the mist of its busy endless fast furious and chaotic life. On now down the coast of India to Cochin!

Fd

I went on an excursion to look at Local Life-  we started by going to the markets, where there was an abundance of fruit and spices. Normally lifestock is sold as well, but we were a bit late to see this.  We went back to the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal hotel- a room costs from £400 to £2000 per night.  It was built in the time of the English colonisation, and the architect was an Indian who had been refused entry to an English Hotel.  On to seeing the lunch box sytem in operation.    Mumbai is full of office workers, who leave home early in the morning.  Their wives then cook a hot lunch, which is collected from home, and taken into Mumbai by train for the sum of $6 per week.-  at lunchtime there are thousands of boxes being delivered all around the business district, and it is very rare that the wrong box is delivered.  After that we took a ride on  one of the many trains( one every 3 minutes)  no doors are shut, and Health and safety legislation  does not seem to be operating here -  people have exactly 19 seconds to get on and off the train, and one member of our party was left behind-  we finished off by going to Dhobi Gat, the famous open air laundry, which, although on the Unesco  world heritage list, is still operational, and takes in washing from hospitals etc,  Everything is done by hand, and about 200 washer men are still employed today.  Altogether a fantastic trip to see some of the real Mumbai, which I was sorry to leave-  suuske

Friday 3^rd February

A very relaxing day today out on deck sunbathing or getting cooler in the shade. Black Watch serves the best fish and chips ever! My most energetic time today was to attend the classical concert by Jo (Cello) and Clare (Violin). We arrive in Cochin tomorrow morning. Another new place to see and to explore!

Fd