Leena Jain
Taking the local train from the suburbs of Mumbai into the city was a little daunting for me. I was most definitely scared in my first experience. I had associated Indian trains with a brutal scene from Deepha Mehta’s film Earth. It was gruesome. No fear was needed as kind faces and smiles welcomed me at the station platform and into the women-only train cart. The ladies cart places me into mothers’ arms as smiles and plentiful and questions are abundant amongst the little girls who are learning and wanting to practice their English. Just about everyone notices you and is interested in you. I know I am not lost when I am there, nor will I ever be. There are more than enough Aunti’s who will direct me and help me get to where I am going. It is superb.
Taking the train from Mulund into Colaba is a most humbling experience. One such day I met a young girl, probably in her late teens, on the local train from Mulund, a suburb of Mumbai, to the Central Train Station, or downtown Mumbai. With her mother and sisters and was so very friendly and inquisitive. Her mother found the way I dressed so different and strange. Leena invited me to her home before I go back to Canada. In fact it wasn’t an invitation but a demand. I have to go to her home before to head back to Canada. It would be an honour!
Shubha Shetkar
We met at the Mulund platform. I noticed her looking at my feet. She was in fact looking at the Nepali prayer beads I had wrapped around my ankle. The only reason I had put it there was that I was told married Indian women wear anklets given to them by their husbands.If you wear anklets most locals will assume you are married. I thought if I followed suit it would keep Indian men at bay. How silly of me to think that Nepali prayer beads would suffice! Shubha told me that it was very odd for me to have the prayer beads around my ankles and that older, more conservative women may find it offensive. I also found out that you need to wear more than one anklet. Only wearing one can mean you are a prostitute! Also good information to have!
Shubha made a seat for me on the train. She asked lots and lots and lots of questions. Because I was still very new to India I was still skeptical and cautious with what information I gave out. All the questions confused me and made me slightly suspicious. She asked if she could spend an hour with me walking around Colaba, the downtown part of Mumbai. She then called into work letting them know she would be coming in late because she had the opportunity to spend time with a woman from Canada. I actually heard her tell her co-worker on the phone about my anklets, and what I was wearing. At that moment I didn’t know how to not feel like an outsider.
We arrived at the Central Train Station, or CST. You can literally hear a buzz of people moving through Mumbai Central Train Station. It is incredible and unimaginable! Everyone had said that India is “crazy”, “chaotic”, “people are everywhere”. I didn’t think that was true, or truly India, until I got to that train station.
Shubha and I walked around the streets of Colaba. We went though the heritage district; an area I hadn‘t been through to date. She showed me colonial buildings built by the British and said all the buildings made of stone are colonial British and historical. All the buildings made from brick are modern and Indian.
As I was capturing a photo of the very old, and colonial British train station Shubha picked up a Hindi-English dictionary for me. How incredibly thoughtful! She told me not to trust anyone in Mumbai and to learn some Hindi!
After a while she was receiving numerous calls, I think from work. We parted ways and I thanked her for the time she spend with me, the heritage lesson, and the Hindi dictionary.
Down Under Retiree
I had only been in Mumbai for a couple of days when I realized I wanted to get the hell out of there. Despite the fact that Mumbai is very modern, architecturally beautiful, and bustling with vibrancy I had had enough. It could have been the jet lag or something but I wanted to hightail it out of there.
I planned on going north to Rajasthan. I wanted to see the blue city of Jodhpur, and hopefully the pink city of Jaipur. I planned on picking up a rikshaw from the central train station and taking it to the bus station to catch a bus to jodhpur. There was some speaking in Hindi amongst the rikshaw drivers then another rikshaw driver came over and told me to get in. I was suspicious immediately. Ultimately the rikshaw driver was going to try and take me on over an hours’ drive to a bus station to catch this bus to jodhpur. The drive to this particular bus station was going to cost me 3000 Rupees, or $60. A bit of a stretch in a country where you can get a meal for $1.50. I told him that was not okay and to take me to Colaba instead. This man argued with me and argued with me. But I fought back and reiterated my desire to go to Colaba. I also threatened to get out of the rikshaw and not give him any money if he didn’t take me to Colaba. Jet lag aside I was pissed and fierce with this driver. After much arguing he did in fact take me into Colaba, where I only gave him 50 rupees, a fair price as I had taken a rikshaw from Colaba to the train station the evening before and knew the cost.
After I got out of the rikshaw, full of fury and steam I sat down on a stool, pulled out my Lonely Planet tearing through it to find out where in fact the bus station was located in Mumbai, and how I was going to get to Jodhpur.
That is when I met Michele. She came up to me and asked “trying to get all the way through it”? She meant the huge Lonely Planet. “What?” I asked and then realized what she meant. I explained to her the situation I had just had with the rikshaw driver and how frustrated I was. She asked if I needed to find a hotel. I didn’t, what I needed was to get on the road to Jodhpur. After I took a minute I realized that a) it was already past 2pm b) I didn’t know where I was going or how to get there c) I was hot, tired, and frustrated. Perhaps it was best to check into a guesthouse, have a solid night’s sleep, and figure out a plan. Michele took me to the Salvation Army GuestHouse in Mumbai. I had seen it listed in the Lonely Planet. It was simple and basic and offered free breakfast with a night’s stay.
After I checked in Michele and I grabbed some food at a local restaurant. She also showed me around the neighborhood and where I could get basic amenities; long distance phone calls, Starbucks, banks, etc. She also took me to a travel agent where I could book a bus ticket to Rajasthan. As it turned out there were no direct buses to Jodhpur, they all went through Udaipur. It was then that I learned a valuable travel lesson; make travel plans ahead of time and do your research.
Michele; a retired woman traveling on her own in India for who knows how long, was my Mother and savior that day. I was very grateful to her. Thank you Michele! As it turned out we met up in Udaipur and she further Mothered me making sure I put on sunscreen and keeping tabs on me. Even when you are thousands upon thousands of kilometres from your Mother, you are never really far from home ;)
Dr.Yassin
We met the very first evening I was in Mumbai. I was stuck in Colaba as I was staying with a couch surfer who was out for the evening. I had numerous hours to dick around Colaba waiting for an appropriate time to take the hour long train ride back to Mulund and the couch surfers house. All I wanted to do was sleep. I had been awake for over 24hours and just traveled to an entirely different continent, let alone a new country. I was not in the mood to wander around the streets of Colaba after dark. But I didn’t have much of a choice. I went into a café in Colaba and ordered an iced cappuccino. It was cold and caffeinated, sure to keep me awake! At the table next to me were two black men deep in conversation. I was surprised to see black men in India to be perfectly honest, which is why I took note of them. At one point my book-mark fell to the floor and one of the men picked it up for me. At this point it became clear that he spoke fluent English. After some time polite exchanges were had they asked for me to join their table. So I did!
Dr. Yassin and his friend Khrioum lived here in Colaba. Dr.Yassin had been studying economics and just attained his pHD in the economics of Sudan, where he and his friend were originally from. We talked politics, and economics of Africa, and other countries throughout the world. I found what he had to say quite fascinating and educating as I do not know much about Sudan.
As the evening wore on and I still had time on my hands Dr.Yassin took me to his favourite spot in the city; the waters edge. I remembered seeing a photograph of this spot at the beginning of my Lonely Planet. They had 18 highlights of India listed with an outstanding photo capturing the feature. The photo I had seen was of Mumbai; lit up at night along the waters’ edge. It looked enchanting and irresistible. Dr.Yassin told me that we were in the Queen’s Necklace. So called because it is a horseshoed harbour with each lamplight shimmering in the evening dew, and reflecting off the water. Stunning! Fireworks were going off everywhere as everyone geared up for Diwali. Grand hotels and palaces illuminated in the night. It was then that I felt alive and really and truly in India for my first time. Pretty incredible!
Taking the local train from the suburbs of Mumbai into the city was a little daunting for me. I was most definitely scared in my first experience. I had associated Indian trains with a brutal scene from Deepha Mehta’s film Earth. It was gruesome. No fear was needed as kind faces and smiles welcomed me at the station platform and into the women-only train cart. The ladies cart places me into mothers’ arms as smiles and plentiful and questions are abundant amongst the little girls who are learning and wanting to practice their English. Just about everyone notices you and is interested in you. I know I am not lost when I am there, nor will I ever be. There are more than enough Aunti’s who will direct me and help me get to where I am going. It is superb.
Taking the train from Mulund into Colaba is a most humbling experience. One such day I met a young girl, probably in her late teens, on the local train from Mulund, a suburb of Mumbai, to the Central Train Station, or downtown Mumbai. With her mother and sisters and was so very friendly and inquisitive. Her mother found the way I dressed so different and strange. Leena invited me to her home before I go back to Canada. In fact it wasn’t an invitation but a demand. I have to go to her home before to head back to Canada. It would be an honour!
Shubha Shetkar
We met at the Mulund platform. I noticed her looking at my feet. She was in fact looking at the Nepali prayer beads I had wrapped around my ankle. The only reason I had put it there was that I was told married Indian women wear anklets given to them by their husbands.If you wear anklets most locals will assume you are married. I thought if I followed suit it would keep Indian men at bay. How silly of me to think that Nepali prayer beads would suffice! Shubha told me that it was very odd for me to have the prayer beads around my ankles and that older, more conservative women may find it offensive. I also found out that you need to wear more than one anklet. Only wearing one can mean you are a prostitute! Also good information to have!
Shubha made a seat for me on the train. She asked lots and lots and lots of questions. Because I was still very new to India I was still skeptical and cautious with what information I gave out. All the questions confused me and made me slightly suspicious. She asked if she could spend an hour with me walking around Colaba, the downtown part of Mumbai. She then called into work letting them know she would be coming in late because she had the opportunity to spend time with a woman from Canada. I actually heard her tell her co-worker on the phone about my anklets, and what I was wearing. At that moment I didn’t know how to not feel like an outsider.
We arrived at the Central Train Station, or CST. You can literally hear a buzz of people moving through Mumbai Central Train Station. It is incredible and unimaginable! Everyone had said that India is “crazy”, “chaotic”, “people are everywhere”. I didn’t think that was true, or truly India, until I got to that train station.
Shubha and I walked around the streets of Colaba. We went though the heritage district; an area I hadn‘t been through to date. She showed me colonial buildings built by the British and said all the buildings made of stone are colonial British and historical. All the buildings made from brick are modern and Indian.
As I was capturing a photo of the very old, and colonial British train station Shubha picked up a Hindi-English dictionary for me. How incredibly thoughtful! She told me not to trust anyone in Mumbai and to learn some Hindi!
After a while she was receiving numerous calls, I think from work. We parted ways and I thanked her for the time she spend with me, the heritage lesson, and the Hindi dictionary.
Down Under Retiree
I had only been in Mumbai for a couple of days when I realized I wanted to get the hell out of there. Despite the fact that Mumbai is very modern, architecturally beautiful, and bustling with vibrancy I had had enough. It could have been the jet lag or something but I wanted to hightail it out of there.
I planned on going north to Rajasthan. I wanted to see the blue city of Jodhpur, and hopefully the pink city of Jaipur. I planned on picking up a rikshaw from the central train station and taking it to the bus station to catch a bus to jodhpur. There was some speaking in Hindi amongst the rikshaw drivers then another rikshaw driver came over and told me to get in. I was suspicious immediately. Ultimately the rikshaw driver was going to try and take me on over an hours’ drive to a bus station to catch this bus to jodhpur. The drive to this particular bus station was going to cost me 3000 Rupees, or $60. A bit of a stretch in a country where you can get a meal for $1.50. I told him that was not okay and to take me to Colaba instead. This man argued with me and argued with me. But I fought back and reiterated my desire to go to Colaba. I also threatened to get out of the rikshaw and not give him any money if he didn’t take me to Colaba. Jet lag aside I was pissed and fierce with this driver. After much arguing he did in fact take me into Colaba, where I only gave him 50 rupees, a fair price as I had taken a rikshaw from Colaba to the train station the evening before and knew the cost.
After I got out of the rikshaw, full of fury and steam I sat down on a stool, pulled out my Lonely Planet tearing through it to find out where in fact the bus station was located in Mumbai, and how I was going to get to Jodhpur.
That is when I met Michele. She came up to me and asked “trying to get all the way through it”? She meant the huge Lonely Planet. “What?” I asked and then realized what she meant. I explained to her the situation I had just had with the rikshaw driver and how frustrated I was. She asked if I needed to find a hotel. I didn’t, what I needed was to get on the road to Jodhpur. After I took a minute I realized that a) it was already past 2pm b) I didn’t know where I was going or how to get there c) I was hot, tired, and frustrated. Perhaps it was best to check into a guesthouse, have a solid night’s sleep, and figure out a plan. Michele took me to the Salvation Army GuestHouse in Mumbai. I had seen it listed in the Lonely Planet. It was simple and basic and offered free breakfast with a night’s stay.
After I checked in Michele and I grabbed some food at a local restaurant. She also showed me around the neighborhood and where I could get basic amenities; long distance phone calls, Starbucks, banks, etc. She also took me to a travel agent where I could book a bus ticket to Rajasthan. As it turned out there were no direct buses to Jodhpur, they all went through Udaipur. It was then that I learned a valuable travel lesson; make travel plans ahead of time and do your research.
Michele; a retired woman traveling on her own in India for who knows how long, was my Mother and savior that day. I was very grateful to her. Thank you Michele! As it turned out we met up in Udaipur and she further Mothered me making sure I put on sunscreen and keeping tabs on me. Even when you are thousands upon thousands of kilometres from your Mother, you are never really far from home ;)
Dr.Yassin
We met the very first evening I was in Mumbai. I was stuck in Colaba as I was staying with a couch surfer who was out for the evening. I had numerous hours to dick around Colaba waiting for an appropriate time to take the hour long train ride back to Mulund and the couch surfers house. All I wanted to do was sleep. I had been awake for over 24hours and just traveled to an entirely different continent, let alone a new country. I was not in the mood to wander around the streets of Colaba after dark. But I didn’t have much of a choice. I went into a café in Colaba and ordered an iced cappuccino. It was cold and caffeinated, sure to keep me awake! At the table next to me were two black men deep in conversation. I was surprised to see black men in India to be perfectly honest, which is why I took note of them. At one point my book-mark fell to the floor and one of the men picked it up for me. At this point it became clear that he spoke fluent English. After some time polite exchanges were had they asked for me to join their table. So I did!
Dr. Yassin and his friend Khrioum lived here in Colaba. Dr.Yassin had been studying economics and just attained his pHD in the economics of Sudan, where he and his friend were originally from. We talked politics, and economics of Africa, and other countries throughout the world. I found what he had to say quite fascinating and educating as I do not know much about Sudan.
As the evening wore on and I still had time on my hands Dr.Yassin took me to his favourite spot in the city; the waters edge. I remembered seeing a photograph of this spot at the beginning of my Lonely Planet. They had 18 highlights of India listed with an outstanding photo capturing the feature. The photo I had seen was of Mumbai; lit up at night along the waters’ edge. It looked enchanting and irresistible. Dr.Yassin told me that we were in the Queen’s Necklace. So called because it is a horseshoed harbour with each lamplight shimmering in the evening dew, and reflecting off the water. Stunning! Fireworks were going off everywhere as everyone geared up for Diwali. Grand hotels and palaces illuminated in the night. It was then that I felt alive and really and truly in India for my first time. Pretty incredible!
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