First Impressions

After arriving in Mumbai and having a good night sleep, I woke this morning feeling refreshed and ready to take in this new city.

I woke up too late to enjoy breakfast at the hotel so my friend and I had our morning meal at a cute little cafe called “The Pantry” – something I totally did not expect to find in Mumbai! We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the Colaba area, just soaking in the atmosphere. Although it is a very busy and bustling city, I was surprised to find that Mumbai has a relaxed sort of vibe. But the traffic is crazy and beeping from cars is a constant sound in the background. We wandered down Colaba Causeway where many tourists head to browse the market stalls set up all along the footpath. We passed the famous Leopold Cafe and the luxurious Taj hotel. A late lunch at another small cafe ended our afternoon and we headed back to our hotel for a bit of a siesta.

My first few hours exploring the city of Mumbai were exciting and fun. This city is so different to anywhere I have been before. One thing in particular which I find quite interesting is that many men, women and children still wear traditional Indian clothing, and it’s really nice to see this part of Indian culture everywhere I go. In countries I have visited previously, older generations often wear traditional outfits but the children wear only western style clothes.

I am now looking forward to head out later and experience Mumbai at night. But I will not be heading out until I finish enjoying an episode of “Koffee with Karan”, in which famous director, Karan Johar, asks very invasive and inappropriate questions to Bollywood stars. Entertainment at its best!