Mumbai - Maharashtra - India

Mumbai and the Andamans 2024,

Once again I have chosen the crazy country of India. However, since I only have three weeks this time, a goal will be more in sight; The appeal of discovering new things and picking them up along the way still remains. As always, it will be permanently stored on my mental hard drive and will remain accessible there until the end of my days. I would be happy to share a few details with you here.

Mumbai

The plane touched down gently on the runway at 9:20 a.m. after a really relaxing flight. And I quickly left the airport building, skipped the queue for the rickshaws on the right and headed for a place a hundred meters away from where a bus number 188 was supposed to leave. When I first arrived in Mumbai, back in 2016, I was quickly persuaded to take a taxi, which I was supposed to get to in a parking garage and which cost me 40 euros in no time; This time it was urgently necessary to avoid this.

Here and now in 2024 a guy spoke to me and said no, but that I should follow the small group to another bus! I followed for a bit and it was supposed to go into a parking garage again. They ran, I didn't. I sat down unnoticed and went back to the rickshaws. Everything seemed well organized here and they even gave me the tip to turn on the taxi meter. I did that, but the driver still insisted on a fixed price. The clock was running, he said 500, the clock was running, he said ok 400, the clock was running... he asked what now, I said 300, he said no, the clock was running and after an hour we reached the destination of my guesthouse in Borivali East and the clock said 280! Point for me.

The next morning, fresh and alert, the plan was to go to the Kanheri Caves first and then to the pagoda in the afternoon. The caves are located in the Sanjay Mahatma National Park. The idea: either bus or rickshaw again, it would be 7 km on foot. At the entrance to the park I was recommended a bike for 150 rupees, unbeatable, I took it. The ride was relaxed, of course without gears, with a slightly sweaty climb towards the end.

Kanheri Caves

The caves were little visited but very interesting. They are said to be 2,000 years old and a small part is in very good condition. It was almost all downhill back, very pleasant. I came back, handed him my bike and said: I'll get 350, I had to deposit 500 at the beginning. But he did the math and babbled something about the 100 ways he gets. I had a big question mark in my head! Suddenly we were talking about 150 per hour! Now I started and didn't stop so quickly, it's a rip-off, I could have taken a taxi and added that I would never come back and I just left, I still heard a hesitant Mr., but I was unstoppable . Later I remembered that they still have my old, expired ID card; I left it as a gift.

Global Pagoda

I preferred to concentrate in a good mood on my second goal, five km in the other direction. I ran it because I had time and wanted to make up for the 350. At some point I arrived and waited for my boat, which went to the pagoda. Meanwhile, a certain Vijay spoke to me, I thought, oh no, the next foam racket. Did I still need this today? He let me know that he worked in the financial industry. He let me know a lot over the next few hours because he stayed with me. During the visit to the pagodas, on the return journey and also on the bus ride back, which he then paid for, there was no objection, it was cheap and I was a guest in his country. Then he invested in a delicious samosa for both of us and then said goodbye. A really nice person. An interesting first day where I lost and yet won again and if only with kindness and respect. But what does that mean, of course it had added value, can anyone tell me what is actually worth money?

Namaste

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