2022 – Mumbai, Gujarat- 3 week tour
22-09-2022 FLIGHT MUMBAI
My alarm goes off at 0545, I have to be there early because of the long waiting times at Schiphol Airport.
Today you can be happy that your flight is leaving at all.
I leave for the station with butterflies in my stomach. What a feeling of freedom rising gives!
When we arrive at Schiphol, it turns out that the advice to arrive at Schiphol 4 hours in advance makes no sense. The check-in desks only open 2 hours before the flight, with a waiting time of 90 minutes at security. Good looking!
Fortunately, the line for security seems to be not too bad so far, not that this says anything about what it will be like in 2 hours!
I was lucky that the check-in desk opened half an hour earlier, otherwise I would have
probably didn’t make the flight.
I was able to go straight to the gate and the boarding started in no time!
Quick stopover in Helsinki, just enough time to down a Wopper. My flight to Mumbai is finally in less than an hour, God I feel so happy! My friend Udai arrived there from Goa early this morning and will be waiting for me at the airport!
Unfortunately, another departure without saying goodbye to a few daughters. Despite that, I feel happy and grateful that I can finally go to India again!
When I arrive at the gate I see that the majority of the passengers are Indian. It already feels like I’m in India, the people are nice, polite and food comes out of just about every bag.
It was a bit stressful to get my visa (wrong part of the email printed) so I held everyone up. Luckily it was still in my inbox and it was resolved quickly!
23-09-2022 MUMBAI
Arriving at Mumbai Airport, the party can begin with a start in the smoking den where an Iranian man gives me dates and some chat with fellow addicts… Udai is already waiting for me, and sweet messages from friends and family come in as soon as I use WiFi have. I wonder what this first day will bring me!
Bombay has many faces, from beautiful colonial buildings to modern apartment complexes (about 10 floors where only 1 family seems to live), to slums, to people sleeping on the street under a stretched cloth. The area where I stay (near the fort) looks clean and is quiet (at 8 am).
We walk along the coastal road to relax on the beach while waiting for my room to be available. Once there, Udai has a present for me. Anyone who knows me knows how uncomfortable I feel right now! He bought 2 traditional clothing sets so that I can enter the temples without any worries. How sweet is this!
At lunchtime I look for a restaurant. It is the oldest Tali restaurant in Mumbai (1947) where we eat unlimited delicious dishes. The service is also amazing! Every now and then they come to your table and ask if you want more.
Every now and then I have to laugh internally, I clearly notice a cultural difference here when it comes to the contact between Udai and me.
Men seem to want to take the lead here, are very gallant (which I like) and arrange everything for you. Actually, I should be a little more dependent or submissive. You look just like me, single for years and quite independent! Okay, okay, now that I’m starting to realize it, I’ll let myself be guided a little more and let him take care of me more. It’s also quite sweet of him and very well-intentioned, just a bit awkward for me as an independent world traveler.
It is not possible to take really nice photos because of the chaos on the street. We end with (me) a beer on a rooftop bar. My eyes are almost closed now and I decide to take the evening for myself.
I decide to have a bite to eat around 1900 p.m. to avoid waking up from hunger tonight. I eat across the street from the hotel for the outrageous amount of 1,50. The food was delicious too! After dinner I still want a beer. It is not available in the local restaurant.
The owner refers me to a building across the street with 2 subtle neon lights. I walk there. There are only men in the queue, close together, looking around. Well, in India, drinking alcohol is a taboo. And women certainly don’t come here. So I’m stealing the show again tonight! There was a lot of fuss about the contents of the bottle I wanted. An ordinary bottle of beer, which became a mega bottle, the change, not to mention the hassle of getting them to open the bottle for me too! In the end I end up sitting in front of the entrance to my room like a wanderer with the bottle to my mouth, enjoying the cooling down!
24-09-2022 MUMBAI
I wake up at 8am, having slept around the clock. I’ve barely opened my eyes when I get a call from Udai. He’s probably had half a day at it already. Not yet, wake up first!
I put on my Indian suit, which is way too big (looks like a soup dress). Udai may have had me in mind at 15 kilos heavier, but hey, it’s for a good cause so I’m happy to wear it!
It takes a while to get to Udai so I take the time to take some pictures in the street of the hotel. The humidity is so high that my lens fogs up immediately. It strikes me how late people come alive here compared to, for example, Bangkok. Where the locals are already in full swing at 0530, here it only gets going a little bit around 9 o’clock.
In the morning we go to Khotachiwadi, a Heritage village in Mumbai that is 180 years old and where time seems to have stood still. I eat my first street food bite here. No idea what it was, but very tasty! Then we head to the beach to taste one of Mumbai’s specialties. Again from a street stall and again delicious!
We take a taxi to Mahalaxmi Dhuabi Ghat, the largest outdoor laundry in Mumbai. Some girls come up to me and tell me all about the laundry and want to sell me souvenirs. I actually don’t need anything, but they tried so hard that I decided to buy a fan of Peacock Feathers for Pien. I’ll give the other girl some money because she was an excellent guide!
Mumbai is a city of such enormous contrasts. One moment you drive past mega luxury and high skylines, only to see skinny women with children sitting on the street a few meters further and doing nothing. Sometimes you see them grooming each other. I see all this from the car on the way to the Bandra East district.
On the way we drive past Dharavi Slum. Of course I ask if we can stop for a moment, from the bridge you have a nice view over the slum. About a million people live here on 2,2 square kilometers, very bizarre!
We take the train back to the hotel. The train station is located just next to the Slum. I stop to take a photo and see a scene that reminds me of the movie “Lion”. For a moment I am confronted with the harsh reality and I realize even more how hard it is for some people here.
I have read that people in the slums do not have their own sanitary facilities, in a book I read that they have to walk to a field somewhere for their needs. I don’t know if that’s true, but it is noticeable that it stinks here. The smell is penetrating, almost scratches my neck every now and then.
Taking the train is not easy even for Indians. Udai can’t figure it out so she asks Jan and everyone for help.
In the end we got a ticket (for 10 cents instead of about 4 euros for the taxi)
It’s a cool experience in those crowded trains!
You see people jumping in and out of the moving train and here too I seem to be a sight to behold. I am the only white person.
We have to change, believe me it would be impossible for a tourist to find out from which Perón which train goes to which!
We look in vain for a terrace where you can have a drink, but we end up having a bite to eat opposite the hotel.
After dinner I walk across the street to get a beer. I have to smile at the faces of those men again with me crammed between them like a shrimp! The owner immediately knew what I came for, “small beer madam? Yes please sir!”
25-09-2022 MUMBAI
I didn’t sleep very well last night so I woke up feeling exhausted.
Today we are going by train to the north of Mumbai. It’s nice how things are arranged here by train. Besides the fact that you have different classes and therefore a huge difference in fare, there are also special wagons for women and people who need help. Despite the enormous difference between rich and poor, (almost) everyone can travel by public transport. An average of 8 million passengers are transported by train every day, which seems to me to be an experience in itself. Udai wants to travel first class, I actually enjoy traveling second class. This only costs 25 cents return for a 45-minute ride
From my seat I now have a view of what is going on on the train. The reason why people board the train while it is still moving at a station is to get a seat. The women on the other hand take it slower. Men give up their places so that they can travel safely and comfortably. It is a chaos of chatter, people pressed against each other and yet you don’t hear an unruly word!
Our first stop is Gilbert Hill; a Basaltic hill in the middle of a residential area. It is a 66 million year old and 61 meter high monolith made entirely of basalt. The hill was formed when volcanic lava erupted during the Mesozoic era in the Indian states of Maharashtra. From the top you have a beautiful view of the city.
When you walk through this neighborhood you will encounter many goats on the street. Literally everything is sold from a shop, a stall or just on the street. The nicest “shop” I thought was the barber who had placed a chair along the road and was shaving men there. Not to mention the butchers who sell fresh meat here and the penetrating smell that this brings.
We take a tuk tuk to the restaurant 2,5 km away because it is starting to get hot. Once we get there we have to wait 40 minutes before we get a table so we go to the Dakshinayan temple where people are just praying.
Back at the restaurant, Udai and I are placed at a large table with people we don’t know. Something that is very normal in India. In no time we start talking and meals are shared. You have to taste everyone, super cool! We eat so well again (no idea what I ate) and that for 6,30 for the two of us.
After dinner we take a long walk on the beach, how could it be otherwise; there is a lot of food for sale! Finally we settle down for a drink in a bar overlooking the beach, how good do you want it?!
We walk a long way back along the beach. The tide is now low and the cricket fields are springing up like mushrooms. I think it’s so beautiful to see how people here can still enjoy the simplest things in life!
I’m sitting on the pier for a moment to enjoy the view and have a smoke, when a young boy comes up to me, he wants a fire. His cigarette is already half smoked, he tries to light it but doesn’t know how it works. Due to the strong wind I offer my cigarette to light his, this also seems new to him. I show him how to do it. He takes a puff and doesn’t inhale the smoke. I thought this was such a touching scene.
As we walk to the station, at one point I see a girl of about three sitting alone on the sidewalk of a busy intersection, no adult in sight around her. She is thin, wears dirty clothes and no shoes. When I mention it to Udai, he says: “She is probably waiting for her parents and they hope that some money will be thrown in her bucket.” Typical example of The Hell of India. I walk on with a broken heart… I will continue to see this image before me for a long time.
The train journey back is fantastic again, the sun is starting to set, giving the buildings a warm glow. I try to take some pictures from the open door.
Just chilling for an hour and then my last meeting with Udai. We are going to eat in a restaurant that existed before the first train in India, 160 years ago). Here too there is a huge queue and everyone sits together at the table.
I look back fondly on my days together with my boyfriend who took the train all the way from Goa to visit me! A very sweet, caring and gallant man.
Tomorrow I continue my journey towards Ahmedabad. I met Jigar here at 17 p.m. A now friend whom I met for the first time in Jaiselmer in 2019. Tomorrow is the first day of the Navrati Festival and I have been invited to celebrate it with him and his family at home, very much looking forward to it!
26-09-2022 MUMBAI- AHMEDABAD
This morning one last walk near the hotel. It is wonderfully quiet at 8 o’clock in the morning and I enjoy a walk alone.
At 11 o’clock I go to the airport. My driver has placed his phone on the dashboard and while driving he watches a movie, burns incense, performs a ritual and drives like crazy. Even when going slow, he presses his accelerator deeply. He’s not afraid and I try not to be either. Luckily I only have to spend an hour in the car with him! He simply turns a two-lane road into a three-lane road and squeezes between everything while honking his horn and playing nerve-wracking music!
I made it to the airport, and I must honestly say that I felt stiff with fear at times.
I land in Ahmedabad at 1530. I take a tuk tuk to my hotel.
People sometimes say that you have to come from good homes to drive on the Champs Elises, well believe me the French are nothing like this!
When I stand in front of the Haveli my jaw drops, what a beautiful building this is! I drink my first masala chai here and hurry because I’m going to Jigar soon.
Here it feels like the real India, no, the north of India. The Haveli reminds me of Jodhpur The way the women are dressed, the architecture in the old center.
I drop my luggage and head towards Jigar’s business. Great to see him again! He also shows me his brother-in-law’s shop where he gives me traditional clothes to wear tonight. Then we go to his house where I meet all his family. Massala chai is made especially for me and they offer me all kinds of snacks. Food is a sign of hospitality in India. In no time I have a connection with his daughter who takes me everywhere hand in hand. Jigar and I go for a bite to eat, his wife stays at home, which feels quite uncomfortable. I let Jigar order, I eat 2 dishes that I have not eaten before and it tastes fantastic again, completely different dishes than the ones I have had so far. It’s super fun, so much to tell after almost three years! After dinner we go back to his apartment and then go downstairs where the entire apartment complex comes together to chat and dance. At 23 p.m. I call it a night and Jigar takes me home, he doesn’t want to let me go alone. On the way we stop for a 0.0 beer (Gujarat is a dry state) and we drink it in the tuktuk while toasting hihi
When I arrive at my hotel room I bump into my neighbor (27 years old). We start talking and he tells me a lot about Indian concepts. This also applies to the fact that men cannot show emotions for fear of being laughed at. We talk about addictions, relationships and the difference between men and women.
He also says that he wanted to study in Europe, but that he sacrificed himself. He is an only child so he should take care of his parents and therefore stay here in India.
He then talks about his great love, who recently married a man from her own caste, about the fact that he is still a virgin and talks in detail about all the information about love and sex that he has gathered from the internet and books. For someone who is a virgin, he has considerable technical knowledge on the subject, I hear sciences that I have never heard of or thought about before (also never had a lover who put all these sciences into practice with me hahahaha)
27-09-2022 AHMEDABAD
I start this morning with a visit to the Sarkhei Rosa mosque, which dates from 1511.
Then my tuktuk driver shows me all kinds of colonial houses and I can even go inside people’s houses to take a look. Super cool to see how people can create a cozy living space with the simplest materials.
I visit the glorious and colorful Hindi swaminarayan temple dating from 1822 and then we drive to the Hutheesingh temple. A beautiful Jain temple from 1848. I also had a few museums on my list, but unfortunately they were all closed!
One of the highlights for me was the beautiful Adalaj Step-well dating from 1498. It is one of several step wells built in India to provide access to groundwater.
I had the opportunity to photograph some young women here wearing beautiful traditional clothing for tonight’s Navrati festival!
The driver explains everything. Unfortunately, I don’t always understand everything he says.
I will also visit The Sabarmati Ashram, which was the home and place of reflection of Mahatma Gandhi and where he stayed from 1917 to 1930. It is now a National Monument and a museum about his teachings and life. I recognize a lot here from the film Gandhi.
What an oasis of peace it is here and that is quite welcome after 4 hours of racing through this busy city.
I’m brought back at 1430:1630 PM, nothing for an afternoon and that’s a good thing because at XNUMX:XNUMX PM it’s pouring down the sky. After an hour of heavy rain, the sun comes out again!
28-09-2022 AHMEDABAD
I decide to take it easy today and walk alone through the streets around the hotel, but first I will arrange a bus ticket for tomorrow, which is quite a hassle.
They don’t speak English at the station and hardly any foreign tourists travel by bus to Dasala. We try to make ourselves understood with our hands and feet. After half an hour we finally managed to buy a ticket. It is now 11:15 and very hot!
I’m not doing much today, on the way back from lunch I jump on the back of a motorbike because I can’t get a tuk uk. Actually quite nice sitting on the back with my hair in the wind, until my driver almost crashed into the oncoming car because he was looking at Google maps. Luckily I was alert and was able to warn him just in time!
29-09-2022 AHMEDABAD – ZAINABAD (LITTLE RANN OF KACHCHH)
This morning I’m taking the bus for a ride. When I arrive at the station I feel somewhat lost. There are about 25 platforms and everything is signposted in Indian. Fortunately, I soon receive help and after an hour I am called and told that I can board the bus.
I now realize that it is special that people have to wear face masks on an airplane and that this is not necessary on buses and trains where you sit more or less on top of each other!
After a little more than an hour’s delay, I find myself drenched in sweat in a local bus without air conditioning
No one here seems to care about delays. Small children also wait quietly. They don’t run away, scream or cry…
The journey that was supposed to take 2 hours will take 3,5 hours and I am already about to burst. It’s going to be a nice ride!
As we drive through the north of the city I see monkeys jumping from one balcony to another for the first time! All in all, once you’re on the bus it’s completely fine.
At every major intersection, women (often with small children under their arms) walk around begging. Young boys clean the windshields of cars for a few rupees instead of going to school.
The road to Dasada is not much further. It is flat, green with a village here and there.
At 1445 I am picked up by the owner at the Zainabad bus stop. We drive to the eco lodge in his old pick-up truck. It is really beautiful here. The owner tells me on the way that he hopes it won’t rain for a while so he can close the lodge for 10 days. Much of this is made from cow dung. This means that the huts and benches are made of concrete, but everything over them is decorated with cow dung. It looks beautiful! It’s a nasty idea that I’ll soon be sitting on shit. The national park also closes when it rains because you simply can’t drive through it anymore.
It is an oasis of peace here, which I could really use after 6 days in the teeming region!
At 1630 we go on Safari now that it is dry. I am the first guest, there is only 1 English man (a friend of the owner) here who left everything behind him in 2019 and is traveling through India.
At the end of the afternoon we drive to Little Rann of Kachchh to spot the wild Ass. This is the only place in the world where this donkey species can be seen. In addition, there are many birds to spot here and it is breathtakingly beautiful!
The owner tells me all about nature, the animals and the residents of the nearby villages. He also talks extensively about what he thinks about “the untouchables” who do very heavy work in the salt fields.
It’s like being part of a family here, we have drinks together, eat (fantastically) together and chat about anything and everything. This is India as I remember from a few years ago!
30-09-2022 ZAINABAD (LITTLE RANN OF KACHCHH)
During breakfast we discuss my plans. Think ahead because the train tickets often have to be booked well in advance.
I finally know the owner’s name: Dhanraj. He owns a large piece of land here and does a lot for society. For example, he sponsors a high school, an orphanage (until COVID because there is no longer the money for it), helps people in need, and has adopted an orphan, which is a horrible story. The young man is disabled and lived alone with his mother. He has no other family. His mother could no longer support him and one day decided to commit suicide for both of them by setting their house on fire. However, he survives this tragedy and she does not. Since then, Dhanraj has taken care of him.
Along the way, Dhanraj talks about public health, which looks good on paper but makes no difference in practice. There are rarely doctors and nurses present in hospitals and when they are there they prescribe as much medication as possible because they receive a 40% commission on this. So unaffordable for many!
Along the way we talk to a woman. I ask her how many children she has, she says three (she apparently has 4, I hear from Dhanraj). Apparently they only allow boys to count as their children because girls don’t yield anything. They would rather lose them because they will eventually live with their husbands and take care of their parents-in-law instead of them. For this reason, they often consider their education not important and neglected.
In the village we stop for Ian at the Eye Hospital. I have to pee, so I go to the toilet, it’s a squat toilet. When I hang above the hole, about 10 mosquitoes suddenly come towards my punani. I did get hit!
On the way back I see dirt along the road. When I ask about this, Dhanraj explains that garbage is only collected here once every 1 weeks and that there are no waste containers here. I also see a little boy crouching along the road. He poops on the side of the road. I get an explanation about this: the state has ensured that every house has a toilet, but they hardly get any water available, so they save the water for cooking and washing and do not use it to flush the toilets. The toilets are therefore used as storage space and people do their business outside.
Dhanraj is a very respected man here. Not only does he help many people and own a lot of land here, he is also the son of the king of Zainabat. Everywhere he goes he is greeted and often does not have to pay for his groceries.
At the end of the afternoon we return to the national park to spot birds and visit the ‘salt people’.
Once again Dhanraj tells all about how things are going here.
20000 families work in the park, harvesting salt (permissibly illegally). He talks about the entire harvesting process. People work 14 hours a day (man, woman and children from 3 years old) in the summer months with temperatures of 56 degrees. According to him, at least 1 woman dies every day. Children up to the age of 5 are not given a name because 33% of children do not reach their 5th birthday.
The family we are visiting lives here 7 months a year with 6 men in a tent. They have 2 beds (without mattress), no electricity and 200 liters of water per 2 weeks. Because they work (supposedly) illegally, the police seem to come by regularly, and they have to give money and/or lend their wives to them for some fun for the cop. During my previous trip through India I did not receive much information about what is going on here. This is just a very short version of what he told me and it will stay with me for a long time and affect me enormously. While I can’t see anything about the people themselves here, they are friendly, laugh, take the time for you and live their lives!
1-10-2022 ZAINABAD (LITTLE RANN OF KACHCHH)
This morning we were going to a village where women (originally from Rajasthan but moved to Gujarat in the 1960s) make and sell jewelry. However, my interest lies in photographing these people. They seem to be beautifully dressed. Eventually they come here and display all their wares. Taking photos is allowed, but you are expected to buy something, which I understand, so I look for my daughter’s shopping list and find some nice things for her and in the meantime I take photos!
Around 10 am we drive to the school that Dhanraj founded. There is a school for boys and one for girls. Dhanraj has made a demand for every parent to send their daughter to education. If they do not agree to this, their sons are also not welcome at this local school. I think it’s a great initiative!
Today is a special day because the new girls (1st year of secondary school) receive a bicycle because they sometimes live up to 10 km from school. Not only is it a very long drive if you have to walk, but it is often also very unsafe to walk along the road. The bicycles are handed out and we are asked to hand them over, which I do with some discomfort. A little later, Mitsra (the Iranian girl) and I are given a microphone so that we can tell the girls something about ourselves and how important education and independence are for a woman.
After the speeches, they walk row after row in straight lines back to their classrooms.
I feel so at home and welcome in this place, I hope it will be my first stop for volunteer work in India next year.
I have already spoken to Marian (from Key of Education) about the possibility of teaching English here. Hopefully we will succeed!
This afternoon I will go for a walk with Mitsra through the surrounding village. It is quiet here, every now and then you come across someone or bump into a stray dog. Furthermore, the village seems to be sleeping.
At the end of the afternoon we go on safari again and visit a village that we encounter on the way to the lake where we will go bird watching. All the locals are equally nice and are more than happy to pose for you!
Tonight we are going to attend a festival…
2-10-2022 SIDHPUR – PATAN – MODHERA
Today I get up at 0630 for the first time because we leave early for Sidhpur, also known as the forgotten city of Gujarat. Which also seems to be correct because the city is not mentioned in the lonely planet. The old part of the city looks magical! When I get out of the car and walk through the old center I am amazed. I come across an uninterrupted row of decorated houses made of wood, brick and plaster on both sides of the street. The houses are so similar in design and architecture that the facades look more like beautifully decorated walls!
This city seems like a kind of ghost town, there are hardly any people on the streets, there is little traffic and you can smell the delicious smell of the meals that are prepared here.
The town is truly beautiful! As many as 90% of these homes are empty, the wealthy owners are moving to the big cities or abroad. They don’t do the selling. We are invited to a man’s house to take a look at his house, I don’t think this would happen so quickly in the Netherlands! We are shown around by the driver’s best friend and his brothers who live here. We eat some delicious snack that includes potatoes. I’m not allowed to pay for anything because I’m their guest after all.
From here we drive towards Patan to visit the Rani-ki-Vaw step-well dating from 1063, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its intricate carvings and stunning architecture.
This is the oldest and step-well in Gujarat and is decorated with more than 800 sculptures and is 27 meters deep!
We drive through Patan, where there are also beautiful Heritage houses and where the most beautiful scenes pass me by, which unfortunately I cannot capture due to the speed at which we drive.
The monument is located in the middle of a beautifully maintained park where many people are chilling under the trees. I have had my picture taken with locals at least 20 times. I feel happy, not because I am asked to take a photo, but because I always make some people happy with such a small gesture. One by one they also ask in their best English where I come from and what my ‘good name’ is. Sweet!
Finally we drive to Madhera to visit the Sun temple, one of the most beautiful and important temples in Gujarat. It is a Hindu temple dedicated to the sun god Suryauit and dates back to 1027.
On the way back I realize that this place is exactly what I needed. The peace and quiet but also the people of the guesthouse where I am admitted as a family member. The people are warm, open and so helpful! I feel at home here and completely relaxed!
Along the way we occasionally come across camels that transport all kinds of things. This reminds me of Rajasthan which is also almost around the corner. The roads are remarkably good and I enjoy the views.
We drive back around sunset and I look back on a day full of impressions!
3-10-2022 ZAINABAD (LITTLE RANN OF KACHCHH)
I ask Dhanraj if he would like to take me to the Rann to spend some time with the locals who are working in the salt farms. These are illegal salt farms where people earn a meager living by pumping groundwater and extracting the salt.
I get a tour through the vast fields and the man tries to explain to me how everything works here.
I take off my slippers and decide to go into the field with him. I just do the work he does every day. To the eye it seems to be not too bad until you sink a few centimeters into the mud and you barely have any grip. Then you still have to trim the field with those heavy tools.
In addition, you also have to level the field millimeter by millimeter. He often sinks halfway down his lower leg into the mega salty water.
It’s quite hard work. It’s special that someone who has to work so hard just takes the time to hang out with you and explain about his life in the fields!
I am invited for a cup of tea and can take a look at their ‘house’.
It looks so structured and clean. It is made of jute bags and clay
When I get back I’ll talk to Ian for a moment. When he sees my muddy feet, we start talking about the work of those people. He tells me that when these people die and are cremated, their feet to the middle of the lower leg and hands are not burned due to working in the salt fields. Quite shocking!
Spend the whole afternoon at the dining table with Mitsra (Iranian girl) and Zaheede (wife of Dhanraj).
She talks extensively about her life and how she experiences working at the guesthouse. I notice that people here are open and trust you. I also tell a few things about my deceased person and my plans for the future. Now that I’ve gotten to know her a little better (she was a bit quiet until today, looking straight forward) I’m even more looking forward to coming back here! But first check whether the teachers have sufficient knowledge of the English language. We are not just talking about misery. She also shares her passion for fabrics and having clothes made. So next year we will be shopping for authentic clothing made of soft loose cotton, a silky soft cotton type that is very airy to wear in the most beautiful colors!
At the end of the afternoon we will visit family. The Princess of Bajahna. Every state has a royal family in India and here too we receive such a hospitable welcome.
Before dancing, a Punja ceremony is performed, which we attend for a moment.
I look back on a wonderful day!
04-10-2022 ZAINABAD – BHUJ
The early rhythm is nice. At 0630 I get out of bed and chat with Ian.
During breakfast my visa is discussed and it turns out that because I have a tourist entry visa for a period of 5 years, I cannot apply for any other type of visa. I really need this if I am going to do volunteer work, because that is not allowed under a tourist visa. That’s a bummer and I’ll have to look into it when I get home!
As for setting up the guesthouse, Dhanraj warned me to do this legally (possess work visas) because there are very strict rules here and you certainly don’t want to go to jail here!
It seems like we’ll have to stick to online coaching/travel, blogging or something like that and do some short-term volunteer work. Also quite an excellent solution.
I’m really sad to be leaving now because I really enjoyed my stay at Desert Eco Lodge!
At 0930 I leave by tuk tuk for an hour-long ride to the station for my bus to Bhuj. Normally this bus runs directly from Ahmedabad to Bhuj, but Dhanraj knows the company I am traveling with and arranges an extra stop for me. He urges me to pay close attention to the bus number because it sometimes happens that people get on the wrong bus and he has to pay for the ticket!
Along the way, make a stop at a gas station for a sanitary stop in case the bus does not stop along the way. When I open the toilet door, the smell of piss hits me. To make it complete, dozens of giant ants walk on the floor and walls and the cage is inimini. I have rarely peed so quickly and I don’t take the time to put my panties on properly. I storm out of the cage in disgust!
When we arrive at the bus stop, it turns out that the bus has not yet left Ahmedabad. So I have to wait here for at least an hour and a half and it is now quite hot with no place in the shade.
Fortunately, my driver can wait with me, so I still have a roof over my head, which offers some protection against the heat.
Finally he (the mayor of Zainabad who drove me) drives to a place under a tree where it is a bit better to stay.
It’s 12 o’clock and we’re still waiting. I’m dying of thirst but I don’t dare drink anything because I already have to pee and I’ll probably only get there around 18 p.m. I decide to take the risk and pee just behind the tuk tuk. Peeing has never been so fast. Very sad what it is in a kind of open building where I know people will sleep there tonight, but I couldn’t stand it anymore. Then just rinse with water… In and next to the building you can see that a cooking facility has been made from a kind of clay. They are quite inventive here.
After 2,5 hours of waiting, the bus finally arrives. I see more people quitting here, so I come to the conclusion that I should take Dahnraj’s words with a grain of salt every now and then.
When I want to sit in my spot (you can lie there) there is already a man in my reserved spot. He is kindly asked to leave. The man was lying there with shoes and all and it smelled like sweaty feet! Fortunately, the nasty smell goes away fairly quickly, but there’s no way I’m going to lay my head on that mattress!
Luckily we have a pie break at 15pm! Still 135 km to go (2,5 hours)
An hour before arrival I get stressed. The hotel that Dhanraj booked for me looks very shabby. I’m diligently looking for something descent for a reasonable amount, which isn’t easy, but I’m succeeding. The Tour for tomorrow has not yet been arranged, which is quite worrying because it is very touristy here.
I finally arrive in Bhuj at 19 pm and at the hotel at 1930 pm. Time for a 0.0 dinner
5-10-2022 NIRONA – THAN – HODKA – BHUJ
I slept wonderfully last night. How nice it is to have a better mattress and pillows!
At 8 am I leave for a day tour in an air-conditioned car!
We visit tourist craft villages, the Than Monastery and the intention is to visit the Rann of Kuch at sunset.
Because it is close to the Pakistani border, I need to have a passport with me today.
This region has some mountains, which makes the view a lot more interesting than anything I’ve seen in this state.
First we go to Nirona Village where we see people at work. Everything is still made by hand. Along the way we meet camel keepers. The young girls work just as hard even though they are no older than about 10 years old, I think. These camels are not used to transport goods but for milking.
It is incredible to see how people turn rusted car parts into beautiful objects.
They also show me how they decorate fabrics using only natural materials.
Along the way I meet some children who like to take a break in front of the camera. When I buy them something tasty later, I discover that my money is no longer in the side pocket of my camera bag. The zipper was open. No idea if I lost it or left it in my room. Nice because I had about 80-90 peak in it and there are no ATMs in the area. Well great!
The driver is trying to get some money somewhere. He manages to pay around 30 euros via socket. Locals can pay contactless almost everywhere. Something that I think is hardly possible in France, for example.
The Than Monastery (12th century) is somewhat remote, we drive through the hills to get there. It is a beautiful green area.
When we arrive it initially seems like nothing special, until you go inside. I am overwhelmed by the beautiful buildings and also the gurus who look very special with their orange rolled cloths on their heads and huge wooden rings through their ears. I’m in for a small part of the ceremony. They put something in a pipe and one by one they take a puff. It is special to see. Unfortunately I wasn’t allowed to capture it. The people here are also so friendly. I am offered food and drinks and asked if I want to go to the toilet. As if they can read minds. I won’t dwell on the smell and condition inside today, I paid enough attention to that yesterday…
Along the way the driver points out to me a sign indicating that this is the ‘Tropic of Cancer’. I didn’t know what it was so looked it up: it marks the highest latitude in the Northern Hemisphere where the sun can be at zenith, perpendicularly above the Earth’s surface.
It is an imaginary line around the Earth where the sun reaches its northernmost position once a year. The point is located in the middle of the Rann of Kutch area.
We arrive at the Hodka Village. It is quite touristy and yet it is enjoyable. I especially enjoy the interaction with the children! They stick out their tongues and giggle, imitating the cat. I make funny faces and bark. We have the most fun. I am not interested in the products, I prefer the contact!
If I understand correctly, the girls here go to school until the age of 7. Then they go to work making souvenirs from beads. The head of the village also owns a home stay. They are beautiful luxury houses. We have lunch here and the food is super good.
During lunch I meet the French couple and their driver.
After lunch we go to a village. It strikes me that people in the villages are mainly focused on sales and that you don’t really make contact. We were supposed to go to the Rann for sunset but I decided against it. The salt flats are not there yet, that’s only in 2 months, so I ask the driver to go to Bhuj Hill for sunset with a view over the city.
Because we are driving past the center, the driver suggests we visit the Swaminarayan temple. It is a new temple of marble and gold. Everywhere, from the pillars to the walls and domes, you will see fine carvings and sculptures.
We drive on to Bhuj Hill. The walk up is beautiful and there are only 3 people here. Very cool and the view is beautiful!
When I return to the hotel I immediately start looking for the money. Not in my wallet. I’m bummed! Ultimately I find it in a completely illogical place. Typical ADD Nic!
6-10-2022 BHUJ – MANDVI
Just before 8 am I leave for Aina Mahal, a beautiful palace from 1752. Next to this palace there are two more: the Prag Mahal from the 19th century, designed by an Italian architect, and Rani Mahal from the 17th century. This was the king’s main residence and was almost completely destroyed by the 2001 earthquake.
It doesn’t open until half past nine. I take some pictures of the outside until a few stray dogs approach me. I almost wet my pants, I can still clearly remember the growling and chasing dog in a village near Jailsemer in 2019. I dare not move. Fortunately, at some point a local comes along and I walk with him. Then I walk around the city, along the lake where some kind of festival is going on.
Back at the Aina Mahal it turns out to be closed on Thursdays, so unfortunately I cannot visit the inside. Too bad because it seems to be beautiful!
After a short walk I’m sweating so I continue with a tuk tuk. So funny how things work here. If your driver does not know the way (despite showing the route on Google Maps), within no time there will be 5 people surrounding the vehicle discussing how to get there and in the end you will always arrive at your destination.
Around 11 am I return to the hotel to read a few things about Mandvi, my next destination. Turns out there is a private beach there where you can also enjoy delicious food. I’m going to grab this opportunity with both hands! So sightseeing this afternoon and tomorrow morning and then chilling for part of the day.
The ride is super chill in an air-conditioned car and fun with the French and extremely friendly driver!
On the way we first stop at the beautiful Jinalay Jain temple and then we visit the Vijay Vilas Palace. Savings, I can also go to a ceremony in the same Jain temple, which is quite special considering that access to Jain temples for tourists is usually prohibited.
The ceremony lasts an hour during which people dance and play instruments. It is so funny to see that one moment people fully participate in the ceremony and the next they are busy with the phones again.
This is followed by a ritual for their God. We can also stand by and participate in this. When I close my eyes I feel it coming in, I am in a kind of trance. After this we walk backwards out of the temple (you are not allowed to turn your back on their God).
After lunch we visit the Vijay Vilas Palace, once a summer palace of the Kutch royal family from 1929. From the roof terrace you have a beautiful view of the estate and the beach of Mandvi behind it.
It was a very nice experience to be able to ride with these people for a day and it is also a real added value if you go out with a good driver/guide!
7-10-2022 MANDVI
This morning it is cloudy so I am in no hurry to leave the guesthouse. The guesthouse flyer states that they can arrange a massage here, which is what I am going to do today. I also go with an acquaintance of the owner to his village where you are allowed to take photos of women in traditional clothing.
When I want to take my things from the trolley, an unpleasant surprise awaits me. I see a huge cockroach in there!! I shout and get my stuff out. He jumps out of the suitcase and disappears somewhere on the bed. Gadget the gadver! The owner allegedly sprayed him to death but has not found him.
I have some clothes left that I want to give to the Dalit people so I ask where I should go. Once there, I am overwhelmed with emotions. They live in such terrible conditions. When I walk back I almost feel guilty about how good I actually am. I want to buy some fruit and vegetables for them, but I don’t see any stalls, probably because it’s still too early.
The reason why tourists come to Mandvi is the special shipbuilding industry. I take a few pictures of it but it doesn’t really pique my interest. On the way to the beach I come across beautiful homes with (again) such a lack of maintenance. How beautiful this village would be if everything were renovated!
For the last part towards the beach I am offered a lift which I happily accept, so I jump on the back of the motorbike. When I arrive at the beach I think I see sunbeds. As I come closer, I am left with no illusions. They’re just benches. I also understand that the women here hardly go into the sea and if they do, it is with clothes on. You don’t see any tourists yet. Many people are ready to offer their services. From camel riding to a quad bike ride.
Back I take a tuk tuk back to the guesthouse because I have to be on time for the massage, which turns out to be very special. The lady starts with her feet, sliding a copper bowl under my feet at a considerable speed. After some time the sole of my foot becomes hot and it is also completely black!
After lunch I walk around the bazaar, where an older woman with a blind eye tries to extort money from me quite forcefully. My feet have never been so black before (and that is not from the massage itself, perhaps due to the oil on my body that retains the dust). Just take a shower then. My driver takes me to his family. They live there with 35 people, it is a great house, very clean and there was an atmosphere of harmony. Once again I am welcomed with open arms! Then we visit a few other families who proudly show what they make. We also stop along the way to buy some fruit and vegetables for the poor. It’s like they smell it. As soon as we stop in front of their tents, adults and small children come running towards us. I had 4 bags of food made, the children push each other to be the first. Heartbreaking to see this scene! The driver starts quickly
the engine and speaks to them. Before I know it we’re driving again.
We pass a few villages where people decorate fabrics and make pots by hand.
Tonight by night bus to my next destination.
Bhuj and Mandvi were quite nice, but I don’t think I would make the detour for these places next time. I think Bhuj is too touristy and Mandvi is more relaxed but not that special. Later I hear that you can go to local villages near Mandvi and that they are a lot less touristy than those near Bhuj. Maybe I’ll try it again someday…
8-10-2022 JUNAGADH
The ride last night went fairly smoothly. The only disadvantage was that it was a non-AC bus, so I had to keep my window open to get some (heavily polluted) air in. I don’t know what emissions our bus emitted, but it was so bad that I kept coughing and decided to sleep with a face mask on. I arrive at my destination at 07:00 am. First at the more luxurious hotel with a deck top bar and swimming pool, but it looked dilapidated due to renovation so I walked to another (cheaper) hotel that also had a swimming pool. I get the room for a good price and jump on the back of a motorbike to pick up my luggage at the other hotel.
I had already heard that most sights are closed due to renovation at the moment, but I’m going to take a look anyway. First I walk to Mahabat Maqbara Mausoleum from 1851. It is an impressive building, a masterpiece of its kind with finely designed arches, vertical columns and extensive stone carvings on the walls and windows. The mausoleum of Mahabat Maqbara was once the royal residence of the Nawabs of Junagadh.
At the hotel I am told that I can probably visit the Uparkot fort if I ask, so I jump in a tucktuck and let them take me there. And indeed, after some ‘ah please’ I can enter. The structure is said to date back to 319 BC although it has been expanded many times. In some places the ramparts reach up to 20 meters high. It has been besieged 16 times and legend has it that the fortress once withstood a 12-year siege. When I get to the top I have a view of the Ginar Hill which I will climb tomorrow at 6 am.
Within the walls is a beautiful former mosque, a series of thousands of years old Buddhist caves and two beautiful stairwells and step wells. you can spend hours here.
It is blisteringly hot and my white T-shirt is soaked! In the afternoon I chill in the pool, God this is so nice!
Around half past five I storm down and take another chance to get inside the gates of the Mahabat Maqbara. And damn, smile sweetly and I can go in for 5 minutes. I end the visit with a selfie with the daughter of the man who let me in. Give a little, take a little!
When I return I chat with the hotel manager. I ask him for the bus/train times for tomorrow. He says, let’s walk there and he asks me everything. The friendliness of the people here makes me so happy. Truly nothing is too much and they always have time for you and for each other!
After dinner I see that the gate and the Mahabat Maqbara are beautifully illuminated. I run upstairs and build a tripod hoping to capture it. Chair on the table, window open as wide as possible, level it with a pack of cigarette butts, tea bags… hihi I’m having a good time. Tomorrow the alarm goes off at 0515:XNUMX am
mountain walk of 10000 steps. I don’t know yet whether I will do them all. I have heard that you absolutely have to grab the first 5000, okay then. Grrrrr
9-10-2022 JUNAGADH – Gondal
At 6 am I leave for Gilbert Hill and at 6:30 am I start my climb. It is a sacred mountain full of Hindu and Jain temples. Pilgrims come here every day to climb the 10000 steps.
What I always forget to mention is that many cars here still run on gas tanks. Just like Dhanraj’s daughter. She had a huge tank in her trunk! It’s not surprising that there is so much smog in this country!
I encounter people who are already at the end of the return journey, people on the way up, monkeys, many monkeys that make me pause for a moment. They look just like people and even in the way they sit I think I can see the difference between male and female. One sits neatly, legs together and hands on the knees, while the other sits with his legs apart and scratches his crotch.
The walk is tough and beautiful. At half past seven the sweat is already on my back and that is putting it mildly. I’m pissed and wet. Along the way I try to take some pictures of people inconspicuously, as they try to take of me. After 3500 steps I finally arrive at the Jain temple of Neminath from the 12th century. This is also the largest and oldest temple here with stupas decorated with beautiful mosaics. It is truly beautiful on the inside and the peace and quiet that prevails there is overwhelming. Unfortunately I am not allowed to take photos.
I’m not sure whether I’m going to walk back or take another 2700 steps up to take the gondola back. I choose the second option and it is difficult. It is even steeper now and the sun is shining brightly on my face.
Along the way I encounter transvestites who beg. She has a lot of money in her hand. Dhanraj had earlier said that the story doing the rounds is that if you don’t give them money, some kind of curse will come on you. Am I glad I’m not religious! You also see mothers with whole packs of water on their heads making the climb and people who let two men carry them up or down on a kind of chair. I feel sorry for those men, because I only see obese people using the service.
At 9:15 am I finally reach the point of 5000 steps and where the temple or Amba Mata is located. The story goes that a visit to this temple predicts a good marriage. I decide not to climb any higher and join the queue to buy a ticket for the gondola down.
When I sit in the gondola I see what a feat I have accomplished. My goodness, it went up so steeply!
I go back to the hotel to take a shower and then leave for Gondal. Arriving at the station it is chaos here, like everywhere in India. I ask about the bus and it turns out to be pulling away in front of me. The next one is in 30 minutes. I sprint behind the bus with my suitcase and all and call the driver and yes, they stop and I can come along!
At some point I will receive a text from the contact person of the next hotel. He reminds me that he had booked an AC train ticket for me. Also before departure at 1130. I then sit in the hot bus. Typical Nic again!
Arriving in Gondol I take a tuk tuk to Orchard Palace, which was once the Royal guesthouse and is now one of the best Heritage hotels in Gujarat. I only have a living room (bigger than my loft) and an immense bedroom with separate dressing room. The Royals, great grandson and family of the last king (Maharaja) live in the palace next to the hotel where he has a huge collection of vintage and classic cars and which he still drives himself. Tonight I will eat at the hotel (my most expensive meal so far (11 euros). I am told that I am being served a royal meal because I am eating what the pot has to offer. I am curious. Everything seems to come fresh from my own vegetable garden. .
It is a nice experience to be here, but my main reason for this choice was the swimming pool and the garden, which provide an opportunity to relax and not be surrounded by dust.
After an hour at the pool I prepare to go to a village where women are traditionally dressed and whom I can photograph. The butler is coming with me lol. The Tour fell apart for 2 reasons. 1 because a highly respected man from the village died and 2 because it suddenly came out of the blue. A very local shower because back in Gondal it is dry (12 km away).
I get a three course dinner and it is surprisingly tasty, I have never eaten here so refined!
10-10-2022 GONDAL
Unfortunately, it is very cloudy this morning, so there is no point in an early visit to the palace. So I have all the time. When I walk around the grounds, I come across the parking lot of the cars. One model is even more beautiful than the other. There are even examples from before the First World War, really beautiful!
I also arrange a taxi for tomorrow, it costs a bit but it saves me about 5 hours of travel, a transfer in Bhavnagar and 8 hours of travel in total in a local bus without air conditioning. I can get there by taxi in 4,5 hours.
Gondal is a compact and friendly town. I immediately feel at home here! Around 9 o’clock I go into town with the butler (completely in uniform, only without a beret this time) past the market, temple and the family’s river palace. We also visit a school. I tell him about the level of education and what we could do. He will first discuss this with his manager, who will then present it to the queen because the family funds the school. Everything is paid for for the children. They pay for uniforms and books for the poorer people. Participation in education is free. I give him the information in the hope of starting a conversation with her.
The city is bustling but not overcrowded. The people are very approachable and the Hindu temple is beautiful on the inside! We walk through the city for almost 3 hours and I really enjoy it!
In the afternoon I meet with the French and Ranjeet. They just happen to be here too. We talk about the journeys the French made with him.
I must and will get mom here, so I discuss in detail what I have in mind and what the trip should include. I get really excited because we have a beautiful route in mind. Now just have to get Mom to do that!
I’m going out with my butler for a while and we end up at the liquor shop. They don’t have alcohol free so I apply for my permit. If I had known afterwards that it would take them more than half an hour to get my permit in order to have a beer, I would have let it go. They need my passport, proof of my flight, my visa and everything is recorded. However, my butler is happy because he buys a bottle of J&B on my permit for when her brother-in-law comes during Diwali. This means that I am not allowed to buy any drinks in this state for the next 10 days. Best of all, it turns out the beer isn’t even chilled!
He gives me a lift back to the hotel, on the same site, and I see him driving back to the liquor shop with his bag of alcohol.
When I walk downstairs a few minutes later to get a glass, I see that he is back. Maybe a bad thought on my part, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he sells the bottle on the black market and makes a big profit! I thought it was strange that he paid the taxes (60%) of the price of my beer and that he bought a bottle of alcohol for no less than 30 euros excluding tax.
During dinner, the butler tells me that there is an event in the area tonight and asks if I want to go. Of course I want that!
When we arrive, we are asked if I can watch. I am allowed to do that and receive a very warm welcome. I even get a seat with the guests of honor! In addition to the usual photos/videos that are often taken of me, a professional cameraman is now also filming and I am in the picture with my sniffer.
First some women are honored, then the show starts.
The women wear the most beautiful and colorful dresses and watching their dance show is a party. I could have watched this for hours!
11-10-2022 GONDAL – PALITANA
This morning I will visit the Ayurveda doctor for a check up. I appear to be in good health for my age, despite some swollen stomach. He prescribes a few things, but because it doesn’t bother me, I decide not to buy anything. Back at the hotel, the butler and I visit the car collection (the king has 110 pieces in his possession), some of which are exclusive examples of which only one was made. The oldest copy dates from 1903.
This family really seems to collect everything. From dolls, crockery, tea pots and even eggs that are exhibited in the Naulakha museum.
At 12 o’clock I take the taxi to Palitana.
On the way we drive through some villages and many cotton fields. It’s a pleasant ride in the back of a car with air conditioning!
For the first time I see a dead cow lying on the street. Until now it has been limited to a dead dog here and there. We even come across a stop sign, which I haven’t seen here before!
When we still have about 30 minutes to go to our destination, the landscape becomes much hillier, which is a pleasant change.
As far as I can see from the car, Palitana really looks like a dirty village and it looks very unattractive! There is waste literally everywhere. I’ve never seen it this bad before. I’ll check with the hotel but I don’t think I’ll venture out here.
When we almost arrive at the guesthouse I am pleasantly surprised again. It is so quiet here, I hear the birds singing, see some farmers walking across the road with their donkeys and the house where I am going to sleep with its garden is truly beautiful. I’ll enjoy myself here for the next 24 hours!
I am taken to the living room, given a cup of chai and the door is closed. I have no idea what is expected of me now!
I decide to go outside and enjoy the view. It is very cloudy and there is a cool breeze. I think there’s going to be rain.
The owner has 2 dachshunds walking around, the first time I have seen a purebred dog in India!
Once I’ve checked in, I’ll go for a walk. I soon bump into an old man who wants to show me his garden, Buffalos and house.
I look fascinated at the expressions of these best ones, they look so languid in their eyes, until one of them seems to bow to me. That was a hilarious sight!
I think I smell something of alcohol on the old man and when he walks with me later he doesn’t seem to be completely steady on his feet. He just wants to go out with me, but I don’t take any chances, so I brush him off. A little later I meet a girl, about 11 years old. She has long stories in Gujarati, we don’t understand each other and yet we seem to have a connection. At first she doesn’t want to have her picture taken, but later she takes me to her family and they ask for pictures. I have to make a whole series of them in all kinds of settings and I am happy to do this. I ask for a phone number so I can send them the photos.
When I want to say goodbye she tries to ask me about money, money and necklace. She even wants a cigarette. I give her nothing and say goodbye to her. What a portrait this was. I enjoyed it immensely!
12-10-2022 PALITANA – MUMBAI VIA BHAVNAGAR
Shartrunjaya is one of the holiest pilgrimage site for the Jains. The temples, some of which are more than 900 years old, are located on a mountain that will have to be climbed again. I’m lucky because the hotel is located on a favorable side of the mountain, so I will only have to climb 2700 steps instead of 3500.
This is the last sight of this trip and I must say also one of the most impressive! The walking route to it is shorter than the climb in Junagadh, but I think it is also a lot steeper. And this time I also have to walk the way back down. I don’t meet a single local or a few animals. I have a beautiful view over the valley. There is a serene peace here! When I arrive at my destination after 75 minutes of climbing, my jaw drops. It is overwhelmingly beautiful here and for the first hour I don’t encounter anyone except for a few guards and people cleaning the grounds. Around 9:30 am I meet some people who come to pray here and when I am on the way back I see a number of women with donkeys just outside the walls of the temple complex. They wear beautiful and I think very heavy silver arm and ankle bracelets. Unfortunately, they do not want to be photographed. They do ask me to sit with them and one of the ladies shows a film of her dance performance during Navrati. A little later I continue my route towards the hotel. Along the way I see beautiful birds, butterflies and flowers and I enjoy the walk in absolute peace. I only hear the birds singing and every now and then a sound that I would rather not hear (snake?). Luckily I don’t see one but I’m on the lookout!
When I arrive downstairs I see a cow running away and three guests chasing her on their scooters, hilarious!
At 1130 I arrive soaked, have a cup of tea and a cold shower.
At 16 pm I am picked up to go to the station in Bhavnagar for the night train to Mumbai. A ride of approximately 850 kilometers.
When we are 5 minutes into the journey, the owner of the hotel calls. Forgot your charger! I already had a gut feeling in the car but thought; no, you always check your room. Well not this time! Before we enter Palitana we stop with a family to ask if I can take a few photos. Those jewelry fascinate me and I haven’t really gotten a picture of them yet. We stop and I can go ahead. They even enjoy it. Of course I will forward the photos to them. It turns out that the ladies with those heavy silver jewelry do not come from this state at all, but from Rajasthan. About 60 years ago they emigrated to Gujarat for a reason unknown to me. I put on my espadrilles for the ride in the hope of keeping my feet dry if I have to use an Indian toilet…
It is always exciting to take the train here. I rush to the train for fear that it will leave early. This is not the case and I am in the second best class. It is a sleeper AC with only 4 beds per compartment. I also get clean bedding and a pillow, I can adjust the temperature and charge my phone if necessary.
I am (still) with 2 men who are both friendly. Even the toilet is dry. Around 20 p.m. I am expected to lie down.
I sleep upstairs where I’d rather not lie because I won’t have a view tomorrow morning. My neighbors get off at 0130, hopefully their spot will remain free for the rest of the ride.
Tomorrow is my last day in India and I don’t feel like going back to the Netherlands at all!
13-10-2022 MUMBAI
My last day again. When I think about my return to the Netherlands I feel a knot in my stomach!
Around 0715 I think we drive through the suburbs of Mumbai.
My night on the train: all in all, it’s not too bad. Toilets didn’t smell, I got clean bedding, it was quiet on the train. Only the mattress was very hard, which woke me up a few times, but I feel pretty good.
When I arrive in Mumbai I take a tuk tuk for a 30 minute ride to my hotel (a bit shabby) but hey, we take it in stride…
It takes me a while to find my feet and decide what I’m going to do today. At 1050 am I leave for Bandra and will stroll around a market and have lunch.
The sun is not shining today, which provides a pleasant “cooling”.
Most tuktuk drivers have no idea where and how to get to places outside their neighborhood. My driver wants to drop me off at a market in another neighborhood. Long live Google Maps!
So he has now made a long detour and it takes me 1h20 instead of 40 minutes!
Well, that shopping doesn’t happen much. I wanted to buy traditional trousers with a top and of course I want a certain quality (mullet cotton) because this is a very thin cotton type, feels soft and absorbs heat. After 3 shops (kind of stalls) and not finding anything, I give up. On my last day I decide to go to a typical foreigners’ place for a salad and a cappuccino that they are known for. Indeed, I mainly encounter foreigners here. Until now I didn’t see so many in one place!
A last day like that is always a bit strange for me, I know I’m almost leaving and I prefer to leave straight away. This just won’t work because my flight doesn’t leave until early tomorrow.
What is also becoming increasingly clear to me is that big cities in general, but especially in India, are not my thing. The more remote places, nature, farmers, the peace and quiet and hearing the birds suit me better.
As I’m still sitting there trying to figure out where I’m going next, I hear some really loud lightning and then it comes pouring down from the sky. While waiting for the rain to slow down, I started talking to two Indian women. They recommend me a shop. Given the weather, I’ll go for that.
I already had a bad feeling about this hotel this morning, but tonight I received an email informing me that I have canceled my room and that costs will be charged. Room was paid for in cash and I have a key! The email states that if I have not canceled and my room has been offered at a lower price, I must call a certain number. Done and no call back. It doesn’t feel good to have to stay here! To complete the story, the drivers don’t know where my hotel is and I walk from one side to the other in the busy traffic with children chasing me while begging. This is one of the reasons I don’t like those big cities! Eventually I am helped by a nice man and I am on my way to the hotel.
Upon arrival at the hotel, I immediately ask for proof of payment. Initially the best man says you will receive this by email when you check out. Better now anyway. And I get the proof.
At 0400 I have to go to the airport, it will be another short night!