Tuesday, November 22, 2022 – Temperature 20-29 C ( 68 – 84 F ) – Air Index in Mumbai 300+ ( Poor )
We had a very early start to the day. We received our wake-up calls at 4:30 am and left the hotel at 5:30 am for our 8:15 am flight to Mumbai. Our flight was delayed until 9:30 am and we arrived in Mumbai around 11 am.
Prat’s younger brother was waiting for him and Bijaya at the airport and they went to his house for the afternoon.
Our local guide informed us that Mumbai, formerly called Bombay, is the second most populous city in India with a population over 23 million people and it is the financial and entertainment capital of India. It consists of 7 islands and a large shipping harbour.
As we drove from the airport, we stopped at a local laundry. Men do all of the washing in the laundry because it is very physical hard work. Women help mostly with hanging and sorting the laundry.
From there we went to the Mahatma Ghandi Museum which is in a home donated to the museum and it features his room, a library, photos, films & other displays. It is a simple museum, just the way he would have wanted it. Below are some of the many plaques of his sayings that are displayed in the museum.
From there we went to a Krishna temple where some of the group joined in with the chanting of a ceremony that was in progress.
We stopped for lunch at a very nice restaurant and on our way to the Trident Hotel, we drove by the Gateway of India, which is an arch monument built during the 20th century in Mumbai. The monument was erected to commemorate the landing of King George V and Queen Mary at Apollo Bunder on their visit to India in 1911.
When we reached the hotel, we met Prat, Bijaya and Prat’s brother in the lobby. We checked in and took a little time to rest before our final dinner together.
And then it happened. I had prepared for it but it happened so fast, I was caught off-guard. Fortunately I was able to correct the situation relatively quickly and it would hopefully not impede the rest of the trip. I joined the others at 8 pm for dinner but I only had some coffee and a little desert before heading back to my room.
Maurice, Karen, Prat, Bijaya, Shail and myself are the only ones flying to Nepal the following afternoon, while the rest of the group are scheduled to fly back home later.
Ralf Hamm 