Full circle of India back to Mumbai - this time with a mission!

So another overnight train to Mumbai, followed by another local bus and we were back in Colaba, the suburb we started our India escapade in. We spent the day roaming around looking for bits and bobs for a present for Scott’s mum. Since she had turned 50 two weeks previously and was flying in to meet them that afternoon, we wanted to prepare a basket of various treats of India.

So with the rooms booked and our birthday basket ready, we waited. Scott was quite nervous because he had told his parents that they were staying at the Sea Lodge Hotel but it was actually called the Sea Lord Hotel. He had given him the correct directions and correct building with the correct names for the two other hotels in the same building (there were actually five hotels in the building we were staying in) with other correct significant landmarks to head to but not the correct name and was fearing that his parents could end up anywhere in Mumbai. Of course they arrived at the planned time and had even made a friend on the way over.

We spent the next couple of days exploring Mumbai with Scott’s parents (Chris and Drew). For first time third world travellers they did quite well. We had to hold their hands for some of the time but mostly they are fine. We laugh at Scott’s mum when she washes her hands in bottled water before she eats and they gasp at ask when we inform them that “no we don’t need toilet paper, we’re quite used to the left hand right hand system now” but overall we all get along fine.

The first day we re-explored the Haji Ali with them, which was the mosque island connected by a causeway to the mainland and visited the Malaxhmi Temple, supposedly one of the most popular and beautiful Hinu temples in Mumbai. We were all given lotus flowers and blessed by one of the local priests who explained to us that this temple was dedicated to the gods and goddesses of power, education and money.

The next day we took a ferry to the Elephanta Caves, which are located on a small island nine kilometres off the coast of Mumbai. The caves are extremely popular with tourists but for good reasons. The massive sculptures are quite spectacular especially the main attraction, which is an enormous high rock carving of a three faced Shiva, whose six closed eyes seem so peaceful that even the noise of the dozens of tourists around you seems to fade away. These pictures are all from the Elephanta caves.