I'm pleased to report that we have successfully made it to our hotel in Mumbai with no delays, lost luggage, random detours, or other less than positive experiences. This hotel will be our home for the next month until our possessions arrive from the UK and we can sign a lease on an apartment.
Whilst I'm sure that we will be more than ready for our own home in a month's time, for the moment, the hotel is a bit of a treat which we indeed to enjoy. The standard of service in this (and other similar) hotels in India is markedly above what I've experienced elsewhere, although it does get a little bemusing when 10 different people spontaneously deliver something to your room (extra water, dressing gowns, fruit, biscuits, contact details, coat hangers...) within an hour of arriving when no request has been made for anything! The sheer number of people employed in the hotel to provide services is striking to a Brit not used to this set up.
Predictably, today's activity has been mainly transport related; incorporating an airport shuttle, flight, several cars and, most excitingly, an autorickshaw (also known as tuk-tuks elsewhere in the world). For those who have not encountered one of these three-wheeled wonders, they are similar to scooters but with a little cabin on the back, and are especially handy for squeezing through narrow gaps in traffic to whizz around the busy streets of Mumbai.
There's a story behind my autorickshaw ride which I'm sure will be the first of many learnings experiences regarding relative prices in the UK and India. We landed at Mumbai airport just before lunch and were picked up (along with our six suitcases) by car to travel to our hotel in Bandra, an area known as "Queen of Suburbs", in north Mumbai. After checking-in and a quick shower, I decided that the most sensible way to get to my first afternoon working in my new Indian office would be using a car hired from the hotel; on the basis that this gave me the highest chance of arriving in a respectable fashion given the unpredictability of the rains of the current Monsoon. I knew that the fare of approximately 700 rupees (£8ish) one way was high by Indian standards but, since I'd just arrived after a long journey, I thought I'd take the hit.
After my initial induction (including lots of forms and signatures), I was chatting to the extremely friendly and helpful reception who was horrified to learn of the fare for my journey and insisted that I should try getting an autorickshaw home, and pay no more than 35 - 36 rupees (~45p) for the journey (25 minutes). It looked fun so I gave it a go and loved the experience; though the fumes from surrounding cars may mean that it wouldn't be the healthiest way to travel an everyday basis. This is not recommended for anyone with a bad back or weak constitution, but a handy way to get around which I'm sure we will be using in the future.
Whatever mode of transport you use, you will always see the stark poverty and challenges for many people on the street. I had seen this in trips to the city in January and February this year, but it still comes as a shock to me, and it's clear to me that it's crucial for any visitor to India to find a way to help others who are struggling in some way...
The autorickshaw driver was friendly although we did have a few minutes at the start of the journey in which he had no idea what I was saying and I just said words loosely-related to our destination until we both agreed on which way to go. We got there in the end. It looks like I will need to improve my accent to get around in Mumbai!
This evening, we simply unpacked and relaxed over dinner in the hotel, sampling Indian (Gujarati) dishes, all of which were a treat. A particular highlight was a delicious tomato chutney with a liquorice flavour (fennal, anise? I've googled it but am not quite sure) which we will be hunting out again in the future.
Whilst I know that this novelty could wear off over time, for now we will enjoy all the new things around us whilst we settled in to our new life. We balanced the food indulgence by locating the hotel swimming pool and gym, though cannot claim to have actually used them yet. One for tomorrow. Rain-permitting, we are intending to investigate the local outdoor jogging possibilities over the next few days too.
Whilst I'm sure that we will be more than ready for our own home in a month's time, for the moment, the hotel is a bit of a treat which we indeed to enjoy. The standard of service in this (and other similar) hotels in India is markedly above what I've experienced elsewhere, although it does get a little bemusing when 10 different people spontaneously deliver something to your room (extra water, dressing gowns, fruit, biscuits, contact details, coat hangers...) within an hour of arriving when no request has been made for anything! The sheer number of people employed in the hotel to provide services is striking to a Brit not used to this set up.
View from our hotel room
Predictably, today's activity has been mainly transport related; incorporating an airport shuttle, flight, several cars and, most excitingly, an autorickshaw (also known as tuk-tuks elsewhere in the world). For those who have not encountered one of these three-wheeled wonders, they are similar to scooters but with a little cabin on the back, and are especially handy for squeezing through narrow gaps in traffic to whizz around the busy streets of Mumbai.
Autorickshaw
There's a story behind my autorickshaw ride which I'm sure will be the first of many learnings experiences regarding relative prices in the UK and India. We landed at Mumbai airport just before lunch and were picked up (along with our six suitcases) by car to travel to our hotel in Bandra, an area known as "Queen of Suburbs", in north Mumbai. After checking-in and a quick shower, I decided that the most sensible way to get to my first afternoon working in my new Indian office would be using a car hired from the hotel; on the basis that this gave me the highest chance of arriving in a respectable fashion given the unpredictability of the rains of the current Monsoon. I knew that the fare of approximately 700 rupees (£8ish) one way was high by Indian standards but, since I'd just arrived after a long journey, I thought I'd take the hit.
After my initial induction (including lots of forms and signatures), I was chatting to the extremely friendly and helpful reception who was horrified to learn of the fare for my journey and insisted that I should try getting an autorickshaw home, and pay no more than 35 - 36 rupees (~45p) for the journey (25 minutes). It looked fun so I gave it a go and loved the experience; though the fumes from surrounding cars may mean that it wouldn't be the healthiest way to travel an everyday basis. This is not recommended for anyone with a bad back or weak constitution, but a handy way to get around which I'm sure we will be using in the future.
Whatever mode of transport you use, you will always see the stark poverty and challenges for many people on the street. I had seen this in trips to the city in January and February this year, but it still comes as a shock to me, and it's clear to me that it's crucial for any visitor to India to find a way to help others who are struggling in some way...
The autorickshaw driver was friendly although we did have a few minutes at the start of the journey in which he had no idea what I was saying and I just said words loosely-related to our destination until we both agreed on which way to go. We got there in the end. It looks like I will need to improve my accent to get around in Mumbai!
This evening, we simply unpacked and relaxed over dinner in the hotel, sampling Indian (Gujarati) dishes, all of which were a treat. A particular highlight was a delicious tomato chutney with a liquorice flavour (fennal, anise? I've googled it but am not quite sure) which we will be hunting out again in the future.
Wine arraged in shape of India in the rack behind Phil at dinner
Whilst I know that this novelty could wear off over time, for now we will enjoy all the new things around us whilst we settled in to our new life. We balanced the food indulgence by locating the hotel swimming pool and gym, though cannot claim to have actually used them yet. One for tomorrow. Rain-permitting, we are intending to investigate the local outdoor jogging possibilities over the next few days too.
Glad you've found out already that you should never pay the price first offered by an autorickshaw! I'm sure you'll quickly learn what a fair price is.
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