Dan's Adventure

On the drive from Mumbai airport into Colaba we passed by Dharavi slum, the largest in India and actually the largest in Asia. Huts that are several storeys high with ladders propped up against them for access to the higher huts line the main road. Homes, shops and factories are all present in Dharavi where the annual turnover from exports is thought to be up to $700 million. First impressions of Mumbai were therefore of abject poverty and then the sky scrapers began to fill the sky line. Time and time again I struggle to understand how such a divide can be allowed to exist, why governments don’t do more to help, and how companies get away with exploiting their workers when they are evidently making such large profits.

The Colaba area of Mumbai is a strange mix of fancy looking buildings with intricate detail applied to their decoration and complete dumps. Many of the streets are full of run down buildings, bizaars selling absolutely everything, and children sitting ready to pounce and beg for money as soon as they see tourists approach. I guess the latter two are a by product of Colaba being such a touristy area, and it does make the story of children being carted into the city from the slums as in Slumdog Millionaire even more real.

Colaba is home to the Gateway of India, a monument constructed by the British to celebrate their colonial triumph in India, which attracts thousands every day. In front of it is a large square which is constantly busy and full of touts trying to sell city tours, trips to Elephantas, people selling random crap, and photographers trying to sell photos of you in front of the Gateway of India. You say no thanks to one, turn around and someone else is trying to sell you something. After the fifth person trying to sell me giant balloons I stopped trying to be polite.

Away from the Gateway of India, the Colaba and Fort areas are home to a number of stunning buildings. The University of Mumbai, High Court, Taj Mahal Palace hotel, and the Victoria Terminus, the city’s most elaborate Gothic building, are all examples of incredible design and architecture. A couple of other buildings look very grand but are used for random things, one is owned by an insurance company and is emblazoned with their adverts, and another by the postal service. Strange uses of such striking buildings.

The humidity in Mumbai absolutely destroyed me. Every morning I was sweating before I left my hotel and continued to be a sweaty mess as I wandered around all day. I walked from Colaba to Chowpatty Beach and managed to sweat off all of my sun screen resulting in a nicely burnt face which was bright red and stinging for several days afterwards. I think I’ll need to invest in a better hat.