Somewhat surreally, we seem to be in Mumbai, for the first few days of our trip here and to Maharashtra state. Just the 22 million people around us, combined with incessant honking of horns, to let us know we definitely aren’t in Kansas any more. And there’s a pretty good view from our room..

Our hotel is fantastic, best service I think we have experienced anywhere. Came back from tramping the city all day yesterday to find two very thoughtful brass bowls filled with rose petals and a pretty little tray bearing scented salts and the instructions to call House Keeping for some hot water, so we could soak our tired feet. Which we did – and then felt like utter tits when the chap arrived and instead of pouring water from the anticipated urn, took the bowls to the bathroom and filled them from…. the hot tap. Hadn’t even occurred to us and felt like a right pair of western wankers for making him run the tap for us! 

But everything and everyone inside the hotel hotel has been sublimely gracious. Outside, is a whole other world – crazy, vibrant, loud, brash, busy – but actually kinder and more human than you might expect. And far less pongy than we had anticipated..

We have yomped various markets, been round the slums (well organised, hard working and bizarrely clean), been by boat to the Hindu caves, seen the dhobi ghat laundry where 1,000 people live and work, the Afghan Church, the Hanging Gardens (20m high giant red and blue boot in there, bit odd) and have watched some of the many many games of cricket that are played everywhere. 

Even braved being threaded to within within an inch of my life, in a salon in the slums..They took more photos of us than we did..

And had a lot of curry already…. Including last night’s seafood curry fest..

Wakng up now for day three, will see what awaits us. It will of course include whatever Mr H has planned for our 7th wedding anniversary which is today – I’m holding out for a Double Choc Magnum x