Goa to Mumbai

March 2

Luxury started in Goa and has not stopped now that we are in Mumbai. In Goa we spared no cost on food and stuffed our faces every meal. We spent an average of 1000 Rs (rupees) a meal. This is only about 23 dollars but is lots when compared to a normal Indian meal. To give another comparison, our hut on the beach cost us 400 Rs a night. Now that we are back in Mumbai we are enjoying the nightlife of the upper class. We went to "not just jazz by the bay", a lonely planet recommendation, and spent 500 Rs to get in the door and over 1000 Rs for a martini and a Kingfisher. The band at the club played a good first set which included some jazz flute. Then they took a break and we heard backstreet boys followed by britany spears... talk about keeping the good vibes going. The next night we went to Dome. An equally trendy roof top bar with a Cuban cigar list and 60 000 Rs Moet & Chandon champagne. This bar is along marine drive and has a wonderful view of where the towering downtown meets the harbour. - Don

I am so glad that we made time to revisit Mumbai. Returning here has been great because our many experiances and conditioning to India have made it so that we enjoy and understand this city quite a bit more than we did. Mumbai is vibrant and lively and even more so now during the spring festival of Holi. We are so lucky to be here during this festival, just by chance. Lots of shops and businesses are closed so there is hardly a car on the streets (which is the complete opposite of what Mumbai is normally like). Instead there are boisterous cricket matches in the street and people everywhere having a snowball fight with powdered dye of all colours. Needless to say, people become works of art and it is a sight to behold. Sadly no one threw dye at us, it would have been nice to emerse ourselves in the festival. I have such mixed feelings about leaving. I guess some things about India have really made me appreciate home so I am looking forward to going back with new perspective. But on the other hand it feels like there is so much of India yet to be discovered and experienced. It feels so good to abandon cell phones and cars and bills and just be a wanderer. Don and I are already thinking of new adventures we'd like to have. Hai Holi! - Lindsay