 |
 |
 |
 |
|
No longer any need to use the Internet Explorer or run the Internet Explorer rendering engine. I gave up IE after the introduction of Internet Explorer 11
  Page is tested in Fire Fox, Chrome and Safari. Looks like it works OK in all browsers, except the sounds in Safari. Of course, browsing www.aladdin.st in Safari on an iPad is a different story, nothing looks as it should   Saturday 17th of November 2012 and the Driver called me at 5 thirty. He was asking for the way, he was at Terminal 21 and he asked where I lived. Very strange, I had sent the address to the company, but something had obviously got wrong. But I appreciate the spirit, 1 hour before pick up time and he is out there looking for my address. I went for a shower and my appreciation was soon worn off, my phone was ringing all the time. But I didn't get out  of the shower to answer. And it was ringing and ringing and I was not happy. I was out of the shower preparing my bag in the kitchen when the driver called again. He was at a hotel I had never heard off before.
I made a mental note not to use this company again. I had given directions on the e-mail and I explained the way when he called from Terminal 21. I gave instructions one more time and I decided to take a taxi if he could not find my place in time. But he was arriving when i brought out my garbage and we left for the airport at 6 twenty five. He took off towards Phetchaburi Road and I asked where he was going. - Phetchaburi, Sukhumvit is blocked by traffic. - Sukhumvit is OK, enter the toll way at Sukhumvit Soi 1 - Very bad traffic We were soon stuck in the traffic on Phetchaburi, not bad but with all the red lights it was quite annoying. And the standard reply “Sukhumvit is blocked with traffic” is something that really annoys me. I have never had any problem getting from Asoke to Sukhumvit Soi 1. Except Friday  afternoons. But I suspected that he wanted to go Petcahburi Road to dodge the toll way and thus he could keep the toll in his pocket.
I asked the driver if the toll was including in the price. - Yes - So why are we stuck here instead of going the toll way? - Traffic jam on Sukhumvit - BS!!! I got angry and I told the driver that I was in a hurry and as soon as we came up on the motorway he was driving 120 while talking on the phone with his Boss. He was complaining about me and he told his boss why he wasn't on the toll way. And I was scared zig zagging between the cars towards Suvarnabhumi in 120 while he was on the phone. I told him that I had going to the airport hundreds of times and I never had any problem with the traffic and I had never been going via Phetchaburi before. He deducted 70 Baht for the toll when we arrived and I didn't give him any tip. I was at the check in 2 and a half hour before departure and I was shocked, millions of people and it took me more than 30 minutes of queuing before I could check in. Only one remaining aisle seat in the last row. I had the worst club sandwich ever and the worst hamburger ever before departure. I was on a restaurant on the gate floor and I will never go back there. - Double cheese burger - Don't you want any meat? - Of course The double cheese burger in the menu was just cheese. I pad 551 Baht, I didn't leave any tip. No fork or knife and it was quite a horrible experience. I left with a mental note to never come back  again. I walked to Gate F3 and Jet Airways flight 9W 67 to Mumbai.
I had asked for a ticket with Thai Airways, but they sent me with Jet Airways. Very friendly crew. But darn, the airplane was small. This must have been an airplane built for trips maximum 1 or 2 hours long. It was very small, at least the seats and I was not looking forward to 4 and a half hour onboard this plane. I didn't bother eating the meal, I only had 2 glasses of water. The first glass they came with was  full of hot water.
 - What the 
And for the first time in my life, yes, I have had more than one flight during my days. But Jet Airways Flight 9W 67 goes down the history books as the first flight Aladdin used the “Call the Stewardess” button. The guy was busy serving food and he looked back at me and gave me the internationally recognised sign for “just a second”. I started to wave my arms, the internationally recognised sign for “get your ass over here NOW”. I dropped his food trays and came back to me. I have all  ready poured half the glass of hot water on the floor.
The worst flight I ever have had regarding turbulence is an Air France flight from Marseille to Parris. This flight comes in just a notch under the Air France flight and I had to pour out the hot water on the floor. The plane was bouncing up and down and I had hot water all over my lap from the brimmed glass. He swapped the hot water for cold water and I downed the water in one gulp. I managed to be half asleep during the 2 first hours, they even woke me up one time when I luckily enough wasn't leaning over the girl next to me. But I was leaning out in the aisle blocking the whole aisle. I was going crazy sitting down in what must have been the smallest airplane chair in the world and I  went back to the galley. One of the Waitresses asked if I wanted fruit.
- No thanks She asked a few times and when the Steward came back he asked me if I wanted some fruit. OK, what the ... - Thanks, I can have a banana - I put a few bananas right here if you want more. - Thank you!  The girl was disappointed. - When I asked you didn't wanted any fruit! - But now they have asked so many times it would be embarrassing to say no thanks. cwe arrived to Mumbai International about 30 minutes after  midnight local time. And it was very nice to get off the plane.
Took quite some time before we could get off. It took like forever to get the stairs up to the door. Yes, we were going by bus and they had a stair and I discovered that it was hand cranked when I got off the flight. So it took time for them to get it on place. Arriving to the Terminal and Immigration went very quick and I went to the Duty Free before going  to pick up my luggage.
Everything worked quite nice and the airport looked nice. Same airport as when I arrived 25 years ago. But I don't remember how it looked back then. But I guess that they have redecorated. And this time no one was asking for video cameras. Just scanning my luggage when I passed the custom and I was out of there. The only thing I remember from Bombay International from the 80's was the beggars. Passing the custom and there was windows from the floor to the ceiling and I could hear a crowd of millions pushing their faces to the  windows screaming “BAKSISH BAKSISH”
- What the is this?
And coming out was not any more fun, believe me! And back then I remember it as coming out to a huge parking space and a dirt road leading towards Bombay. And as I arrived 2 o'clock in the morning it was a wee bit exciting. But it was different today, when I came out from the airport there was a plaza and yet again millions of people. But no beggars, it was people waiting for passengers and I was  walking around looking for my hotel name. There was  a guy with the hotel name and my name and we left for his car.
And one other difference is all the Western brands. They sold everything they sell in the rest of the free world. Back in the 80's they only had the Campa cola. I think the name was Campa Cola, I never tried it, but I could not see any one selling the Thumbs up so I guess they went under when  they opened up India for competition. I don't know, but I don't think the Western alternative is any better.
Well, anyway, we walked towards the parking and as soon as we had left the waiting area at the airport behind I realised that there had not been all that changes in India. No waste paper baskets, just throw everything on the ground. The guy left me and he was going to get his car. I was looking around on the ground floor at the parking house. Yeah, one big difference, the cars. All new cars but they were still using their horns all the time and it was a terrible noise in the parking house. Checking in at Suvarnabhumi Airport and it looked like a normal check-in queue. Well,  almost, there were some big parcels, but noting out of the ordinary. Flying to India back in the days was a different story. It was like a freight train leading up to the check-in counter. Of course, if the only thing to buy in the country was Campa Cola they took the opportunity to bring home stuff.
And if you checked in with a carry on only you had several people nagging at you in the check in line. - You only have that small bag? Please! Can you check in this for me?  Some things are still the same
Do you see this at any other international airport? I have not seen it
 Some things are still the same
Do you see this at any other international airport? I have not seen it
Flying to Manila is pretty much the same even today. I was in Los Angeles waiting for my Thai flight to Bangkok and I passed a long queue leading out on the parking lot. - What the is this?
It looked like a long queue of furniture removers. They were carrying big parcels and it turned out to be the queue to Philippine Airlines flight to Manila. Well, while waiting for the hotel car I could see some people coming with a lot of baggage and they filled up the cars and secured suitcases on  the car roof.
We were at the hotel at 2 o'clock and I went to the coffee shop when I had checked-in. I had checked-out the hotel on the internet and I was afraid. According to the hotel's web page there are several TOP NOTCH restaurants and I had been worried about my diet. Boulevard Coffee Shop was the only restaurant that was open. But I was full of expectations. Experience grandeur and utmost elegance when you visit The Boulevard, a 24 hours coffee shop located on the first floor serves delicious Indian, Continental and Asian cuisine.  Surrender to the extravagance of our lavish Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Midnight Buffets reasonably priced to suit your purse strings.
The 'LIGHTNING MENU' promises any dish, will be served at a crack of lightening (10 Minutes) or else it will be absolutely free!! Well, 5 star ecotel hotel, seems like the 5 STAR epithet is used quite careless. The lavish buffet was something I would not have touched even if I was about to starve to death. I walked by the buffet and I  passed a table where they were singing HAPPY BIRTH DAY and there was a girl. I swear to God, she was undressing me with her eyes and she was something of the most beautiful I have ever seen.
There were used dishes on all the tables and I was looking for a table. There was a table with 2 guys and 5 girls and one of the girls asked me to join them. Yeah, quite a difference from back in the days. I was in Dubai 1990 something and I was talking to a girl from India at my hotel. Suddenly there was a guy from India coming. - You cannot talk to the girl, you are in the wrong part of the world. Yeah, imagine being a girl and you're born in this part of the world, born to lose. Well, anyway, I told the girl that I could sit on the table next to them. I asked the Waiter if there was an available table. All tables were available and I asked him where I could sit. Seems like they don't remove the dirty dishes when the guests have left. So he removed the dishes and asked me to sit down. - Can you please wipe of the table. It was very dirty and food on the floor and the buffet looked like someone had been up dancing in  the food. OK, good, I think I will be able to keep my diet on track.
I asked for a chicken burger and a chicken sandwich and a pot of tea. I could eat the French Fries, or as they call it at the Boulevard Coffee Shop “Wedged Potatoes” and I left the rest behind. I returned to my room and I went to bed around 3 thirty. I put my alarm clock to go off at 10 but I didn't get out of bed until 12 o'clock. I left my room at 1 o'clock and I asked the reception for an ATM. I had to go walk for 600  meters across the highway to reach the ATM.
- There are several ATM over there - OK, thank you I walked towards the ATM when a car stopped. It was the family that I had met in the elevator down to the reception. They asked if I wanted a ride. - I'm just going to the ATM - We know where it is. 
They dropped me at the ATM and I tried to get some money. But the ATM was obviously not accepting my VISA card. No sign off any other ATMs and I asked a guy. He pointed at a building I thought were up for demolition. - State bank of India or you can walk down the road for 100 meters and there is another ATM. - Thank you! Obviously, I skipped State Bank of India, you just have to look at the below pictures to understand why. I never got the impression that they were up to date with the latest technology.  State Bank Of India
 State Bank Of India
 State Bank Of India
With some ones home in front
 State Bank Of India
With some ones home in front
I went to the other ATM and I inserted my VISA and the machine spit out my card again. - What the
Luckily enough I looked at the screen and the machine asked for my PIN. And it was a touch screen  only, first time I have seen an ATM with tough screen only. I had my money in a few seconds and I left the place for Gateway of India and my planned dinner at Taj Mahal
There is a Politician that has died and the family that took me to the ATM told me that everything was closed. No taxis available. There were a few taxis and they asked for 3 or 4000 Rupees to take me to Gateway of India. Something was wrong. I imagined 100 or 200 Rupees tops. I went  back to my hotel for some information.
It was strange, 3000 Rupees for a ride to Gateway of India. When I came back to my hotel I asked the Bell Boy for a map. I wanted to check out the area with all the discos and restaurants, but I had forgotten the name. As soon as I get the map I find the area, Bandra West. But the Bell boy tells me that it is closed. - What the is going on
He gives me a news paper and there is some problem going on in Mumbai/ Bombay BAL THACKERAY DIES, MUMBAI COMES UNDER A SECURITY BLANKET
Yes, I thought it was strange when I was talking night life with the crew on the flight coming here. I should be careful when going to Gateway of India. But there are obviously a mob running  around there and I had to cancel my dinner at Taj Mahal and as it looks, dinner at any other place in Mumbai.
They warned me from going outside and they suggested that I should stay at the hotel. - What the I just came back from outside
Why is this always happening to me? Siam Reap and now Mumbai. I'm really looking forward to sit in my room all day long. I asked the girl in the reception where to eat. - We have several restaurants at the hotel - Where to go for fine dining? 
I went to the Gourmet shop for a cup of tea and some pastries. They have a hazelnut cake that was quite good and I had 2 pieces. There was an airhost buying 2 pieces of cake and I asked her where she came from. She was from Bangalore and they were flying to Delhi today. This hotel seems to be an air line hotel. I see a lot of airline crews and many many beautiful Stewardesses. I enjoyed my hazelnut cake and tea and when I was ready I went back to the reception. I can receive e-mail but not send any e-mail while connected to the WIFI in the room. So I was asking for the settings for the outgoing mail server. But it doesn’t seem like they know. I also asked for the latest MOB RULESS information hoping  that I could leave to explore down town Bombay or Bandra West today. Seems like I will have to stay in my room.
 Stewardesses checking in to the hotel
I bought 6 cans of Diet Pepsi at the Boulevard coffee shop before I returned to my room to update my web page. I had been hoping for some exciting pictures from Gateway of India and my dinner at Taj Mahal. I really hope things get back to normal tomorrow so I can check out the town.  And I'm also quite excited to go have a look for some nice fabric that I can bring back to Bangkok to make shirts of. Well, that my Tailor can make shirts of.
Taking the elevator back up to my room
I had a few diet peps is in my room before I left my room for the reception. I asked if there were any changes in town. Everything is closed and I walked to IBIS Hotel around the corner to check out  their restaurant. The restaurant was open but I could not get any cheese Pharata until 7 and I walked back to my hotel.
I was for sure not going to have my dinner at The Boulevard and I asked the Bell boy if I could get a taxi to Taj Mahal. - They are burning - Burning??!!
- Come! I show you He took me to the beauty salon and he showed me on the TV. They were burning the corpse and not the town, good. The Bell boy told me that there were more than 22 lahks of people. 1 lahks is 100, 000 so that means more than 2,2 million people.  And I decided not to go, imagine the traffic.
I was relieved, I thought it was running riots in town. But it was the burning and I could see that many shops would keep closed tomorrow again. OK, I will stay in my room today, but it is a lost day. Sitting in my room isn't all that exciting and there isn't much exciting going on around my hotel, just a few airport hotels. I decided to have my dinner at the “fine dining” restaurant ( according to the hotel's web page) on the top floor. They open at 7 and I'm quite excited. Fine  dining sounds promising, but now it is not the first time I go for dinner so I don't hold my breath.
 Mostly Grills is an open-air fine dining restaurant on the roof top of The Orchid Hotel Mumbai It has an idyllic setting with the pool on one side and a bird’s eye view of the airport on the other. Mostly Grills is set in a Mexican village right out of the wild west but the cuisine is nouvelle and truly international choice of Barbeque. It is a fusion Barbeque restaurant serving new range of International delicacies. Chef has ensured that the Vegetarians too have their choice of grilled delicacies and don't get a raw deal. The beautiful 'Taverna' Bar serves a variety of Spirits, Wines, Liqueurs and Exotic Cocktails along with snacks.
While you dine under the stars in our restaurant, overlooking the Mumbai Domestic Airport, our Chefs do 'Abracadabra' and transform prime cuts of imported meats into rare, well-done exotic succulent steaks in the open show kitchen of Mostly Grills Mumbai. origin of the word "Barbeque" Barbucoa. Barbe-a-quene. Or simply Barbeque has it's origins in the Taino Indigenous Nation of the Caribbean and Florida. The ba comes from Baba(father) Ra from Yara(place) Bi from Bibi(beginning) Cu from Guacu(the sacred fire) or "the beginning of the sacred fire". This outdoor form of cooking large chunks of meat very slowly, using only the smoke, has become an art in itself. In fact, there are professional Pit Masters who take years before they can really claim to have mastered this art form. Grilling on the other hand, is the cooking of smaller portions of meat placed directly over the fire(heat). Cooked quickly with frequent turning, this outdoor pastime happens to be the specialty at Mostly Grills Mumbai India. I left my room at 7 thirty and I went to the elevator that went all the way to the 7th floor. I came out to the swimming pool and a restaurant that looked like a small village on top of the roof. 
Bread to start with
Sweet potatoes as a starter
Lamb chops with rosemary
 White chocolate mousse
I ordered some potatoes as a starter with New Zeeland lamb chops as main course and white  chocolate mousse as dessert. I went to the kitchen and I asked the Cook about rosemary.
- We don't have fresh rosemary, but we have the dry rosemary  - EXCELLENT!!
And he would put plenty rosemary on my lamb chops. I walked around taking some pictures of the restaurant. I could see right down on the airport from the roof top restaurant. I got a plate of bread with some dip. The dip was not bad, but  the bread tasted better without the dip. I got my starter, sweet potatoes filled with something.
The potatoes were excellent even though it was a wee bit spicy. The lamb chops arrived and the Cook had added plenty rosemary. The lamb chops was served with baked  potatoes, according to the menu it should be home made potato.
But in India homemade potato is baked potato so I can't blame anyone but myself. But the baked potato was good  so never mind.
I got my dessert and the Cook came to my table to ask me if I had enjoyed the lamb chops. - EXCELLENT!! The white chocolate mousse was unbelievable. Served in a cup made of some toffee like stuff. It was so good so I asked for a second plate of dessert with another pot of tea. It was an excellent dining experience. Well, I had too much to eat, but I can't blame that on the restaurant. And it was very nice settings and I will be back. The whole adventure at Mostly Grills cost 4000 Rupees, more expensive than the 700 or 800 Rupees at Boulevard this morning. I would like to say NO. 4000 for a delicious 3 course meal is cheaper than 700 for something you have to send back to the kitchen. +++++++++++++++
Monday 19th of November 2012 and my alarm went of at 7 o'clock. I started my day with a Diet Pepsi, the only diet drink worth the name in Bombay. I had a shower before going to Boulevard  coffee shop for my breakfast. Well, I could eat a little bacon and some harsh brown with a cup of tea. The “lavish” breakfast buffet wasn't much to write home about. But I wasn't hungry went down to the reception and my car.
I'm usually one day earlier to a new place if I'm going to take a course But as I could not go out yesterday I had no idea where Leela Business Park was located. But I had asked the Bell boy yesterday and he told me it was 15 minutes by car. I left the hotel at 8 and we arrived around 08:15 to Leela Business Park and Torm Shipping was on  the second floor. I was the first one to arrive and our teacher was preparing in the class room.
Turned out that the Teacher was from Denmark and he was in Mumbai for a week to hold the Advanced Medical Training  course at Torm Shipping Pvt Ltd India.
Our teacher had expected us to start at 8 but according to my paper it was 8 thirty. And my information was obviously right because no one else had showed up. One more guy arrived a few minutes later and at 8 thirty all 8 of us had arrived.  We can start the course
 I'm looking for Diet Pepsi without any luck during the break
We had our first break at 10 and I went to look for a 7 Eleven so I could buy a Diet Pepsi. But  there is not one single 7 Eleven in Bombay and I tried some shops without any luck and I returned to the class room without and Diet Pepsi.
It was soon 12 o'clock and time for lunch. I had seen the lunch room and believe me, this lunch was nothing I was going to eat. We are 50 years old professionals going on a course so they can't seriously expect us to eat this food. I have heard about this course from people taking the course in Denmark and I was looking forward to it with dread. The Danish lunch or  “Frukost bord”, was brimmed with Danish delicatessen and they had to roll out from the restaurant. Nothing good for my diet for sure.
Here at Torm Shipping Pvt Ltd we had Fry Dal, Tava Pulav and other stuff I had never heard off. I'm sure the locals appreciated the food, but it was nothing for a GUEST student. There was nothing I felt like I wanted to eat and I was very hungry. The “lavish” breakfast buffet back at the hotel didn't helped much and I was hungry. And I had not seen any hotel or restaurant worth its name when I was out looking for a Diet Pepsi during the break at 10. I asked our Teacher id he knew a place. And he told me about the Vits Hotel just  one block away.
- It is a 5 star hotel so there should be good food - Thanks - But I don't think you will make it in 30 minutes. We only have a 30 minutes lunch break. I told him this morning that it was better to have a short lunch break so we could go home early. And our Teacher said that they always tried to finish at 4 to dodge the worst traffic.  Cows on the Mathuradas Vasanji Road
I turned right when I came out on the Mathuradas Vasanji Road and I walked up the road. No sign of any 5 tar hotel and I had to ask a guy. He pointed back towards Leela Business Park. - The second big house - Thank you I walked back towards Leela and no sign of anything that looked like a hotel. But I spotted a Vits sign on a roof and I turned off the Mathuradas Vasanji Road and there it was, The Vits. And as mentioned before, 5 STAR is a epithet they are used pretty careless around here. There was a poolside cafe and I asked for past. - How long to make the pasta? - 20 minutes I don't have the time and the Waiter told me that I could have the buffet. But there wasn't anything I wanted in the buffet. - What do you have in 5 minutes - Nothing, but have some items from the buffet
Lunch at Vits Poolside cafe in Bombay/ Mumbai
I had a bowl of tomato soup and some nan with a bottle of water and I was back at the Advanced medical Training at Torm in time. We had a break in the afternoon and I asked the lady in the  reception to call the hotel for me to book the car to come pick me up at 4 o'clock.
We finished class 10 minutes after 4 and the car was waiting for me when I came down to the parking place and we took off towards the hotel. I asked the guy to stop at a mini mart of Supermarket so we could buy some Diet Pepsi. And we found a place after several stops. They only had 2 small cans, better than nothing. I was going to Gateway of India and my dinner at Taj  Mahal hotel but as we had homework I needed to get back to the hotel to leave my book in the room. And my plan was to read the book when I was back home from Taj Mahal.
I went down to the tour desk and I hired a car and driver, 2600 Rupees for 8 hours and we took off towards down town Mumbai and the Gateway of India and my dinner at Taj Mahal
We left the hotel in my rented car and we drove down the Western Express Highway and Bandra Worli Sea Link towards the new bridge across the Mahim Bay. A 2 way ticket over the new bridge  was 82,5 Rupees. We crossed the Mahim bay and we continued towards Marine Drive and it took us about 40 minutes to reach Shivaji Park.
I told the driver that I would call him when i wanted to return to the hotel and I walked along the Shivaji Park. There were plenty horse-drawn vehicles and it looked like an amusement park with all the lights. I walked around Appolo Bunder Road for a while. The access to Gateway of India was blocked with road blocks and they told me that I had to enter from Shivaji Park. Well, never mind, I walked towards Taj Mahal Hotel, I was hungry. Of course, I was delayed by people wanting to take pictures. GET A LIFE!!! I stepped in to Taj Mahal and I didn't recognised the place, when I was here it was more like East Germany back in the 70's. Well, I know nothing about East Germany in the 70's But it had not changed in the 80's. And this was the picture I had of Taj Mahal. I bad hotel and I had to send out the food I had ordered. I walked around looking for the restaurant I had been eating at last time and I didn't recognised anything and I asked in the poolside bar. - Go up the stairs behind the elevators. As soon as I walked up the stairs I remembered the place. I entered the restaurant and I was chocked, it was a beautiful place. The whole hotel was redecorated beyond recognition.  The stairs to Sea Lounge Restaurant at Taj Mahal Hotel.
A remarkable difference from when I was here last time  A remarkable difference from when I was here last time
 A remarkable difference from when I was here last time
I asked for a salmon sandwich as a started and fish and chips. Of course, a pot of tea and some fresh bread. The bread was very good and I had a second basket of bread before my salmon was  brought to my table. And the salmon was EXCELLENT, 10 out of 10 . A visit to Sea Lounge at Taj Mahal Hotel is a must when visiting Mumbai/ Bombay.
I really regretted that I had ordered Fish & Chips, I wanted to have another plate of smoked salmon. And I will for sure be back at Taj Mahal before leaving Mumbai. I was really impressed by the hotel. An unbelievable change since I was here last time. I left Taj Mahal, well, I tried to leave the same way that I had left 25 years ago, out on the side  to BEST Marg and the Salvation Army on B K Boman Behram Marg.So I had to go back and exit to the Appolo Bunder Road and I could take a last picture of Gateway of India.
I walked up BEST Marg to the corner of B K Boman Behram Marg to check out Salvation Army. I wasn't sure if Salvation Army would still be there. It is very long time ago since I was here last time. But why would they have closed down Salvation Army? A classic Bombay place.  I walked over and I entered the place. The guy in the reception, or more likely the security guard  booth. He came out to speak with me when I entered the place.
- I'm just going up to have a look. I told him that I had lived there 25 years ago. - Then it was 50 Rupees per night. - 75 rupees he said. Turned out that he had been working there since 1984. 
He told me that he started in the kitchen making breakfast and he had worked his way up to the security/ reception booth. I was up to take a few pictures of the  dining hall and there had been a lot of changes since I stayed there. Now it looked like a mess room. No sofas and plastic chairs piled up  along the walls.
Internet, of course, no internet 25 years ago. And the sofas were gone. I remember  spending the days there with a guy from Holland. And I was offered 10,000 US dollars if I got married with a girl from Iran.
10,000 dollars or not, this is not a hill I want to throw myself out from so I said NO!  Dining hall at Salvation Army in Mumbai
 Dining hall at Salvation Army in Mumbai
I asked the guy about the bar across the street. - The Anchor bar? - Yes, maybe, with the music and girls - They closed several years ago. I said good bye and I left walking back across Best Marg and I continued down B K Boman Behram
I was soon on Colaba Causeway and I walked up Colaba Causeway towards SP. Mukherjee Chowk. I passed Leopold Cafe and I remember when I was eating chicken tika here. I went here with another guy and he told me about this very famous restaurant. Famous, with back packers that is. I got a Delhi belli just by looking at the food. I continued to SP. Mukherjee Chowk and I passed Regal. I remember being fascinated by all the people queuing up outside the cinema waiting to see a movie last time in Bombay. Back then there were no light signs outside the cinema. Now it was lit like a Christmas Tree.
I found myself fabric for a shirt that I will make when I'm back in Bangkok. I walked down Colaba Causeway looking for fabric. Colaba Causeway looked pretty much the same on the south side. Of course, new modern shops. I walked back on the north side and this side looked like any other shopping street in Hong Kong, New York or Stockholm. I walked around for an hour or two without any luck finding nice fabric. I checked out the souvenir shops, but 40,000 Rupees for a wood elephant seemed like a rip off. And isn't it amazing? You ask about an elephant and they give you the full song and dance on how unique the piece is. Only one on the world! - What's the price? - Let me check Let me check!!! If it is such a unique piece of foocking wood you should know the price. It is like you're collecting stamps and you don't know the value of your most valuable stamp. Needless to say, I never bought anything and when I left. - How much you want to pay? Special price for you! - Yeah-yeah, blah-blah! I returned to Taj Mahal and I called my driver and we took off towards my hotel at the domestic  airport. I asked the driver for a mini mart or convenient store where we could buy Diet Pepsi.
We stopped at a few “holes in the wall” on the way but no Diet Pepsi. 7 Eleven and mini marts are nothing you find in Mumbai. We continued and I asked the driver where he was going. - Aren't we taking the bridge back? But he was going to a shopping mall with a department store to see if we could find Diet Pepsi. I had to go all the way to the top floor to find the super market. A change, in Thailand all the super markets in the department  stores are located in the basement. Here it was on the top floor. So instead of walking down one stair I had to go up to the top floor.
I took the escalator to the 4th or 5th floor and it looked  find any Diet Pepsi. And I was like a normal supermarket, a wee bit smaller. I could not s looking for some Chocolate milk as we have an upcoming weekend and some hangover milk can come in handy.
Well, I left the super market empty handed and I took the escalators to  the ground floor. I bought a Zippo lighter before I went to buy a soft ice cream. I enjoyed my ice cream while walking around. There were two young boys begging for money and I emptied my pocket in their hands and I never got rid of them after that. My
We left the place behind and we were steering towards my hotel. We were
Lala Lajpatrai Marg and Marine Drive, beautiful beach front areas and it look like a garbage dump. Beautiful old houses that looks like they are about to fall apart. Mumbai, one of the most expensive cities in the world so I would have expected the houses to look better. Trash lying around and the road looks like, well, just see on the below pictures from Lala Lajpatrai Marg.  Lala Lajpatrai Marg
 Lala Lajpatrai Marg
We left Lala Lajpatrai Marg and we passed over the Bandra Worli Sea Link Bridge and there were some traffic on the highway towards my hotel. But we were back in 30 minutes or so after we left the super market. I checked my pictures from my adventure in down town Mumbai and I was off to bed to do my homework. Yes, we have homework and I need to study in my room. +++++++++++++++
Tuesday 20th of November 2012 and I was dead tired when my alarm went off at 6 thirty. A Diet Pepsi before I had my shower and I read the news on the internet before I went for the “lavish” breakfast buffet. And there wasn't anything much I wanted to have at the “lavish” breakfast buffet so I was early to the car.
It takes about 10 mimutes to go to the school at Torm Shipping at Leela Business Center. I was 20 minutes early our Teacher from Denmark was preparing for today’s exercises.  Time turned very quick and it was soon time for lunch. I walked to Vits, today I knew where the  hotel was so it was only a 5 minutes’ walk. I took the same table as I had had yesterday. There was no buffet today, well, they had not  open yet so there was no naan or roti bread. So I asked for a naan and they told me that the  Cook would make a naan for me in a jiff.
I asked for a pot of tea and when I had tried my naan I asked the Waitress for one more. And, well, it didn't take long before I asked for a third naan. The restaurant Manager was checking on me so the tea and naan was to my satisfaction.  - I just love the naan
Much better than the naan and rotti I had from the buffet yesterday. The Manager told me that I should have some of the Chicken and I told him that I would love to, but I was in a hurry back to class. He asked if I could take a picture of him and as I'm not impossible I took a picture.
Eagles??
 Walking back to Leela Business Park from Vits and I saw birds of prey flying over Mathuradas Vasanji Road. I have been in quite a few cities around the world, but I have never seen big (Eagles?) birds of prey before. I have seen them on the country side but in the middle of the city, never. But here is many rats and stuff running around on the streets. Well, there are plenty rats in  Bangkok as well, but I have never seen any birds of prey in Bangkok.
And I don't think it is because it is any cleaner air in Mumbai. We had a drill at our school after lunch. A guy falling 5 meters through a tree with a branch puncturing one of his lungs. First aid and a valve compress over the hole in the chest. Back in the class room we called via radio medical in Denmark via video on the internet and the Danish Doctor was surprised that there was a guy from Sweden taking the Advanced Medical Training course in Mumbai. - I'm from Skåne! It was an interesting day and we left school half an hour late. I could not find the car when I came down on the parking lot, but after a few look around I spotted the car and we were soon on the way back to my hotel. I had a quick Diet Pepsi in my room when I was back at the hotel. I was in a hurry, hungry and I had decided to go check out Bandra/ West Bandra. According to the rumours this was the area for  night life and fine dining. So yes, I was delirious by anticipation.
I left by foot looking for a taxi and I found a taxi that would take me to Hill Road. I had asked the Bell boy where to go. - Linking Road - What’s going on there? - A shopping street with women's garment - Well, is there something else - Hill Road There should be plenty restaurants and shopping at Hill Road. I imagine High Street in any Western town when he mentioned all the shopping and restaurants. Well, it was an Indian shopping street like it looked 25 years ago and a disappointment. No fine dining unless eating on the street is your idea of fine dining.
I walked up and down Hill Road without finding anything interesting. No restaurants and I were about  to take a taxi back to the hotel. But I was about to piss my pants and I needed a bathroom,  and really, I wanted a nice place. I passed a bar called the Temptation. I went inside and I asked for a Diet Pepsi.
- We only have Diet Coke -OK, whatever you have! Where is the bathroom? The bathroom was the worst in a long time, but I really needed to go and I didn't hang around the bathroom longer than necessary when I was ready. I went back to the bar and I finished my Diet Coke. Well, I had relieved myself and I decided to walk up the Waterfield Road. I could see lights and as I didn't need to have a piss anymore I walked towards the lights. Maybe I can find a restaurant. Walking up Waterfield Road and the houses started to look better and there were plenty shops nicely decorated with lights. But it was only jewellery shops, no restaurants. Well, one, but it was not was I was looking for. I walked up and down Gurunanak Marg and I asked 2 guys for any shopping street with restaurants and stuff. Well, Linking Road was just around the corner. I walked down Linking Road for a few hundred meters until I reached Waterfield Road and I turned left. I passed a place called Bora Bora. Looked nice so I decided to try it out. But I wanted to  continue up the Waterfield Road first. There was a Chocolateria and this was a place that I also wanted to try. Walking up Waterfield Road and the shop houses across the streets looked good. Well, at least at a distance and in the dark.
But looking up and you could see that it was the old shacks covered with a nice front. The old shacks, well, might be new built shacks as well, looked to be flimsy built with tarpaulin and corrugated plate roof and walls. But Mumbai is transforming and I bet it will be totally different in yet another 25 years. Well, most likely, we will have managed to foock up the planet totally by 2037. And  hmm, I will not be  around in 25 years from now. My corpse will hopefully be burnt and thrown in the sea by then.
I entered Bora Bora on my way back and I ordered Fish fingers as a starter and some pasta as main course. Excellent food, well, the pasta was a wee bit spicy 
The Manager kept me company while waiting for the food and he had been in Stockholm. I asked about the night life in Bombay and Bora Bora was one of the “HOT” spots during the weekend. He wanted some Swedish music and I promised to burn  some music for him and that i would bring it on Friday night.
I paid my bill and I left Bora Bora. I crossed the street and I went in to Chocolateria San Churro to see what they had. Belgian waffles with ice cream and some chocolate sauce. And of course, a pot of tea to go with the Belgian waffles. I read the news paper while waiting for my tea and waffles. I girl had been writing on her Facebook. Something like “why do we have to have a holiday because a man died” and she was obviously meaning the thing that was going on when I arrived to Mumbai. Well, obviously someone got upset and her Uncle's were Doctors running their own clinics and they  had been trashed by an angry mob. The girl’s life was in peril and she had been taken to the Police. So this is how things are working in this part of the world.
I finished my Belgian waffles and tea and the waffles were excellent. I had an ice cream yesterday, my first ever ice cream in India. Today I had my second ever ice cream in India. It tasted good and no sign of any Delhi belly. They have all the famous brands in India now a day and I think they keep an eye on things so  their brand's name don't get ruined. Well, Carlsberg was making beer in Thailand a few years ago and it didn't taste  anything like the beer you buy in Denmark. I was looking at their chocolate, looked very good and I wanted to buy a box with truffels. There were severl different truffels to choice from and I bought one to try first. 70 Rupees for a truffel, wasn't as good as I had expected and I skipped the chocolate. I left the place and I walked towards Linking Road looking for a taxi to take me back to the hotel. I walked towards Linking Road when I passed a guy and he wanted me to take a picture of him.  Well, of course, I'm not impossible and I took the picture and now he will be world famous on the internet.
The first driver didn't want to go and the second taxi driver asked for a price that obviously was so far off so I told him to piss off. The third driver wanted to make some money and he drove me back to my hotel. It was around 10 o'clock when I was back at my room and I had time to check today's picture and to do my homework before I went to bed. And I will hopefully be able to fall asleep so I'm full of vim at school tomorrow.
 In the taxi on my way back to the hotel
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 21st of November 2012 and today it was not so bad when my alarm went off at 6 thirty. I was enjoying a Diet Pepsi when they called from the reception to wake me up. I went for the lavish Breakfast Buffet. Some bacon and bread, well, not bread, some pastries is the only thing  I have found that I want to eat. And the tea, I had to call them 4 times before I got my tea.
We started the day at school by training in setting IV  drops. We started with and plastic arm and then we had to do it on each other. We were working in pairs and the guy I was working with used 10 needles before he got it right in the plastic arm.
So when it was my turn to get the IV drop I told them that I wanted someone else to put the drop in me. I don't know how my hand would have looked after 10 attempts to get it right. So my partner did the IV on our Teacher instead.  I'm getting my IV drop
 I'm getting my IV drop
 I'm getting my IV drop
 I'm getting my IV drop
 I'm getting my IV drop
 I'm getting my IV drop
 I'm getting my IV drop
 I'm getting my IV drop
It was fun and interesting so time turned really quick and it was soon time for the 10 o'clock break.  I had set my IV drop with flying colours and I had also got one IV drop. Kind of nice when they turn on the water and the arm gets cold when the water enters the arm.
And of course, I had taken pictures during the whole adventure. It is not painful to get the drop, of course you can feel it but it is no pain. All of us had not finished so we continued to set the IV drops after the 10 o'clock  break. Only a few more to go and it was my partners turn.
The last one and our Teacher asked one more time for an  volunteer and as no one reported as volunteer our Teacher got up on the bed. My partner passed the test with flying colour and we were soon ready with the IV drop.
Nice , yet another exercise we can put behind us and we're coming closer and closer to the end of the course. I don't remember if we had any time over for something else before it was time for lunch. We have a 30 minutes lunch break, just enough time to dash off to Viks hotel for a pot of tea and 4 naan breads at the poolside cafe.   Takes me about 5 minutes to walk to Viks and when I arrive I take the same seat as previous day.  The Waitress ask me if I want a pot of tea and 3 naans. I start with 2 naans and when they arrive I ask for yet another two naans.
They were busy at Viks today, they were doing something from the TV on the platform on top of the pool. I never understood what they did. I asked the staff but I never understood the answer, OK, it was something about TV and I could not help by wondering why they wanted to do any TV at Vits, the luxury business hotel. Seriously, luxury, what does it mean? Gold card, yes, this was something people got impressed by back in the 70's or 80's. But today, gold means nothing and they have to  come up with Platinum and then the Titanium card. Same shit, but different annual fees.
Whats the next thing they come up with? Fresh air card or the clean drinking water card? For sure, in a not too far future this will be more valuable than Platinum. Same with the condominiums, I'm 100% sure that the first condominium they built in Bangkok was a luxury condominium. Running water indoors, and if you installed a water heater you even had hot water. Toilet and shower and an AC. This was real luxury when there was nothing but shacks to live in. But today, now the slum around Sukhumvit is gone and most people live in apartments with a normal standard. So now it is embarrassing when they want to sell a LUXUARY condominium, 45m³ with the standard stuff. And if you compare it to Swedish standard it is much lower than standard. And as usually, it took much haggle and irritation to get a taxi to take me to Juhu Beach. Well, it is
- 4000 Rupees You know it is about 100 with the meter - 200 - 1200 And it goes on forever and as I don't have much day light left when I'm back home from school I'm really in a hurry and I have for sure no time to waste with the taxi drivers. Well, anyway, I have checked out down town Bombay and Bandra so today I decided to go to Juhu Beach to have a look. And as you can see in the blue box Juhu Beach is the place to be, at least according to Wikipedia. Home of all the Bollywood stars and all the fine Italian Restaurants. So I expected a very nice place with a vibrant night life and excellent restaurants. I took a taxi, 200 Rupees and I got out of the taxi at Juhu Tara Road and I was instantly disappointed. The whole area looked rely run down and no sign off any fine dining. I could not see the beach and the driver told me it was just around the corner. Well, this was for sure not looking like much so I told the driver that I wanted to go back in an hour or so. He was  going to wait and I was to pay 400 Rupees for the whole adventure.
I walked towards the beach and there were much people, and garbage everywhere. There were some food stalls and they sold snacks on the beach. But no sign of any fancy restaurants and Bollywood stars. I spotted some people doing parasailing in the distance. When I came on the beach I saw the parachute over the beach and I  thought they were in trouble. I was looking for the speed  boat pulling the parachute, but no sign of any speed boat. Turned out it was a kite with a small doll and when I looked around I saw several of these kites.
And I was soon running in to a guy selling the kites. He asked if I wanted to buy one, but no, I had  no interest in any kites. But I took a picture and I continued walking around on the beach. I had a girl following me and she never stop asking if I  wanted to buy some wooden stuff.
And of course plenty people wanting to take pictures. When I saw the beach my wish for a swim  disappeared. They dropped all the garbage where they sat or stood and it was really much shit lying on the beach.
There were several Ferris wheels, merry go rounds and other attractions. All powered by hand.
I spent 20 to 30 minutes on the beach before I returned to the taxi. No restaurants so I wanted to return to the hotel to have my dinner. I asked the driver to stop somewhere so I could buy some  blank DVDs so I could burn the Swedish Hip Hop to the guy at Bora Bora. And of course, some blank CDs so I could take a TAXI CD.
We asked the guys hanging around our taxi if they knew a place to buy blank CDs and DVDs. Well, the driver suggested Saga Department store in Bandra. Well, there must be some other places, but we took off towards Saga Department store in Bandra. We left Juhu behind on the SV Road and the traffic was not so bad and we made it all the way to Bandra via the SV Road in 15 minutes. Saga Department store turned out to be a disappointment, only carpets and the stuff they sell to tourists. Like a huge  souvenir shop and they didn't had any blank CDs or DVDs.
And the Saga Department store was like a vault, gates that looked permanent at the entrance and I had to access the door from the parking lot. The doors looked like they were bullet proof and of course a guard. Metal detector inside the door as on all the hotels in Mumbai. I guess they are afraid that angry customers would storm the place when they realised that the 40,000 Rupees elephant could be bought at any local market for 2000 Rupees. So I left the place and of course, they followed me and no stopping asking me if I wanted to buy this and that. Well, I got out n the street and we were soon on the way towards my hotel again.  Outside Saga Department store
 Outside Saga Department store
I was hungry andI was in a hurry back to my hotel and Mostly Grills. I was going to eat the steak  today and of course, 2 plates of the excellent white chocolate mousse. My driver called someone and he got a hot tip on where to buy CDs and DVDs.
We drove there and it turned out it was the same road where we had stopped on the way to Juhu Beach. We left the hotel for Juhu Beach and as no surprise the driver started to go on and on about a shop. - American style, very good. Good prices - I don't give a rat’s ass! Get us to Juhu Beach. And the only thing I will remember from today is a fire truck blocking the traffic. Luckily enough in  the oncoming lane. The fire fighters were on top of the truck with a  rod up in a tree. The driver told me that they were trying to rescue a roaster in the tree.
Well, that was different and I asked the driver to go back. Of course I needed a picture but when we came back the fire truck was gone. Well, anyway, we were back a few hours later and I bought blank DVDs and CDs.  Blank CD street
I had all the stuff I needed and we went back to my hotel. I started to copy Swedish Hip Hop to a DVD and I went up on the roof top for my dinner. I asked for the very same as last time as I was  here, but I changed the lamb chops for a steak. I gave a few pointers to the Cook regarding the rosemary.
After an eternity I got my tea and I was enjoying a cup when my starter came, the filled potatoes. The Cook was soon at my table and he asked if I was ready for the steak. - Bring it on baby! I got my steak and it was not good. I mean the steak, it was cooked perfect but it was poor quality meat, nothing you can blame the Cook for. So when the Cook was back at my table to ask if it was good I said yes. He was happy and we had a chat before he returned to the kitchen. When my white chocolate mousse arrived I asked for another  mousse. My second pot of tea arrived, only 25 minutes waiting time.
What the hell is it with India and the tea. Everywhere I go it takes forever to get the tea. OK, if  you come home to someone asking for tea, then it will take time to boil water. But at a restaurant there should be hot water available all the time
And it is on all the places I have been at in Mumbai. And don't get me started about the Boulevard Coffee shop with the tea for my breakfast. Well, I waited for almost 30 minutes and as there were no sign of my second plate of white chocolate mousse I left the restaurant with a mental note that I would never come back.
+++++++++++++++
Thursday 22nd of November 2012 and we started today's training with some of the assignments we had got over different cases. And when we were ready we got started with the stitching. And  stitching is not like putting in IV drops and to give injections so we used a pad of something that should be like skin. I don't know for how long we did this.
When we were ready we did some dental works and time turned quick and I was soon off to Viks Hotel for my lunch. Naan and a pot of tea and as we will finish school at 12 o'clock tomorrow this is my last time at Viks luxury business hotel. 4 pieces of naan and a cup or two of tea before I walked back to the school in Torm's office at Leela Business Park. We finished at 4 o'clock and when I came down to the parking space there was no sight of my car. I was waiting  around and one of my class mates brought me to my hotel in his car.
On the way to hotel he spotted my car. - Look, your car is going to pick you up! Well, by then it as more than 35 minutes late so that’s not my problem. I spent 2 or 3 hours in my room before I went to look for a taxi to take me to Renaissance Hotel at the Powai Lake. Our Teacher had recommended the Italian restaurant at Renaissance Hotel and today was the day I was going there. And of course, I had to go through the normal taxi problem. - 4000 Rupees - 200 Rupees I have to spend half an hour to one hour haggling every time I'm looking for a taxi. Pisses me off and I decided right there and then never to come back to India again. The meter ride is 100 Rupees. 800 Rupees is not much money, but it just pisses me off. And when you finally are on the way the non-stop bull shit starts about my destination.  - This place is not good, I know a much better place.
- I know a very good shop. VERY GOOD PRICES!!
- AH! SHUT UP!! So I was not in a good mood in the taxi when we went to Renaissance. The driver started to ask me something. - Don't you know the address? - Hmmmmm - What the are you saying?
- Hmmmmm - I don't understand. DO YOU KNO WHERE WE'RE GOING? - AC 500 Rupees Ah, he could turn on the AC if I paid 500 instead of the 300. I exploded in the back seat and it  was very hard to restrain myself. I really just wanted to throw myself over the stupid  driver. I just wanted to hurt him. We stopped to ask a TUK TUK driver for the way and we arrived to Renaissance Hotel 35 minutes after we had left my hotel. I gave the driver 300 and I stepped inside to ask for the Italian restaurant. I must have misunderstood the description and I ended up at a buffet so I had to go back. New directions and I found the Italian restaurant. The Waitress told me that they only had a set menu today as it was Thanksgiving. What the
I had gone through all the trouble to get here and now they had a set menu. I was not in a good mood leaving. I looked for another restaurant and there was a Chinese, and I was NOT going to eat Chinese food! Yeah, impossible to forget our hero in an “Idiot abroad” At home restaurants get closed down if there is a cockroach in the kitchen. Here it's a starter
She gets up in the morning and finds a spider in the bath. Good, I have the spider now and I save the sandwich for tomorrow I returned to the buffet, I had seen them making pasta there. I asked what kind of food they had and I think it was Southern Indian food, and of course the pasta. I asked for a pot of tea and  some butter naan. While waiting I went to get some spinach.
Yes, the Indians make the very best spinach. Another thing I have noticed with the tea in India is that they bring you a big pot. And I'm excited when I see the pot, plenty tea. But they only have one cup of tea in the pot so I have to instruct them to fill the pot to the brim every time I ask for a second pot. 
I had 2 plates of spinach, the second plate was full of cheese from the pasta kitchen. I asked for a second pot of tea, filled to the brim.  I asked where I could have a smoke and the Waiter told me that I could have a smoke outside.
When I came back inside I saw 2 guests at my table. The Waiter was surprised to see me and I asked what happened to my table. No sign of the second pot of tea I had asked for. I wanted the pot of tea to be on the table when I came back in so I could just dig in to the dessert table. Well, they gave me a new table, at the entrance and I was soon having a pot of tea in front of me.
The best seat in the whole restaurant
 They came to ask me if I was comfortable, of course I wasn't. Who the foock want to sit in the  entrance? I asked for my bill and they told me that they would not give me any bill. And I asked for the bill 4 or 5 times as I feel uncomfortable not to pay. But then again, this was very bad. Well, the food was excellent and if I pay 3000 or 4000 for a dinner I want to sit and relax enjoying my tea. Not in the foocking entrance with people running around.
They had some really nice pastries at Renaissance but I never stayed to finish my tea. I left for the reception to ask for a taxi. Renaissance is in the middle of nowhere so they had to call me a taxi. I asked for the price to go to the domestic airport where my hotel was located. - With a public taxi - Yes They have a flat rate, 600 to 700 Rupees. What the is this? 100 to 150 going on the meter and the hotel gives you a price 4 or 5 times that. If it would have been a hotel taxi it is one thing, but they should know the prices for a taxi meter as a service for the guests.
 Mumbai on the other side of Powai Lake. Picture from Sea View Cafe at Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai
 Mumbai on the other side of Powai Lake. Picture from Sea View Cafe at Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai
 Mumbai on the other side of Powai Lake. Picture from Sea View Cafe at Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai
So I walked across the jungle to the Ranj Rani Sati Marg to look for a taxi. There were several taxis waiting outside the hotel and they asked for prices they just made up in their imagination. I had a gang hanging around me suggesting prices and I got tired. - PISS OFF!! I managed to get rid of them and the fifth taxi that stopped took me to my hotel for 200 Rupees. And the taxi must have been 100 years old, one of the old classic Bombay taxis and it is not impossible that I have had a ride in this very taxi 25 years ago.  On the way back to my hotel
We only came close to an accident 2 times on the way back. One TUK TUK was just charging against  us and the driver had to throw us and the car to the left in order to dodge the TUK TUK.
And the car only stopped one time during the trip. When we arrived to the exit to my hotel I told the driver to stop. No need for him to leave the high way. I needed the walk after all the spinach. The driver had to get out to turn off the meter on the hood before he could take of showing FOR HIRE and I walked back to my hotel. And I could update my web page before going to bed. Today we had not got any homework so I was able to relax.  We arrive safe
 We arrive safe
 We arrive safe
+++++++++++++++
Friday 23rd of November 2012 and last day at school. Breakfast was as usually, I had t ask for 4 times before I got my tea. Well, the three first times I got the stupid thumb up. The internationally recognised sign for “The tea will come in 3 seconds”
The fourth time I rose up from my seat and I turned to the Manager  - WHAT THE FOOCK!!!
They came running with my tea 2 seconds later. Yes, what the foock? I ask for tea and they give me  the stupid thumb up and they just continue pottering around. Well, a beautiful girl I had spotted yesterday arrived for her breakfast. I think she is from Singapore, well, anyway, she went straight to get her tea in the galley. Obviously tired of waiting for ages for her tea.
I arrived to school 5 minutes before 8 and today we had to do eye exam. This was nothing I liked and I really felt bad starting to walk around the table in the class room. The guys asked what was going on and one of them took me down to the parking lot. I really can't stand blood and injuries. So to exam eyes was not something I was looking forward to. But it has been getting better. My first course back in 1985 was terrible. I could not even open the book without feeling sick. And we had to practice at the emergency ward. I had dodged the emergency ward for as long as I could and when i finally showed up they asked who I was. - I'm Aladdin - What do you want - I'm going to practice here - OK, wait I was waiting for an hour or two before I left. And I was really relieved when I left and no one  have ever asked where I went so I got my diploma.
And when we did a week at the emergency ward at Östra Sjukhuset in Go:teborg they sent me to the medicine department. We had 3 girls coming in within a few hours and all three of them had been kicked in the face by horses. Well, I spent a week in the medicine department. We finished class just after 12 o'clock and when we left I asked the guys for a group picture. Our Teacher went to get a girl to take our picture for us. I got the picture and we left.  Last day in school
And I got a wee bit angry when i discovered that my car wasn't there. One time is OK, but now it is 2 days in a row. I was waiting until 12 thirty and i left for the ATM, but the machine could not read my cards. I tried to get in to Leela Hotel, according to my Teacher they have an excellent Italia restaurant. Just across the street from the school. Well, that was the staff entrance and I had to walk down the road and then up the other road to get to the main entrance. So I skipped the idea and I took a taxi (200 rupees) to the ATM I had used the first day in  Mumbai. I withdrew 20000 rupees and I'm ready to take on the night life in Mumbai. We passed a bridge on the way and while waiting at the red light there was a girl passing the car with a pot of water. Obviously she was living with her friends and boy friend under the bridge
She told them about my ear rings and when they saw my camera they wanted me to take their picture. Well, who am I to say no so now they will soon be world famous on the internet.  They want me to take their picture
 All of them coming up to the car wanting to see the picture
Yeah, what a fucking waste. The government should make sure all of these people could get an education Who knows, one of them might have come up with the solution to our ever increasing needs for energy. Or they might have invented something curing baldness. I walked back home from the ATM and I passed under a bridge crossing the high way. The kids were playing cricket and I wanted to take a picture. But as soon as I brought out my camera the kids started to wave and laugh. Well, better than nothing. I crossed the highway and I went in to ibis hotel for my lunch. Says a great deal about the restaurant at your hotel when you go for dinner at the hotel next door.  Kids playing cricket under the bridge at my hotel
I stepped in to ibis and I asked for a pot of tea, 2 naan breads and a spaghetti Carbonara. The restaurant is nice and clean and you don't get scared or lose your appetite when they open the door  to the kitchen.
It was a wee bit different at The Orchid, I still remember Sunday morning when I had my first meal at the Boulevard. I had to send it back to the kitchen and I was looking for a new restaurant Sunday afternoon. I checked out ibis and it looked very clean, but it was closed when I was there. But it looked clean and thus I decided to have my lunch at ibis today. And the food was very good, and the menu is way more exciting than the menu at the Boulevard. Mostly grills on the roof top is  OK, but they don't open until 7 and with the waiting time I would not expect my first pot of tea until 8 o'clock.
Well, anyway, the food was excellent at ibis and it set me back by 835 Rupees, next to nothing and I walked back to my hotel. And as usually, I stopped at the Boulevard to buy a few cans of Diet Pepsi that I brought to my room. Today it is Friday so I bought 4 bottles of Foster beer as well. I will finish the beers and then I will rent a car (with driver, DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE) and I will take off to Bandra to hand over 2 DVDs with Swedish Hip Hop to the Manager. Why rent a car? Well, I really liked coming back to India, but the hassle with the taxi drivers had  drove me up the foocking wall and I will never come back to India. But tonight I won't have to go through the trouble with the taxis when I have my own car. And of course, I have prepared a TAXI CD with Roffe Ruff. Roffe Ruff in Bombay, yeah, things are getting better.
I also had time to update my web page so it is up to date, I have not had much time for this during the week with hard studies  and my night time explorer trips around Mumbai.
I went down to the travel desk to get a car, 2600 Rupees for a car and driver for 8 hours, of course more expensive than a taxi. But I  don't need to lose my good mood haggling with taxi drivers. Friday night in Bombay and you want to stay in a good mood.
So I had a dedicated driver or as we say in Skåne, a “fylle chaffis” and I had the guy at the travel desk to make sure the car had a CD player in the car. I bought a Foster beer in the hotel bar and we took off towards Bora Bora on the Waterfield Road in Bandra. Roffe Ruff blasting high on the Richter  scale and something was different. Yes, it was good music for a change, but the strange feeling came from not hearing the horns all the time while having Roffe Ruff at full blast.
It took us quite some toe to reach Bora Bora and when we arrived my Foster beer was empty, well,  had been empty for a long time. And I was about to piss myself so I threw myself in to the restroom first thing when we arrived to Bora Bora.
I was running towards the rest rooms and I passed the manager and I handed him 2 DVDs while running pass him. - Here you have almost 1000 tunes of Swedish Hip Hop, ENJOY! I could hear him say thank you when the door to the  rest rooms slammed shut behind me.
Back out in the bar and I decided to try a Kingfisher beer. Hasn’t had one of those for many many years. The labels are different today and it looks more like a good tasting beer today than what it did 20 years ago. 
I had one Kingfisher beer and then I swapped to Foster beer. Bora Bora and it was like being transferred back to the 80's when it was popular with music videos. They were playing music videos until 8 thirty and  then we could hear my TAXI CD blasting high at Bora Bora.
The manager brought snacks and we were chatting away. They would close Bora Bora and after that we would go to Royale a few minutes away. They also told me that Mumbai would be dry tomorrow because of the guy that had died. Yes, same guy that closed down things last Sunday. Good or bad? I have flight to Chennai at 15 thirty on Sunday so I won't be suffering from any hangover, so good. I will have to spend Saturday night in my hotel room, so bad! I spend a few hours at Bora Bora before I decided to go to check out the sky bar at the Four  season hotel. According to the Steward on the flight from Bangkok to Mumbai this was the place to be seen at.
I would be back at Bora Bora before 1 o'clock and we would  spend the night at Royale.
I also got the DJ's name  card. He would make a CD with Indian Hip Hop music for me.
I bought 2 bottles of Foster beer and I went out to find my car. We took off towards the Four Season hotel in South Mumbai. We took the Bandra Worli Sea Link and I told the driver to buy a return ticket as well. - They close at midnight - What!!?? Why on earth are the closing at midnight?
I can't understand why they are closing at midnight, but this is obviously how they operate things around here. So we bought a one way ticket and we had to get back to Bandra via an alternative  road. We arrived to Four Seasons Hotel and I told the driver to go for  something to eat and I would be back when I had grown bored with the sky bar.
I went in to the hotel and of course, I was not allowed up on the 33rd floor. - You must have long pants! - What the
- Shorts are not allowed! Of course, when I came back out my car was nowhere to be found. So I had to get a taxi to Blue Frog, a place they had recommended at Four Seasons hotel. Just a few minutes away. I arrived to Blue Frog and the driver pointed in to an alley in the slum area. This can't be right. Blue Frog was supposed to be a HIGH END night club according to the staff at Four Seasons hotel  and here I am in the middle of the slum. I asked the taxi driver and he confirmed that this was the place.
While we were in the taxi I saw a few luxury European cars entering the alley and I paid the taxi driver and I walked up the alley. And yes, there it was, behind the corner a few minutes’ walk up the alley where the Blue Frog. I had about 15 or 20 Foster beers at Bora Bora and I had a few beers at Blue Frog before I decided to go back to Bandra to check out Royale with the DJ. I took a taxi back to Four Seasons Hotel. I found my car, well, it was the driver that found me. He was waving and screaming at me and I walked over to the car and we took off.  Outside Blue Frog - World's biggest democracy!
What does democracy mean? Rampant corruption? Vote buying? Steeling from the citizens? People that have nothing? People going to jail for 25 years because of stealing and apple while some people can steal a billion and be looked up on with admiration
My driver wasn't the best one in the English language. I told him to take me back to Bora Bora but  I woke up in the car when we arrived to my hotel. OK, skip Bora Bora I didn't mind to have some sleep. I had have several beers  and I had not been sleeping much during the week with wake up calls at 6 thirty every morning. So sleep it was.
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 24th of November 2012 and I woke up around 11 o'clock. My pocket was full of Rupee bills and I had more than 16,000 Rupees remaining in my valet. So it had been cheap yesterday and now I have another problem. How to spend this money before going back home next Friday? I have Bangkok as a standard when going out for a good time when it comes to how much money to bring. And I don't want to bring my ATM cards in case I lose my valet.
Have not lost a valet since I bought my valet with a chain in Seoul a few years ago. But I have found my valet swinging from the chain from my hip several times. Of course, in Bangkok I bring my Bangkok Bank ATM card. But I want to have 15 to 20,000 Baht in my valet when going out in Bangkok, if I have less I can use the ATM. I had not been in Manila for many years when I was back for a course and first night out I brought 20,000 Peso and I woke up with 16,000. I had just discovered that the best beer in the world was next to free in Manila and it had been very cheap. I brought 20,000 Rupees and I had spent maybe 4000 so it had been cheap. And they say Bangkok is cheap, I wish. I can't remember waking up in Bangkok to discover that I had spent 5000 Baht only. And 5000 Rupees is something like 3000 Baht or less. Well, I had a shower and I was off to Taj Mahal for tea and salmon, and I will go to pay for my car I used yesterday and I will take another car for today. When I came down I saw a girl talking to the bell boy. It was the beautiful girl that I use to see in the restaurant at breakfast. And girl, she seems to be around 35 and I think lady is the word. I don't know at what age to call it girl, but 35, I don't think so.
Well, anyway, she sounded like she was from Japan when she spoke English, but she didn't look very Japanese. Anyway, when she left I started to interrogate the Bell boy and turned out that she  wanted to go to Gateway of India.
- She can go with me - She is not going until tomorrow We took off towards Gateway of India and when we approached the bridge on the Bandra Worli Sea Link we passed Taj Lands End, a 5 star hotel. And it is for sure not looking like a 5 star hotel. The hotel look more like a building from East Germany. We came over to Worli and we drove  down Worli Seaface and I can still not believe how they can keep the houses in such a poor condition in one of the prime areas of Mumbai. Beautiful houses, well, of course you will have to use your imagination to see how they houses could look like with some paint. Houses and land worth millions and I would have thought they could afford to repair and paint the houses. And I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the value of the property would rise.
 Houses on Worli Seaface
 Houses on Worli Seaface
 Houses on Worli Seaface
 Houses on Worli Seaface
 Beautiful house on Worli Seaface
Imagine this house with fresh paint and new wood work The same goes for the rest of Mumbai, beautiful houses 100 years old and they are just falling apart. It is really painful to see all the houses. A beautiful city destroyed, same as with Rio De
I took pictures while discussing the houses with my driver. We talked about the old Mumbai and he took a detour to show me the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly Victoria Terminus. 160 years old train station. My driver told me that they handled 8 million passengers on a daily basis. Well, that sounds a wee bit too much for me. I decided to check it out on the internet when I was back at my hotel. My driver had stopped in the intersection in front of the station and we left the car so I could walk around taking pictures. When we took off towards Taj Mahal Hotel for my salmon I was very hungry. I had not been eating since lunch yesterday. But we took a tour to see the high court and some other interesting buildings.  Beautiful houses Mumbai
Imagine how this would have look after spending a few dollars on paint and new concrete for the walls around the property
 Beautiful houses in Mumbai
Imagine how this would have look after spending a few dollars on paint and new concrete for the walls around the property
 Well, not only beautiful houses in Mumbai
 Beautiful houses Mumbai
 Beautiful houses Mumbai
 Beautiful houses Mumbai
Imagine how this would have look after spending a few dollars on paint
 Beautiful houses Mumbai
Imagine how this would have look after spending a few dollars on paint and with all windows changed to wood windows
 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
 We arrived to Gateway of India at 3 thirty and I told the driver that I would meet him here again at 5. One and a half hour should be enough for 3 plates of smoked salmon. Yes, I was going to  order salmon as starter, main course and dessert.
And there would be time, not to run a  marathon, but some time to walk around the beach front before 5 o'clock.
I stepped in to Taj Mahal Hotel and I went straight up to Sea Lounge just to discover that they had closed at 2 o'clock. I knocked on the door and a guy came out and he told me that they were closed due to a wedding party. I told him that I spend an  hour in a taxi to come here to eat smoked salmon. He told me that the coffee shop on the ground floor was open.
- Do they have the smoked salmon? - I'm sure they have smoked salmon - Same as here in the Sea lounge? - Let me take you there and I will speak with the Chef. He took me to the coffee shop and I got a seat. My new friend was soon back with the Manager. - This is Mr (I have of course forgot his name, the salmon was the important thing) and he will take care of you. They will make the salmon exactly as they do in the Sea Lounge.  - Thank you
YIIPPEEE!! I turned cartwheels around the coffee shop, I will get my smoked salmon on rye bread and Philadelphia cheese. 
 I got tea and fresh bread
I got a pot of Earl Grey tea and some fresh bread at 15:50 according to my camera. Lo and  behold, the tea pot was full. OK, I told them to fill the tea pot. Mumbai, they have pots of tea on all the places I have been so far, GREAT!! They have huge pots of tea, GREAT!! They only put a cup of tea in the pot, NOT SO GREAT!!
I finished the bread and my first pot of tea, where the is my salmon? I asked for a second pot of tea and now they slipped down hill. I poured a cup of tea and the pot was empty. I told the Waiter to fill up the pot to the brim. I had been waiting for a very long time when the Manager came to my table. He asked how I wanted the salmon.
- Same as they serve it at the Sea lounge. I went for a cancer stick in the smoke area at the swimming pool. And I had time for many visits to the smoke area. And I meet several interesting people in the smoke area. One guy that was in Mumbai for the wedding and I told him that they had closed the Sea Lounge, the reason for my visit to Taj Mahal, was closed because of the wedding party.  Swimming pool area at Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai
 Swimming pool area at Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai
 Swimming pool area at Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai
 Swimming pool area at Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai
There was a couple from Germany at the table next to me and they were complaining. They lived at Hyatt or something like that at the airport. The service was much better there than at the Taj Mahal. They told me that the service was very slow here. - Tell me all about it, I have been waiting for almost an hour for my smoked salmon. Back in the smoke area and there were 2 girls from Berlin and we talked about the good ol' days. They were not so old so they didn't remember West Berlin. When I told them that West Berlin was  the best party town in the world they looked at me with admiration.
- Have you been in West Berlin?
They lived in Kreuzberg but they didn't knew any of the places I told them about, well, they have most likely been closed down for several years by now. I was about to go crazy in the coffee shop when the manager came to ask me if I wanted 3 sandwiches on one plate or 1 sandwich on 3 different plates. I knew that this was not going to be as I wanted it to be. I had asked for one salmon as a starter, one as main course and one as a dessert. And of course, I wanted the salmon “ORIGINAL” as it was served when I was at Sea Lounge last Monday. He told me that he was sorry for the long waiting time. He explained that they didn't have the ingredients in this restaurant and as I wanted it exact as in the Sea Lounge it takes some time. What could I say? I didn't want to complain even though I was jumping up and down in my chair. Yes, my good mood had worn off a long time ago. I was hungry and the hangover didn't get any better. So I just said that it was no problem and it was a good service. I got my salmon after about 1 hour, by now I had lost the interest and the hangover had kicked in full force. And it were for sure not tasting as good as it did last Monday  My salmon arrived 16:32. I had been in the coffee shop for almost 1 hour
 My second salmon
When I finished my first plate I told them to bring in the second plate. - The second plate??!
- Yes, I asked for salmon as starter, one as main course and one as a dessert - I thought you meant 3 sandwiches - Well, never mind, can I have the bill - We can make more if you want. - And how long time will this take? - We can make it in 10 minutes - My driver is picking me up in 10 minutes, but let's give it a try. I finished my second plate at 5 o'clock. I paid 3500 Rupees and I went out to see if the driver had  arrived. He came a few minutes past 5 and I had time to have a look around. There were plenty people looking at the Gateway of India. And the horses and the wagons were busy taking tourist along the beach front.
We took off towards a shopping mall that turned out to be called High Street Phoenix. My driver had told me about a shopping mall close to the hotel. But High Street Phoenix was bigger so we decided to go there. My last day in Mumbai and I had not given up the idea to find some fabric for shirts.  Seva Sadan Society - We passed some beautiful houses on the way to High Street Phoenix
My driver turned out to know a whole lot about different buildings in Mumbai and it was very interesting to be in his car
 Seva Sadan Society - We passed some beautiful houses on the way to High Street Phoenix
 Seva Sadan Society
And here was have an excellent example on how a small thing like a window can change/ destroy the whole character of a building. The house on the left hand side looks much better with the old windows. The house on the right hand side is destroyed by the new windows. The houses are the same, but they look so different just by the change of the windows. This is how they renovate houses in Europe and the windows can make a beautiful neighbourhood in to a very ugly neighbourhood. Of course, if they are going to make wooden windows in Sweden they will cost millions. But with the cheap labour in India I had expected something else. We arrived to High Street Phoenix and it was a big building that looked new and we parked on the  4th floor. It was not easy to find a empty space to park on.
But one of the guys working there showed us a place outside the other cars. The driver was going to wait at the car. But he gave me is number just in case and I should call him when I wanted to leave the shopping mall. I went to check out the shopping center and I passed the  security check. Where ever you go in Mumbai and you will have to pass a security check with metal detector. They have the same at some places in Bangkok. And at the  subway you always pass a security check but, well, I don't know if I call it a check. But here they are really checking everyone going in to a mall or hotel
I got in to the elevator and I got out on the 3rd floor. The place looked like a place where I would not find any fabrics. 
I asked for the wash room, I really needed to go after all the tea at Taj Mahal Hotel. I just walked down to the ground floor and out of the shopping mall. I had seen a square next to the mall when we arrived and I went to check it out.
 High Street Phoenix
 High Street Phoenix
And as I had left the mall I had to pass another security check to get in to the square and the square was obviously part of the High Street Phoenix. Because I could walk between the mall and  the square without any security check. But as I had left the mall I needed to pass the security check around the corner again.
On the other side of the square was another mall and I went inside. There was a shop with beautiful clothes and I went inside. The only had readymade clothes and I asked where I could buy fabrics. They told me to go 2 shops down. I said thank you and I left. At the recommended shops they had fabrics, but not any nice colours and I showed them the picture from the previous shop. There was a lady that recommended Armasons on Linking Road. I said thank you and I returned to the car. The driver was not there and I asked one of the security guards if he could call the number  to my driver. We called and called but no answer and they dialled the number starting with 95 and when I tried to start the number with 93 and the driver answered.
The driver came to the car after a few minutes and we were soon on our way towards Linking Road at Bandra. And I was surprised that the driver knew about Amarsons. He told me that it was a famous store on Linking Road. We left the parking at the High Street Phoenix and as soon as we  left the HIGH END shopping mall we were in what looked like the slum. Just outside the High Street Phoenix the houses lining the road looked like they were built by rubbish.
And it looked very strange, house build of rubbish and the road was full of rubbish and it was hard to see the difference between the houses and all the debris lying around. And then suddenly, between the houses there was a spa. Looking very nice and expensive wall to wall with the shacks. And then there was a shop selling expensive wall papers.  We took of the high way just after the Bandra Worli Sea Link and we were soon on the Linking Road and we parked outside Amarsons and it turned out to be very close to Bora Bora. I had called the  DJ and he had made a CD with Indian Hip Hop for me. So I would go there after Amarsons and then I would take off to Little Italy in Juhu, a famous Italian restaurant.
I was full of expectation when I stepped in to Amarsons on Linking Road. I saw all the fabrics in the windows when we parked the car. I took a picture of the windows and there was a guy that thought I wanted to take a picture of him. And he got a wee bit disappointed when I moved away from him to get a view of the window. I found 1 cotton fabric that I liked and then I found another 8 silk fabrics that I bought and the whole thing set me back by 30,000 Rupees. And I could not help but getting a wee bit upset. They have customer and of course they want to sell. I asked if they had some fabrics without flowers. They told me that the fabric didn't have any flowers and I pointed at a rose on the fabric. - What is that? - That is something in the pattern - What is that? - That is something in the pattern - What is that? - That is something in the pattern After asking 25 times the girl said that it was a rose. - And what is a rose? - A flower - So??!! She kept quiet after that. Same when I bought carpets in Bangkok. I bought 4 carpets and when they delivered the carpets they brought a lot of other shit they wanted to sell. I got angry, I was their best customer that month and they almost lost their business because they wanted to sell me some other shit. I almost sent back the carpets. Same at another shop, they have no business and I had them to wash my carpets and they brought other carpets to sell to me when they delivered the freshly washed carpets. The want to sell me something every time I pass the shop and I will never use their service again. I had a Tailor and I was his best customer, every time he saw me he asked if I wanted to do more shirts - No - You need trousers - No - You want to buy a bag? - No I decided to never go back there again and now he is complaining every time he see me. No use  trying to explain, he won't understand.
And at Amarsons, I was buying fabrics like there was no tomorrow and the could sense a good business. They brought out all kinds of fabrics. And I lost it when they brought out a net with some red stuff on it. - What am I using the fabrics for? - To make shirts - Is this SHIT for shirts? - No, I'm very sorry. I told them that it was enough and paid the 30,000 Rupees and we left for Bora Bora. And was a lucky to decide to go to Bora Bora. I had almost decided to skip the tour to Bora Bora. My hangover was coming on and I just wanted to go back to my room. But as I had told the DJ that I would call yesterday I had to call. I stepped inside and the staff recognised me and I asked for a soda water. Yes, the DRY DAY turned out to be because of some Hindi Festival and not because of the guy that died. Dry day or not, I was only going to drink soda water. The soda water was on the house and the Manager refused to accept payment. But he brought my bill from yesterday, 8000 Rupees for 15 beers. I had asked for 2 bottles of Foster beer for the ride to South Mumbai and my bill. I remember waiting for the bill for a long time so I had obviously left. The reason for my valet to be full this morning. I turned in to sweat when I realised how close it had been that I had skipped the visit to Bora Bora. A major embarrassment to have left Mumbai without paying the bill. A BIG NO NO!! 
The Manager and the DJ were cool about it, well, strange. They didn't knew me but they knew that I would be back to pay the bill. And I'm so happy that I could pay my bill. This is something that  would have haunted me for the rest of my life. It is only a low life running away from the bill. Happened to me a couple of times in Bangkok, but they always introduce the bill when I'm coming back.
I finished my soda and I got the CD. I said good bye and I took off to Little Italy in Juhu. I stepped in to Little Italy and I got very sceptic when I saw the place. This is the famous Little Italy?? Looked like a, yeah, I was about to turn around. The place was full and I had to wait for a few minutes. I asked for the menu so I could study the menu while waiting. The second alarm went off when I got the menu, a small brochure. - What!!? Is this MC Donalds?
The Waiter just gaped at me, I don't think he ever heard someone mention MC Donalds here before.  It was kind of hefty prices and I did the mistake to take a hefty price tag for quality. Most times it is better quality with an increased price tag, BUT NOT ALWAYS.
I got a table after 5 minutes or something like that. I asked if they had hot tea. - No By now I had have several alarms going off so I really didn't paid any attention to the alarm that went off when they didn't had hot tea. I asked several times to make sure, but they didn't had any  tea. I asked for Bruchetta with tomatoes and a lasagne.
- Do you have fresh bread? - Yes - Can I please have a basket of fresh bread to the table? - Of course. I was drinking my water when they put a bottle of olive oil and a bottle of the balsamico and I thought that we were going to kick arse. I got a plate of the toast bread. Pretty much like the sliced bread you buy at the Supermarket. I don't know about you, but I don't call this fresh bread even though it might be freshly made. And you can tell by the bread they bring to the table tells you if it is a good or bad restaurant. And when the brucheta came to the table I got disappointed even before I tried it. Same toast filled with chopped tomatoes and I finished half a Brucheta and I put the plate next to the plate  with the "FRESH" bread. The BACK TO THE KITCHEN area of the table.
And I was very hungry when my lasagne arrived, and when I got the lasagne I realised that it was a vegetarian restaurant. I never understood what the Waiter said when I asked if they had smoked salmon. Well, I understood that they didn't have any smoked salmon. The lasagne wasn't any good, yeah, what a surprise, but I could eat most of it. I paid 1040 Rupees and this turned out to be my second most meal since I arrived to Mumbai. The 800 Rupees chicken sandwich and burger at The Boulevard was the most expensive, it went right back to the kitchen. This, 1040 Rupees was almost as expensive. That I could eat most of the lasagne saved the meal. My driver was waiting outside and we took off towards the hotel. He asked if I wanted to stop to check out more fabrics when we passed a shop. - What do you think? Do they have any nice fabrics? - I don't know, but we can check it out. No fabrics and we returned to the hotel. I had a very bad taste in the mouth after my Italian meal  and I was in the back seat feeling bad. I decide to go to the roof top restaurant for some of the white chocolate mousse. Not the quickest service at Mostly Grills, but I needed to get rid of the bad taste in my mouth.
And if I was lucky I might -1.gif) caught a glimpse of the Japanese girl (or where ever she is coming from). I asked for a pot of tea and 2 plates of white chocolate mousse. Misunderstanding, surprised?
I got one plate and I had to wait for quite some time for the second plate and by the time I got the second plate my tea was cold. And I didn't want to ask for a second pot and risk to have to spend the whole night at Mostly Grills. The Japanese girl (or where ever she is coming from) came when I was waitng for my second plate. Almost all the tables were full, except the table next to me. But there was no chairs at the table as they were a group of people having a party and all chairs were  needed. DARN! Well, hmm, maybe I was lucky. If she would have seen me while stuffing myself with two plates of  white chocolate mousse she might have threw herself out from the roof.
As soon as some people come in to a room they take the command, even without saying one single word. And this girl was one of them, she would never take any bullshit waiting 30 minutes for a pot of tea. I have seen her coming in for her breakfast and there is no nonsense with stupid thumb up signals. She had full service from the moment she sat foot at the Boulevard.
Same at Mostly Grills, as soon as she arrive her presence  could be felt. Well, might be my imagination and she is most likely the only thing I will miss from Bombay. Well, it has been fun, but I won’t come back to India again. All the hassle with the taxi drivers made me crazy.
I finished my second plate of white chocolate mousse and I went down to my room where I watched a movie until 3 o'clock in the morning. And I was in a very good mood because I had been at Bora Bora to settle my bill. Broke in to cold sweat every time I thought “what if” I would have left Mumbai without going back to Bora Bora. +++++++++++++++
Sunday 25th of November 2012 and I woke up when my alarm went off at 9 thirty. I finished my  last Diet Pepsis before I went to ibis Mumbai Airport for my lunch/ breakfast.
I could hear music when I left my room and it turned out to be a Christmas party at the Boulevard. Christmas tree, a very small tree, and gifts. I had no urge to celebrate Christmas or to have a meal at the Boulevards so I walked to ibis Mumbai Airport hotel a few minutes away. I asked for a spaghetti Carbonara, a pot of tea and naan bread. They could not do the naan bread because they would not fire up the equipment until 12 o'clock. Carbonara and tea was good enough and it will hopefully last me until I arrived to my hotel in Chennai. I got my bag and I checked out from my hotel when I was back from ibis. They asked me to fill up a form and to grade my hotel experience from 0 to 10.
I wrote “a good hotel with good service. But the coffee shop Boulevard was not clean and the food was not good” I handed the form to the lady in the reception. - You have to grade between 0 and 10 - I cannot do that. I don't know the price of the room. - We want you to fill up the form This was obviously important and she went on and on and I explained to her that I could not put the grade as I didn't know the price for the room. - If it is 1 rupee it is 10 points and if it is 1 million rupees it is 0 points. She left to see how much I had paid for the room and when she came back she told me that she couldn't tell me for security reasons. - You have a company rate and this is a secret. - OK, so I cannot put any figures. My remark is good enough - We need a figure in the box. She finally gave up and I paid my bill and I said good bye and we got to the car for transportation  to the domestic airport. It was a very nice hotel, but darn, they have to do something about the coffee shop. But who am I to complain, this is India and they run it Indian style.
ibis Mumbai airport is very clean and nice and as I have said, I don't feel sick if I by accident caught a glance of the kitchen when they open the door. It took us about 4 minutes to get to the domestic airport and Jet Airways is taking off from gate 2. My bags had to pass an x-ray machine before I could enter the terminal. Then they asked for my ticket or I could not enter the terminal to check in. - I have an e-ticket - We need to see a ticket I could not believe this. So I can make my own print out of a e-ticket. I mean, how hard is it to just write whatever springs to mind and show it was a e-ticket. I had to walk around the terminal for an hour before it was time to board my flight.  Mumbai Domestic Terminal
 Mumbai Domestic Terminal
 Mumbai Domestic Terminal
 Boarding Jet Airways flight 9W 467 to Chennai
 Waiting for the bus to take us to Jet Airways flight 9W 467 to Chennai
 On the bus to take us to Jet Airways flight 9W 467 to Chennai
PLEASE!! OBSERVE THE SEATING ON THE BUS. LEATHER SOFAS AND ARMCHAIRS
 Getting onboard Jet Airways flight 9W 467 to Chennai
I bought two books in a book shop while waiting for my flight. And Indian author and he shall be  funny, at least according to the cover. Of course, nothing else expected or they would not sell any books. Well, something to kill time with back in  Bangkok. I will not have any time to read anything in Chennai. Well, of course, I must take the time to read my homework. I bought the books “The Average Indian Male” and “Karl, Aaj Aur Kal” by Cyrus Broacha
Cyrus Broacha is a TV anchor, theatre personality, political satirist, columnist and author. He is also a stand-up comedian and prankster, best known for his show Bakra on MTV and his show The Week That Wasn't on CNN-IBN One our of walking around and it didn't take long before I had seen everything of interest at the domestic terminal. So it was very nice when it was finally time for boarding at 14:50. Of course, we had to go by bus to Jet Airways flight 9W 467 to Chennai. We were going with a Boeing 737-800, and as we had been flying with a Boeing 737-900 from Bangkok to Mumbai I didn't had much hope for more space on the 737-800. At least it sounds smaller than 737-900. I had asked for a seat at the emergency exit at check-in and I had a window seat at the emergency exit. I took my seat and there were plenty space for my legs, it was a wee different with the space in the chair. I asked the Stewardess for an extension belt. And WOW!!!! The Stewardess was something of the most beautiful I have ever seen on a flight. At least in a very long time.
And she told me that it was not allowed with extension belts at the emergency exit. I could not believe my ears. - What the
I was quite grumpy and she told me that I had to change seat. Well, the Steward was soon coming to ask me for my boarding pass. There was a security issue with my checked luggage. He asked me to come with him and we walked off the flight. I thought that they were kicking me off the flight  because of the “extension belt” issue.
when we got of the flight they asked for my carry on and I had to get back up on the flight to get my carry on. By now I was convinced that I was kicked off because of the “extension belt” issue. Well, by now I was quite sure that the “extension belt” issue and developed in to the “extension belt” incident. The passengers was staring at me, first I'm lead of the aircraft and then I'm coming back to get my carry on. I was alone on the bus going back to the terminal. Well, of course, there was a driver and a guy from Jet Airways. I had the time to admire the bus.  I had never seen something like this before, and what a waste of space. Sofas and arm chairs so not space for many people to sit down.
We arrived to Jet Airways baggage handling and we got off the bus. They stopped a conveyor belt and we walked over the belt. They pointed at a grey bag. - Is that your bag? - No But I could see my bag and I pointed at the bag. - That’s my bag - Take out the Zippo So it was my new Zippo. I had checked in the lighter and fluid in order to avoid this problem. But  now I had more trouble than I had expected. I took out the Zippo and the fluid. We took the bag and we got back on the bus.
We left the luggage handling centre behind us and I just lost my new Zippo. By now we were a few minutes late and I could imagine the passengers on Jet Airways flight  9W 467 swearing over the a-hole delaying them.
We have all been there, sitting on an aircraft waiting to take off. Delayed because of some a-hole that have managed to foock up with the luggage and they have to unload the plane. And you have to sit in the chair that gets smaller by the minute waiting for them to be ready. And this time it was my fault, yeah, a dream come true walking back on that flight with the lunch mob watching me. Well, it could have been worse, I could have ben kicke doff the flight. Banned from Jet Airways and I would have been stranded in Mumbai for the rest of my life.  They are waiting for me
 They are waiting for me
 Guess who they are waiting for
I got onboard and the Jet Airway man carried my checked bag and they took it in the cabin. The Stewardess, Miss “Most beautiful in the aviation world” told me that I was going to sitt on seat 23D  instead of my original seat 20A. She brought a extension belt and she told me that I could change seat after take off. She was smiling and I told her that it was never mind.
- I'm sitting just fine. Of course, the Pilot was on the PA system and for the first time in my life I'm able to hear the Pilot crisp clear on the PA system. - We are finally ready to take off. We are a wee bit delayed because of the a-hole with his luggage. Otherwise it is impossible to hear whatthey are saying on the PA system, but tday it was very loud and clear. Well, we're ready to take of to Chennai and new adventures. OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it  be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.
 Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas
 Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!
 Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!
 Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra
 Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!
 คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้
 Вы говорите по-русски? NJET PROBLEMA! Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!
 E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.
|
as it is a relatively uncrowded free space in the city, although it does get crowded in the evenings and weekends.
    
You are visitor no.
To www.aladdin.st since December 2005
Visitors from different countries since 26th of September 2011
|
 |
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
||||