Anjuna is in Northern Goa and has A LOT of tourists, both locals and, from what we could tell, hippies that just never left. Back in the day it was where the party was at and was really the beginning of all that is Goa... but now... let's just say it wasn't my cup of tea. Between the people coming up to us on the beach and street with all kinds of offers, from jewelery to sarongs to hash, it was quite overwhelming!
Apparently the thing to do in Anjuna is go to a rave. So we found out about one and showed up. 1. We showed up around 9pm (it started at 5), so either we were early or we missed the whole thing. 2. There were two groups of people there: Indians on vacation drinking Bacardi Breezers and sitting around the 'dance' floor or the Hippies I told you about dancing like they were worshiping extraterrestrials. 3. No. Never is that ok. 4. Outside of this 'rave' was a stairway to the beach where there were about 15 food stalls set up, ALL of them only serving omelets.
In all honesty, that is the impression that will stick with me about Anjuna. It might not be fair, it definitely isnt an accurate representation of that area but it is my experience.
From there we headed up to Mumbai/Bombay. We couldnt book a train ticket so we booked a sleeper bus. Seriously, a bus with beds in it took us from Anjuna to Mumbai. It was 8 or so hours and it originally looked REALLY comfortable. They had curtains drawn to cover between your bed and the aisle. It was like sitting/laying in a pillow and blanket fort that we all made when we were kids. It was so cool! But then you lie down to sleep and as the bus is winding around the hills and over the mountains, you kind of feel like you are going to fall off at any moment. You cant really sleep because you have to keep bracing yourself. Not the easiest way to travel but if I was sitting up the whole time and not sleeping, it would have been good.
Mumbai. Known for its Bollywood films, its industry, the glitz and glamor, the large Taj Mahal Hotel, the terrorist attack a few years back, Slumdog Millionaire, there are a lot of things that people associate with Mumbai. This isnt the most accurate representation of it though. Things I have come to know Mumbai for... its incredible amount of smog, the huge disparity between the wealthy and the poor, the weird tourist traps, the delicious Laxmi Vilas restaurant, the helpful hotel people, and the worst recommended trip- Elephanta Island.
The smog. I have realized I have never been in a city that has a smog problem. I have driven through, I have seen it, I have experienced a little bit of it but I have never stayed in a city that feels as though it is hard to breathe solely because of the amount of pollution in the air. When you are riding in to the city or taking the train out, you can see and feel the difference in the air. Wow. And some people still dont think our actions have any consequence on the environment...
The huge disparity. You have the Taj Mahal Hotel and Tower, this giant beautiful hotel that apparently is even better on the inside and then not even a block behind it you have people (lots of children included) sleeping in the streets. You have wealthy tourists and businessmen (not just Westerners but people from all over the world) coming to stay in Mumbai and experience the glitz and glamor of the city and there are people that are starving and dying in the streets.
One thing I have realized while traveling through India is that India is a lot more honest about its poverty. They dont try and hide them from the general public, they dont have laws saying you cant sleep on the streets or beg in front of restaurants like they do in America. I am still not sure how I feel about this. On one hand I think it is honesty and isnt that the best policy. It makes it real and in your face and doesnt try to hide the fact that there are millions of people living way below the poverty line. But on the other hand, it also means that there arent enough social programs to help this and that people and kids are sleeping on the streets and are subject to all sorts of degradation, humiliation and unsafe ways of living. To be a child, on the streets, begging/stealing/selling for small change just to survive, that isnt the way kids should grow up. These kids have experiences no one should ever have. It breaks my heart to see them on the street but at the same time I cant really do anything about it, such a helpless feeling.
The last thing I will gripe about Mumbai: Elephanta Island. I am going to be brutally honest right now, but it was a waste of time and money for me. While there were interesting caves and carvings, I wouldnt really recommend it to anyone. The hour long boat ride through thick smog was disgusting and then once there, the island was so dirty from pollution. The caves were interesting and would have probably been more interesting if we hired a guide but we were there too late to get the free guide that came with the ticket (late by like 10 minutes). We were hassled the whole time and just was not an enjoyable experience.
It sounds like Mumbai is the worst city and I dont wholely disagree with that. It has been the worst city I have traveled to in my limited experience. Maybe I did it wrong, maybe I didnt see it for its history and charm, maybe I didnt spend enough time there or go to the right places at the right time, there are a lot of factors that influence the experience but for me, I can say I have seen Mumbai and now I do not have to come back.
As I am writing this, I am sitting in Delhi on the night before I fly out. There are a lot of wonderful experiences between this post and today so I will try and write those now. Everything is good and even though Mumbai and Anjuna werent the best places we have seen, I wouldnt change it. I am glad I went there and experienced those places. That is what traveling is about: experiencing all places, the good and bad.
Apparently the thing to do in Anjuna is go to a rave. So we found out about one and showed up. 1. We showed up around 9pm (it started at 5), so either we were early or we missed the whole thing. 2. There were two groups of people there: Indians on vacation drinking Bacardi Breezers and sitting around the 'dance' floor or the Hippies I told you about dancing like they were worshiping extraterrestrials. 3. No. Never is that ok. 4. Outside of this 'rave' was a stairway to the beach where there were about 15 food stalls set up, ALL of them only serving omelets.
In all honesty, that is the impression that will stick with me about Anjuna. It might not be fair, it definitely isnt an accurate representation of that area but it is my experience.
From there we headed up to Mumbai/Bombay. We couldnt book a train ticket so we booked a sleeper bus. Seriously, a bus with beds in it took us from Anjuna to Mumbai. It was 8 or so hours and it originally looked REALLY comfortable. They had curtains drawn to cover between your bed and the aisle. It was like sitting/laying in a pillow and blanket fort that we all made when we were kids. It was so cool! But then you lie down to sleep and as the bus is winding around the hills and over the mountains, you kind of feel like you are going to fall off at any moment. You cant really sleep because you have to keep bracing yourself. Not the easiest way to travel but if I was sitting up the whole time and not sleeping, it would have been good.
Mumbai. Known for its Bollywood films, its industry, the glitz and glamor, the large Taj Mahal Hotel, the terrorist attack a few years back, Slumdog Millionaire, there are a lot of things that people associate with Mumbai. This isnt the most accurate representation of it though. Things I have come to know Mumbai for... its incredible amount of smog, the huge disparity between the wealthy and the poor, the weird tourist traps, the delicious Laxmi Vilas restaurant, the helpful hotel people, and the worst recommended trip- Elephanta Island.
The smog. I have realized I have never been in a city that has a smog problem. I have driven through, I have seen it, I have experienced a little bit of it but I have never stayed in a city that feels as though it is hard to breathe solely because of the amount of pollution in the air. When you are riding in to the city or taking the train out, you can see and feel the difference in the air. Wow. And some people still dont think our actions have any consequence on the environment...
The huge disparity. You have the Taj Mahal Hotel and Tower, this giant beautiful hotel that apparently is even better on the inside and then not even a block behind it you have people (lots of children included) sleeping in the streets. You have wealthy tourists and businessmen (not just Westerners but people from all over the world) coming to stay in Mumbai and experience the glitz and glamor of the city and there are people that are starving and dying in the streets.
One thing I have realized while traveling through India is that India is a lot more honest about its poverty. They dont try and hide them from the general public, they dont have laws saying you cant sleep on the streets or beg in front of restaurants like they do in America. I am still not sure how I feel about this. On one hand I think it is honesty and isnt that the best policy. It makes it real and in your face and doesnt try to hide the fact that there are millions of people living way below the poverty line. But on the other hand, it also means that there arent enough social programs to help this and that people and kids are sleeping on the streets and are subject to all sorts of degradation, humiliation and unsafe ways of living. To be a child, on the streets, begging/stealing/selling for small change just to survive, that isnt the way kids should grow up. These kids have experiences no one should ever have. It breaks my heart to see them on the street but at the same time I cant really do anything about it, such a helpless feeling.
The last thing I will gripe about Mumbai: Elephanta Island. I am going to be brutally honest right now, but it was a waste of time and money for me. While there were interesting caves and carvings, I wouldnt really recommend it to anyone. The hour long boat ride through thick smog was disgusting and then once there, the island was so dirty from pollution. The caves were interesting and would have probably been more interesting if we hired a guide but we were there too late to get the free guide that came with the ticket (late by like 10 minutes). We were hassled the whole time and just was not an enjoyable experience.
It sounds like Mumbai is the worst city and I dont wholely disagree with that. It has been the worst city I have traveled to in my limited experience. Maybe I did it wrong, maybe I didnt see it for its history and charm, maybe I didnt spend enough time there or go to the right places at the right time, there are a lot of factors that influence the experience but for me, I can say I have seen Mumbai and now I do not have to come back.
As I am writing this, I am sitting in Delhi on the night before I fly out. There are a lot of wonderful experiences between this post and today so I will try and write those now. Everything is good and even though Mumbai and Anjuna werent the best places we have seen, I wouldnt change it. I am glad I went there and experienced those places. That is what traveling is about: experiencing all places, the good and bad.
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