Colaba and Karaoke

It's a Saturday night so I decide to pack it in with some sight seeing in the centre of town. I have not been around the fort area yet this trip and it is a nice area of town. Not only is it my first time to go into town but it is also the first time I am catching a train.

This is an activity I have been warned about by everyone here. It is quite funny to watch the train pull up at the train station with people literally hanging off the train as it approaches the platform. People spill off the train even before it halts at the platform. There is no such message as "stand clear, doors closing" the doors are permanently open and even if there isnt enough room on board people form a scrum and surge forward on the train or run along and grab hold as the train is leaving the platform.

Its actually quite fun and I make the most of it by taking some pictures of me hanging off the train as its speeding forward - something I imagine you can only do in India. Once coming up to the platform I decide to jump off the train while it is still moving - something I have seen many locals doing. I jump while the train is still moving quite fast though and almost do a face plant at one of the busiest platforms in Mumbai - Churchgate station.

Once in town its busy and hot and crowded with lots of tourists around. I laugh as I hear a European man yelling at a shop keeper in accented English "you cheat me! you cheat me! - I buy the same one to me for 200 rupee cheaper".

I manage to buy a scarf for mum's birthday and haggle with the shop keeper to get a fair price. He tells me its pure silk. He knows he's lying, I know he's lying. But does he know that I know he's lying? Just in case you're reading mum I don't know whether you will be happier knowing I haggled it down to a good price or I spent lots and lots for your present so I won't say.

Happy birthday =)

**

Its a Sunday evening and after a relaxing day I decide to head out again to Marine Drive to a jazz bar with Anuya and her friends. We get to 'Not Just Jazz' only to find out once we get there that it's karaoke night. I make sure that I don't drink to the point where I feel I can sing but even still the cheque racks up to be over 10k and its a bit embarrassing as we scramble out all our change to pay the bill.

On the drive home its 1AM and Bombay streets are completely empty and quiet, which is a site to see itself.